After a series of storms, the one that hit really harshly, caused a critical accident to which the crewmates and everyone else (but Crusoe) died. The storm was so severe that everyone but Crusoe have died on that ship. He was able to escape, but was stranded on this deserted island. While roaming around the island, he found the ship in which he escaped from, during the storm, but it was all wrecked and there were a few items still left on the ship. At the ship, Crusoe takes whatever he can find that would be of use to him on the island which are clothing, scissors, firearms, razors, ammunition, gunpowder, and 36£ of coins.
If you haven’t guessed it already, this is where our topic question comes in of “Why did Crusoe take the coins off the ship?” We are told of some of the things he took (including the coins) which would be of actual good use for him on the island. For example, now that Crusoe needs to survive on the island somehow, he would need things to cut, but what would he cut those things he needs with? Thankfully on the ship, he finds himself a pair of scissors which is definitely of good use for him and is something that will actually help him to survive on this island.
I should also add to this another more obvious example, which is clothing. If he wouldn’t have found some extra clothing for himself, then he would have to get seriously creative in terms of what to wear on a daily basis or simply make a hula skirt out those big palm tree leaves (or fig tree leaves) if he doesn’t find another option. So, in terms of clothing, he has found some on the wrecked ship which most certainly will be no doubt of very great use for him and is something he will definitely need.
Going back to the question of why did he take those coins from the ship when we obviously know they won’t be of any use to him at all, in other words, completely useless for him, so why take them? I believe we were assigned this question in particular, because in the story it is not told why Crusoe took those coins. However, we are told that Crusoe actually acknowledges this saying, “I have no manner of use for thee,” by these he meant the coins from the ship. The information given to us stops there and nothing else is added. I believe, as this piece of information is all we are getting, that even though Crusoe knows that he’s stuck there on that island, a part of himself hopes for salvation. By salvation I mean him being potentially rescued, so then after being rescued he would use those coins to start his life over, the way his father wanted him to, and the way God wanted for him.
That is just my opinion, however, based on the little information we have from context, I have personally concluded that Crusoe still has that faith and hope deep inside of himself of being rescued and coming back to a normal civilization. Those coins that he has kept for this occasion would definitely be of use to him then.
Thanks for reading this essay. I hope you liked it or learned something new. I’ll be posting more soon and have a great rest of your day!
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