The Swiss Family Robinson
The narrator and leader of the family, guiding the survival efforts and making key decisions.
Shipwreck and Preparations for Deliverance
Leads the family with calm resolve, exhorting them to trust Providence and to help themselves; devises the cork-jacket flotation plan.
A Landing, and Consequent Occupations
Leads the family in prayer and organizes the departure from the ship. He assigns tasks, steers the boat, and later rescues Jack from the lobster, using the incident to teach a moral lesson.
Voyage of Discovery
Leads the expedition with Fritz, reflects on morality and providence, and encourages gratitude.
Return from the Voyage of Discovery
Leads the return journey, teaches Fritz about sugarcane physics, and adopts the orphaned monkey.
Return to the Wreck
Leads the expedition to the wreck, makes strategic decisions about salvaging supplies, and expresses concern for the family's safety.
Chapter VI
Leads the expedition, praises Fritz's invention, and recounts the voyage.
The Mother's Journey of Discovery
Returns from the vessel with Fritz; teases the mother about her plan to live in a giant tree but ultimately comforts her.
Construction of a Bridge
Leads the bridge construction, devises a method using animals to haul timbers, and encourages the boys' industriousness.
Change of Abode
Leads the family, makes decisions, and constructs packing-needles from porcupine quills.
Building the Ladder and Settling in the Giant Tree
Leads the construction of the ladder, measures the tree using geometry, and organizes the family's nightly defense with fires.
Settling in the Giant Tree
Leads the construction of the tree house, works tirelessly, and carries little Francis up the ladder.
The Parable of the Great King
Delivers the parable of the Great King and applies its moral lessons to each of his sons; expresses regret for forgetting to bring a Bible from the ship.
The Discovery of Potatoes
Leads the expedition, praises Ernest's discovery, and quotes Psalm 107 to express gratitude.
XIV
Leads the expedition, teaches the boys about plants and logic, and carries the butter pot.
The Sledge and a Lesson in Natural Philosophy
Leads the expedition for wood, teaches Ernest about presence of mind, and later oversees the family's activities.
A Bathing, a Fishing, the Jumping Hare, and a Masquerade
Leads the expedition to Tent-House, discovers a marsh and bathing creek, praises Ernest for his fishing success and Fritz for his prudence, and oversees the day's labors.
Chapter XVII
Leads the salvage operation, prioritizes practical goods over luxury, and sends Ernest and Jack back to comfort their mother.
Chapter XVIII
Identifies the manioc roots, retrieves supplies from the raft, and leads the discussion on the tortoise shell's use.
Another Trip to the Wreck
Rises early, inspects vessels, makes trips to the wreck, admonishes Ernest for laziness, and discovers the pinnace.
The Bakehouse
Leads the baking lesson, explains manioc varieties and poison safety, oversees the pressing and baking process.
The Pinnace and the Cracker
Leads the expedition to retrieve the pinnace, devises the plan to assemble it, and reflects on Providence and family unity.
The Gourd Harvest and the Guava Discovery
Leads the expedition, demonstrates resourcefulness in cutting gourds and making vessels, and expresses gratitude to Providence for the water-yielding plants.
Excursion into Unknown Countries
Leads the expedition, identifies the caoutchouc tree and sago palm, and shares knowledge about beavers and marmosets.
Chapter XXIV
Leads the fortification efforts, builds a cart, and oversees the planting and defensive arrangements.
XXV
Leads the excursion, devises climbing aids, and delivers a moral lesson on judging others.
A New Country Discovered — The Troop of Buffalos; A Precious Acquisition
Leads the expedition with Jack, makes strategic decisions about the buffalo and jackal, and reflects on divine protection and education.
The Malabar Eagle and the Sago Manufactory
Establishes rules for animal care, mediates disputes between the boys, and advises on taming the eagle.
XXVIII
Leads the work of propping trees, provides detailed explanations on grafting and the origins of fruit trees, and draws moral lessons about cultivation and education.
Victory over the Bees; Winding Staircase; Training of Various Animals; Divers Manufactures; Fountain, etc.
Leads the bee-smoking operation, trains the young buffalo, and oversees the staircase construction and animal training.
Building Shelter and Taming Lightfoot
Leads the construction of the shelter and the gathering of supplies; recounts the method of taming the onagra by biting its ear.
The Rainy Season and Resolve for a New Dwelling
Leads the family through the hardships of the rainy season, devises waterproof clothing, and records the family's journal.
Spring, Spinning, and the Salt Mine
Describes the joy of spring, organizes the family's work, builds a spinning wheel, leads the excavation of the rock, and discovers the grotto.
House in the Salt-Rock; Herring Fishery
Leads the construction of the salt-rock house, devises the herring-catching plan, and educates his sons about the herring shoal.
XXXIV
Leads the exploration, plans the new farmhouse, and directs the family's activities.
The Discovery of the Lake and the Building of Arcadia
Leads the exploration, gathers rice, and decides to build a second cottage at Cape Disappointment, naming it Arcadia.
XXXVI
Leads the construction of the boat, fortifications, and home improvements; preaches sermons in the chapel.
Postscript by the Editor
The Swiss pastor who meets the English officers and gives them his journal.
List of Illustrations
Referenced as the Swiss pastor leading the family.
