''Masterman Ready, or the Wreck of the Pacific'' is a

robinsonade Robinsonade () is a literary genre that takes its name from the 1719 novel ''Robinson Crusoe'' by Daniel Defoe. The success of this novel spawned so many imitations that its name was used to define a genre, which is sometimes described simply a ...

children's novel published in 1841 by

Frederick Marryat Captain Frederick Marryat (10 July 1792 – 9 August 1848) was a Royal Navy officer, a novelist, and an acquaintance of Charles Dickens. He is noted today as an early pioneer of nautical fiction, particularly for his semi-autobiographical novel ...

. The book follows the adventures of the Seagrave family who are shipwrecked at sea, and survive on a

desert island A desert island, deserted island, or uninhabited island, is an island, islet or atoll that is not permanently populated by humans. Uninhabited islands are often depicted in films or stories about shipwrecked people, and are also used as stereot ...

with the assistance of veteran sailor Masterman Ready.

Plot

The Seagrave family are returning to

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on board the ''Pacific'' when a storm strikes, wrecking the ship.Mary Virginia Brackett, (2006), ''The Facts on File companion to the British novel. Vol. 1'', page 285. The crew escape in a lifeboat leaving the passengers to their fate.John Sutherland, 1990, ''The Stanford Companion to Victorian Fiction'', pages 420-1. Stanford University Press. The Seagrave family, together with their young black female servant Juno, and the veteran sailor Masterman Ready, are shipwrecked on a desert island. The family learn to survive many obstacles, helped by Ready's long experience of life as a seaman. The worse threat comes when a tribe of natives attacks the party, resulting in the death of Ready. Rescue comes when the captain of the ''Pacific'', who the family thought had died in the storm, arrives in a schooner.

Themes

''Masterman Ready'' was one of the first historical adventures written for young readers.John Thomas Gillespie, (2008), ''Historical Fiction for Young Readers (Grades 4-8): An Introduction'', page 18. It was written in response to the 1812 book ''

The Swiss Family Robinson ''The Swiss Family Robinson'' (German: ''Der Schweizerische Robinson'') is a novel by Johann David Wyss, first published in 1812, about a Swiss family of immigrants whose ship en route to Port Jackson, Australia, goes off course and is shipwreck ...

'' by

Johann Wyss Johann David Wyss (; 28 May 1743 – 11 January 1818) was a Swiss author, best remembered for his book ''The Swiss Family Robinson'' (''Der schweizerische Robinson'') (1812). He was born and died in Bern. It is said that he was inspired by Dan ...

. As a sailor of long experience, Marryat was annoyed that Wyss had portrayed being shipwrecked as a romantic adventure and he disapproved of the ignorance regarding flora and fauna displayed by Wyss.Frederick Marryat, (1846), ''Masterman Ready'', Preface, page 6. The Seagrave family in Marryat's novel have to overcome many hazards, beginning with the initial storm which wrecks the ship and injures the passengers. The book throughout has a strong moral and pious tone.Murray Knowles, Kirsten Malmkjaer, (2002), ''Language and Control in Children's Literature'', page 6. Routledge. It contains many long reminiscences of Ready's life at sea, in which thanks is given to

God In monotheism, monotheistic thought, God is usually viewed as the supreme being, creator deity, creator, and principal object of Faith#Religious views, faith.Richard Swinburne, Swinburne, R.G. "God" in Ted Honderich, Honderich, Ted. (ed)''The Ox ...

, and of the comfort to be found in the

Bible The Bible (from Koine Greek , , 'the books') is a collection of religious texts or scriptures that are held to be sacred in Christianity, Judaism, Samaritanism, and many other religions. The Bible is an anthologya compilation of texts of a ...

. Likewise the family learn lessons on natural history and discover evidence for God's benevolence everywhere.

Reception

For many years ''Masterman Ready'' was one of the most popular adventure stories for children.Christine L. Krueger, (2009), ''Encyclopedia of British Writers, 19th and 20th Centuries'', page 226. It was ranked alongside ''

The Children of the New Forest ''The Children of the New Forest'' is a children's novel published in 1847 by Frederick Marryat. It is set in the time of the English Civil War and the Commonwealth. The story follows the fortunes of the four Beverley children who are orphane ...

'' as the best of Marryat's books for children and it was at one time thought ''Masterman Ready'' would "always be the more popular of the two, from the neverceasing attractiveness of its subject matter." The book is now less popular than it once was,Vincent Starrett, Christopher Morley, (1940), ''Books alive: a profane chronicle of literary endeavor and literary misdemeanor'', page 45.Books for Libraries Press partly because moral lessons constantly intrude on the action.

References

External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Masterman Ready 1841 British novels Novels by Frederick Marryat Children's historical novels British children's novels Castaways in fiction 19th-century British children's literature Novels set on islands 1840s children's books Children's books set in Oceania Children's books set on islands