THE ORIENTALISM IN DANIEL DEFOE’S ROBINSON CRUSOE

Abstract

Robinson Crusoe is one of Daniel Defoe’s works which tells about orientalism. This novel describes the relations between the Western and the Eastern. It is represented by Crusoe and Friday. Crusoe is an Englishman from the town of York, England and Friday is the native. When Friday met Crusoe, he got many influences related to his life. He gets his identity fully from Robinson Crusoe. Crusoe saved his life, and named him Friday, Crusoe teaches him English, the words of God, and converts him to a Christian. There are three problems to discuss in this research. The first is the Cultural assumptions from Crusoe as the Western toward Friday as the Eastern in Robinson Crusoe. The second is the attitudes of the Western toward the Eastern. Then, the third discusses the Orientalism in Daniel Defoe’s Robinson Crusoe. This thesis uses a qualitative research. Primary data of this research are fact and information about Orientalism issues in Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe. The secondary data are any fact and information about colonial discourse between European and Non-European. After discussing this research, it can be concluded that the novel of Robinson Crusoe represents the imperialism of the European through the representation of a European is depicted as the Western who is superior. Otherwise, the Non-European is described as the Eastern who is inferior. The European’s position has right to control the Non-European. The European colonizes the Non-European through his knowledge of language (English), religion (Christian) and culture. The European dominates the Non-European’s identity. Furthermore, through the strategy, the European turns to be a colonizer who scatters colonized people’s ideology. In this case, the injustice of the European to the Non-European is opposed by Edward Said’s Orientalism.