Historical Overview of “Treasure Island” by Robert Louis Stevnson
TITLE: Treasure Island
AUTHOR: Robert Louis Stevenson
TYPE OF WORK: novel
TIME AND PLACE WRITTEN: 1881, Scotland
DATE OF FIRST PUBLICATION: 1883
SETTINGS: Near Bristol, England, and Treasure Island, an island off the coast of “Spanish America”.
PROTAGONIST: Jim Hawkins
ANTAGONIST: Long John Silver
PLOT: Jim Hawkins is a young boy who lives at his parents’ inn, the Admiral Benbow, near Bristol,
England, in the eighteenth century. An old sea captain named Billy Bones dies in the inn after being
presented with a black spot, or official pirate verdict of guilt or judgment. Jim is stirred to action by the
spot and its mysterious, accurate portent of Billy’s death. Hastily, Jim and his mother unlock Billy’s sea
chest, finding a logbook and map inside.
POINT OF VIEW: 1st person
THEME:
The search for heroic models is one of this story’s themes. It is because in today’s time, it is hard for us
to witness such heroic deeds. Another is the futility of desire. This is because desiring things can only