The central themes in the novel are the inter-racial relationship, moralism, religion,

philosophical and social beliefs. Another interesting subject is the strong spirit of
survival through the anxious solitude and struggle of a shipwrecked man who has to
face a new life and domain nature.
All through the book a moral sense is constantly kept. It starts when Robinson defies
his father's advise, gets in trouble, enslaved, shipwrecked, and in every occasion, he
gets and learns the best of it. In fact, Crusoe feels a real sinner; he was never able to
see the signs God sent him, however, he receives the grace of God all the time.
As a Puritan soul testing a solitary ordeal, Robinson realises that internal matters in
life prevail on external. From this moment onwards, and without feeling homesick or
missing his civilised society, basically the protagonist desires to be relieved from his
past sins. The isolation and solitude experienced by Robinson points out the idea of
finding a new sense to life through the exploration and exploitation of nature and the
creation of a new world.
It also has a strange economic sense. The 18th century belief that God, morality and
economics are all somehow one. Robinson Crusoe embodies the conquest of North
American people, the domination of nature, the transformation of wilderness into
culture, and eventually, the victory.
The rescue of Friday, a "wild creature", supposes to undertake a religious conversion
and to educate him into civilised habits. However, Puritans thought that the
inhabitants of the New World were to be ignored, killed, or used as servants, as it
happens indeed with Friday's father, the cannibals and Friday himself. Contrary to
that, the Catholic principle was to convert the savages and to incorporate them into
the Christian community, as the only way to spread the Christianism.
The trading bourgeoisie, the expansion of London into the commercial centre of
Europe and the further establishment of the British colonial empire shapes the idea of
colonisation. The novel is a vivid representation of the Western colonisation that
undoubtedly overcomes wilderness, nature and the uncivilised world.When the
shipwreck occurred, Robinson is plunged into a survival act. That implies that
Robinson's main task is to transform the wild island into a civilised place, a really
hard work as he lacks of tools to do it properly.
The story also contains a tribute to work. The majority of the story describes the
protagonist efforts at mundane tasks undertaken in the island. The weapons and tools
Robinson rescues from the shipwrecks help the protagonist to carry out many of his
activities to survive - hunting, fishing, agriculture, and craftsmanship. The main idea
is that God places human beings on earth to work. Definitely, their efforts contribute
to reach anything desired.
Besides that the important idea of colonisation is mainly articulated when Friday is
rescued from the cannibals. From this moment, a complex relationship is developed
through Robinson's interaction and Friday response. Robinson wishes many times to
have a companionship, but a companionship under his dominance, as he thinks to kill
Friday if he does subject to his will. Finally, violence is not needed because Friday
submits to Robinson's orders in gratitude for having being rescued. Friday voluntarily
accepts a lifelong servitude under a mutual verbal agreement. Indeed, Robinson
exercises total authority on Friday; who must obey and be useful to his master.
Furthermore, a kind of intimacy between these opposite men is developed, a feeling
of brotherhood that exceeds Robinson's colonising position.