Post Colonial Features: Dependency Complex, Choicelessness, and Colonial Mother in Robinson Crusoe
Keywords:
Post Colonialism, Fanon, Robinson Crusoe, Dependency ComplexAbstract
The present study aims to explore the post-colonial elements of Frantz Fanon’s theory in the novel, Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe. The text illustrates the relationship between a colonizer and a colonized with the help of the characters: ‘Crusoe’ and ‘Friday’. Some aspects of Fanon’s theory have been discussed with reference to the text that are perfectly relatable if we analyse Crusoe’s relationship with Friday. In the essay On National Culture, Fanon talks about some postcolonial elements like the colonial mother, dependency complex and choicelessness. The two major characters of the text ‘Crusoe’ and ‘Friday’ show these features perfectly. The thematic analysis of the text proves that Crusoe is Friday’s colonial mother who controls Friday’s life. He has developed a dependency complex while living with his colonial mother ‘Crusoe’ and thinks that he cannot survive without his master’s support. He has no choice of his own which shows his choicelessness as he likes to be controlled by his master.
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