The Swiss Family Robinson

Elizabeth Robinson is the dutiful wife and mother of the Robinson clan. She generally exhibits more emotional depth than the male characters, even if those emotions are stereotypically “female” and include a fear for the well-being of her family, consternation at Robinson’s risk-taking, and contentment with housekeeping and cooking. Although it would be easy to read the text through a feminist lens and see only patriarchal authority, that reading glosses over Elizabeth’s strengths. While she is often left alone to care for Franz while the others explore, the importance of that duty cannot be ignored. The island is an untamed environment, and Elizabeth may be required to defend the homestead alone, no easy charge. She displays inventiveness in preparing exotic meats, weaves fabric from scratch, and puts her foot down when her husband’s adventurism crosses the line. That said, the Robinsons’ marriage is hardly equal. Robinson’s authority, while not wielded with an iron fist, is usually unquestioned, and Elizabeth’s desires usually take a back seat to her husband’s. 

The eldest of four sons, 14-year-old Fritz is the most fully developed of the Robinson children. He accompanies his father on his excursions into unknown territory. He handles the dangerous duties when Robinson can’t or when his father entrusts him to do so. He is Robinson’s trusted lieutenant, taking charge of the family when his father is away. He also displays nearly as much knowledge of the natural world as his father, accurately naming species when prompted. Perhaps teenage rebellion is a 20th century phenomenon, but as a teenager isolated from peer contact, Fritz is never sullen or moody, nor does he ever raise a voice to either parent. Even ten years later, as a young independent adult, Fritz always defers to his father’s judgment. In Wyss’s ideal family, teens, adolescents, and young children are equally obedient, moral, and respectful. 

Ernest, age 12, is the studious, introverted son with little taste for adventure. When Fritz and Jack set out to explore, Ernest often chooses to remain behind with Elizabeth and Franz. Although Robinson accepts his second son as he is, he frets over Ernest’s “laziness,” and his desire to instill self-confidence in his sons is more challenging with Ernest. Introverts are often misunderstood as antisocial or depressed, but Ernest is fully integrated into the family dynamic; he simply eschews the adrenaline rush sought by the younger Jack or the responsibilities accepted by the older Fritz. While Ernest is less adventurous than his brothers, he is not above taking part in the hunt, shooting birds and beasts with the same abandon as Fritz and Jack. 

Ten-year-old Jack is the competitive prankster. His curiosity is boundless, never tempered by fear of reality. He wants to taste every unfamiliar fruit and explore every corner of the island. He sees the wildlife around them as things to be tamed and ridden for sport. Apart from Fritz’s devotion to his eagle, Jack displays the greatest connection to the menagerie they assemble. When they encounter a flock of ostriches, Jack sees not a ferocious bird difficult to tame but potentially “our fastest mount” (251). In his father’s judgment, Jack’s determination to tame and ride the large bird gives him the right to claim it as his personal “winged steed.” Less obvious to his parents is his competitive streak. Jack aspires to equal his older brothers in athletics and survival skills. When the HMS Unicorn discovers the Robinsons, Jack decides to stay on the island with his parents. In the absence of Fritz, Jack will now be the “best rider and shot in New Switzerland” (334). Jack also serves as a counterpoint to Ernest. While Ernest wants to study, Jack chooses to stay on the island to avoid the constraints of a formal education.