'Foe' by J.M. Coetzee

'Foe' by J.M. Coetzee

Hello Everyone,😊

This blog is a part of thinking activity assigned by Megha Ma'am. In this blog post, I will provide a comparative and critical analysis of Daniel Defoe's Robinson Crusoe and J. M. Coetzee's Foe.

Introduction:

Nobel laureate J. M. Coetzee, born in South Africa, wrote the novel Foe in 1986. The story is told from the perspective of Susan Barton, a castaway who ends up on the same island where "Cruso" and Friday live, joining their story while their adventures are already underway. Foe weaves its narrative with the classic plot of Robinson Crusoe, exploring themes like the nature of storytelling, identity, slavery, the line between reality and fiction, and much more. While some critics see Foe as a strong protest against apartheid, others feel its critique is less direct.

Daniel Defoe’s Robinson Crusoe is considered one of the earliest realist novels in English literature, first published in 1719. It captures the excitement and imagination tied to the era of European colonialism, particularly by England, and serves as a model for English colonial literature.

The novel follows the adventures of an Englishman, Robinson Crusoe, who becomes a castaway and later dominates a native man, Friday, on an uninhabited island. It reflects how European countries pursued large-scale colonization in regions like the East, the Caribbean, Africa, and America.

Now, let’s discuss the key aspects of the novel in detail.

The comparative and critical analysis of Daniel Defoe’s ‘Robinson Crusoe’ and J. M. Coetzee’s ‘Foe’:

Daniel Defoe's Robinson Crusoe is seen as one of the first important works of fiction, introducing readers to the idea of an island adventure. Written in the 17th century, the novel reflects the time's patriarchal and colonial ideas. Men were portrayed as powerful leaders, while women had little significance. The story is told from the perspective of Robinson Crusoe, a middle-aged white man, during the era of European colonization.

J.M. Coetzee’s Foe, written in 1986, is a reimagining of Defoe's classic. While it has similarities to Robinson Crusoe, Coetzee adds new elements like a female protagonist, Susan Barton, a fresh setting, and a more modern perspective. Instead of a male castaway narrating the story, Susan takes the lead, offering a different and critical view of colonialism and power. This makes Foe more than just a retelling—it becomes a commentary on the themes of identity, oppression, and the silencing of voices.

Colonialism and Power in Robinson Crusoe and Foe

    Robinson Crusoe is often considered one of the first books to reflect colonial thinking. Crusoe claims control over the island and treats Friday, a native man, as his servant. Crusoe teaches Friday European customs, language, and religion, portraying European culture as superior and overlooking Friday's traditions and identity. The novel paints a picture of how colonizers justified their actions by presenting themselves as "civilized" and others as "uncivilized."

At the time, readers admired Crusoe as the ideal Englishman, and the book inspired people to see colonization as a positive mission. It also helped promote Eurocentric values, showing European dominance over other cultures.

In contrast Coetzee’s Foe questions this viewpoint. Through Susan Barton, a female castaway, the story highlights how colonial narratives often silence the voices of the oppressed, like Friday, who is portrayed as tongueless and unable to share his story. Susan wants to tell Friday’s story, but Mr. Foe, a writer and publisher modeled on Daniel Defoe, insists on changing it to suit popular expectations. This shows how colonial narratives manipulate the truth to maintain power and control.

Characters and Narrative Changes in Foe:

While Foe uses characters from Robinson Crusoe, Coetzee changes their roles and meanings. Susan Barton, a female character, becomes the narrator in Foe, offering a different perspective compared to Crusoe's. She arrives on the same island where Cruso (a slight change from Crusoe’s name) and Friday live. Witnessing Friday’s suffering as a tongueless slave, she feels pity for him and wishes to share his story.

Coetzee also alters the name "Defoe" to "Foe," symbolizing a return to the writer’s original identity and questioning the authority behind his constructed name. By changing names and roles, Coetzee highlights how language and storytelling shape power and identity, much like how colonialism shaped history to favor the colonizers.

  So we can say that. Coetzee’s Foe is a modern reimagining of Robinson Crusoe, bringing fresh perspectives and questioning the colonial and patriarchal values of the original. By focusing on Susan Barton and Friday, Coetzee highlights the voices that were ignored in Defoe’s story. Foe is more than just a retelling it’s a critique of

colonialism, power, and how stories are told to serve certain purposes. This makes it an important and thought-provoking work for modern readers.

Exploring Identity and Personal Growth:

       In Robinson Crusoe, the character of Crusoe embodies the Enlightenment ideals of individualism, self-reliance, and control over nature. His journey on the island is portrayed as a process of self-discovery, where he proves his worth by turning an uninhabited island into a manageable, productive space. Crusoe’s transformation reflects the Western belief that human reason and effort can conquer and tame nature, a core theme of the Enlightenment era. His isolation from society is seen as an opportunity for personal growth, where he becomes more "civilized" and knowledgeable, shaping his identity through this self-imposed solitude. Through his eyes, the island becomes a place for proving his skills, showcasing how the Western concept of self-discovery is tied to domination and control over one's environment.

    In contrast of that Foe challenges this Western notion of individualism and self-discovery. Susan Barton, the protagonist and narrator of Coetzee’s novel, embarks on a different journey one not of self-realization, but of gaining the agency to tell her own story. While Crusoe’s transformation is about asserting control over the natural world, Susan’s journey is a quest for autonomy within the narrative itself. She seeks to express her version of events, pushing back against the dominant male perspectives of Crusoe and Friday. This shift in focus highlights the critique of Western ideals of self-expression and identity, showing that true individuality is often stifled by dominant cultural narratives. Friday’s silence further emphasizes this, as his lack of voice represents how marginalized identities are often suppressed in favor of more dominant, Eurocentric stories.

Reimagining Friday's Role:

   In Robinson Crusoe, Friday is introduced as a "savage" whom Crusoe "civilizes," reflecting the colonial mindset of the time. Crusoe’s actions represent the typical colonial attitude that indigenous people were in need of European guidance and culture. By teaching Friday the European language, religion, and customs, Crusoe asserts his power and superiority over the "savage" other, making Friday a symbol of the colonial enterprise. This dynamic illustrates how colonialism viewed indigenous peoples as subjects to be tamed and molded according to Western standards of civilization. Crusoe’s control over Friday also mirrors the power relationships between colonizers and the colonized, emphasizing the subjugation of native populations in the colonial project.

    Coetzee’s Foe subverts this colonial portrayal by giving Friday a voice—or rather, by showing how his silence speaks volumes. In Foe, Friday loses his ability to speak, symbolizing the erasure of colonized voices in historical narratives. His silence forces readers to confront the ways in which colonialism has silenced or ignored the perspectives of the oppressed. Unlike the original, where Friday becomes a passive servant to Crusoe, Coetzee presents him as a character who has been dehumanized through the loss of his voice, making it impossible for him to narrate his own experience. This shift in Friday’s role challenges the notion that the colonized are simply subjects to be taught or civilized, instead highlighting the violence and silencing inherent in colonialism. Friday’s silence becomes a powerful critique of how colonial histories have erased or distorted the experiences of indigenous people.

Questioning Historical Narratives:

    Coetzee’s Foe functions as a postcolonial response to Robinson Crusoe, questioning the legitimacy of the original narrative and the colonial assumptions it carries. In Defoe’s novel, Crusoe’s version of events is treated as objective truth, and his interpretation of the island’s colonization is presented as the ultimate authority. On the other hand in Foe, Coetzee challenges this by allowing Susan Barton to tell her version of the story. Susan’s perspective is in direct opposition to Crusoe’s, as she struggles to have her account heard and accepted. This shift reflects the postcolonial critique that historical narratives are often shaped by the biases of the powerful, and that the voices of the oppressed are frequently excluded or manipulated. Coetzee’s novel forces readers to reconsider the truthfulness of historical records, especially those that have been written by the colonizers.

    Susan's fight to present an authentic version of the story in Foe mirrors the postcolonial argument that historical "truths" are not absolute but are shaped by the interests and viewpoints of the dominant group. In contrast to Crusoe’s unquestioned authority, Susan’s narrative is questioned and altered by Mr. Foe, the publisher who serves as a stand-in for Defoe. This struggle for control over the narrative underscores the postcolonial idea that history is often written by those in power, and the stories of colonized people are either ignored or distorted. By positioning Susan as a narrator whose voice is constantly challenged, Coetzee critiques the way colonial histories have been constructed and urges a more inclusive approach that recognizes multiple, diverse perspectives. This highlights the importance of acknowledging the perspectives of marginalized groups in order to rewrite history more truthfully and equitably.

Deconstructing Colonial Ideals:

In Robinson Crusoe, the portrayal of Crusoe as a man who "civilizes" the island and Friday is deeply rooted in colonial ideals. Crusoe’s control over the island, his power over the land, and his subjugation of Friday all reflect the colonial mindset of the time, which saw European superiority as natural and justified. Crusoe’s actions are framed as positive, his struggle to survive and transform the island into a livable place celebrated as a triumph of human will and reason. Meanwhile, Friday, a native of the island, is depicted as passive and subordinate, further reinforcing the idea that indigenous people are inferior and in need of European guidance. The relationship between Crusoe and Friday thus mirrors the broader colonial project of domination, where colonizers saw themselves as bringing civilization to the "uncivilized" parts of the world.

Coetzee deconstructs this colonial framework in Foe by reimagining the relationship between Crusoe, Friday, and Susan. In Coetzee’s version, Friday’s voice is silenced, making him a figure who cannot participate in the colonial narrative. This absence of voice serves as a critique of the colonial system that sought to erase the agency of the colonized. Additionally, by making Susan the main character and giving her the power to narrate the story, Coetzee introduces a female perspective that was absent in Defoe’s work. Susan’s attempt to share her version of the story, only to be blocked by Mr. Foe, highlights the silencing of women and colonized people within colonial narratives. Through these changes, Coetzee not only critiques the colonial mindset but also questions the very structure of storytelling, showing how narratives have been used to reinforce power dynamics.

Conclusion:

In nutshell , J.M. Coetzee’s Foe serves as a powerful postcolonial critique of Daniel Defoe's Robinson Crusoe, challenging the colonial and patriarchal ideologies that permeate the original narrative. By shifting the focus to Susan Barton and giving a voice to the silenced character of Friday, Coetzee reimagines the story, questioning the power dynamics and historical narratives created by colonialism. Foe not only provides a fresh perspective on identity, oppression, and agency but also forces readers to reconsider how histories are shaped by the dominant voices and to value the perspectives of the marginalized. Through this critical reworking, Coetzee encourages us to rethink the stories we tell and the truths they uphold.

Thank you so much for visiting 😊

Words: 1957