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The Map that Inspired Treasure Island by Celia Blue Johnson

Today’s guest post is a gift from Celia Blue Johnson, the author of a delightful new book, Dancing with Mrs. Dalloway: Stories of the Inspiration Behind Great Works of Literature. It’s a book I enjoyed reading as both a lover of literature and a writer.

If you’re a book lover or writer, you’ll especially enjoy seeing how small things such a raven, a map, or even a blank sheet of paper inspired enduring literary works. The book looks at fifty well-known works, ranging from the very old (Don Quixote) the the relatively new (To Kill a Mockingbird), and includes many books you’ll study in Excellence in Literature. I think you’ll enjoy it.

Guest Post by Celia Blue Johnson

One cold winter day, I finished reading Mrs. Dalloway for the third or fourth time and decided to investigate what happened before page one. I traced the steps that Virginia Woolf took to create her polished socialite and soon discovered that there was a real-life Mrs. Dalloway, a woman just as complex as her fictional counterpart. Then I began to speculate about the origins of all my favorite books. So I set out to track down the bright sparks of inspiration that prompted great writers to pen their famous works of literature. Dancing with Mrs. Dalloway is the result of that quest, and the following is an essay from the book about a classic novel that has captivated young adults for decades.

Treasure Island

Robert Louis Stevenson, 1883

Robert Louis Stevenson dipped his brush into the watercolor paint and added the finishing touch to a remote island. He stepped back to admire his handiwork. It was a beautiful map, carefully rendered and exquisitely colored. And then he saw them, a series of characters looking up through the newly painted woods. They were equipped with weapons and, as Stevenson recalled, “they passed to and fro, fighting, and hunting treasure, on these few square inches of a flat projection.” Soon a great adventure story began to take shape in Stevenson’s mind. He promptly dropped the paintbrush, picked up a stack of papers, and wrote a chapter outline for Treasure Island.

The map was the product of a dreary vacation. In August 1880, Stevenson, his father, Thomas, his wife, Fanny, and his twelve-year-old stepson, Samuel Lloyd Osbourne, all traveled to Braemar, a village tucked away in the Scottish Highlands. It was an ideal holiday setting, surrounded by impressive mountains that were perfect for hiking. Stevenson hoped the elevated climate would help cure his sickness. He had been coughing up blood and, though he was never officially diagnosed, it is believed he suffered from tuberculosis. Unfortunately, it rained constantly in Braemar that season, so Stevenson rarely had a chance to breathe in the mountain air and his activities were limited to the confines of his cottage. Though Stevenson never considered painting one of his hobbies, it was a favorite pastime for Sam. Since there were few options for entertainment, Stevenson sometimes picked up a brush and painted alongside him. Despite Stevenson’s lukewarm interest, the watercolor map led him to write his first successful work of fiction.

The aspiring writer had tried to write a novel at least ten times, only to stop once under way. Yet there was something different about the tale evoked by the map. Stevenson began writing Treasure Island on a cold September morning in Braemar while sitting by the fire. His pen zipped along, filling page after page. Each afternoon Stevenson read the latest installment to his family. Sam and Thomas were particularly invested in the pirate story. Thomas spent half a day compiling a list of the contents of Billy Bones’s sea chest, which Stevenson loyally replicated in the book.

Long John Silver was inspired by poet William Ernest Henley, a friend of Stevenson’s. After contracting tuberculosis of the bone, Henley had suffered the amputation of a lower leg, but he dealt with the loss courageously. Sam remembered Henley as “a great, glowing, massive- shouldered fellow with a big red beard and a crutch; jovial, astoundingly clever, and with a laugh that rolled like music.” Stevenson removed all of Henley’s refined traits to carve out a tough seafaring man, though he carefully left in some of his most admirable qualities. As a result, Silver is not simply a cutthroat pirate; he also displays Henley’s trademark warmth and charisma.

Stevenson wrote with great gusto until he reached the beginning of chapter 16, and then he stopped. He suddenly lost steam and could not think of another word to add to the book. As time passed, this failure caused Stevenson to question himself completely. He observed, “I was thirty-one; I was the head of a family; I had lost my health; I had never yet paid my way.” But in October 1881, just over a year after Stevenson traveled to Braemar, the book was being serialized in a children’s publication called Young Folks. The paper had already played an important role in shaping the story, with editor James Henderson changing the title, originally The Sea Cook, to Treasure Island. Henderson, along with many readers, would have been severely disappointed if the tale was left unfinished.

With a deadline looming, Stevenson traveled to Davos, Switzerland, for the winter, but he resolved not to worry about his swashbuckling adventure. He would immerse himself in reading and cast aside the stress of writing. To Stevenson’s surprise, the moment he stopped fixating on his writer’s block, his creativity flowed freely once again. Stevenson wrote a chapter a day, hurtling toward two words that he had never written before in a novel: “The End.”

In November 1883, Treasure Island was published in book form by Cassell and Company. The  novel included a map, but it was not the same image from Braemar. Stevenson’s precious painting was lost en route to the publisher. He tried to replicate the original version, calling upon his father to remind him of specific details. Yet, as Stevenson recalled, “Somehow it was never ‘Treasure Island’ to me.” The lost map had acted as a guide for the author’s imagination, sending him across new terrain and right into the middle of bloody battles. Gristly characters did not peek through the trees in the new topography, but luckily that original spark had already been transferred onto the pages of Treasure Island, where pirates, sailors, and a young boy all raced to find buried treasure.

Reprinted from Dancing with Mrs. Dalloway by Celia Blue Johnson by arrangement with Perigee, a member of Penguin Group (USA) Inc., Copyright (c) 2011 by Celia Blue Johnson.

Review: The Struggling Reader Assessments and Teaching Materials

Reading is not only the foundation for academic success, it can also be a source of joy and delight. If you’re teaching a student who struggles with reading, reading may even become a source of stress for the whole family. Whatever it is for your family, it’s something that can’t be ignored. I know that reading well can transform a student’s life, so I’ve spend the last couple of months reviewing William and Kristen Eckenwiler’s The Struggling Reader system.

There are five key elements that must be present in reading instruction in order for a student to read well. These are phonemic awareness (the ability to distinguish between sounds), phonics, comprehension, vocabulary, and fluency. Many programs focus on one or another of these areas, but The Struggling Reader system takes a structured approach to assessing strengths and weaknesses, then addressing them through targeted learning activities.

The system includes focused assessments for each of the five reading essentials, plus a wide array of engaging instructional activities, many with a kinesthetic (hands-on) component. Activities are generally short and simple and most can be done with one or more students at a time. For each assessment, there are instructions for how to administer the test, including where to begin and where to stop, based on the child’s responses. Each of the components is accompanied by a brief (10-15 minute) audio introduction of the material to help you understand what it is and how to use it.

The importance of these assessments cannot be understated. Instead of piling on extra workbooks, more drills, or switching curriculums when a student struggles, a parent is able to pinpoint exactly what areas are causing difficulty, then turn directly to the specific brief, enjoyable learning activities that will help the child progress. It’s possible to hire a reading specialist to administer these type of assessments and create a program tailored for the child, but it’s extremely expensive. The Struggling Reader places the tools for diagnosis and learning directly in the parent’s hands, making it possible for homeschool families to work more effectively with children who struggle with reading.

I corresponded with one parent who used the system, and asked her for feedback on how she had used The Struggling Reader with her daughter. She wrote, ”It was helpful to discover just where Amy had holes. And we did spend more time concentrating on those areas. I began to realize that a lot of Amy’s issues were because she wasn’t consistently focusing as we worked through regular materials. When I pointed out an area as one we had to work on and get creative with (keys to keeping her focused) she improved. At the end of the school year I tested her through the same Struggling Reader materials and the size of the pack of words she had trouble with was reduced by at least 3/4 of the deck.”

The Eckenwilers, both credentialed reading specialists with advanced degrees, homeschool their own sons. They understand that parents don’t necessarily have all day to focus on one child, nor are they likely to have the specialized vocabulary needed to understand the terms that reading specialists use. Each book provides definitions of uncommon terms, detailed instructions for administering assessments (including suggestions designed to put the child at ease), and plain English explanations for instructional activities. The Struggling Reader offers no busy-work; just targeted, focused activities that directly address the child’s specific needs.

I believe that reading is the most important academic skill we teach our students. Students must learn to read well before they can read to learn, so it’s important to create a nourishing home environment where books are read and enjoyed, ideas are discussed, and written and spoken communication is a natural part of everyday life. If you’ve created that strong foundation and your child still struggles with learning to read, there’s usually a discoverable cause. In The Struggling Reader system, the Eckenwilers have provided the tools for diagnosis, and the means for teaching what is needed. I recommend it.

You can learn more about The Struggling Reader at the Eckenwiler’s website: www.TheStrugglingReader.com

*Note: Review materials provided by the publisher.

Carnival of Homeschooling- The NaNoWriMo Edition

Preface

Welcome to this hundred-and-umpteenth Carnival of Homeschooling! Because November is National Novel Writing Month (also known as NaNoWriMo or nano), and I’m over 10,000 words into the writing process (and can’t think of anything but writing, writing, and more writing), I thought it would be appropriate to format this Carnival as sections of a book. I even consulted the Chicago Manual of Style for an authoritative list of book parts!

Introduction

For me, homeschooling is first and foremost a heart matter. In Mangled Schedules and Grateful Hearts, an article I wrote for Home School Enrichment magazine, you can read how a father’s presence and influence can shape a family school. Enjoy! Read more

Dynamic Literacy’s WordBuild: A Review

I love the study of words. Words are the building blocks of communication, and the more of them you know, the more likely it is that you will be a good writer and speaker. In addition, words are just plain fascinating!

For many years, I used and recommended vocabulary programs based in Latin and Greek roots, and I still like those programs. I realize that roots-based programs seem inaccessible to some people, so I’ve found an alternate program that’s amazingly user-friendly, highly effective, and fun. It’s WordBuild: A Better Way to Teach Vocabulary, and the entire program is contained in two comprehensive levels. WordBuild is “based on morphology, the study of the units of meaning in words. Just as phonology is the study of the sounds that make up words, morphology is the study of the meaningful pieces of words. A mastery of phonics helps students “sound out” unfamiliar words; a mastery of morphics helps students “mean out” unfamiliar words.” Read more

New Transcripts Made Easy Review

Cindy from Curriculum Choice (a delightful blog) has posted a very nice review of Transcripts Made Easy. I’m grateful for it, and happy to know that it’s still helping to calm those homeschool-through-high-school fears.

High school transcripts and records really aren’t as hard you might think. I like to plan and do, but I’m not the best record-keeper on the planet, so my system had to be short, sweet and to the point. Practical!

Cindy says, “Transcripts Made Easy is truly easy to understand.  Even with 120 pages, it’s a fairly quick read, too.  Janice walks you through, step-by-step, how to simply and effectively keep academic records, how to turn those records into a GPA sheet, how to calculate credits and quality points, making adjustments for AP or college classes and how to make sure you are preparing your student for classes that meet state and college-bound goals.”

I’m glad it’s helpful. Thank you, Cindy, for the great review!

New Video Review of Excellence In Literature

I just came across another informative review of Excellence in Literature! Kerry Beck of Curriculum Connection has written a great review, and posted a video that walks you through the entire book.

At the convention this past weekend, so many people seemed to already know about EIL, and walked straight into the booth and bought it without asking many questions at all. Maybe these recent helpful reviews are responsible!

Here’s the video–enjoy!

Remember, that in addition to the American Literature and British Literature that Kerry talks about, there are three other levels in the series. Introduction to Literature is English I, and can be used in 8th or 9th grade (or before or after, depending on your student). Literature and Composition is English II, and World Literature is English V.

Intro is currently available, and the other two are scheduled to be available by the end of August. You can read more and order at www.ExcellenceInLiterature.com (there’ll soon be a spiffy new website for EIL as well!). Be sure you’re on the e-zine mailing list so you’ll know as soon as everything is complete!

New Excellence In Literature Review on TOS!

I’m always happy to get a good review of one or more of my books, and this morning I came across a very nice review on The Old Schoolhouse website. Kathy Gelzer has done a beautiful job of outlining the distinctive features of Excellence in Literature, and she offers good advice on the type of student who would be best suited for this curriclum.

It’s sometimes hard for an author to step back and remember to describe something thoroughly enough for others. We’ve lived with our work for so long, it’s all perfectly clear! If you’ve had questions about EIL that weren’t answered on the Excellence in Literature website, Kathy’s review may be very helpful to you. Enjoy!

Andrew Pudewa’s Video on Excellence In Literature

I know that many of you still have a lot of questions about Excellence in Literature. Andrew Pudewa of the Institute for Excellence in Writing has just put together a little video (about two minutes long) to give you an overview of the EIL approach.

If you have enjoyed IEW’s materials, or if you have a teen who loves to read or write, I think you’ll find that Excellence in Literature is an ideal next step for your motivated teens. But I’ll let Andrew tell you all about it!

IEW co-published the American and British Literature levels with me, but there are three other levels (Introduction to Literature is a available now; Literature and Composition and World Literature will be available by late summer, Lord willing–if all goes as planned). All five levels have the same format and approach, and they don’t have to be used in order. You’ll find more about them at www.ExcellenceInLiterature.com.

One of our Convention Season Specials is Evaluate Writing the Easy Way for only $5 with the purchase of any level of Excellence in Literature. This offer is good through July 12, so don’t miss it!

Note: If the video doesn’t show up for you, try playing it at the original site.

World Digital Library: A Great Resource

I occasionally come across a resource that keeps me reading or browsing for much longer than I planned, and the new World Digital Library is one of those. Some of the earliest written works known to man have been digitized and are available for study on the site. Over 30 libraries and research institutions from many nations have participated in putting together the initial collection, and others are expected to contribute to keep the collection growing. Read more

Carnival of Homeschooling- The Spring Fever Edition