Robinsonade (/ˌrɑːbɪnˈsənɑːd/ ROB-in-sən-AID) is a type of story where one or more people are suddenly cut off from civilization, usually by being shipwrecked or left alone on a remote, empty island. They must use the limited resources available to survive. The genre is named after the 1719 novel Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe. The popularity of this book led to many similar stories, which caused the term "robinsonade" to be used to describe this type of story. It is sometimes called a "desert island story" or a "castaway narrative."

The word "robinsonade" was first used by the German writer Johann Gottfried Schnabel in the Preface of his 1731 novel Palisades Island (German: Insel Felsenburg). This genre is often considered a subcategory of survival stories.

Common themes

Common themes in Robinsonade stories include main characters being alone, such as on a desert island or a planet with no people, a fresh start for the characters, thinking about themselves as part of the story, meeting native people or aliens, and discussing important issues.

Inverted Crusoeism

The term "inverted Crusoeism" was created by English writer J. G. Ballard. The story of Robinson Crusoe, who was stranded on an island without choosing to be there, is a common theme in Ballard's writing. In Ballard's stories, characters often decide to live alone on remote islands, which is the opposite of what happened to Robinson Crusoe. This idea, called inverted Crusoeism, explains why people might choose to be stranded. In Ballard's work, being alone on an island can help people find a more meaningful and important life, even though it can also be challenging.

Science fiction Robinsonade

Science fiction robinsonades often take place on uninhabited planets or moons ("space robinsonades") rather than islands. The Moon is the setting for Ralph Morris's early science fiction novel The Life and Wonderful Adventures of John Daniel (1751), which includes a story about a machine that allows a character to fly to the Moon. It is also the location for John W. Campbell Jr.'s book The Moon is Hell (1950), which celebrates human creativity. A well-known example of a science fiction robinsonade is Tom Godwin's The Survivors (1958), as well as J. G. Ballard's Concrete Island (1974). A more recent example is Andy Weir's The Martian (2011) and its 2015 movie version. Joanna Russ's We Who Are About to… (1977) offers a strong feminist critique of the entire genre.

The Sears List of Subject Headings advises librarians to classify certain apocalyptic fiction, such as Cormac McCarthy's popular novel The Road (2006) or Robert A. Heinlein's Starship Troopers (1959), as robinsonades.