Greed And Capitalism In Robert Louis Stevenson's Treasure Island
“It was to be a story for boys; no need of psychology or fine writing; and I had a boy at hand to be a touchstone.” (Stevenson) Formerly titled The Sea Cook: A Story for Boys, by Robert Louis Stevenson, the novel was initially fashioned off the mere scraps of a map of childhood fantasy drawn by Stevenson’s stepson, Lloyd Osbourne. By the further implementation of similar material from previous authors, such as Charles Kingsley, Captain Charles Johnson, Edgar Allan Poe, and Washington Irving, the 19th Century Scottish writer would develop one of the most highly recognized pirate novels of all time; ultimately, branded in 1883 as Treasure Island. While the novel is a captivating story of pirates, buccaneers, and bandits alike, underneath it all rests profound meaning and importance. Themes of criminality, exploration, and friendship litter across the pages of the novel, yet there is one that rises above the others in both insinuation and significance. Accordingly, I argue that greed and capitalism itself have a uniquely strong echo throughout the novel, in effect allowing for a peek into a piece of the pirate mentality on the meaning of a good life. Moreover, this examination of greed and capitalism also sheds light on the morality of individuals and certain factions of a society. Thus, the relationship between greed, capitalism, and morality are all intertwined.
During the course of the Victorian era, cultural debate regarding the stature of gold and silver spread across the
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