Reading the Classics discussion

Discussion thread for the beginning of Robinson Crusoe.

I’ve read through the first chapter of Robinson Crusoe so far and here are my thoughts:

1. I get a little nervous any time I read a book that is as old as Robinson Crusoe and unlike Don Quixote I know this one isn’t translated so will have the language of the day. So far though I’ve been breezing through it. The only part that has tripped me up a bit is how the dialogue is written.

2. I had no idea Crusoe was in a shipwreck before THE shipwreck. Listen to everybody that is telling you that you are making a mistake Crusoe. The ship master saying he wouldn’t go on another voyage with him for a thousand pounds should tell him all he needs to know.

But if he'd wised up, we wouldn't have a story to read! :)

In volume Two of Don Quixote, I am again less than enthralled with Sancho. When they encounter Dulcinea, Don Quixote is quite sane in seeing her as she really is. It is Sancho’s insistent and lengthy discourse that he sees what is not real, that leads Don Quixote to the conclusion that he must be enchanted.

I must say I don’t look kindly on Sancho for deliberately misleading Don Quixote.
I wonder if this is meant to be humorous. To my 21 st century feelings, it was really cruel.

I think Sancho Panza is the only character trying to keep one foot in the real world, and one in the fantasy. That has annoyed me, too... but it feels as though by design.

Opps, I just realized I put my DQ comments in the wrong place.

I don’t know an easy way to fix it, so I may just leave it.

In Robinson Crusoe, I was glad Crusoe did not sell out the boy who helped him escape captivity.

Also, in Chapter 3, Crusoe is saved by the Portuguese captain. We will encounter this Captain again. He seems too good to be true, but maybe the vagaries of ocean adventuring really did hold such extremes.

Linda_G wrote: "Opps, I just realized I put my DQ comments in the wrong place.

I don’t know an easy way to fix it, so I may just leave it."

Where are they?

In this thread !