Robert Louis Stevenson, born November 13, 1850 in Edinburgh, Scotland and died December 3, 1894, was a renowned Victorian author. Although he spent most of his childhood away from school due to illness, Stevenson later went to the University of Edinburgh. Studying first engineering, then law, Stevenson ultimately opted for a career in literature. Stevenson wrote on a multitude of subjects. Her stories incorporate a true simplicity enjoyed by people of all ages. In his two most popular novels, Treasure Island and The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Stevenson addresses concepts and themes that provoke thought in his readers. In both novels, the impossibility of identifying and separating good and evil is addressed. In Treasure Island, Long John Silver does not belong to either morality spectrum, his cunning actions extend his neutrality. In The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Dr. Jekyll is known as a classic good guy, but he fights with his evil alter ego, Mr. Hyde. The forces of good and evil become the backdrop to Stevenson's discussion of the presence of duality in various forces. Stevenson also incorporates the importance of friendship and the impact of appearances on perception in these novels. This is evident since the journeys and end results of protagonists Jim Hawkins in Treasure Island and Dr. Henry Jekyll in The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde are shaped by their experiences with these concepts. Stevenson also describes many other motifs and themes in these works, such as the freedom of youth, the influence of appearances on perception, and the problematic effect of impulsive actions. In Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, morality is more than the struggle middle of paper......the good and the bad are not always bad. This is seen in Chapter 27 as Jim Hawkins fights with shipmates he thought were comrades. If any of these characters had a strict moral obligation, they would strictly adhere to the rules of companionship, but they would form a sense of morality in order to acquire wealth that equates to pleasure. It concerns Edward Hyde and his lack of morality which greatly increased his enjoyment. Works Cited • Stevenson, Robert Louis. Treasure Island. London: Cassell and Company. 1883. Print • Stevenson, Robert Louis. Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde London: Longmans, Green & co. 1886 Print • Saposnik, Irving Robert Louis Stevenson Twayne's English Author Series, Teas 167 p88-101. Twayne Publishers, Inc. 1974. Print • Germanà, Monica Gothic Studies Vol. 13 Issue 2, p98-115, Manchester: Manchester University Press 2012. Academic Journal