While Defoe describes the ideal exceptional individual as someone who challenges the conventional values ​​of his society, Stevenson expands on that idea by offering it from the perspective of a younger boy . Because he is younger, Jim has a certain level of innocence associated with him. This allows him to surreptitiously obey both sides: the so-called "good guys", such as Doctor Livesey and the Captain, and the pirates, such as Long John Silver. With this ability, Jim's youth gives him more freedom than the other characters in both novels lack. This freedom allows Jim to create a wider gap between himself and his elders and create a stronger sense of individualism. For this reason, it is noted that age is not a factor in creating an exceptional individual. Anyone can defy society's expectations and live life on their own terms. Furthermore, Jim seems to use his individualism not only to benefit himself, but also to help others on the ship. After hearing Long John Silver's plans while in the apple barrel, Jim "understood that the lives of all the honest men on board depended on him alone" (Stevenson 56). This shows that Stevenson is expanding Defoe's ideas by demonstrating that individualism can not only be beneficial not only to a specific individual, but also to others associated with that same individual.