The hero of the novel "The Life and Strange Adventures of Robinson Crusoe", by Daniel Defoe.
Robinson Crusoe runs off to sea and is shipwrecked on a desert island, where he lives for 24 years. Here he encounters and solves the problems of the solitary,primitive life. He finds spiritual solace in reading the Bible.
After some years, Crusoe comes upon a young savage, whom he saves from a tribe of cannibals. He calls him MAN FRIDAY because he found him on Friday. "Friday" becomes Crusoe's faithful, versatile servant and companion, accompanying him on a series of breathtaking island adventures. In modern usage, a Man Friday is a trusted companion, often indispensable helper or assistant.
Defoe's novel is based on the true adventures of Alexander Selkirk, a Scottish sailing master who spent 4 years on a desolate South American island, was rescued and returned to England, where he became a celebrity.
A Robinson Crusoe is someone who, by choice or by necessity, leads a self-sufficient life for long periods of time.
