J. M. Coetzee Foe
Colonial Other, Crisis of Emptiness
and Striving for Authorship
Outline
Starting questions (1): Islands and Cannibals
Examples of Colonial Texts
Cannibalism
Adventures on a desert island
Postcolonial critique
Robinson Crusoe
Coetzee: Life, Style, Major Theme, and Foe
Questions (2)
The text:
Different ways of Survival
Friday Barton & Cruso
“crisis of emptiness” and striving for authorship
Starting Questions (1)
Do you know any examples of the
following stories –
cannibals
adventure on an “unoccupied” island;
women writers in traditional society.
What skin color do you think
Friday has?
Examples of Stories about Cannibals
Discovery of the natives in the New World since
Renaissance.
The Tempest – Caliban
Sindbad from The Thousand and One Nights: the
cannibal giants of the third voyage  Robinson
Crusoe (1719).
吳鳳  Another Culture, Noble Savage or Barbarian
(Fairy Tales, “The Modest Proposal”, Silence of the
Lamb).
The Westerners’ Views of Cannibalism
16th -century travelers and writers – viewed
"man-eating savage of the Americas“ positively as
as a hero who devoured his defeated enemy in
accordance with custom; (e.g. Montaigne “Of
Cannibals and Man.”)
18th c: Enlightenment philosophers -- used the
figure of the cannibal in their fight against
colonialists and Catholics.
Since the end of the 18th century -- a hateful
figure
Cannibalism & Africa
After the British abolished slavery in England, they and
other Europeans took up the task of abolishing all of
what they considered savage customs on the African
continent.
By the time of the Berlin Conference, the Europeans
regarded all of Africa as a center of evil, as a part of the
world possessed by a demonic darkness, or
cannibalism, which demonism was their Christian duty
to eradicate. Writers during the Victorian era such as
missionaries and explorers were responsible for
promoting this dastardly image of Africa.(source)
Adventures on a desert island
No Man’s Land
Savage, filled with latent dangers, and in
need of civilization
Deserted and an earthly paradise
e.g. 1; The Tempest "This Island where
Man doth not Inhabit." Prospero, Ariel,
Miranda and Caliban
CALIBAN -- You taught me language; and
my profit on't Is, I know how to curse.
Adventures on a desert island
e.g 2: The Blue Lagoon
(1980)
E.g. 3 Enfant d’eau
e.g. 4: THE ADVENTURES OF ROBINSON CRUSOE
Origin: Alexander Selkirk alone on the
island.. "four years and four months."
Location: The Juan Fernandez group of
islands -- 360 miles from Valparaiso,
Chile. There is now a thriving
community on the islands and the
worldwide popularity of Defoe's book is
reflected in the current names of the
islands - Isla Alejandro Selkirk, and Isla
Robinson Crusoe.
(source: http://www.dwest.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/crusoe2.html )
The Juan Fernandez islands
THE ADVENTURES OF
ROBINSON CRUSOE
Defoe’s embellishments:
shipwrecks,
mutineers,
and cannibals.
the book’s influences: its support of
Enlightenment rationalism and colonial discourse
of ‘civilization vs. savagery’ more 
THE ADVENTURES OF
ROBINSON CRUSOE: style
& influences
Puritan spiritual autobiography;
A celebration of hard work and faith (G 169).
E.g. his calculation: "twenty-eight years, two
months, and nineteen days.“
By 1895 – 115 revisions, 277 imitations, 110
translations, 196 English editions. (Atwell 133)
Crusoe
"I stood like one Thunder-struck,
or as if I had seen an
Apparition...“ (Chapter XVII)
a self-centered, selfabsorbed individual
after two decades
alone Crusoe discovers
and rescues Man
Friday.
Friday’s appearance (chap XXII)
He was a comely handsome Fellow, perfectly well
made; with straight strong Limbs, not too large; tall
and well shap'd, [. . . ]. He had a very good
Countenance, not a fierce and surly Aspect; but
seem'd to have something very manly in his Face,
and yet he had all the Sweetness and Softness of
an European in his Countenance too, especially
when he smil'd. His Hair was long and black, not
curl'd like Wool; [. . .]. The Colour of his Skin was
not quite black, but very tawny; and yet not of an
ugly yellow nauseous tawny, as the Brasilians, and
Virginians,and other Natives of America are; but of
a bright kind of a dun olive Colour, that had in it
something very agreeable. . .
Images of Friday
In the novel, Friday’s racial/cultural identity is
unclear.
Later in illustrations, he is identified as either
African or Indian, either a noble savage or
Europeanized native (like Crusoe). However,
there is a growing emphasis on his African
identity. (Ref. Quilley 41-43)
Coetzee also sees Friday as an African.
Images of Friday
“Map of Robinson Crusoe’s Island” 1720–
Europeanized black, dressed like Crusoe (source Quilley 41)
Images of Friday
as Noble Savage
1790 --white
1790 black
Friday
Master & Slave
"...and then he
kneel'd down again,
kiss'd the Ground,
and laid his Head
upon the Ground,
and taking me by the
Foot, set my Foot
upon his Head...“
(source)
Chapter XXII --subservience
. . .At last he lays his Head flat
upon the Ground, close to my Foot,
and sets my other Foot upon his
Head, as he had done before; and
after this, made all the Signs to me
of Subjection, Servitude, and
Submission imaginable, to let me
know, how he would serve me as
long as he liv'd; …
Chapter XXII –naming and
teaching of language
I understood him in many Things, and
let him know, I was very well pleas'd
with him; in a little Time I began to
speak to him, and teach him to speak to
me; and first, I made him know his
Name should be Friday, which was the
Day I sav'd his Life; I call'd him so for
the Memory of the Time; I likewise
taught him to say Master, and then let
him know, that was to be my Name; I
likewise taught him to say, YES, and No,
and to know the Meaning of them;
THE ADVENTURES OF
ROBINSON CRUSOE: criticisms
James Joyce: prototype of colonist -- “cast
away on a desert island, in his pocket a knife
and a pipe, [he] becomes an architect, a
carpenter, a knife grinder, an astronomer, a
baker, a shipwright, a potter, a saddler . . . “
Lewis Nkosi: “[the myth of] building a
civilization from nothing is inseparable from
the story of colonization, of subjugation,
exploitation, and finally christianization” (G
170).
J. M. Coetzee: Life & Style
an Afrikaner who speaks Afrikaans,
has forbears involved in instituting apartheid,
is now critical of his own tradition and
heritage.
sees the South African situation as a
manifestation of "colonialism, late colonialism,
neo-colonialism." (GALLAGHER 15)
Non-Realistic; Self-Reflexive (about writing
itself) (different from Gordimer)
Theme: colonialism & decolonization
Dusklands -- aggressive imperialist violence –in
Vietnam and 18th century South Africa;
In the Heart of the Country -- setttlement of
uncertain standing and duration in a remote farm
in South Africa.
Waiting for the Barbarians -- anticipated
revolution –”a frontier town”
Life and Times of Michael K -- open civil warfare. - in an unspecified future
-- stories set in a broader and broader colonial
context.
Most recent work: The Master of Petersburg杜斯妥也
夫斯基為躲債而自我流放德國, news about his
son’s death.
Theme:colonialism & decolonization 2
Foe -- set in an island in South America
-- power and authority under colonialism,
specifically, the power and authority of a
mode of authorship straddling the
metropolis (London) and the colony (island).
Sailors, Slave traders
Police, debtors
Cruso
Susan Barton
Foe
Friday
"Daughter"
Coetzee’s revision of Robinson
Crusoe
adding Susan Barton – as a marginalized
figure;
turning Friday into a Negro, with his tongue
cut off;
turning Cruso into one focusing on his own
mastery and futile task but with growing
cynicism and indifference to the surroundings.
a story about Susan Barton’s striving for
authorship.
Coetzee’s revision of Robinson
Crusoe: Purposes
direct critique of colonialism;
concerned specifically with the white writers’
ambiguous positions in South African
literature:
e.g. “A Cruso on his island is a better thing than
the true Cruso tight-lipped and sullen in an
alien England” (35)  Afrikaners began to
turn their backs on Europe at approximately
the time Defoe was writing.
Coetzee’s revision of Robinson
Crusoe: Purposes (2)
Cruso’s love of emptiness in the seascape  Coetzee’s criticism of the
“settler’s love of the land and landscape
at the expense of the polity” (“Apartheid” 124;
Atwell 107-108)
on Friday: “Friday [in Robinson Crusoe] is
a handsome Carib youth with nearEuropean features. In Foe he is an
African” (qtd in Atwell 108)
Foe: Structure
Chap 1: her experience on the island;
(Barton’s “speech” to Foe)
Chap 2: Barton and Friday in London, first in
Clock Lane, and then moving to Foe’s attic;
writing letters to Foe (epistolary form)
Chap 3: Barton going to join Foe in his hiding
place, discusses writing more; (B’s narration)
Chap 4: from Foe’s attic to “dive into the sea
wrecks”; a first-person narration
Chap 1: Plot Summary (1)
“At last I could row no further.” Barton going to the
island;
Meeting Friday first and then Cruso;
Telling C. her story, but getting different versions of
his.
Cruso’s hut and personalities described.
Friday’s tongue
B & C: B rebellious first, compromising, taking care of
him, allowing him to have sex;
B -- Lethargy  regaining interest and energy
Chap 1: Plot Summary
Cruso sick again
The arrival of another boat, which takes
the three of them aboard.
Susan’s trying to comfort Cruso
His death
Starting Questions 2
What would you do if you were on an island like
this? With a man?
Please contrast Susan Barton and Cruso
ways of survival on the island
Ways of treating Friday
Ways of treating each other
Why does Cruso die on the ship?
Friday –why is his lost tongue so important for
Susan?
Is there anything special in Susan’s narration?
Is she a good story-teller?
Susan Barton vs. Cruso-Survival:
Her view of the island 7,
14, 15, excursion and apes
20-21, feel it rock 26,
Her story to Cruso 10
Wants to keep record 1617 (more later) ;
remembers the shipmaster
21
Desires to be saved (36);
find ways to go home (32)
Survive her dark days 35
Cruso’s place: 9;
His stories: 11-12;
No escape 13-14;
Wanting to control
everything 20; 25
No journals 16, no need to
remember (17); no stories
34;
Futile work 34 (‘not a
castaway at heart’);
law (work for the bread) 36
Looks at the empty sea
scape 38
Susan Barton vs. Cruso-- Friday
Barton –Friday
Wants to teach him
language, p. 24, sympathy
for his experience
fear of and Sympathy for
his loss 24  42
His offering of white petals
31-32
Disagrees with Cruso’s not
teaching him language 56
Cruso
Teach him only the
words he needs 21
Friday’s tongue 23
Susan Barton vs. Cruso-- mutual
relations
Cruso
Barton
Sympathy for Cruso (about
his bitterness 25; miserty
37)
Soothing him in his illness;p.
29,
Agree to having sex with
him 29-30;
Grateful 35;
Speaking to him and
comforting him on the ship
43-44
Indifferent to Bartonp. 9
After sex, he is still
irresponsive;
Weeps p. 44
Cruso  "crisis of emptiness"
Happens when the agents of colonialism find
themselves without strong ethical and ideological
support of colonialism.
a significant determinant of white South African
writing,
Some writers like Coetzee: choose to “[erode]
one's own biases“ in writing. (Tiffin qtd in
Atwell 23).
Coetzee’s way: challenges his (his race)
authority as a writer and producer of literary
canon.
Barton’s wanting to tell stories
Chap 1: “Let me tell you my story.”(10)
--to Cruso, also tell her stories to the Captain and
to Foe;
chap 2: insists on writing to Foe, to have her
story told and sold.
chap 3: to his hiding place: “The history of
ourselves and the island—how does it progress?
Is it written?”
Why? Is she logo-centric in insisting on writing
her stories and teaching Friday to speak?
Barton’s wanting to tell stories
p. 17-18 – helps one remember “the particulars”;
remember nice people 19;
p. 45 – “it is I who have disposal of all that Cruso
leaves behind, which is the story of his island.”
an inheritance, something to make permanent;
 next chapter: way to achieve fame, fortune, to
acquire “substance” of her identity (51)
 not being able to solve all the mysteries of her
story.
Barton’s story-telling
sense of immediacy:
address to “you.”
expecting audience response (7)
Re-telling the stories to remember them
(repetition p. 5; 11)
“imagine” things into existence: Foe’s place
(p. 49); imagining the island and presenting it
to Foe 53, for Friday to cross to the time
before Cruso 60, etc.
Wants her story to be “truthful” 40.
Barton and Friday
Cannot she be exempt from being a colonizer?
She needs to communicate and establish
relations the gap between B and Friday p.
45
The issue of Language –
1.
2.
3.
loss of mother tongue, adoption of colonizers’
language (e.g. African Americans);
englishes: mixture of mother tongue into English;
In settlers’ colonies: having to use the master’s
language.
References
ATWELL, David. J.M. Coetzee: South Africa and the
Politics of Writing. Berkeley: U of California P, 1993.
GALLAGHER, SUSAN. A Story of South Africa J. M.
Coetzee's Fiction in Context. Harvard University
Press, 1991.
The Life and Adventures of
Robinson Crusoe E-Text
http://www.deadmentellnotales.com/onlinetexts/robin
son/crusoe.shtml
Geoff Quilley and Kay Dian Kriz, ed. An Economy of
Colour: Visual Culture and the Atlantic World, 16601830.
Manchester University Press (2003)