My daughter and I were reading Treasure Island last night. I'm certain that I read it when I was young, but I don't seem to remember it much at all anymore. It's obviously a great book, and I really enjoy the prose.
After she went to bed, I started thinking about what a modern-day equivalent story to Treasure Island might be like. How would it begin?
I got stuck, though, because I can think of several contemporary analogues to pirates, but I can't think of a situation in which a 13-year-old boy finds himself in charge of running any kind of inn. But that is such a minor detail of the story that most people don't think twice about it. The author, along with the majority of the book's readership over the span of more than a century, took it for granted that a "tween" boy could and should be running an inn while his sick father is on his deathbed upstairs.
Today, most people afford young teenagers so little independence that placing a children's story in the present day results in a literally incredible plot point. And how you do get Treasure Island started without Jim Hawkins running an inn?
"13-year-olds shouldn't be working late!" "Young boys shouldn't serving alcohol!" "Teenagers hanging around with rowdy, alcoholic louses is a problematic environment!" Okay, okay, but how do you get Treasure Island started without Jim Hawkins running an inn?
I got stuck, though, because I can think of several contemporary analogues to pirates, but I can't think of a situation in which a 13-year-old boy finds himself in charge of running any kind of inn. But that is such a minor detail of the story that most people don't think twice about it. The author, along with the majority of the book's readership over the span of more than a century, took it for granted that a "tween" boy could and should be running an inn while his sick father is on his deathbed upstairs.
ReplyDeletehow to make cricut mugs
cricket explorer
heartbeat tattoos for guys
cricut heat press guide
how to use cricut card mat
Really enjoyed this post—it’s so true how Treasure Island casually assumes a 13-year-old running an inn, something almost unthinkable today. The shift in how we view children's independence really does complicate modern retellings of classic adventures. Maybe Jim could now be managing a family-run Airbnb or helping out in a small café, but it still wouldn’t feel the same. As an assignment helper Australia, I often see how students with real-life responsibilities develop stronger problem-solving skills, much like Jim. It’s a great reminder of how much we’ve changed—and what we might be missing.
ReplyDelete