History Literature / TheSwissFamilyRobinson

* AuthorTract: TropesAreNotBad version: It's basically a "how to survive in the wilderness if you are ever stuck on a deserted island for dummies" disguised as a story.

* SweetPollyOliver: Jenny Montrose. Although the father isn't fooled for a minute even though three of his sons are.
** Not to mention that, with her hair cut short, she hardly looks any more feminine without the cap than with it!

A 1812 novel by Johann David Wyss (and edited by his son Johann Rudolf Wyss) about a Swiss family (two parents, four sons - ages 15, 13, 10, and 7) shipwrecked en route to Australia and stranded on an island. Fortunately, their ship carried supplies for a new colony, and the island is furnished with an [[MisplacedWildlife astounding diversity of flora and fauna]]. Hurrah!

Note: Robinson is not a Swiss name. The German name translates as "the Swiss Robinson". The popularity of ''Literature/RobinsonCrusoe'' caused a flurry of stories about people on desert islands. This literature was called "Robinsons" (or ''Robinsonaden'') and this particular novel was a "Robinson" about a Swiss family, not a Swiss family named Robinson.

It has been adapted to the screen a number of times, most famously as a [[Disney/SwissFamilyRobinson Disney feature film]] in 1960.

* WhyDoYouKeepChangingJobs: The father spent "a large portion of his childhood" in the workshops of pretty much every craftsman known to man. Admittedly he doesn't say he was working with them, but he had enough exposure to each to recreate their machinery ''from memory''.

* ScienceMarchesOn: The above-mentioned wildlife is thought to have come to the island by way of now-sunken land bridges. At the time of the novel's writing, continental drift wasn't even fringe science.

Note: Robinson is not a Swiss name. The German name translates as "the Swiss Robinson". The popularity of ''Literature/RobinsonCrusoe'' caused a flurry of stories about people on desert islands. This literature was called "Robinsons" and this particular novel was a "Robinson" about a Swiss family, not a Swiss family named Robinson.

* AdaptationExpansion: Translators of the original German into English apparently added quite a bit to the story; if you remember Jack riding an ostrich, for instance, that was an added bit.

* SweetPollyOliver: Roberta. This part is pulled off extremely badly in the Disney version. The Robinson boys' thought process seems to be "This person who looks, sounds, and acts like a very feminine girl [[PaperThinDisguise has a stocking cap on]], so clearly it's a guy." The movie even acts like TheReveal is as much of a surprise to the audience as it is the characters.

Note: Robinson is not a Swiss name. The German name translates as "the Swiss Robinson", and implies a Swiss version of ''Literature/RobinsonCrusoe'', rather than a Swiss family named Robinson.

* HardWorkHardlyWorks: Aside of some minor discomfort here and there, at no point is the family ever truly presented to be in any danger of not surviving. Unsure of local flora or fauna; it's cool, our not sunk or water damaged ship is fully stocked with everything you need! Iconic treehouse destroyed in a hurricane you were never in danger of; find an even cooler cave with multiple side rooms! Not to say that the farming itself isn't work, but there's no sense that the family won't make it any any time.

Note: Robinson is not a Swiss name. The German name translates as the Swiss Robinson, and implies a Swiss version of ''Literature/RobinsonCrusoe'', rather than a Swiss family named Robinson.

A 1812 novel by Johann David Wyss (and edited by his son Johann Rudolf Wyss) about a Swiss family (two parents, four sons - ages 15, 13, 10, and 7) shipwrecked en route to Australia and stranded on an island. Fortunately, their ship carried supplies for a new colony, and the island is furnished with an astounding diversity of flora and fauna. Hurrah!

* IAmNotShazam: Unlike what the English title of the novel might suggest, the name of the family is almost certainly not Robinson, as it is not a Swiss name. Rather, it is a ShoutOut to ''Literature/RobinsonCrusoe'' and the influence it had on this book. The German title translates roughly to "The Swiss Robinson Crusoe". Several film and TV adaptations [[InUniverse succumbed to the confusion]] and named the family Robinson.

* GettingCrapPastTheRadar: In the Disney film when Roberta offers to surrender to the pirates, Fritz says (roughly), "You don't look like a boy anymore, you know what will happen to you?"

* SweetPollyOliver: Roberta. This part is pulled off extremely badly in the Disney version. The Robinson boys' thought process seems to be "This person who looks, sounds, and acts like a very feminine girl [[PaperThinDisguise has a towel wrapped around her hair, so clearly it's a guy]]." The movie even acts like TheReveal is as much of a surprise to the audience as it is the characters.

* GettingCrapPastTheRadar: In the Disney film when the heroine offers to surrender to the pirates, Fritz says(roughly)"You don't look like a boy anymore, you know what will happen to you?"

* MisplacedWildlife: The island is home to animals from many different areas of the world.

* SweetPollyOliver
** This part is pulled off extremely badly in the Disney version. The Robinson boys' thought process seems to be "This person who looks, sounds, and acts like a very feminine girl [[PaperThinDisguise has a towel wrapped around her hair, so clearly it's a guy]]." The movie even acts like TheReveal is as much of a surprise to the audience as it is the characters.

* GettingCrapPastTheRadar: When the heroine offers to surrender to the pirates, Fritz says(roughly)"You don't look like a boy anymore, you know what will happen to you?"

* IAmNotShazam: Unlike what the English title of the novel might suggest, the name of the family is almost certainly not Robinson, as it is not a Swiss name. Rather, it is a ShoutOut to ''Literature/RobinsonCrusoe'' and the influence it had on this book. The German title translates roughly to "The Swiss Robinson Crusoe". Several film and TV adaptations succumbed to the confusion and named the family Robinson.
* MisplacedWildlife: The island is home to animals and plants from many different areas of the world.