Suspense In Treasure Island

Words: 599
Pages: 3

In Treasure Island, Robert Louis Stevenson’s utilization of suspense creates an action-packed tale. Suspense is a tool which creates edge of the seat action in novels. Throughout the book, Stevenson’s usage of suspense ensnares the reader to keep reading. Thus, Stevenson constructs a suspenseful tone in this novel by utilizing setting, characters, and plot. In the novel, Jim, the first-person narrator of Treasure Island, opens with the suspenseful exposition of recounting the arrival of a strange visitor to the Admiral Benbow Inn on a dreary night: I remember him as if it were yesterday, as he came plodding to the inn door, his sea-chest following behind him in a hand-barrow a tall, strong, heavy, nut-brown man, his tarry pigtail …show more content…
The plot advances quickly and draws the audience toward a suspenseful resolution. The protagonist Jim shifts from an immature boy to a mature man. Initially, Jim lives with his mother in the Admiral Benbow Inn, proving immaturity, but Jim demonstrates an important character quality, obedience. The adventurous circumstances force him to mature and show responsibility as he sets sail to Treasure Island. Evidence of maturity occurs when he decides to cut the Hispaniola anchor. During the night, Jim shrewdly sneaks out of the stockade and returns to the Hispaniola. Cutting the anchor, Jim sets the ship adrift from the reach of the pirates, revealing shrewdness and responsibility. By revealing Jim’s path to maturity, Stevenson develops the story’s suspenseful plot. In conclusion, Stevenson develops a suspense-filled novel by utilizing setting, characters, and plot. With a dreary night as the initial setting, Stevenson immediately draws the reader into the suspenseful tone of the adventure. By using corrupt pirates as antagonists, he continues to build the suspense. With a fast moving plot, he captivates the audience. By utilizing suspense, Stevenson fills his fictional story with action and adventure and crafts an enjoyable