page 69

"Who was to say there do not exist entire tribes in Africa among whom the men are mute and speech is reserved to women?"

Friday in Coetzee's, Friday in Dafoe's...

In Robinson Crusoe, Friday can communicate and he even learn some Portugues and English from Crusoe. In Foe, Friday has his tongue cut and don't allow Barton to be part of his life and has a overwhelming silence.
Coetzee choose Friday to be quiet (wether phisically or because he just decided no to do it), while Defoe made Friday more communicative.
Would it be a way of criticizing society? I mean, both Dafoe and Coetzee were doing it a way or the other, but how come "Friday", such a very important charcater on the original novel became so different on Coetzee's version?

Do you have any response to Foe saying on p.142: "We must make Friday's silence speak, as well as the silence surrounding Friday" ?