How old, exactly, is Jim Hawkins?

Thank you very much for accepting my remarks as the answer to your
question. Below I have reposted the material I found, with a few extra
goodies.

Assuming that you're talking about the original Stevenson novel, and
not one of the many adaptations, it may be that no exact answer is
possible; I don't believe the book mentions Jim's exact age.
 
The full text of "Treasure Island" may be found here: 
 
Fern Canyon Press
http://ferncanyonpress.com/pirates/treasure/island7a.shtml 
 
I do not see a precise age for Jim Hawkins in the text. Some
speculations:
 
"The young (probably 13 or 14) Jim Hawkins is the narrator of the
adventure that is told in Treasure Island."
 
GradeSaver
http://www.gradesaver.com/ClassicNotes/Titles/treasure/charlist.html 
 
"Treasure Island - Robert Louis Stevenson Twelve-year-old Jim Hawkins
sails with the Squire Trelawney to search for Captain Flint's
treasure. But Long John Silver is on board The Hispaniola and he and
his friends want the treasure for themselves. The story of Jim's
adventure has been popular with young readers since it was first
published in  1883!"
 
http://www.onestopenglish.com/BookShop/bookshop/retail/readers/elementary/classics6.htm
 
Robert Louis Stevenson wrote "Treasure Island" to entertain his
stepson, Lloyd. It seems likely to me that if Jim Hawkins is based
upon Lloyd, Jim could be assumed to be Lloyd's age when the tale was
begun: 12 years old.
 
"Robert Louis Stevenson´s first novel 'Treasure Island' was started in
August 1881 when he found a map drawn by his 12-year-old stepson,
Lloyd Osbourne, just to Lloyd´s amusement. During late August and
September 15 chapters were written at the rate of each day, the
remainder of the text completed at Davos later in 1881. It was
published in 1883.
 
The time span is about four weeks but the time is compressed because
everything is happening so fast."
 
Referate Archiv
http://www.loesungsbuch.de/p/referate/02/932.htm

Some related tidbits...

Here's an interesting article about the origins of "Treasure Island":

Gradesaver
http://www.gradesaver.com/ClassicNotes/Titles/treasure/about.html

There have been several film adaptations of "Treasure Island." One of
the best-lnown is the 1950 Disney version, starring Robert Newton as
Long John Silver, and Bobby Driscoll as Jim Hawkins. Bobby was 13 when
he played the role:

"Disney was just beginning to get into the swing of live-action films
with Treasure Island in 1950. He was also starting to use a mix of
British and American actors.

He had already hired Bobby Driscoll for Song in the South in 1946, and
he now gave the 13-year-old the role of Jim Hawkins (Driscoll also
supplied the voice of Peter Pan in 1955). Robert Newton is highly
memorable as a totally over-the-top Long John Silver.

The film is notable for several things - an over-reliance on studio
sets in typical 40s/50s style, and some bizarre characters around, not
least the famous Ben Gunn. Watch out for Patrick Troughton (the second
Dr Who) as one of the pirates."

The Disney studios had another go at this, in the animated feature
"Treasure Planet." This time (presumably as a ploy to lure teen
audiences), Jim Hawkins was a more mature fifteen:

"At the center of the story is fifteen-year-old Jim Hawkins, who joins
the crew of an intergalactic expedition as cabin boy aboard a
glittering space galleon. Befriended by the ship's cook, a charismatic
cyborg (part man, part machine) named John Silver, Jim blossoms under
his guidance, and shows the makings of a fine 'spacer' as he and the
alien crew battle supernovas, black holes and ferocious space storms.
But even greater dangers lie ahead when Jim discovers that his trusted
friend Silver is actually a scheming pirate with mutiny in mind."

MovieWeb
http://movieweb.com/movie/treasureplanet/

As I mentioned, Robert Louis Stevenson wrote "Treasure Island" as an
entertainment for his young stepson. Stevenson and his stepson later
collaborated on two novels:

"The Wrong Box... This collaborative novel was drafted by Lloyd
Osbourne, Stevenson's stepson, and then revised by Stevenson. Its
farcical plot, hinging on the inheritance of a 'tontine' by the last
survivor of twenty heirs, was the basis of the successful Peter
Cook-Dudley Moore film in 1966.

The Wrecker... This novel, written collaboratively, was originally
serialized in Scribner's Magazine, August-July 1892, and then
published in Britain from Scribner's sheets. It originated in the
mysterious disappearance of the ship The Wandering Minstrel in the
South Seas in 1889. Following discussion, Lloyd Osbourne drafted each
chapter and Stevenson rewrote it. Stevenson was much annoyed when The
Wrecker sold better than The Master of Ballantrae."

http://www.sc.edu/library/spcoll/britlit/rls/rls6.html

The collaborative novels "The Wrecker" and "The Wrong Box" may be
found online here:

SelfKnowledge
http://www.selfknowledge.com/405au.htm

While researching this matter, I came across a wonderful quote from
Stevenson that I think is still applicable today, more than one
hundred years later:

"His famous Treasure Island became popular only after it had been
republished. Stevenson wrote it for his step-son, twelve-year-old
Lloyd Osbourne. Writing to his friend about the new book he declared
that 'if this don't fetch the kids, why they have gone rotten since my
day'."

Referaty.sk
http://www.referaty.sk/tlac.php?referat=6181

Thanks for an interesting question! It was delightful to reread
"Treasure Island," and even though the exact age of Jim Hawkins
remains a buried treasure, I hope you've enjoyed the voyage as much as
I have.

Best wishes,
pinkfreud

---

Clarification of Answer by pinkfreud-ga on 11 Oct 2003 15:07 PDT

Here's an update.

My speculation that Jim Hawkins is 12 years old is shared by at least
one online source:

"Treasure Island - Robert Louis Stevenson

Twelve-year-old Jim Hawkins sails with the Squire Trelawney to search
for Captain Flint's treasure. But Long John Silver is on board The
Hispaniola and he and his friends want the treasure for themselves.
The story of Jim's adventure has been popular with young readers since
it was first published in 1883!"

One Stop English
http://www.onestopenglish.com/BookShop/bookshop/retail/readers/elementary/classics6.htm

~Pink

Wow! And additional information added, too! Thank you very much!   :)

Assuming that you're talking about the original Stevenson novel, and
not one of the many adaptations, it may be that no exact answer is
possible; I don't believe the book mentions Jim's exact age.

The full text of "Treasure Island" may be found here:

http://ferncanyonpress.com/pirates/treasure/island7a.shtml

I do not see a precise age for Jim Hawkins in the text. Some
speculations:

"The young (probably 13 or 14) Jim Hawkins is the narrator of the
adventure that is told in Treasure Island."

http://www.gradesaver.com/ClassicNotes/Titles/treasure/charlist.html

"Treasure Island - Robert Louis Stevenson
Twelve-year-old Jim Hawkins sails with the Squire Trelawney to search
for Captain Flint's treasure. But Long John Silver is on board The
Hispaniola and he and his friends want the treasure for themselves.
The story of Jim's adventure has been popular with young readers since
it was first published in  1883!"

http://www.onestopenglish.com/BookShop/bookshop/retail/readers/elementary/classics6.htm

Robert Louis Stevenson wrote "Treasure Island" to entertain his
stepson, Lloyd. It seems likely to me that if Jim Hawkins is based
upon Lloyd, Jim could be assumed to be Lloyd's age when the tale was
begun: 12 years old.

"Robert Louis Stevenson´s first novel 'Treasure Island' was started in
August 1881 when he found a map drawn by his 12-year-old stepson,
Lloyd Osbourne, just to Lloyd´s amusement. During late August and
September 15 chapters were written at the rate of each day, the
remainder of the text completed at Davos later in 1881. It was
published in 1883.

The time span is about four weeks but the time is compressed because
everything is happening so fast."

http://www.loesungsbuch.de/p/referate/02/932.htm

Wow, PinkFreud -- thanks for so much information!

Too bad you're not a Reasearcher, you'd have been paid!   :/

Pinkfreud is a Researcher -- one of the best, as you can see!

I will let her know that you approve of her comment, so that she can
post an answer and be paid.

Grandrascal,

I am a Researcher. I posted the above material as a comment because
your question asked for Jim Hawkins' exact age, and I was not able to
provide that. At your request, I would be delighted to repost my
comment as the answer to your question.

Best wishes,
pinkfreud

> I am a Researcher. I posted the above material as a comment
 > because your question asked for Jim Hawkins' exact age, and
 > I was not able to provide that. At your request, I would be
 > delighted to repost my comment as the answer to your question.

Oh, my...

[ Scratching my head in uncertainty. ]

Well, on the one hand (1) I was (and am) perfectly willing to
pay you $5.00, as the amount posted clearly shows; and yet

On the other hand (2) you were clearly willing to furnish your
information free of charge, since you posted as a Comment rather
than as an Answer, explicitly confessing that your inability to
furnish specific information does not (in your judgement) make
it worth the $5.00 I offered. That is a gesture of rare honesty,
integrity, and honor, which I highly respect and greatly admire!!!

So here's a pretty kettle of fish! Do I invite you to claim the
$5.00 or not!? On the one hand I was willing to pay for it (and
you certainly did enough work for it!); but on the other hand
you yourself seem to admit that the information isn't adequate!

[ Scratching my head in uncertainty. ]

Ahhhhh... Post it as an Answer, and claim the $5.00! Honesty such
as yours should be rewarded and encouraged, and that fact ALONE
makes it worth the $5.00, even if the information itself is not.

Thank you for your efforts, and even more fore your honesty!   :)

Please excuse the typo in my answer: "best-lnown" should, of course,
be "best-known". This is what happens when the speed of the fingers
exceeds the speed of the brain. ;-)

~Pink

:> Please excuse the typo in my answer: "best-lnown" should,
 > of course, be "best-known". This is what happens when the
 > speed of the fingers exceeds the speed of the brain.  ;-)

LOL!!! We think much alike, you and I. I noticed it (yes, I did!) and
winced -- like you, I was pained to see that typo in the middle of an
otherwise well-spelled piece.   :(

I'm not at all surprised that you commented to correct it -- just what
I would've done myself!         :)

Many thanks for the five-star rating and the tip!

~pinkfreud

pinkfreud-ga wrote:
:> Many thanks for the five-star rating and the tip!

Yer Welkum.     :)  :)  :)

How interesting! Treasure Island is one of my favourite novels:)