Illustration in Literary Context

This illustration by Boucher in issue 807 of Young Folks Paper depicts the exact moment when the extent of Ebenezer Balfour’s true evilness is revealed to the readers. Prior to stepping foot on the Covenant, David was under the impression that he was to “attend an appointment with a lawyer” to settle his fortune (Young Folks, no. 806, p. 291). However, after a lengthy discussion with David’s uncle, Captain Hoseason derails David’s plans and manipulates David into boarding the ship with the line, “Ye shall come on board my brig for half-an-hour, till the ebb sets and drink a bowl with me” (291). Therefore, Boucher takes the time in this illustration to depict Captain Hoseason for the first time because his interactions with David make David feel like he “found a good friend” in him (291). Therefore, Boucher shows how Captain Hoseason was able to lure David into a false sense of security by bringing him aboard the ship.

Furthermore, this illustration depicts the exact moment David realizes he has been kidnapped by the crew of the under the direction of Ebenezer with the line, “Already hands had been plucking me back from the ship’s side, and now a thunderbolt seemed to strike me; I saw a great flash of fire, and fell senseless” (291). The illustration captures the tension between David and his uncle because it shows David while he is reaching in an agitated state towards a “boat pulling for the town, with [his] uncle sitting in the stern” wearing a face “full of cruelty and terror” (291). This illustration heightens the embedded terror and devastation that David is experiencing as he is knocked unconscious and kidnapped because of the panicked expression on David's face. 

Not only does this illustration introduce the readers to the appearance of new characters such as Captain Hoseason and depict this titular event, but the illustration also allows to the readers to obtain new information not given in the text. Since the novel is written from David's perspective, the readers have a limited point of view to the world that David occupies. Therefore, the illustrations can be a tool for the readers to gain information about the narrative that is limited by the first-person narration. For example, in this particular illustration, the readers can examine the drawing to see a crew member of the Covenant raising a weapon/stick to knock David unconscious (an action that is not described in the text because David does not see it occur behind him). 

Illustration in Literary Context

The illustration in issue 808 of Young Folks Paper depicts the thrilling scene when Alan and David fight back against the crew of the Covenant to gain control over the ship. Boucher draws the moment when Alan brandishes his sword and flares it like "quicksilver" to injure and "hurt" his "fleeing enemies" (Young Folks, no. 808, p. 321). Boucher captures the action-packed scene by having the crew members fall and shrink back in defeat to signal that Alan is conquering his enemies and winning the battle. However, this illustration takes creative liberty because Boucher changes the actions of David during the siege to include him in the illustration. In Stevenson's text, David "clambered up into the berth with an armful of pistols and something of a heavy heart, and set open the window" where he watched the fight (322). However, Boucher depicts David as holding a sword and fighting alongside Alan, which is an action that deviates from the text. 

One of the reasons why Boucher may have chosen to depict David in this manner may be because David has been in every illustration for Kidnapped, and if David was missing from this illustration, then the issue may disinterest readers who enjoy reading about David's journey. This can ultimately alienate some of the audience members and diminish support for the installment. Furthermore, since David is the main character of the narrative, excluding him in the illustration may be a risky move due to his prominence in the novel. Additionally, since Alan has only been in the novel for a brief period of time, it is not a guarantee that the readers are invested in Alan's character as much as they are invested in David's. Whatever the reason for this textual deviation, this illustration may actually complicate the readers understanding of the text (instead of helping their understanding) due to the misrepresentation of Stevenson's narrative. 

Illustration in Literary Context

The illustration depicts the exhilarating scene when the Covenant is involved in a wreckage due to a "swell" in the water that eventually casts David “clean over the bulwarks into the sea” (Young Folks, no. 809, p. 338). This illustration depicts how the strong gusts of wind (that Stevenson describes as "singing" and causing "great noise to the sails") are harshly blowing against David and the crew due to the movement of their clothing (338). Furthermore, this drawing highlights how the sea is rising up on either side of the brig to not only rock the boat, but to also drench the deck, which brings to life Stevenson's description of the "sense of danger" that comes with the "spray in the moonlight" (338). This scene ultimately allows the readers to get a sense of how strong the wind gusts are as well as how violent the ship is rocking so that the readers are able to envision how David is thrillingly cast overboard in the midst of the wreckage. 

Illustration in Literary Context

The illustration in issue 812 of Young Folks Paper depicts the moment when Alan and David visit James Stewart's home directly after escaping the murder scene of Red Fox (illustrated in issue 811). In this drawing, the readers are able to view James Stewart's home as its inhabitants prepare (in a disheveled manner) to leave no indication of their link with the murder that they were not directly involved in. James's son can be seen "burning paper" in the background with lots of papers on the floor surrounding him to convey how the Stewarts are attempting to burn all of the traces that can possibly connect them to the murder (Young Folks, no. 812, p. 386). Furthermore, this illustration depicts the exact moment when Mrs. Stewart "leaped out of her chair, came running over" and "wept first upon [David's] neck" to "bless God for [David and Alan's] goodness to her family" (387). This choice to illustrate this emotionally intense scene highlights the high stakes surrounding the fallout of the murder. Additionally, this illustration provides the readers a visual of James Stewart, a non-fictional man who was "executed" for taking part in The Appin Murder (Cameron 1). Overall, this illustration gives insight into the chaos that follows the assignation of Red Fox and how the murder has affected those who sympathize with the Jacobite cause. 

Illustration in Literary Context

This cover illustration for issue 813 of Young Folks Paper depicts the moment when John Breck arrives to give money to aid the fugitives of Alan and David. This illustration by Boucher allows the readers to envision the exact moment when the bouman feels "about in a hairy purse that hung in front of him in the Highland manner" in search of the button that Alan gave him (Young Folks, no. 813, p. 402). Since this button is important to Alan because "it was [his] father's before him," Alan recognizes that John didn't actually lose the button (402). Instead, he is just pretending that he lost the significant button so that he can cheat Alan and keep it. Therefore, Alan challenges John by "setting his hands on his knees and looking at the bouman with a smiling mouth" with "that dancing light in his eyes that meant mischief to his enemies" (402). Boucher's illustration helps the readers to visualize how Alan's posture and expression are able to intimidate the bouman into "finding" the button and giving it back to Alan (402). Furthermore, similarly to issue 810, this illustration highlights typical Highlander fashion as well by depicting John in Scottish attire. Overall, this image enlivens Stevenson's characters to highlight how important Alan's bodily expressions and movements are to the progression of the plot.  

Illustration in Literary Context

The illustration from issue 816 of Young Folks Paper demonstrates the moment in the story when Alan "does a bit of play acting" in order to evoke sympathy in the maid so that she will help them (Young Folks, no. 816, p. 34). The image depicts Alan with his hands on David as they attempt to present as "a poor, sick, overwrought lad and his most tender comrade" to evoke a sense of pity in the maid (34). Furthermore, once can also view the bundle that David carries that is filled with "bread and cheese" (34). This image of a weak, tired, and exhausted David that Alan uses to persuade the maid to help is illustrated by Boucher to help the readers get a sense of what the maid sees that ultimately leads her to aid Alan and David in their time of need. From David's appearance and "a few bars of Charlie is my darling," the maid not only feeds them, provides a "friendly touch," and gives them a place to stay at the inn for free, but she also provides them with a boat to get to safety (34). Overall, this illustration underscores how David and Alan present this distressed visual to the maid in order to successfully persuade her into helping them return David home. 

Illustration in Literary Context

The illustration by Boucher in issue 817 depicts the moment after David confronts his uncle Ebenezer and comes into his house to negotiate with his uncle for his rightful inheritance. David conveys that, "by that time we had the fire lighted, and a bottle of wine uncorked; a good supper came out of the basket, to which Torrence and I and Alan sat ourselves down; while my uncle passed into the next chamber to consult" (Young Folks, no. 827, p. 51). Therefore, Boucher draws David's uncle Ebenezer, the Lawyer named Rankeillor, Torrence, Alan, and David all present within Ebenezer's house. This illustration is important to aid in the reader's understanding of the novel because it depicts the action of David signing and formalizing the document that officializes his agreement with his uncle, which is an action that is not described in the story specifically. In Stevenson's text the only mention of this action is when David conveys that Rankeillor and Ebenezer "came to an understanding, and my uncle and I set our hands to an agreement" (51). The novel never says how this agreement was officialized. Therefore, Boucher fills in the blanks of Stevenson's text and provides the readers with an additional scene of David signing a document that would have bound Ebenezer to pay David "two clear thirds of the yearly income of Shaws" (51). By examining the illustration, the readers are given more context to an important scene in the novel that was only mentioned by David as a brief, un-extrapolated upon afterthought.