Squires Motivation On Survivor Island example essay topic
474 words
Canterbury Tales is a novel about twenty-nine characters from all walks of life, coming together to reach a destination. Geoffrey Chaucer portrays each character uniquely. He includes underlying hints about the character and he / she personality traits. The concept of living with others for a period of time to reach a common goal can also be traced in the Popular television show Survivor Island. The combination of the two stories would produce the idea of a medieval Survivor Island. Out of the twenty-nine pilgrims the, the three most suited for the task are the Reeve, the Clerk, the Squire. The Reeve would be the winner because he is manipulative, he thinks ahead, and he is experienced in the world. The Reeve has a very sly manner about him. He always gets what he wants but he goes about getting it in a very roundabout sort of way. He is the foreman of a farm, and makes his living on cheating the lord out of money.
Chaucer comments that, "no man could find him to be in arrears" (29). He knew exactly how to figure out what the lord should receive from the farm. The Reeve would simply take the excess and sell it for his own profit (29). This deceptive mannerism will help the Reeve win.
The Reeve's conniving ways will help him over come the other two contestants. The Clerk of Oxford can be easily manipulated by the Reeve. He would much rather have books and materials to help in his studies than to worry about the money that the Reeve may be outsmarting him for. Chaucer emphasizes that, "He would rather twenty volumes of Aristotle and his philosophy bound in black or red, at the head of his bed than rich robes, or a fiddle or a lively harp" (15).
This exemplifies that the clerk's attitude will be more of it doesn't matter who wins but what he takes from the situation. The Squire has a carefree disposition. The squire was much more concerned with what the ladies thought of him. He went on many Calvary expeditions simply to win the love of a lady (7).
The Reeve will deceive the squire simply is too carefree in his ways. Chaucer illustrates that he is carefree by his actions, "He sang and fluted all the day long" (7). This suggest that the squires motivation on Survivor Island might be carefree and to win the ladies heart. The Reeve is a insidious man who will do whatever necessary to come out on top. He is willing to exploit the others in order to win. These quick-witted characteristics will help him in winning the title of survivor.
