Here I go out to sea again, the sunshine fills my hair and dreams hang in the air. Gulls in the sky and in my blue eye - you know it feels unfair. There's magic everywhere. Look at me standing here on my own again (Black)

Wie geht's?

Struggling with D. Defoe at present.

The problem with Robinson Crusoe is quickly established in Daniel Defoe's book and it makes for uncomfortable reading in 2020 during the Black Lives Matter protests.

In a word: slavery. 

While the storyline doesn't explicitly revolve around slavery, the institution of slavery serves as a basis for much of the action of the novel. He himself becomes a slave by the Moors and when he heads to Africa, it is to purchase slaves. 

What to make of the almost casual references to slavery in the book then? 

Putting it into context: the book was first published in 1719 (it's often cited as the first English novel), and slavery had existed for a long time (between 1500 and 1900 at it's peak).

In 2020, in the midst of Black Lives Matter protests and the reviews of famous statues and place names from our colonial past, it made me feel decidedly icky.

I am persevering with Robinson (whaia kia maia - pursue it until it is conquered) because there will be a payoff, a redemption  coming. I can feel it.

In the meantime I'll swallow hard.

Or maybe I won't. This Guardian article makes a powerful point!

Love and peace - WNP