Treasure Island is a novel written by an American novelist—— Robot Louis Steven in 1881, California. This novel was recognized as the origin of all adventurous treasure hunt literatures, a notable and classic book in the Victorian Times. Treasure Island vividly described a twelve-year-old boy named Jim, accidentally found a treasure map in the valise of his father’s hotel guest, who was named Captain. Therefore started his adventure of seeking treasure with Doctor Livesey, Trelawney and other twenty four crews. The rebels on their ship, led by Long John Silver, wanted to own the treasure and murder Liversey and others, and started a fight against them. However, throughout Jim and his lineup’s brave and wide action, they beat the pirates and successfully won the treasure. Treasure Island can retain its fame until today, based on its profound discussion in growth, greed, and deep influence to the later literature development.
Treasure Island discovered the main character—— Jim’s change in maturity. Jim was a teenager helping manage his father’s inn in England, who had a simple life, didn’t have burdens to worry about, but only focused on his present life. The adventure with Liversey and pirates changed his characteristics completely.In fact, Jim showed his responsibility and bravery during the adventure that any normal twelve year old boy wouldn’t have. When he heard Long John Silver and Israel discussing the plan of betraying, he told his friend immediately. Even while Silver remarks as if Jim’s friend Doctor Livesey is already on the pirates side, by using the chance of surviving and wealth to tempt Jim to join their team, Jim refuses with no doubt. His behavior already proves his film stand when facing evil. At the beginning of the story, Jim remarks himself as a boy that contributes little help for seeking treasure; But at the end, when facing real danger, he was a true fighter to stand out, even risking his life.
The novel also deeply remarked the greed and desire for wealth against moral status. The whole story is discussing the treasure that can bring great fortune. No matter the protagonists or the “evil” pirates in the story, finding the treasure had been everyone’s goal, the hard work and chasing for treasure wasn’t simply defined as sin of greed in the story, but a faith. What actually makes the difference between the protagonists and pirates, is whether they broke their moral status in order to gain fortune. According to the story, when Ben Gunn and Doctor Livesey won the treasure, they still helped Jim out, their standpoint always stayed the same, not influenced by money or power. But on the other hand, when Long John Silver desire for wealth, he betrayed Trelawney and Livesey who gave him a chance to come to the island; furthermore, even in the pirates, Silver killed everyone who spoke a different voice or against his violent leading. He had endless desire, and greed, that made him blind, and lost everything.
Moreover, by using the combination of imagination and realistic, it reflects Robot Steven’s point of view to the society situation in England; the novel itself truly long affected literature in adventure. In Treasure Island, the story line and main characters were imagined by the author himself, but still, it was considered to be true pirate stories in England. For instance, Captain Flint was a real bloody pirate in the 19th century. At that time, the United Kingdom had strong industrial power, which caused the colonists to prevail. Robot Steven’s critics and against pirates in the story represent his anti- imperialist attitudes. The book sustains millions of people who support anti- imperialism just like Robot Steven. Later on, it influenced the creation of Peter Pan, Pirates of Caribbean and other notable modern literature & movies.
To sum up, Treasure Island was unquestioning a great and influential novel in the Victorian Times. This novel flawlessly showed the narrator, main protagonist Jim’s growth during the treasure hunt; the conflict between moral status and greed; and its impact on society. In this book’s 136 years of publishing, an adventurous but complicated story presents itself in front of every reader. This “book for boys'' inspired people all over the world. As a classic, Treasure Island was written two centuries ago. However, it maintains its power and charm.
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