The Many Father Figures of Treasure Island

633 Words2 Pages

Fathers are men who help to shape and mold children, youth, and young adults into the adults they become. Some fathers are biological, but many are men that are introduced through daily interactions and occurrences. The father figure may have a positive or negative impact on the child. This is true with the character Jim Hawkins from Treasure Island. Many characters guide his growth throughout the book with good and bad traits. He looks for a father because his own father is not a factor in his life. He dies when Jim is a young child and does not seem to have a significant effect on Jim’s life. Ben Gunn, Dr. Livesey, and John Silver provide Jim with examples and characteristics he incorporates into the person he becomes. Jim, like many others, find father figures to identify with and pattern their own lives after whether it is a blood relative or a person they choose from their surroundings. Ben Gunn is the character in the book that shows Jim Hawkins how to survive, provide spiritual guidance, and be proud of whom you are. Ben is a pirate that lives alone on Treasure Island. He was left there by the pirate crew he belonged to three years ago after he was unable to find the treasure. Ben is a survivor. He has been able to provide food and a home for himself since he was left alone. He is also a man of faith. Ben tells Jim, “I’m poor Ben Gunn, I am; and I haven’t spoke with a Christian these three years.” (15) Even though he has been alone he is relying on God to help him survive. Ben is content with his station in life. He does not need a title or friends to make him feel important and others realize this about him. One of the crew members, George Merry, says "Nobody minds Ben Gunn [...] dead or alive, nobody minds him" (32.30)... ... middle of paper ... ...im discovers that he agrees with Israel. John is a person who lives his life and has no regrets about his decisions. Jim discovers that John Silver is a mysterious and complicated role model. The most important lessons he learns from John is courage and how important it is to make decisions for himself. All children and teenagers will discover character traits and qualities that they want to possess from the adults they come into contact with. Jim Hawkins is no different. He uses the attributes he learns from Ben Gunn, Dr. Livesey, and John Silver to help mold him into the man he is becoming. Works Cited Stevenso n, Robert. Treasure Island. City: Publisher, Year of Pub. Print. Lastname, Firstname. Title of Book. City of Publication: Publisher, Year of Publication. Medium of Publication. Gleick, James. Chaos: Making a New Science. New York: Penguin, 1987. Print.

Show More
Related

  • The Faith Of Jim Casy in "Grapes of Wrath"

    947 Words  | 2 Pages

    In the beginning of the book Jim Casy’s physical features are that he is a tall man with a long head. He was a very bony slender man. His eyes stuck out his eye lids were very heavy and overt. His cheeks were brown and vitrified they were hairless. His mouth was either amusing or sensual. He had a very distinctive forehead it was very large. His forehead was lined with frangible blue veins. He had grey hair, which was ossified. The clothes that he wore were blue overalls. A blue buttoned down shirt. A jean jacket with nice brass buttons he had a speckled brown hat on it was channeled. He had on canvas shoes. The thing that motivates him to change is when he is in the first camp that they go to and when a guy hits the deputy. The police come to restore order in the camp then he asks Jim Casy who hit him Casy sticks out his hands and says” I hit him” so they take him away he is happy because he knows he will have food and shelter.

    Read More

  • I Wanted to Share My Father’s World

    567 Words  | 2 Pages

    Although single parenthood is on the rise in homes today, children still often have a father role in their life. It does not matter who the part is filled by: a father, uncle, older brother, grandfather, etc...; in almost all cases, those relationships between the father (figure) and child have lasting impacts on the youth the rest of their lives. In “I Wanted to Share My Father’s World,” Jimmy Carter tells the audience no matter the situation with a father, hold onto every moment.

    Read More

  • The Significance of John in Brave New World

    791 Words  | 2 Pages

    The adult John comes to civilized society as an experiment by Marx and Mond to see how a "savage" would adapt to civilization. Frankly, he does not adapt very well. He is appalled by the lifestyle and ideas of civilized people, and gets himself into a lot of trouble by denouncing civilization. He loves Lenina very much, but gets very upset at her when she wants to have sex with him. He physically attacks her, and from that point on does not want to have anything to do with her. When his mother dies, he interferes with the "death conditioning" of children by being sad. Finally, his frustrations with the civilized world become too much for him and he decides to take action. He tries to be a sort of a Messiah to a group of Deltas, trying to free them from the effect of soma. He tells them only the truth, but it is not the truth that the Deltas have been conditioned to believe, so to them it is a violent lie and they begin to cause a riot. When the riot is subdued, John is apprehended and taken to have a talk with Mustapha Mond.

    Read More

  • Free Huckleberry Finn Essays: Jim Character Analysis

    982 Words  | 2 Pages

    In a time where blacks are disliked heavily, for an influential writer such as Twain to write a black man in such a way would have been hard to overcome and to accept. Jim is a pivotal character because Twain shows the progression of how he is accepted in society. Twain gives Jim a sense of trust, family, and kindness to help the reader think about the possibilities of the world without people like

    Read More

  • Pearl Binder's Treasure Island: The Collonization Of The Colonization Of Ocean Island

    1194 Words  | 3 Pages

    The forgotten people of Ocean Island, the Banabans, had their island mined away from under them and had their island taken from them during World War II. They have transformed their culture into a whole new way and continue to live in the hope that one day they can live the way that their ancestors once did. This is the case of many places around the world that have been colonized. Colonization is not beneficial to developing countries because it brings diseases, it overthrows traditions, it upsets resources, and it separates families.

    Read More

  • Growth and Maturity in Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain

    1184 Words  | 3 Pages

    In the beginning, Huckleberry Finn hasn?t fully formed opinions on topics such as slavery. He is quite immature and content to just have ?adventures? with his friends. During his journey on the raft, he learns much more about himself through his dealings with others. He establishes his very own standards of right and wrong. Huck?s most important lessons are learned through Jim. He learns to see Jim as a person rather than as a slave: ?I knowed he was white inside? (263). More than any other character in the book, Jim is a catalyst for Huck?s maturity. Through Jim as well as other people he meets along the way, Huck becomes a more defined person who?s more fully himself. His development through the course of the novel proves The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn to be a gradual journey toward growth and maturity.

    Read More

  • The True Father of Huck Finn

    1332 Words  | 3 Pages

    A “true father” can be described as one who displays paternal qualities, substituting an individual’s real, less nurturing father. This figure can be anyone that spends a lot of time with a younger individual, becoming a role model for him or her. In the Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Mark Twain presents many leading figures that impact Huck’s life, including Pap, the Duke, the Dauphin, and Jim. Most of them serve as negative influences on Huck, taking advantage of him for their own selfish purposes. However, some of these figures teach Huck principles and morals to live by, and impart important values needed to make proper decisions. Jim, an African American slave, is one of Huck’s role models, allowing the reader can easily identify Jim as a father figure. He provides like a real father for Huck, caring for him, as well as listening to his ideas and teaching him, proving that Jim is Huck’s “true father.”

    Read More

  • The Effects Of Parents In The Wingfield Family

    1204 Words  | 3 Pages

    Children who are fatherless are at a greater risk of drug and alcohol abuse (Consequences of Fatherlessness 3). If it was not bad enough, Tom was already at risk of becoming an alcoholic since the day his dad walked out the house. In the film, Tom is seen coming home late at night drunk. He leaves for long periods of times and comes back home really late and drunk. Amada notices and she asks him where he has been and he replies that he was out in the movies (Numen). When asked why, he says that the movies give him adventure which is something that he does not get to experience at the shoe warehouse. “The movies are a temporary escape from his boring daily routine at the Continental Shoemakers” (Pleasant Disguise 50). Amanda does not believe him and becomes afraid that Tom is becoming more like his father. Tom actually admits to being like his father when he is having a conversation with Jim the night he went over to their apartment. “I’m like my father. The bastard son of a bastard!” (Numen). He says this after he discusses with Jim his plans to leave his family in search for adventure like the people in the movies. Tom finally decides to leave them after Amanda yells at him for Jim’s engagement. This makes Tom furious because he was unaware that Jim was engaged. As he leaves he tells them that he is leaving to the movies, but this time is a lie because he never comes back

    Read More

  • The Stages Of Cognitive Development In A Childhood By Crews

    1357 Words  | 3 Pages

    Cognitive development is where children start to become aware of their surroundings and become familiar with different things. Cognitive development plays enormous roles in a child’s growth into adulthood. In the story, Crews mentions that his first memory was around ten years before he was born, and the memory takes place where he has never been and involves his daddy who he never knew. One of the most important stages of cognitive development is sensorimotor stage. During the sensorimotor stage, children are only aware of the things they see, do, and the physical interactions with their immediate surroundings. Also, according the “The Role of the Father in Child Development”, it suggests the father-child separation period starts at the early age of nine months. Although the narrator was only 18 months old when his father died; he was still unable to make that immediate connection that a child needs from his father. Crews started a quest to find his father’s love; however, he never got a chance to complete. According to “The Role of the Father in Child Development”, the presence of a male model other than a father (e.g. an older brother) may inhibit the negative effects of a father’s absence Biller (1968, 1971a) argues that the father is a superior role model. All fathers are held to a superior role in every child’s life. Fathers are often the superhero that a little boy would like to be. The author always yearned for that superior male figure in his life. Crews’ father lived a life which consisted of drinking, fighting, working long hours, and influencing others to live the same lifestyle. The writer began to question the choices that his father made after he was convicted of his transgressions. Because of the actions of his father, Crews questioned what an ideal father should be and how it impacted his life in a negative

    Read More

  • Rite Of Passage Essay Examples

    817 Words  | 2 Pages

    The father’s upbringing was such that financial stability was the priority. The child learned that dads are busy and do not have time to spend with their children. What a devastating realization for a child to conclude. Yet like most little boys, this one wanted to grow up to be like his role model, no matter the example. During the time from childhood to adolescent, parental influence can be either beneficial or detrimental. If the parents have a stable home, clear boundaries and open communications with their teens, the transition could flow easier. The perfect father does not guarantee the child will not rebel.

    Read More

  • Treasure Island and Hard Times

    1498 Words  | 3 Pages

    Jim Hawkins and Louisa Gradgrind have the similar desire to be heard. They are constantly battling the people in their lives who constantly sway them in various directions- not of their own. These characters both go through a cycle of discovering their own thoughts and ideas without the influence of others.

    Read More

  • Social Issues in Hedda Gabler

    1613 Words  | 4 Pages

    New York: Crown Publishers, Inc., 1984. 332 - 333.

    Read More

  • Atticus Finch

    774 Words  | 2 Pages

    A father is someone who is there for his children, to care, to love and to teach them how to face the world on their own. In the novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, Atticus Finch cherishes his children, Jem and Jean Louise, and wishes them to strive beyond their potential. Jem and Jean Louise, also known as Scout, love their father for everything that he does. Atticus does his best to teach his children right from wrong with his own personal methods that should not be judged. Many neighbors and family members question and complain about the control that Atticus has over his children.

    Read More

  • Revenge Of Seven

    768 Words  | 2 Pages

    John is the main character and he is basically leading the kids into a war with the Mogadorians. He has many great traits that have helped him out in this book. One of his most important traits is his ambition. John wants to fight and he wants to win. He is smart and intelligent and with his ambition, he believes he can help save the world. Winning is what he aims for. He has encountered many obstacles along the way and with his will to win, he has overcome them all. One scenario is in the beginning of the book when he decides to trust a Mogadorian, Adam, from the other side. In the book, it says, ¨I don't know if they can be trusted. Malcolm said that he helped him escape from imprisonment and that he can vouch for him. If Malcolm says he's an ally, maybe I should too¨ (Lore 64). Mogadorians are supposedly all evil but in this case, there is one good guy. He is trying to help them but some of the others don't know if he can be trusted so they have to wait on John's decision whether to trust him or not. Eventually, he decides to trust the Adam so he can help them along the way. The decision John made was a good one because eventually, Adam saves Johns´ life by killing an attacker that was going to kill John. Leaders usually have to make important decisions in difficult times. Very few trust their instincts, one of them is John

    Read More

  • Treasure Island

    1209 Words  | 3 Pages

    Jim Hawkins in the main narrator in the novel Treasure Island who strives to live. He goes on this journey with Doctor Livesey, and Squire Trelawney, and they hire a crew to help them. The battle between the pirates and Jim’s party that took place once they reach the island showed how people can turn against you in an instant. Treasure Island showed many interesting conflicts, and issues that Jim Hawkins had to solve.

    Read More

More about The Many Father Figures of Treasure Island

Open Document