Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe

This story is written by Daniel Defoe who was born in 1660.Working as a merchant,economist,journalist,and spy before writing his first novel at the age of sixty.Daniel Defoe is thought by many to be the first true novelist in the English language.He wrote over five hundred books including politics,crime,religion,geography,psychology...Defoe turned to fiction relatively late in life.His first novel ROBINSON CRUSOE.Defoe's other main works,Moll Flanders,A journal of the plague and Roxana.Daniel Defoe died in 1731.
ROBINSON CRUSOE is a youth of about eighteen years old who resides in Hull,England.Although his father wishes him to become a lawyer,Crusoe dreams of going on sea voyages.He disregards the fact that his two older brothers are gone because of their need for adventure.His father cautions that a middle class existence is the most stable.Robinson ignores him.When his parents refuse to let him take at least one journey,he runs away with a friend and secures free passage to London.For two years,Robinson plans an escape.An opportunity is presented when he is sent out with two Moorish youths to go fishing.Crusoe throws one overboard and tells the other one,called XURY,that he may stay if he is faithful.Robinson remains on the Island for twenty seven years.He is able to take many provisions from the ship.One time ,he tries to use a boat to explore the rest of Island,but he is almost swept away.Robinson sees a footprint,and later observes cannibalistic savages eating prisoners.They don't live on Island.Robinson is filled with outrage.Some years later return using his guns,Crusoe scares them away and saves a young savage whom he names FRIDAY.FRIDAY is extremely grateful and becomes Robinsos's devoted servant.Together CRUSOE and FRIDAY are able to save two of them.One is a spaniard,the other is FRIDAY's father.FRIDAY and ROBINSON are taken to England.Even though Crusoe has been gone thirty- five years,he finds his plantations have done well and he is very welthy.He gives money to the portuguese captain and the widow who were so kind to him.He returns to the English countryside and settles there,marrying and having three children,when his wife died,he once more goes to the sea.

Rip Van Winkle

The tale itself opens with a description of a Kaatskill mountains,at the foot which is the village where the central character lives.Rip Van Winkle is a simple goodnatured follow with a faithful dog,a son,a dauther,and a domineering wife.Rip Van Winkle is not as welcome in his own family.He is lazy and unproductive at home and in his farm.His wife never lets him forget his responsibilies to the family.Morning,noon,and night her tongue was incessantly going.One day,he escaped with his dog WOLF and he would somtimes seat himself at the foot of tree,and share the contents of his wallet with WOLF.When he was there,he met a group of dwarfs playing ninepipes.
Rip helped and rewarded with a draught of liquor.After that,he fell into an enchanted sleep.When he awakens,20years later,he found that the world has changed.Rip went into town and when he walk he found a large reckety wooden building srood.In this place,he met a women with her child RIP and when he asked her some questions he knew that she is his daughter.After that,she told him that there is 20years since he went away from home and also his wife had died a short time since.Finally,RIP'S daughter took him home to live with her

Rip Van Winkle

This short story is written by Washinton Irving who was born on April 3,1783in Newyork.He was an american author,short story writer,essayit,poet,travel book writer,biographer,and columist.Irving has been called the father of the american short story.Early in his life,Irving developed a pession for books.He read Robinson Crusoe,Sinbad the Sailor and the World Displyed.He spent the last years of his life in Tarrytown from 1848 to 1859 and he died there on November28,1859.