Jim's development in Treasure Island
How does Jim grow and develop as a character in light of his experiences? Discuss.
“Treasure Island” by Robert Louis Stevenson was about a thirteen years old boy, Jim Hawkins, going on a treasure voyage. Jim grew and developed magnificently through his experiences from the beginning to end of the novel. Jim gained great courage and the ability to think independently. Jim however did not gain great physical skills from his experiences. Jim grew from a timid child to a courageous mature grownup in light of his experiences in “Treasure Island”.
Courage was the main thing Jim gained from his experiences in “Treasure Island”. At the beginning of the story, Jim was a timid boy who had no courage in him at all. He was frightened by the pirate Billy Bones when he stayed at the inn, “How that personage haunted my dreams, I need scarcely tell you”. Jim was also scared by the blind man Pew, “I never saw in my life a more dreadful-looking figure.” Meanwhile, Jim did not have the courage to go back to the inn after the pirates’ attack if his mother did not insist on going. Towards the end of the story, when Jim was captured by the leader of the mutineers, Long John Silver, who was also a pirate like Billy Bones, Jim spoke up to him about not fearing him: “I no more fear you than I fear a fly. Kill me, if you please, or spare me”. Furthermore, when Jim and the crew arrived at the island, he followed the pirates onshore secretly without telling Captain Smollett or Dr Livesey, the two people he most relied on. Jim gained courage through his experience and grown mature from a timid boy. Jim started to take risks, overcoming fears and he did things he would never have done if he was the boy he was at the beginning of the story. Jim developed and gained great courage, meanwhile he also learned to think independently.
Jim started to think independently and showed increasing initiative. The early parts of the novel demonstrates Jim’s reliance on the people around him, and the
“Treasure Island” by Robert Louis Stevenson was about a thirteen years old boy, Jim Hawkins, going on a treasure voyage. Jim grew and developed magnificently through his experiences from the beginning to end of the novel. Jim gained great courage and the ability to think independently. Jim however did not gain great physical skills from his experiences. Jim grew from a timid child to a courageous mature grownup in light of his experiences in “Treasure Island”.
Courage was the main thing Jim gained from his experiences in “Treasure Island”. At the beginning of the story, Jim was a timid boy who had no courage in him at all. He was frightened by the pirate Billy Bones when he stayed at the inn, “How that personage haunted my dreams, I need scarcely tell you”. Jim was also scared by the blind man Pew, “I never saw in my life a more dreadful-looking figure.” Meanwhile, Jim did not have the courage to go back to the inn after the pirates’ attack if his mother did not insist on going. Towards the end of the story, when Jim was captured by the leader of the mutineers, Long John Silver, who was also a pirate like Billy Bones, Jim spoke up to him about not fearing him: “I no more fear you than I fear a fly. Kill me, if you please, or spare me”. Furthermore, when Jim and the crew arrived at the island, he followed the pirates onshore secretly without telling Captain Smollett or Dr Livesey, the two people he most relied on. Jim gained courage through his experience and grown mature from a timid boy. Jim started to take risks, overcoming fears and he did things he would never have done if he was the boy he was at the beginning of the story. Jim developed and gained great courage, meanwhile he also learned to think independently.
Jim started to think independently and showed increasing initiative. The early parts of the novel demonstrates Jim’s reliance on the people around him, and the