The Role of Courage of Children in Little Women and Treasure Island - Literature review Example

Discuss the role of courage of children in both Little Women and Treasure Island Robert Stevenson’s “Treasure Island” (1883) and Louise Alcott’s “Little Women” (1868) are both coming of age stories which contrast thrilling stories in the conventional form of storytelling for children, whilst simultaneously interweaving moral issues that were contextually uncommon in children’s literature. In particular, it is arguable that both stories effectively undertake a role reversal, placing child characters at the fore as the central protagonists in having to face tough decisions and tragedy through courage. For example Gubar observes that: “Treasure Island reflects a deep anxiety about the power imbalance that complicates the adult author-child reader relationship… Stevenson worries that the authors of adventure stories aim to indoctrinate and exploit youngsters like his impressionable boy hero” (Gubar, 2009, pp126-127). Furthermore, both Treasure Island and Little Women were written in the 19th century, which has been labelled the “Golden Age” of children literature (Gubar, 2009). In considering the novels in their historical context, Gubar’s observation underlines the changing approach of authors to children’s literature towards the end of the nineteenth century in portraying childhood and growing up. A central element of this is through the subversion of societal norms associated with children with the use of strength. For example, in Treasure Island, the novel’s central protagonist Jim Hawkins relays the journey of pirates and hidden treasure and the narrative is rich with action of childhood adventure, which is infused with adult themes such as morality, alcoholism and murder (Jones, 2003). Moreover, it is submitted that Jim’s character arguably fuses the universal quest for adventure conventionally associated with childhood with serious issues impacting child development, development in growing up. This is exemplified by the characterisation of Jim as a boy man in taking the Hispaniola to get the buried treasure: “the scheme had an air of adventure that inspired me, and the thought of the water breaker beside the fore companion doubled my growing courage” (Stevenson, 1883, p.196). Similarly, Alcott’s “Little Women” also subverts the contextual norms associated with children growing up, which is arguably attributable to Alcott’s difficult childhood (Clark 2005, p.213). Indeed, Alcott utilises the familiarity of domesticity associated with girls and subverts this to underline the complex issues impacting children’s lives, which was contextually an unfamiliar concept. This is underlined by the development of the relationship between Mrs March and her children: “I think she is growing up and so begins to dream dreams, and have hopes and fears and fidgets, without knowing why or being able to explain them. Why Mother, Beth’s eighteen but we don’t realise it, and treat her like a child, forgetting she’s a woman” (Alcott, Chapter 32). The objective of this paper is to undertake an analysis of how courage plays a seminal role in Alcott’s Little Women and Stevenson’s Treasure Island. At the outset, it is submitted as a central proposition in this paper that both novels use strength and courage in characterisation and its concomitant impact on the narrative discourse. In turn, the role of courage of the children in both novels operates to reshape traditional concepts of childhood in their portrayal of growing up, a proposition that is supported by Gubar’s observation that: “many nineteenth century children’s authors…Interrogated romantic ideas about childhood rather than simply affirming them… they acknowledged the primacy and power of adults and the myriad ways children are affected by the literary social, familial and cultural milieu they inhabit” (Gubar, 2009, p.209). In turn, the use of courage in this way subverts preconceived assumptions associated with children and childhood in both novels, which in turn render both stories prime examples of a Golden Age in children’s literature in bringing child development and concepts of child self identity to the fore (Gubar, 2009, p.209). However, whilst both stories utilise courage and strength to provide a different dimension to perception of children; both novels adopt differing approaches to the depiction of growing up For example, Treasure Island uses courage through the conventional model of the typical young boy’s adventure story. However, as the pathos of the novel’s trajectory develops, the subliminal dark undertones make Treasure Island far from a typical boy’s book and has been described as “one of the most satisfying adventure stories ever told” (Kiely 69 in Gubar 2009, p.69). In contrast, Little Women was instrumental in presenting the concept of girlhood into the literary mainstream and confounding pre-existing presumptions of girlhood and domesticity. Therefore in considering the use of courage of children in both novels I shall firstly consider Little Women, followed by a comparative analysis of Treasure Island. Alcott’s Little Women depicts the story of four girls and their childhood during the American Civil War. Whilst Little Women was written as a children’s book, its appeal has been cemented as a classic work of literature (Clark, 2005, p.180). A central element of the universal appeal of Little Women is the depiction of children in terms of “their participation in realistic traditions, whether their focus is on accommodating domesticity or escaping it” (Clark, 2005, p.129). This observation is supported by Watson’s proposition that Little Women uses strength and courage to undermine conventional preconceptions of female childhood in terms of preparation for domesticity in adulthood. For example, Watson argues that Little Women is “at once subversive and sentimental, it describes even in Today’s America a powerful nostalgia for uncorrupted domesticity” (13). Additionally, Watson suggests that through the subversion of female childhood in particular, Little Women cements its position as a classic piece of literature in bringing girlhood into the mainstream, which in turn renders Alcott’s story a prime example of early crossover fiction. In reinforcing this argument, Alcott asserts that “Little Women’s classic status may have served as much to conceal as reveal its originality and unusualness in the canon of children’s and adult literature alike” (p.13). Moreover, Alcott utilises the courage of the central characters to introduce the concept of “girlhood” being a central part of growing up. As such, the use of courage underlines the feminine discourse in the theme of growing up by highlighting the development of bonds between women through the microcosm of girlhood. Indeed, Watson comments that “depicting the struggles of girls to negotiate and conflicting demands of growing up into women, this is teen fiction before there were teens; and….. it has remained relevant and powerful to today’s girls” (14). This in turn distinguishes Little Women from other girl’s stories at the time, which Watson argues “relied heavily on Alcott’s own memories of childhood games, pastimes and family conflict” (Watson 14). For example, Watson refers to Alcott’s personal account where she comments that “it was not a bit sensational, but simply and true, for we really lived most of it; and if it succeeds that will be the reason of it” (14). Therefore, the use of courage in this way enables Little Women to provide a firsthand insight into growing up as a female, with insights into issues specific to female concepts of identity in growing up. In highlighting this aspect of Little Women, Watson argues that Alcott’s insight into girlhood and female desire redefined literary assumptions in the presentation of girlhood and feminine discourse. In turn, this arguably was a significant trigger for the subsequent “development of the girl’s story in North America; arguably it is the mother of the What Katy Did series, Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm the Pollyanna stories and the Anne of Green Gables series all of which combine domestic detail with tomboyish girls striving to overcome their natural indiscipline to find a place in society and husband without compromising their own personalities” (Watson 15). A prime example is Alcott’s characterisation of Jo as a Tomboy. Jo’s characterisation draws distinct parallels with characteristics traditionally associated with boys and men Alcott purposefully uses the assumption of masculinity associated with displays of courage through Jo, who is daring and passionate and horrified at having to do house work. Furthermore, Jo’s behaviour operates as a symbol of the increasing struggle of women with societal expectations of the female gender (Clark, 2005). Watson highlights this argument by referring to feminist Simone De Beauvoir’s comment that “I identified myself passionately with Jo…. She was much more tomboyish and daring than I was, but I shared her horror of sewing and housekeeping and her love of books” (Alberghene and Clark, 1999, in Watson 15). Moreover, Alcott’s presentation of the relationship between the four female protagonists utilises the subversion of atypical romantic themes associated with girlhood to present an interesting perspective of female behaviour. This is further supported by Watson’s reference to Alberghene and Clark’s question: “where else could we have read about an all female group who discussed work, art, and all the Great Questions- or found girls who wanted to be women and not vice versa?” (Alberghene and Clark, 1999, p.xvi, in Watson 15). Nevertheless, the portrayal of girls and the development of femininity in growing up has fuelled debate and Alberghene and Clark, 1999 suggest that Jo is a central character in confounding traditional expectations of women: “From the immediacy, the authority with which Frank Merrill’s familiar illustrations of Little Women came to mind as soon as I asked myself what a woman writing looks like, I know that Jo March must have had real influence upon me when I was young scribbler. I am sure she has influenced many girls, for she is not, like most “real” authors dead, or inaccessibly famous, nor like so many artists in books, is she set apart by sensitivity or suffering or general superlatively; nor is she like most authors in novels, male. She is close as a sister and common as grass” (Alberghene and Clark, 1999: xvi in Watson, 16). Interestingly, Alcott highlighted that a central part of the reason for the specific interplay between the female characters was to utilise masculine concepts of courage to subvert the conventional assumptions of femininity. In particular, her intention in the novel was to use courage to demonstrate differing models of femininity outside the traditional domestic model. Watson refers to Alcott’s denunciation of marriage as the defining element in female identity: “Girls write to ask who the little women marry, as if that were the only aim and end of a woman’s life. I won’t marry Jo to Laurie to please anyone” (Watson). To this end, it is reiterated that Jo’s desire for independence in the novel clearly depicts the inner feelings of the female in growing up. This is further evidenced by the reference to female acknowledgement of political and social issues, which were traditionally considered to be outside the domain of women. For example, the novel is set during and after the Civil War and highlights Jo’s dissatisfaction with being unable to fight: “keeping her temper at home was a much harder task than facing a rebel or two down south”(Alcott, 1868, p.12). Indeed, the Civil War arguably provides an allegory to the internal tension of growing up as a girl with the irony of their label as “Little Women”. The socio-political backdrop is reinforced by the opening of the book on Christmas Eve with Meg, Jo, Amy and Beth sitting around the fire awaiting the return of “Marmee” who epitomises the “model woman” (Fetterley, 1979, p.37). In reminiscing over previous Christmases past when they were wealthy, the bemoan the fact that: “Christmas won’t be Christmas without any presents”, “it’s so dreadful to be poor!”; “I don’t think it’s fair for some girls to have plenty of pretty things and other girls nothing at all” (Alcott, 186, p5). In contrast Marmee highlights the contrast between her character and the girls’ discontent: “Well, dearies how have you got on today? … has anyone called Beth? How is your cold, Meg? Jo, you looked tired to death” (Alcott, 1868, p.12). This reality of their predicament is highlighted by their father’s letter which asks the girls to “conquer themselves so beautifully that when I come back to them I may be fonder and prouder than ever of my little women” (Alcott, 1868, p.12). Therefore the courage of the characters in Little Women embodies the interrelationship of multiple complex factors, which in turn serves to reinforce the intrinsic limitations of their ability to engage in physical displays of courage due the social constructs dictating female behaviour. As such, the courage lies in their strength to cope with the lack of freedom, which in turn fuels an underlying discontent with societal rules regulating acceptable behaviour for women. In turn, this reinforces the conflict faced by the female gender at the time in the continuous assertion of the requirement to be content with their lot and demonstrate happiness at this prospect (Fetterly, 1979, p.34). Therefore the crucial element of Alcott’s subversion of the atypical romantic girl’s story is to communicate childhood wishes in a feminine context, which in turn brought the concept of girlhood to the mainstream literary consciousness. This is further supported by Parille’s assertion that “a primary reason for the extensive interest in Alcott’s novel is its discussion of the cultural spaces women occupied, or were excluded from in the nineteenth century” (p.31). In particular, it is Alcott’s presentation of Laurie and Jo’s eventual submissions, which Parille argues is the crux of Little Women’s presentation of childhood. To this end, Parille posits that “as a novel about Laurie’s and the March girl’s submission, then, Little Women remains relevant to use as a story of how both boys and girls confront cultural limitations” in childhood (Parille, p.38). In contrast to Little Women, Stevenson’s Treasure Island addresses growing up and child hood from a boy’s perspective and as highlighted above, adopts the archetypal adventure story format. Additionally, in Little Women, the courage is subliminal and reflects the quiet desperation of women fighting social norms regulating gender. Therefore, whilst Little Women uses a complex socio-political backdrop to expose a true insight into female feelings via the subversive romantic pathos, Stevenson’s Treasure Island uses the universal childhood desire for adventure to operate as a “study of young feelings” through a fantastical framework (Clark, 2005, p.36). Additionally, Clark comments that Treasure Island formulates a study of young feelings in addition to embodying “a boy’s vision” (2005, p.36). Similar to Alcott’s autobiographical approach to Little Women in presenting first hand concepts of girlhood and feminine identity; Stevenson’s difficult childhood significantly influenced the use of courage and morality to subvert conventional assumptions associated with growing up and childhood identity. For example, Jones comments that “As an adult, he kept shifting between childhood and maturity and could not, therefore regard himself as a constant….. because of this perspective, Stevenson had difficulty in portraying an adult without making some reference to a childish feature or characteristic in the person” (Jones, 2003,p.176). Therefore, whilst Little Women clearly has references to violence in the backdrop of the Civil War, Treasure Island goes further in the violence and action portrayed. For example, Jones underlines the point that Stevenson’s obsession with violence is reflected in Treasure Island and that “the blood that runs above and below deck in Treasure Island… the fighting, duelling, beatings, and murders that accentuate his stories and even his travel pieces reflect this impulse” (Jones 186). This is further indicated by the syntax in Treasure Island with references to the terror of “a wildly beating heart” (Stevenson, 1883, p186). Therefore notwithstanding the conventional adventure story narrative model, the graphic depictions of brutal violence and courage operate in a similar manner to Alcott in terms of subverting conventional preconceptions associated with youth and young feelings. This is reinforced by the Jim’s maturity and Jones comments that Stevenson uses Treasure Island to highlight: “a child’s easy involvement in the fury and passionate bursts of activity – in the vicarious, yet absorbing, violence of play. Unlike the adult, the child enters the game’s arena and acts out his part…. His whole self is in the scene, and for a few moments he becomes the pirate or the soldier and realises the figure’s gestures. Caught between the silence of a spectator and the voice of a participant, he finds no easy utterance” (Jones, 2003, p187). Therefore, essentially Stevenson uses courage and maturity in a child protagonist to underline the juxtaposition of expectations in growing up and the development of young feelings. To this end, Jim’s adventure clearly operates as a paradoxical subversion of the Peter Pan myth through Stevenson’s realist perception of issues impacting childhood and growing up. A prime example of this is Jim’s reaction to the first murder: “Far away out in the marsh there arose, all of a sudden, a sound like the cry of anger, then another on the back of it; and then one horrid, long-drawn scream. The rocks of the Spy-glass re-echoed it a score if times; the whole troop of marsh birds rose again, darkening heaven, with a simultaneous whirr; and long after that death yell was still ringing in my brain, silence had re-established its empire, and only the rustle of the re-descending birds and the boom of the distant surges disturbed the languor of the afternoon” (1884, p.77). This personal reflection of Jim reinforces the central underlying basis of Stevenson’s portrayal of a childhood adventure within an adult realist paradigm. Therefore, it is submitted that both Alcott and Stevenson’s novels subvert the mythological narratives of the time that imposes naive assumptions of childhood and childhood identity. In utilising a familiar narrative model, both authors are able to engage with the reader whilst challenging preconceptions relating to growing up. A key element of this is to assign courage to the central protagonists in order to a depth of maturity and feelings not normally associated with children from a contextual perspective. On this basis, the use of courage by both Alcott and Stevenson serves to operate as a symbol of youth identity and a firsthand insight into youth feelings. Indeed, Parilles argues that this is particularly evident with Little Women as Alcott uses courage to present issues pertaining to both male and female gender in growing up. Accordingly, it is submitted that the fundamental importance of Little Women is the reshaping of female gender expectations in presenting the development of young female feelings in the growing up process. This in turn provided the literary framework for the development of stories addressing girlhood in mainstream literature. Furthermore, in using courage and strength in character development, both Stevenson and Alcott subvert the naive fantasy that was prevalent in children’s literature to inject an uncomfortable realism in presenting childhood and issues affecting childhood development. For example, Little Women subverts the classic romantic pathos that was associated with storytelling for girls at the time and to this end clearly has parallels with Treasure Island, which undermines the Peter Pan myth to present realism. As a result, the use of courage in both novels serves to symbolise the reality of issues impacting childhood and thereby triggered a significant literary change in the conventional perceptions of young feelings, gender and growing up. BIBLIOGRAPHY Alcott, L. (1868). Little Women. Sterling Publishing Company Clark, B. (2005) Kiddie Lit: the cultural construction of children’s literature in America. JHU Press. Fetterley, J. (1979) Little Women: Alcott’s Civil War. Feminist Studies, Volume 5(2), pp34-51. Retrieved at www.palgrave.com accessed December 2010. Gubar, M.(2009). Artful Dodgers: Reconceiving the Golden Age of Children’s Literature. Oxford University Press Jones, W. (2003). Robert Louis Stevenson reconsidered: new critical perspectives. McFarland Parille, K. (2001). Wake up and be a man. Little Women, Laurie and the Ethic of Submission. Retrieved at www.palgrave.com accessed December 2010 Stevenson, R. (1883). Treasure Island. Forgotten Books Watson, N. Introduction to Louisa May Alcott: Little Women Retrieved at www.palgrave.com accessed December 2010. Read More