Comaparison and Contrast of Robinson Crusoe and Samuel Johnson - Essay Example

Similarities between Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe and The Life of Samuel Johnson by James Boswell Both characters lead a life that is full of drama, adventure and intrigue. Both characters are adventurous. Johnson went to visit his friend in Scotland. He began “journey to the western islands of Scotland “(Boswell, 12).similarly, Robinson Crusoe was a young and impulsive wanderer and left his family and sailed towards South Africa. Biographical: the other similarity is the both characters talk about their personal life adventures.

Crusoe talks about his adventures while in the Island while Johnson’s life is recounted while in Scotland.Persevering: Crusoe spent months constructing a canoe and making pottery up until he got it right. Crusoe considered as a cast away, spends most of his life on an isolated tropical island that is near the Trinidad. While living there, he comes face to face with mutineers and cannibals, as well as captives before being rescued. His perseverance enables him to be rescued. On the other hand, Johnson spent most of his time writing articles with some being published others being discarded, yet he did not give up. “Dr. Johnson was already fifty years old……He had published his dictionary” (121).

Generous: Crusoe offered gifts to his sisters together with the captain. He says, “Take this as it is yours” (Defoe, 78). On the other hand, Dr. Johnson offered numerous compliments to his friends.Differences between Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe and The Life of Samuel Johnson by James BoswellCrusoe is dull; the deadspan style and precision of narration only works well for Crusoe’s recounting of the building of the canoe, however, it tends to drain the excitement from the sequence of events that ought to be thrilling.

Besides, the action-packed scenes such as the conquest of the cannibals become dull when Crusoe narrates them. Contrarily, Dr. Johnson was temperamental, since he talked a lot and got annoyed quickly. Crusoe is also obsessed with prestige, power and possessions. He described himself as the king of the Island. He further describes the Spaniard as his subject. Defoe writes that Crusoe wanted Friday to call him “master’ (Defoe, 45). Crusoe says “My Island was now peopled, and I thought myself very rich in Subjects; and it was a merry Reflection which I frequently made (Defoe, 203).

On the contrary, Dr. Johnson was altruistic since he minded the welfare of other people. “Johnsons circle knew how to enjoy themselves” (Boswell, 342).Works CitedDefoe, Daniel. Robinson Crusoe. New York: Harper-Collins Publications. 1975. Boswell, James The Life of Samuel Johnson New York: Routledge. 1981.