The Coral Island is a book filled with much of the ethos of the early Victorian era. The novel strongly advocates the strength of Victorian Britain, and its ability to create control, order and reason. R.M Ballantyne, along with the rest of Victorian Britain society, felt that this “blessed” and ordered country had an obligation to promote this order and reason and create ‘civilised society’ around the world, through preaching Victorian morality, values and beliefs in order to create a ‘better world’. Thus the book portrays three boys, who, stranded alone on an island manage to achieve a utopian society through conformity to these strict Victorian ideals such as a firm belief in Christianity and a solid understanding of the natural world. The novel also contrasts this to the savagery of natives on the Coral Islands, thus advocating the Victorian eras firm belief in Imperialism in order to achieve control and order.
The novel clearly shows the Victorian era’s firm belief in the necessity of control and order by setting the novel in the uncivilised Coral Islands, allowing this necessity to be shown through contrast between the Savages and Ralph, Jack and Peterkin. From the moment the three boys find themselves stranded on the island they quickly create a controlled environment, electing Jack, the wisest and most knowledgeable, as leader. Following this election there is no argument over decisions and as Ralph recognises they “had implicit confidence in Jack’s wisdom”. Thus control is maintained on the island and as a result, a utopian society is created and Ralph even remarks “I have spent many of the happiest months in my life on that Coral Island.” This utopia on Jack’s Coral Island is heavily contrasted to the “lawlessness” of the natives and their islands. It is explained that the natives or “savages” have “no regard for human life”. In fact the ‘chief’ of one of the islands points “to a man who was walking on the shore and begged the captain to fire at him” purely out of his delight at the power a cannon was capable of. When Ralph thus asks if the savages have any law, he is answered with “None, The chiefs word is law. He might kill and eat a dozen of his own subjects any day for nothing more than his own pleasure, and nobody would take the least notice of it.” Thus the contrasting settings of the islands, one civilised by the stranded boys, and one “lawlessly” controlled by natives give an effective insight to the contrast between a civilised, Victorian era structured society, and the savages way of life, promoting the ideals of Victorian society and British imperialism as it shows that the savages would be better off under British rule.
The Victorian era’s strong belief in Christianity is greatly promoted throughout the novel. Throughout the novel, the hugely descriptive and reflective style of the novel allow the mention of Christianity and God to remain a prominent feature. As Ralph meditates he notes “my thoughts again turned to the great and kind Creator of this beautiful world, as they had done on the previous day, when I first beheld the sea and the coral reef, with the mighty waves dashing over it into the calm waters of the lagoon.” Thus the Victorian eras extreme beliefs in religion are promoted throughout the novel, as Ralph and the other characters constantly "thank god" for their fortunes and for the "beautiful world". These Victorian and Christian ideals are also pushed onto the natives of the island by missionaries, and succeed in ridding the natives of their cannibalism and also creates a much more civilised society. As Bloody Bill remarks “”It’s a cuious fact, that wherever the missionaries get a footin’ all these things come to an end at once, an’ the savages take to doin’ each other good and singin’ psalms just like the Methodists.” Thus Ballantyne promotes the Victorian religion as the most helpful and the most morally correct as it so easily rids the natives of their wrongful acts of murder and cannibalism. Ballantyne is using the overall reflective style of his novel to once again endorse British imperialism, as his novel shows that under the Victorian era ideals such as Christianity, order and control are achieved and repress savagery.
The Coral Island also portrays the Victorian eras growing appreciation of the value of science and knowledge in harmony with religion. Jack is placed as leader by Peterkin and Ralph because of his extreme knowledge of the natural world around him, and his ability therefore to make use of the natural resources presented to him, allowing the group to survive. Jack knows the names of many trees on the island and knows many uses for them as he points out that the “Bread-fruit tree…. Bears two, sometimes three, crops of fruit in the year….. and that it constitutes a principle food of many of the islanders”, and further adds that it “affords capital gum, which serves the natives for pitching their canoes; and of the wood, which is durable and of a good colour, they build their houses.” Jack thus earns his leadership not through brute strength, like the savages, but through knowledge and this shows that the Victorian era showed a greater appreciation and acceptance of science. Interestingly science and religion manage to co-exist throughout the novel with a strong emphasis on both as exceedingly necessary. This is because prior to Darwin’s Theory on Evolution science and religion managed to remain harmonious in the Victorian era being almost considered twin-facets, as science sought to understand God’s work. Jack’s solid understanding of science and firm belief in religion therefore is characterised as the ideal Victorian person, one who is well educated, knowledgeable and also adhering a firm religious belief in Christianity, thus Jack becomes the most respected character.
The Coral Island is a book that very clearly adheres to all major beliefs in its time, the Victorian era. These values and beliefs are all contrasted to the roughness, brutality and lawlessness of the savages and this gives evidence of the need for British Imperialism which was happening greatly in the time. Displaying and promoting firm views in Christianity, showing the necessity of control and order and showing the rising importance of science which was so inherent in the Victorian period, the novel is clearly shaped by its context.
The novel clearly shows the Victorian era’s firm belief in the necessity of control and order by setting the novel in the uncivilised Coral Islands, allowing this necessity to be shown through contrast between the Savages and Ralph, Jack and Peterkin. From the moment the three boys find themselves stranded on the island they quickly create a controlled environment, electing Jack, the wisest and most knowledgeable, as leader. Following this election there is no argument over decisions and as Ralph recognises they “had implicit confidence in Jack’s wisdom”. Thus control is maintained on the island and as a result, a utopian society is created and Ralph even remarks “I have spent many of the happiest months in my life on that Coral Island.” This utopia on Jack’s Coral Island is heavily contrasted to the “lawlessness” of the natives and their islands. It is explained that the natives or “savages” have “no regard for human life”. In fact the ‘chief’ of one of the islands points “to a man who was walking on the shore and begged the captain to fire at him” purely out of his delight at the power a cannon was capable of. When Ralph thus asks if the savages have any law, he is answered with “None, The chiefs word is law. He might kill and eat a dozen of his own subjects any day for nothing more than his own pleasure, and nobody would take the least notice of it.” Thus the contrasting settings of the islands, one civilised by the stranded boys, and one “lawlessly” controlled by natives give an effective insight to the contrast between a civilised, Victorian era structured society, and the savages way of life, promoting the ideals of Victorian society and British imperialism as it shows that the savages would be better off under British rule.
The Victorian era’s strong belief in Christianity is greatly promoted throughout the novel. Throughout the novel, the hugely descriptive and reflective style of the novel allow the mention of Christianity and God to remain a prominent feature. As Ralph meditates he notes “my thoughts again turned to the great and kind Creator of this beautiful world, as they had done on the previous day, when I first beheld the sea and the coral reef, with the mighty waves dashing over it into the calm waters of the lagoon.” Thus the Victorian eras extreme beliefs in religion are promoted throughout the novel, as Ralph and the other characters constantly "thank god" for their fortunes and for the "beautiful world". These Victorian and Christian ideals are also pushed onto the natives of the island by missionaries, and succeed in ridding the natives of their cannibalism and also creates a much more civilised society. As Bloody Bill remarks “”It’s a cuious fact, that wherever the missionaries get a footin’ all these things come to an end at once, an’ the savages take to doin’ each other good and singin’ psalms just like the Methodists.” Thus Ballantyne promotes the Victorian religion as the most helpful and the most morally correct as it so easily rids the natives of their wrongful acts of murder and cannibalism. Ballantyne is using the overall reflective style of his novel to once again endorse British imperialism, as his novel shows that under the Victorian era ideals such as Christianity, order and control are achieved and repress savagery.
The Coral Island also portrays the Victorian eras growing appreciation of the value of science and knowledge in harmony with religion. Jack is placed as leader by Peterkin and Ralph because of his extreme knowledge of the natural world around him, and his ability therefore to make use of the natural resources presented to him, allowing the group to survive. Jack knows the names of many trees on the island and knows many uses for them as he points out that the “Bread-fruit tree…. Bears two, sometimes three, crops of fruit in the year….. and that it constitutes a principle food of many of the islanders”, and further adds that it “affords capital gum, which serves the natives for pitching their canoes; and of the wood, which is durable and of a good colour, they build their houses.” Jack thus earns his leadership not through brute strength, like the savages, but through knowledge and this shows that the Victorian era showed a greater appreciation and acceptance of science. Interestingly science and religion manage to co-exist throughout the novel with a strong emphasis on both as exceedingly necessary. This is because prior to Darwin’s Theory on Evolution science and religion managed to remain harmonious in the Victorian era being almost considered twin-facets, as science sought to understand God’s work. Jack’s solid understanding of science and firm belief in religion therefore is characterised as the ideal Victorian person, one who is well educated, knowledgeable and also adhering a firm religious belief in Christianity, thus Jack becomes the most respected character.
The Coral Island is a book that very clearly adheres to all major beliefs in its time, the Victorian era. These values and beliefs are all contrasted to the roughness, brutality and lawlessness of the savages and this gives evidence of the need for British Imperialism which was happening greatly in the time. Displaying and promoting firm views in Christianity, showing the necessity of control and order and showing the rising importance of science which was so inherent in the Victorian period, the novel is clearly shaped by its context.
