The Swiss Family Robinson

“At home, she would have considered this indecent, for in Switzerland, women always wore dresses.” 

As the Robinsons flee the sinking ship and sail for land aboard their makeshift raft, Robinson persuades Elizabeth to don sailor’s clothing, deeming it more practical. Cultural and gender norms are strong enough to cause her embarrassment over wearing pants when practicality and even survival should be her top priorities. It is an early indication that the world of the novel exists in another place and another time.

“But now we must hurry. We can have a longer talk about mechanics on land.”

In the midst of constructing a craft to carry the Robinsons and their supplies to land, Ernest stops to inquire about the physics of leverage. Similar scenes play out throughout the novel, a clear indication of Wyss’s purpose. He seeks not to create dramatic tension so much as to provide an educational experience for the reader. While Robinson eventually urges his son to action, he cannot refrain from a cursory explanation of the mechanics of force and resistance.

“It tasted good and was probably produced by seawater evaporating in the sun.” 

While harvesting oysters, Ernest discovers a wealth of salt lying in the crevices between the rocks. He immediately recognizes it and understands why it’s there. Robinson seems to have imparted a great deal of knowledge to his sons, even before their shipwreck.