The Swiss Family Robinson
By:J.D Wyss Presented BY:Elena Hill
The Swiss Family Robinson
Picture: book cover
A little Info!
The author uses characterization to make the father come to life. He talks, acts, and scolds just like anyone would imagine an eighteen hundreds father would. For example in the beginning of the story the father looks around for a means of saving his family. The author writes that seeing his family frozen from terror makes his heart sink. This shows how attached his is to keeping his family alive. Another example of how the author makes the father come alive is when they are deciding who would leave the island. He tells his boys to do whatever makes them happy, as long as they lead useful lives. This shows how the father influences his sons and how he has taught them to behave in society.
The author uses dialogue to express important parts of the story. Even though there is not quoted dialogue, the main character tells us what the conversation sounded like. One example was at the very beginning. Here they did use quotations. Franz comments about how God will help them survive. Fritz, rather rudely, corrects him by saying that they must not settle for what God will do for them and that they must wait for his time. The father compliments on his replies but scolds him for saying it harshly. This introduces us to how the family runs. They believe in respect, hard work and love for one another. In another part of the story Ernest is selfish by using a larger shell for soup than the rest of his family. His brothers, mother and father all burn their fingers on hot soup. Ernest's use of the shell was unfair, so the father had him give it to the dogs. This shows how well the children obey their father, making for a very orderly household. From how we see the father scold his children we can tell that he does it to ensure they get their rightful place in the world.
The conflict is internal because even though they really wanted to get off the island badly, this is their now because they are with their family.
Exposistion
ABOUT THE CHARACTERS
The Father/Priest/Husband
http://www.audible.com/pd/Classics/The-Swiss-Family-Robinson-Audiobook/B002V8MG92
The wife/mother
picture from:http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-swiss-family-robinson-illustrated-classics-book-johann-wyss/1027577277
The Brothers
Ernest, only two years younger than Fritz, is considered the professor of the family. Though he is usually cocky and sarcastic, he contributes lots of useful information that is used as a necessity to survive.
At ten years old there is Jack. Even though he is considered thoughtless by his father, we perceive him as having ingenuity, and being a great craftsman.
Franz, only eight years old, is very delicate. He makes up for it in his love for adventure and animals. He is always the first to speak for the animals, and to help his mother.
picture from:http://vagabond3.com/majorca-animal-encounters/
Rising Action
Climax
The message or theme
The book shows the theme all throughout their journeys. Every time they move to a different area, they feel homesick. Since they have their family, they never had the urge to go back. At the end of the book, two of the children return to their beloved England. The mother, when making her choice, states that as long as her husband and at least two of her sons remain with her she would stay on the island. This is another example of the theme. Since most of her family stayed on the island, she decided that is where her home would be.