Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson Reading Response #1 Protagonist development

In the book Treasure Island, the story is told, for the most part, from the perspective of the protagonist Jim Hawkins. And though the author does not give the age of Hawkins, the reader can deduce that he is around the age 9-12. The young age helps to create an interesting coming of age story, in which Jim Hawkins enters as a child and exits as an adult.

Our story begins with Jim Hawkins, a timid boy who works hard does what he is told. He is put on the ship as cabin boy and is referred to generally as a boy. He is allowed to work on the ship because he discovers an important treasure map among a pirates possessions. When we meet him he is working at his parents inn. A pirate who is staying at the inn, gets wounded in a fight. Hawkins wants to help, but is flustered and when the pirate asks for rum, he responds, “I ran to fetch it, but I was quite unsteadied by all that had fallen out, and I broke one glass and fouled the tap... I heard a loud fall in the parlour, and running in, beheld the captain lying on the floor. At the same instant my mother, alarmed by the cries and fighting, came running down the stairs to help me....we had no idea what to do to help the captain, nor any other thought but that he had got his death-hurt in the scuffle with the stranger. I got the rum, to be sure, and tried to put it down his throat, but his teeth were tightly shut and his jaws as strong as iron.” (Treasure Island Stevenson 16) The quote shows that Hawkins was not quite ready to handle the situation in which the captain was in,  he would become more mature in dealing with problems as he grows throughout the story.

Hawkins begins to show some maturity when he accidentally finds himself in an apple barrel overhearing a conversation about a mutiny. Instead of panicking and giving away his position to the pirates, he carefully finds an oppourtunity to escape, and goes to tell the doctor, and the captain about what he heard. “I did as I was bid, and as short as I could make it, told the whole details of Silver’s conversation...And they made me sit down at table beside them, poured me out a glass of wine, filled my hands with raisins, and all three one after the other, and each with a bow, drank my good health, and their service to me, for my luck and courage.”(Stevenson 71) I believe that this shows that young Hawkins is beginning to take matters into his own hands. He is showing that he is maturing and using better judgement.

Hawkins has many adventures. He goes through battles with the mutineers, he steals the ship and hides it from the pirates, and he is later captured by the pirates. Hawkins is allowed to speak to the doctor who is helping to heal both sides, but Jim Hawkins has given his word not to escape. Hawkins has an oppourtunity to escape with the doctor. He says to the doctor “You know right well you wouldn’t do the thing yourself-neither you nor the squire nor captain; and no more will I. Silver trusted me; I passed my word, and back I go.” (Stevenson 178) This shows how far Jim has matured, he is no longer a little boy, but a man with honour and dignity. A child in most instances would have run, but a man would keep his word, despite the danger.