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Robert Louis Stevenson By:Harrison Schonbrun and Rachel Huston

Stevenson was born November 13th 1850 in Scotland. He suffered severe health problems that left him bedridden for years.He got started on writing due to this period of inactivity.”The strongest influence on his childhood was that of his nurse reading him stories from the Bible which he drew on later in life”(Poem Hunter 1). In 1867 he went to a university and learned science. “Stevenson hated it and decided to write but his father made him get a degree in case his literary ambition failed”(Gradesaver 1). In 1873 he fell sick and was ordered by his doctor to go on vacation so he went and this allowed him to begin writing his first books. He was married in this period too, to a lady named Fanny Osbourne. From there Stevenson banged out book after book many of them stories of adventures. “They were all were very popular and received critical success”(Gradesaver 1). He moved to Samoa which he greatly enjoyed and lived there until he died in 1894.

"Biography of Robert Louis Stevenson (1850-1894)." Biography of Robert Louis Stevenson. Gradesaver LLC, n.d. Web. 24 July 2014. The Biography Of Robert Louis Stevenson. "THE BIOGRAPHY OF ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON." Poemhunter.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 July 2014.

Rachel Huston - Aim



Robert Louis Stevenson was a world-renowned writer in the mid to late 1800’s. He created many works such as, Treasure Island and The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. In the forty-four years the man lived he was an outstanding writer and a master of the literary world. He wrote poems, travel books, adventures and even psychological thrillers. As a young boy, he states that, “ ‘I was always busy on my own private end, which was to learn to write’” (The Atlantic). From a very young age, Stevenson was already trying to become an avid writer. From then on, he set his sights on writing. His first popular novel, Treasure Island, was incredibly popular, and later deemed a “children’s book”. Yet within this book Stevenson pushes forth a very strong theme, which SparkNotes explains as, “Treasure Island explores the satisfaction of desires, and, indeed, the motivation of all the characters is greed: everyone wants the treasure” (1). For being deemed a “children’s book”, this book actually pushed forth a very strong theme that is true throughout life and is still relevant today. Stevenson had a knack for making such strong messages in his books, which was what he made the purpose of his life. He included themes of growing up and a “loss in innocence” in Kidnapped, as well as the “duality of human nature” in Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (Gradesaver). Not only did Stevenson aim to make a great work of literature that people would enjoy reading, but it was also to create a strong message that would influence anyone and everyone that reads it for generations later.

"Dr .Jekyll and Mr.Hyde Background." Grade SaverGrade Saver.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 July 2014. Torrey, Bradley. The Atlantic. Atlantic Media Company, n.d. Web. 25 July 2014.

Rachel Huston - Audience

Robert Louis Stevenson created numerous types of literature such as thrillers, adventure novels and travel journals. With so many genres, Stevenson appealed to quite a lot of audiences.With works such as, Kidnapped and Treasure Island, this man could be labeled as a “children’s writer”. However, with a famous work like, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, which is directed at a more mature audience, everything is rather thrown off course. However, this leads to the conclusion that he indeed wrote for everyone. Anyone who would pick up a book was who he wrote for though each book had a different audience. His travel journals could appeal to those who wished to know more about the world, or a fellow traveler. As for Kidnapped it could appeal to many but also younger people.”Kidnapped was originally published in a boys magazine called the Young Folks paper” (Victorian Novels 1). The appeal of Stevenson lies in his descriptions of traveling and kidnapped was an example of this and was an inspiring novel.These books were why the world was shaken up by Dr.Jekell and Mr.Hyde. The story was filled with murders and the men who were killed didn’t deserve it like in Treasure Island. “restrained societies such as Stevensons Britain were shocked and terrified by Mr.Hyde and his suicidal maniacal behavior”(Gates Barbara 1). The audience in his novel was terrified at Stevensons almost parody of victorian values, and this is why they were scared this book was them. The audience makes the book, and the audience and their reaction is certainly what allowed this book to survive on.

Gates, Barbara T. "Robert Louis Stevenson's "The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde"" Robert Louis Stevenson's "The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" Victorian Web, n.d. Web. 25 July 2014

"Kidnapped." Kidnapped. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 July 2014.

Harrison Schonbrun-Historical

Historical and Political events influence the Authors writing by making it judgmental to the time period. Certain observations and expressions go out of fashion and when the History is understood the Authors Perspective is understood. The Authors Experiences go into understanding how they wrote the novel, like knowing that Stevenson was sick and was training to be a science major, allows one to understand the science he inserts into books such as the Strange case of Dr.Jekyll and Mr Hyde. The era he lived in also greatly influenced him.”Stevenson lived in Victorian times when a great swell of knowledge brought out the power of Europe”(Gradesaver 1). when Stevenson was alive the world was Rapidly changing. “Artists and Intellectuals were moving away from progress and becoming more pessimistic Stevenson was a part of this group”(Gradesaver 1). Stevenson's Experience channeled his greatest fears and the values of his society into his writing and that created Mr.Hyde. When Stevenson was alive Victorians began advancing into the Idea of Phycology.”British Journalist W.T.D. Steeds Published a book on the on the sciences of real life ghost stories and on the ghost that dwells in each of us”(Law Jules ,Layson Hana 3).This profoundly influenced Stevenson in his thinking of Mr.Hyde. WIth his book Stevenson influenced History and his book got heads turning, This book was an example of the Psychology of Humans, Stevenson's book was a great Scientific achievement.

"Biography of Robert Louis Stevenson (1850-1894)." Biography of Robert Louis Stevenson. Gradesaver LLC, n.d. Web. 24 July 2014. Layson, Hanna, and Jules Law. "Digital Collections for the Classroom." Victorians and the Hidden Self: Cultural Contexts for Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde and The Picture of Dorian Gray:. N.p., 12 Mar. 2014. Web. 25 July 2014.

Harrison Schonbrun- Cultural

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The culture Stevenson lived in was enormously different from todays.The Victorian era featured Britain as a mighty empire.”The Victorian era plainly showed it was the greatest empire with control in every continent but Antarctica”(Dualism and Duality 1). The Empires strength was part of the changes in english society, they controlled the world, they were richer and greater than anyone else. The Victorian Era may have been a success overseas but at home it was a mess, Industry replaced Farming and Rich were richer. “Dr.Jekyll and Mr.Hyde appealed directly to the fears of the British”(Sparknotes 1). This setting provided the basis for Jekell one was a nice farmland but was replaced by the snarling Cities which rings of Jekyll's transformation into Hyde. Many in literary circles during this time however grew disgusted with european Imperialism and wrote books decrying it, this influenced Stevenson and his writing style. “The tale was a reminder of imperialism like Jekyll and Hyde victorians were secretly fascinated by the areas they carved up for themselves”(Sparknotes 1). The story was a product of it’s time, and it drew its sources and inspirations from the Victorian fears and delights. The past must be understood to understand the Sublime message of the book. Victorian values survive and thrive in the book, and the wonderful world of Stevenson can truly be understood only if one pays attention to the subtext of the novel.

Dualism & Dualities - The Victorian Age." Dualism & Dualities - The Victorian Age. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 July 2014. SparkNotes. SparkNotes, n.d. Web. 25 July 2014.

Works Cited "Biography of Robert Louis Stevenson (1850-1894)." Biography of Robert Louis Stevenson. Gradesaver LLC, n.d. Web. 24 July 2014. "Dr .Jekyll and Mr.Hyde Background." Grade SaverGrade Saver.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 July 2014. Dualism & Dualities - The Victorian Age." Dualism & Dualities - The Victorian Age. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 July 2014. "Kidnapped." Kidnapped. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 July 2014.  Layson, Hanna, and Jules Law. "Digital Collections for the Classroom." Victorians and the Hidden Self: Cultural Contexts for Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde and The Picture of Dorian Gray:. N.p., 12 Mar. 2014. Web. 25 July 2014.  The Biography Of Robert Louis Stevenson. "THE BIOGRAPHY OF ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON." Poemhunter.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 July 2014.  SparkNotes. SparkNotes, n.d. Web. 25 July 2014.  Torrey, Bradley. The Atlantic. Atlantic Media Company, n.d. Web. 25 July 2014.  [|__http://www.gradesaver.com/author/robert-stevenson/__] - H  [|__http://www.poemhunter.com/robert-louis-stevenson/biography/__] - H  [|__http://www.theatlantic.com/past/docs/unbound/classrev/rlsteve.htm__] - R  [|__http://www.biography.com/people/robert-louis-stevenson-9494571#treasure-island__] - R  [|__http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/treasure/themes.html__] - R  [|__http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/jekyll/context.html__] -H [|__http://www.scientificoatripalda.it/dualism/theVictorianAge.php__] -H [|__http://www.victorianweb.org/books/suicide/06e.html__] -R [|__http://loki.stockton.edu/~kinsellt/projects/victoriannovels/storyReader$32.html__] -R