Some readers find Robinson’s attitude toward Elizabeth patronizing. He relegates her to child-care while he and Fritz hunt and explore. The novel was written before the Feminist Movement, and gender roles were more rigid during this time. Is it fair to judge the novel by contemporary social standards?

Wyss’s intent in writing the novel was to create a moral framework for his readers. How does the behavior of the characters—particularly the father—reflect this intent?

The Swiss Family Robinson can be read as a defense of colonialism. The Robinsons treat the island and its resources as their personal property. Does it matter that the island in uninhabited? How would the story be different if they had found people living there?