The Life and Writings of Robert Louis Stevenson - 2668 Words

Robert Louis Stevenson Robert Louis Stevenson is one of the greatest authors to hail from Britain. His writings have been enjoyed by countless since he masterfully wrote them down. Stevenson uses characterization, imagery, and conflict to keep his readers captivated by his works in Treasure Island, Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, and Kidnapped. Robert Louis Stevenson was born on November 13, 1850 in Scotland. Being the only son of a famous civil engineer, Stevenson was expected to continue the family tradition, but this was against his wishes for his life. At an early age, he exhibited a yearning to write, and although he could not read until he was seven or eight, he composed stories and dedicated them to his parents and†¦show more content†¦Stevenson produces some of literature’s most memorable characters in this novel. Although it is one of his most famous, it is not as psychological deep as his other novels, as it is meant for a younger group of readers. However, this does not take away from the story if one just takes it for what it is. Jim Hawkins, the protagonist of the story, is a character so full of courage and determination that he is undoubtedly the inspiration behind many young lads’ adventurous escapades. His character, although lifted off the pages of a book, is the character that many people aspire to be. Stevenson does not give much information about Jim through dialogue or commentary, but through Jim’s actions do we learn of the content of his character. Jim is the moral backbone of the story, and must right the wrong that Silver creates. The only downside to Jim’s character is that he judges people by their appearances when first meeting him, and he usually judges wrong. He incorrectly judges Long John Silver as an ally at first even though he ends up being the story’s main antagonist. Also, he incorrectly judges Ben Gunn as being a monster, although he turns out to be one of his greatest allies. Jim’s character is resilient and is not likely to break as best exemplified in his quote â€Å"You can kill the body, Mr. Hands, but not the spirit† (Stevenson 116). Since Stevenson was sickly as a child and not able to do much physical activity, I think that he lives vicariouslyShow MoreRelatedAnalysis Of The Book Where Dr. Jekyll 1163 Words   |  5 Pages(Aronson 2) Being from Edinburgh, Stevenson was surrounded with the well-known tales of the past and a history of duality in his hometown. Deacon Brodie and Dr. Knox were both from Edinburgh and both lived â€Å"double-lives†, this undoubtedly had a major impact upon Stevenson’s imagination and later his writings. (Stefan 5) â€Å"While growing up Stevenson had a friend and the son of Sir James Simpson, the developer of medical anesthesia, the two friends would â€Å"experiment† with chloroform, for the enjoymentRead More Robert Stevenson Essay1629 Words   |  7 Pages Robert Louis Stevenson began writing during the Victorian era. His style was unlike anyone elseamp;#8217;s and his stories are still popular today. Robert Louis Stevenson was an author of many classic novels and his literary success became popular when he wrote the mystery called The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Robert Louis Stevenson wrote The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde in 1886 at the young age of thirty-six. He was born on November 13, 1850 in Edinburgh, Scotland. HisRead More`` Requiem `` By Robert Louis Stevenson Essay1534 Words   |  7 Pagescontrast to life What do you think of when one brings up Robert Louis Stevenson? Perhaps his great works, Treasure Island or Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Maybe his successful and adventurous life, full of travel and fame (Editors). What one may not think of is the areas of his life that were wrought with disease, struggle and homesickness. Stevenson’s life was full of adventure, but much of it was as a result of him attempting to escape his tubercular existence (Bosch). The themes presented in Robert LouisRead More Robert Louis Stevensons Impact on British Literature 869 Words   |  4 PagesRobert Louis Stevenson ranks in the upper echelons of writers in British literature. He is one of the most popular writers of the nineteenth century. Stevenson had a great range of skill in producing works in the form of poetry, plays, short stories, essays and novels. A variety of aspects of his very own life and personal experiences were implemented into his literary works. The romance novel is that of which he is best became known for. His works are still studied and observed in today’sRead MoreIdeas Of Good And Evil Follow From The Earliest Of Days.847 Words   |  4 Pagesearliest of days. Robert Louis Stevenson’s parents lived devout in their Christianity, but Stevenson did not follow their ideas. G.B. Stern suggests that â€Å"Although he had rejected the Calvinist doctrines his parents taught him, the focus of the interplay of good and evil continued to influence his imagination† (Stern). Stevenson forced his parents away, but their ideas stayed in his thoughts and even affected The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. His past affected his writing even though he rejectedRead MoreDr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde Essay800 Words   |  4 Pages Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde Essay In Robert Louis Stevenson’s, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Dr. Jekyll’s struggle between two personalities is the cause of tragedy and violence. Dr. Jekyll takes his friends loyalty and unknowingly abuses it. In this novella, Stevenson shows attributes of loyalty, how friendship contributes to loyalty, and how his own life affected his writing on loyalty. Stevenson expresses loyalty in many ways. For example, he establishes the friendship between Mr. Utterson, Dr. JekyllRead MoreThe Duality of Man in Literary Works and Critical Essays1580 Words   |  7 PagesEssays The lifelong struggle for control and recognition of the human mind has been a popular and evolving science since the late-nineteenth-century. Many notable authors, scientists, and laymen have been fascinated with the study since then. Robert Louis Stevenson is one of the more notable authors to write about dual personalities with his short story, â€Å"Markheim,† and the novella, †The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.† The latter of these two stories has inspired the study of multiple personalitiesRead MoreHow Robert Louis Stevenson Builds and Maintains a Sense of Mystery and Suspense in Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde1109 Words   |  5 PagesHow Robert Louis Stevenson Builds and Maintains a Sense of Mystery and Suspense in Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde Robert Louis Stevenson wrote Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde in 1886 after waking from a dream in which he recalled a fine bogy tale. The book was published in the same year and its likes had never been seen before. It gave a chilling insight into the murky depths of both experimental science and the duality of the human mind. These two fields of study were both in their infancyRead MoreThe Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll Mr. Hyde1200 Words   |  5 PagesBiography: Robert Louis Stevenson Robert Louis Stevenson was born on November 13th, 1850 to (father) Thomas Stevenson and (mother) Margaret Isabella Balfour. Stevenson grew up in Edinburgh. At the age of 17, he enrolled at Edinburgh University where he planned on studying engineering. He instead took courses to study law, and passed all of them in 1875, but he later abandoned this because he wanted to be a writer. His first published work was an essay entitled â€Å"Roads.† Stevenson met his wifeRead MoreRobert Louis Stevenson Influences1344 Words   |  6 PagesExternal Influences on Stevenson’s Writings â€Å"The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde† by Robert Louis Stevenson was a familiar title to me and prior to reading it I believed I was well versed about the story. I knew that Dr. Jekyll was an intelligent man who experimented with the idea of creating a more powerful version of him that would release his deepest inhibitions. In addition, I believed that the people of the town were not fully aware of Mr. Hyde, only that there was a monster