Friday

by Michel Tournier

Book Overview

Friday , winner of the 1967 Grand Prix du Roman of the Acad mie Fran aise, is a sly, enchanting retelling of the legend of Robinson Crusoe by the man the New Yorker calls "France's best and probably best-known writer." Cast away on a tropical island, Michel Tournier's god-fearing Crusoe sets out to tame it, to remake it in the image of the civilization he has left behind. Alone and against incredible odds, he almost succeeds. Then a mulatto named...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0394728807
• ISBN13: 9780394728803
• Release Date: February 1985
• Publisher: Pantheon Books
• Length: 235 Pages
• Weight: 0.85 lbs.
• Age Range: 18 years and up
• Grade Range: Postsecondary and higher

Customer Reviews

A Study in Self Justification

Tournier uses his novel Friday to show a transition from environmental justification to one of self-justification. Tournier uses both Friday and Robinson to develop and contrast themes of environmental versus self-justification. It is obvious that the triumph of Friday's methods show Tournier's support of the self-justification model. Regardless of the conclusions drawn by the author the tools and mechanisms used to portray this conflict of life choices is effective. I do not believe that the conclusions are as important as the examination of the conflicting and mutually exclusive options. It should be noted that Tournier never uses the term environmental justification or self-justification. These terms are my constructs and are used to more easily convey the concept entailed then otherwise would be possible. Tournier was more concerned with Colonialism but Colonialism and justification are tied closely together. Justification if merely the rational the individual uses in order to create and or react to the social constructs around him or her. There are five stages in Tournier's examination of the two competing models of justification. The first stage is the period when Robinson is first on the island and he is lost and desolate. During this period Robinson is spiraling emotionally and has not direction or reason for any action of thought. The second stage is Robinson's discovery and usage of the environmental justification model. Robinson uses a set of strict rules to give himself justification. The third stage is the introduction of Friday and his self-justification model. In this stage Robinson and we are introduced to a person who subscribes to a diametrically opposed view of life then does Robinson. The fourth stage is the conflict of two ideas and Robinson's gradual migration to Friday's mode of thinking. This is begun with the catalyst of the explosion of Robinson's storage depot in the cave. The fifth and last stage is the reflection on the end result of the choices made on the island. Little is said or shown of this stage. We are merely shown Friday running off with the visiting sailors and Robinson's adoption and reaction of the ships boy Sunday. The two models of justification clash in the persona of Robinson and Friday. Neither individual understands why the other does what he does. Robinson thinks that Friday is a savage who needs to be taught and reformed. Ironically Robinson's idea of reform is a form of servitude to him by Friday. This novel shows us the benefits of self-justification versus environmental justification. I do not believe that the novel makes a definitive case for one method of thinking or the either. I do believe that the novel shows conclusively that the extremes of environmental justification are less desirable then the extremes of self-justification. This is true at least when a small number of individuals are involved. The novel does not address, nor is it capable of addressing, the best mixture of the two

A Study in Self Justification

Tournier uses his novel Friday to show a transition from environmental justification to one of self-justification. Tournier uses both Friday and Robinson to develop and contrast themes of environmental versus self-justification. It is obvious that the triumph of Friday's methods show Tournier's support of the self-justification model. Regardless of the conclusions drawn by the author the tools and mechanisms used to portray this conflict of life choices is effective. I do not believe that the conclusions are as important as the examination of the conflicting and mutually exclusive options. It should be noted that Tournier never uses the term environmental justification or self-justification. These terms are my constructs and are used to more easily convey the concept entailed then otherwise would be possible. Tournier was more concerned with Colonialism but Colonialism and justification are tied closely together. Justification if merely the rational the individual uses in order to create and or react to the social constructs around him or her. There are five stages in Tournier's examination of the two competing models of justification. The first stage is the period when Robinson is first on the island and he is lost and desolate. During this period Robinson is spiraling emotionally and has not direction or reason for any action of thought. The second stage is Robinson's discovery and usage of the environmental justification model. Robinson uses a set of strict rules to give himself justification. The third stage is the introduction of Friday and his self-justification model. In this stage Robinson and we are introduced to a person who subscribes to a diametrically opposed view of life then does Robinson. The fourth stage is the conflict of two ideas and Robinson's gradual migration to Friday's mode of thinking. This is begun with the catalyst of the explosion of Robinson's storage depot in the cave. The fifth and last stage is the reflection on the end result of the choices made on the island. Little is said or shown of this stage. We are merely shown Friday running off with the visiting sailors and Robinson's adoption and reaction of the ships boy Sunday. The two models of justification clash in the persona of Robinson and Friday. Neither individual understands why the other does what he does. Robinson thinks that Friday is a savage who needs to be taught and reformed. Ironically Robinson's idea of reform is a form of servitude to him by Friday. This novel shows us the benefits of self-justification versus environmental justification. I do not believe that the novel makes a definitive case for one method of thinking or the either. I do believe that the novel shows conclusively that the extremes of environmental justification are less desirable then the extremes of self-justification. This is true at least when a small number of individuals are involved. The novel does not address, nor is it capable of addressing,

Inside Crusoe

Rewriting Robinson Crusoe? Tournier tells an entirely different story, although the outward details are mostly the same as in Defoe's novel. The interest has shifted to what's going on inside Crusoe. And instead of the self-confident Christian who steadily builds up a colony, Tournier shows us a man of radical twists and turns. At first he even seems to have given up completely, letting himself sink into the mud. However, when he pulls himself together and starts colonizing the island, that turns out to be just a stage in his development, too. This is a very witty and original novel, with many things to enjoy for those who are familiar with Defoe's book. At long last we find out that Crusoe did have some kind of sexuality after all...

white man on an island

what will white man do on an island when he is alone?he would probably try to be the master of the island ,try to build a house ,try to create the western civilization again Tournier is brilliant when he aims to make you see what way the white man thinks

Robinson Crusoe with a twist

In this story, it is Friday who teaches, and Robinson who has everything to learn. The castaway's stay on a desert island turns into a journey of self-discovery and transformation. A mythical, poetic, and adventure-filled novel that will be hard to put down