When it was first published in 1719, many people believed Robinson Crusoe was a true story. Crusoe provides readers with a close look at not only the isolated human on an individual level, but also humanity on the international level through its depictions of global trade and economics. Professor Stephanie DeGooyer is the Fredrick Burkhart fellow at UCLA. She is an associate professor of English, and her current project is titled “Acts of Naturalization: Immigration and the Early Novel.” See more information on our website, WritLarge.fm. Follow us on Twitter @WritLargePod.