A SYNOPSIS- THE SWISS FAMILY ROBINSON

 The Swiss Family Robinson 

Summary (Critical Survey of Literature for Students)

Of all the passengers and crew on board the ship, only the Robinson family is saved when the vessel breaks apart on a reef and the crew and other passengers jump into lifeboats without waiting for the little family to join them. As the ship tosses about, the father prays that God will spare them. There is plenty of food on board, and after they eat, the boys go to sleep, leaving the father and the mother to guard them.

In the morning their first concern is to get to the island they can see beyond the reef. With much effort, they construct a vessel out of tubs. After they fill the tubs with food and ammunition and all other articles of value they can safely carry, they row toward the island. Two dogs from the ship swim beside them, and the boys are glad they will have pets when they reach their new home.

Their first task on reaching the island is to erect a tent of sailcloth they brought from the ship. They gather moss and dry it so that they will have some protection from the ground when they sleep. They are able to find a lobster and to shoot some game, thus to add fresh food to their supplies. Since they have no utensils for eating, they use shells for spoons, all dipping out of the iron kettle that they brought from the ship. They released some geese and pigeons while they were still on the ship and brought two hens and two cocks with them. The father knows that they must prepare for a long time on the island, and his thoughts are as much on provisions for the future as for their immediate wants.

The father and Fritz, the oldest son, spend the next day exploring the island. They find gourds from which they can make dishes and spoons, and many edible fruits and roots. Coconuts, growing in abundance, provide a treat for the mother and the younger boys. Fritz captures a small monkey, which he takes back for a pet. The younger boys are enchanted with the mischievous little animal.

The Robinsons spend the next few days securing themselves against hunger and danger from wild animals. The father and Fritz make several trips to the ship in their efforts to bring ashore everything that they can possibly use. The domesticated animals on the ship are towed back to the island. There is also a great store of firearms and ammunition, hammocks for sleeping, carpenter’s tools, lumber, cooking utensils, silverware, and dishes.

While the father and Fritz are salvaging these supplies, the mother and the younger boys are working on the shore, sowing seeds, examining the contents of the kegs that floated to shore, and in every way possible making the tent a more livable home. The mother and boys also explore the island to find a spot for a more permanent home. When the father and Fritz can join them, the whole family helps to construct a tree house that will give them protection from wild animals that they fear might dwell on the island.

Through the following weeks, each day brings a new adventure of some kind. There are encounters with wild birds and terrifying animals. Ernest, the second son, studied nature with great interest before their ill-fated voyage, and he identifies many of the animals and birds. They find...

The Swiss Family Robinson Chapter Summaries

Chapter 1 Summary

Since its first publication in 1812, Johann Wyss's novel, The Swiss Family Robinson, has been edited and/or translated into various lengths, ranging from eighteen to fifty-two chapters. The longer versions are "unabridged." The version this summary covers is a popular 1879 unabridged version of forty-four chapters, edited by William H. G. Kingston.

The story is narrated by the father of four sons who, with his wife, journeys on a ship. A violent storm pulls them off their charted course and tosses the ship so wildly that after a few days none of the crew knows where they are. The storm lasts a long time, leaving all aboard distressed and hopeless of being saved.

One afternoon, a crew member sees land, and soon the ship runs aground on rocks, which crack the bow. As night falls, the father, fearful for the lives of his family, goes on deck to determine the ship's damage. What he sees is difficult to believe: The crew is boarding lifeboats, leaving the family behind.

Before they sleep that night, the father creates vests to buoy his family should the ocean water crash through the bow. When they awake the next day, they are thankful that the storm has ceased. In the distance, the father sees land; now he must figure out how to get his family there.

Over the next few days, his sons help him devise a system of floatable old wine kegs, large barrels with enough room to hold one person each. When he places the kegs in the water, however, he discovers that they easily tip over. To rectify this, he attaches the kegs to one another and builds a bow that curves around them. He then connects an outrigger like those he has seen on small boats that native island people use.

The outrigger offers even greater balance. The kegs, however, continue to float too high on the water and do not appear safe. The father realizes the kegs need more ballast, or extra weight, to stabilize, and he and his family search through the wrecked ship for materials. They choose objects that not only will add weight but also will be useful for survival on the island. They spend one more night on the ship, planning to leave in the morning.

Chapter 2 Summary

Upon awakening, the father realizes they have enough kegs to transport more supplies, and the family searches the ship for more provisions. In the process, his wife, Elizabeth, discovers animals on board, including a cow, a pig, and some geese, chickens, and ducks. The father releases the fowl, as they can fly or swim to the island, and decides to give the other animals enough to eat for a couple of days. He will come back for them later.

The boys gather tools, such as hammers, nails, and fish hooks, while the father collects large pieces of canvas to build a tent. They also find food and drink to tide them over until they find other sources of meat and fruit on the island. One son finds two large dogs in the captain's quarters. At first the father is concerned about two more mouths to feed but concedes they might be worth the sacrifice to help guard the family and hunt.

Finally they enter their individual kegs. Elizabeth sits up front. Next comes the youngest, Franz, who is almost eight. In the third keg is Fritz, who is fifteen. In the middle are two kegs holding supplies. Then sits Jack, who is ten. Finally, at the rear are Ernest, who is twelve, and the father. Since there is no room and they refuse to stay on the shipwreck, the dogs jump into the ocean and swim. The distance is frightening long, but the dogs occasionally rest by clinging to the outrigger.

The family lands successfully on the island. They set up a tent and soften the floor with armloads of grass they cut and spread to serve as their beds. As they search their immediate surroundings, they are happy to discover a plentiful supply of ocean creatures such as lobsters and oysters, which they gather to make stews. The ducks and geese find a comfortable spot on a nearby river, and the dogs are not shy about hunting for themselves.

By nightfall, everyone's appetite is satisfied. In the morning the father will survey the island and search for any other survivors. A Christian, the father leads the family in a prayer of thanksgiving before they sleep.

Of all the passengers and crew on board the ship, only the Robinson family is saved when the vessel breaks apart on a reef and the crew and other passengers jump into lifeboats without waiting for the little family to join them. As the ship tosses about, the father prays that God will spare them. There is plenty of food on board, and after they eat, the boys go to sleep, leaving the father and the mother to guard them.

In the morning their first concern is to get to the island they can see beyond the reef. With much effort, they construct a vessel out of tubs. After they fill the tubs with food and ammunition and all other articles of value they can safely carry, they row toward the island. Two dogs from the ship swim beside them, and the boys are glad they will have pets when they reach their new home.

Their first task on reaching the island is to erect a tent of sailcloth they brought from the ship. They gather moss and dry it so that they will have some protection from the ground when they sleep. They are able to find a lobster and to shoot some game, thus to add fresh food to their supplies. Since they have no utensils for eating, they use shells for spoons, all dipping out of the iron kettle that they brought from the ship. They released some geese and pigeons while they were still on the ship and brought two hens and two cocks with them. The father knows that they must prepare for a long time on the island, and his thoughts are as much on provisions for the future as for their immediate wants.

The father and Fritz, the oldest son, spend the next day exploring the island. They find gourds from which they can make dishes and spoons, and many edible fruits and roots. Coconuts, growing in abundance, provide a treat for the mother and the younger boys. Fritz captures a small monkey, which he takes back for a pet. The younger boys are enchanted with the mischievous little animal.

The Robinsons spend the next few days securing themselves against hunger and danger from wild animals. The father and Fritz make several trips to the ship in their efforts to bring ashore everything that they can possibly use. The domesticated animals on the ship are towed back to the island. There is also a great store of firearms and ammunition, hammocks for sleeping, carpenter’s tools, lumber, cooking utensils, silverware, and dishes.

While the father and Fritz are salvaging these supplies, the mother and the younger boys are working on the shore, sowing seeds, examining the contents of the kegs that floated to shore, and in every way possible making the tent a more livable home. The mother and boys also explore the island to find a spot for a more permanent home. When the father and Fritz can join them, the whole family helps to construct a tree house that will give them protection from wild animals that they fear might dwell on the island.

Through the following weeks, each day brings a new adventure of some kind. There are encounters with wild birds and terrifying animals. Ernest, the second son, studied nature with great interest before their ill-fated voyage, and he identifies many of the animals and birds. They find...

The Swiss Family Robinson Chapter Summaries

Chapter 1 Summary

Since its first publication in 1812, Johann Wyss's novel, The Swiss Family Robinson, has been edited and/or translated into various lengths, ranging from eighteen to fifty-two chapters. The longer versions are "unabridged." The version this summary covers is a popular 1879 unabridged version of forty-four chapters, edited by William H. G. Kingston.

The story is narrated by the father of four sons who, with his wife, journeys on a ship. A violent storm pulls them off their charted course and tosses the ship so wildly that after a few days none of the crew knows where they are. The storm lasts a long time, leaving all aboard distressed and hopeless of being saved.

One afternoon, a crew member sees land, and soon the ship runs aground on rocks, which crack the bow. As night falls, the father, fearful for the lives of his family, goes on deck to determine the ship's damage. What he sees is difficult to believe: The crew is boarding lifeboats, leaving the family behind.

Before they sleep that night, the father creates vests to buoy his family should the ocean water crash through the bow. When they awake the next day, they are thankful that the storm has ceased. In the distance, the father sees land; now he must figure out how to get his family there.

Over the next few days, his sons help him devise a system of floatable old wine kegs, large barrels with enough room to hold one person each. When he places the kegs in the water, however, he discovers that they easily tip over. To rectify this, he attaches the kegs to one another and builds a bow that curves around them. He then connects an outrigger like those he has seen on small boats that native island people use.

The outrigger offers even greater balance. The kegs, however, continue to float too high on the water and do not appear safe. The father realizes the kegs need more ballast, or extra weight, to stabilize, and he and his family search through the wrecked ship for materials. They choose objects that not only will add weight but also will be useful for survival on the island. They spend one more night on the ship, planning to leave in the morning.

Chapter 2 Summary

Upon awakening, the father realizes they have enough kegs to transport more supplies, and the family searches the ship for more provisions. In the process, his wife, Elizabeth, discovers animals on board, including a cow, a pig, and some geese, chickens, and ducks. The father releases the fowl, as they can fly or swim to the island, and decides to give the other animals enough to eat for a couple of days. He will come back for them later.

The boys gather tools, such as hammers, nails, and fish hooks, while the father collects large pieces of canvas to build a tent. They also find food and drink to tide them over until they find other sources of meat and fruit on the island. One son finds two large dogs in the captain's quarters. At first the father is concerned about two more mouths to feed but concedes they might be worth the sacrifice to help guard the family and hunt.

Finally they enter their individual kegs. Elizabeth sits up front. Next comes the youngest, Franz, who is almost eight. In the third keg is Fritz, who is fifteen. In the middle are two kegs holding supplies. Then sits Jack, who is ten. Finally, at the rear are Ernest, who is twelve, and the father. Since there is no room and they refuse to stay on the shipwreck, the dogs jump into the ocean and swim. The distance is frightening long, but the dogs occasionally rest by clinging to the outrigger.

The family lands successfully on the island. They set up a tent and soften the floor with armloads of grass they cut and spread to serve as their beds. As they search their immediate surroundings, they are happy to discover a plentiful supply of ocean creatures such as lobsters and oysters, which they gather to make stews. The ducks and geese find a comfortable spot on a nearby river, and the dogs are not shy about hunting for themselves.

By nightfall, everyone's appetite is satisfied. In the morning the father will survey the island and search for any other survivors. A Christian, the father leads the family in a prayer of thanksgiving before they sleep.