In Robert Louis Stevenson's short story "The Bottle Imp" he shows the power of love through his characterizations of Keawe and Kokua. Their conflict begins all because of a bottle. The imp which lives inside will grant any wish of its owner, but if he should die while still the owner of the bottle, he will burn in hell for eternity. The holder has the right to sell the bottle but it must always be sold for less than what was paid for it.
Keawe first acquires the bottle to build himself a new luxurious home. After selling the bottle, Keawe falls in love with Kokua and discovers he has leprosy. " " But what wrong have I done, what sin lies upon my soul Kokua, the soul ensnarer! Kokua, the light of my life! Her may I never wed, her may I look upon no longer, her may I no more handle with my loving hand; and it is for this, it is for you, O Kokua! that I pour my lamentations!""(60). He knows that in order for her to love and marry him, he must relieve himself of the disease. To do this, he buys the bottle back. " "A dreadful thing is the bottle," thought Keawe, "and dreadful is the imp, and it is a dreadful thing to risk the flames of hell. But what other hope have I to cure my sickness or to wed Kokua? What!" he thought, "would I beard the devil once, only to get me a house, and not face him again to win Kokua?"" (61). This is where love's power first becomes evident. Keawe is torn between giving his soul to the devil to keep Kokua and living with his disease without her. His love for Kokua causes him to surrender his soul a second time, putting himself in more danger. .
The second occasion on which Stevenson presents the power of love to the reader is when Kokua finds out what Keawe has done. She does everything she can to get someone to buy the bottle, but no one will. Finally, she buys it secretly for less than he paid so that her husband can be free. The price of the bottle is now down so far that only a few more people can buy the bottle and not have to keep it forever.
