Deconstructing Binaries in Daniel Defoe’s Robinson Crusoe

Abstract

- The present paper intends to discuss binary opposition in the structure of Robinson Crusoe written by Daniel Defoe. The study is done through the structural theory of Ferdinand de Saussure. The basic concept of Structuralism is binary opposition. The main focus of the theory based on the notion that meanings are derived out of relations. An element gets its meaning because of its relation to the other element within the same situation. The concept of binary opposition is taken from the theory of a Swiss Linguist, Ferdinand de Saussure. Through Binary opposition, Ferdinand de Saussure explored different elements of language. Binary opposition is one of many of his thoughts. The novel has been keenly observed and read in order to explore the hidden structure of binarism. This
study found out the traces of binarism in the novel. This study traces the cultural and social binarism, binarism between different classes and binarism within nature. The author tried in this study to grasp the main principals of binary opposition within structuralism and then to examine binary opposition in Daniel Defoe’s Robinson Crusoe.