Man And Island In Hayy Bin Yaqzan And Robinson Crusoe

This research aims at highlighting how two personae come to develop and react to the various challenges as they come to spend their sojourns in the wilderness, as evinced in Hayy Bin Yaqzan and Robinson Crusoe. Although the two’s arrival on the island seem to be backed by dichotomous reasons, both characters are faced with a certain amount of similar hardships and privation that shall culminate, eventually in a radical transformation in both characters, thus the two personae are said to comparable.The objective of this research is to analyze how both Hayy and Crusoe, both as two distinct human samples, come to view nature and what impact their closeness to their ecosystem bring in terms of their expressed thoughts, behavior and emotional life.Moreover, what is stated or implied in the two narratives is interpreted as the genuine views and reactions of the two characters, and thus the current analysis is to be as such. Also, the close reading being held in this study is done by Eco critical theory.The approach is thematic, and thus a study of various themes concentrates on certain hardships and challenges both Hayy and Crusoe are faced with during their stay on the island. Such a division in the narratives makes it easier to distinguish and isolate the different moments that are quite particular and relevant to both characters regarding their views and development while staying on the island.During his stay on a deserted island all alone for a long period of his life, Hayy does not only preoccupy himself with overcoming the different challenges life in the wilderness poses, but also he rises to the level in which he comes to realize that there is an interconnectedness between man and nature and which it all depends on the willingness of ridding oneself of the philosophy of consumerism and practically start a philosophy of protecting one’s ecosystem, not only because it’s noble and is simply a good idea to do so, but also it is the only way for his very own survival depends on it.From his part, Crusoe is terrified at the notion that the island poses an unknown threat but he eventually decides to survive by making sure his basic needs, such as; food, shelter and water are satisfied.Furthermore, the main aims of this research is to examine how the two characters view nature and react to the different challenges it poses on them, and as nothing stays the same what change their reactions bring to them as the two characters come to develop new concepts and skills while staying on the island. Certainly, the two come out of the island not the same way as when they first arrived. We see, for instance how Hayy came to the conceptualization that there is a bond between man and nature and that only humans with inner insights can envision this bond, and thus by realizing this Hayy volitionally chooses to stay on the island by which he was nurtured and raised. While Crusoe’s inner hatred and fear of his surrounding seems to be mitigated, at the end of the story we learn that Crusoe finally acquires the skill to incorporate and use nature to his own sake. Clearly, our two protagonists, eventually learn that the only way to live in harmony with nature is by protecting it, and when the idea of protecting nature is sufficiently inculcated in both of them they, in turn are rewarded to finally have the choice to get out of the island.