Treasure Island (review)
by Robert Louis Stevenson
The Author
Robert Louis Stevenson was a Scottish writer known for novels and stories, many of which have become classics of children's literature. He was born in Edinburgh in 1850. Raised in a bourgeois environment, his father unsuccessfully pushed him to study engineering and law. Suffering from a chronic respiratory ailment (tuberculosis), Stevenson spent much of his life abroad, hoping to benefit from a more favorable climate. His early writings were travelogues. One significant journey was by ship and train to California (1879-80); a pleasure cruise in the Pacific inspired In the South Seas (1884). In 1888, he settled permanently in the Samoan Islands in the Pacific Ocean, where he died in 1894. Treasure Island (1883), the first in a long series of adventure tales, centers on a boy dealing with a band of pirates in pursuit of a fabulous treasure. His most original work, The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1886), explores dual personality, where the dark side of the human soul, freed from rational control, takes over the "civilized" self. These two works earned Stevenson great popularity, which he further solidified with thrilling adventure stories like Kidnapped (1886) and The Master of Ballantrae (1889), set in Scotland, and the historical novel The Black Arrow (1889, famously adapted into an Italian TV series in 1968).
Plot
Part One: THE OLD BUCCANEER
At the “Admiral Benbow” inn, run by Jim Hawkins and his parents, arrives Billy Bones, an old seaman, who stays for several weeks. Pirates often visit Billy Bones, attempting to steal a treasure map from him. However, Billy’s life is cut short; he dies after drinking a large glass of rum. The pirates then try to seize the map, but Jim manages to get it first, risking his life and bringing it to Dr. Livesey and Squire Trelawney. Together, they examine it and, with Jim, decide to set sail in search of Treasure Island.
Part Two: THE SHIP'S COOK
Jim travels to Bristol, where Dr. Livesey and Squire Trelawney await him aboard the ship Hispaniola. Among the crew, Long John Silver stands out, hired as the ship's cook. Captain Smollett, however, believes the crew is not trustworthy. One evening, Jim goes to grab an apple from the barrel on deck. Finding it nearly empty, he climbs inside and, perhaps due to the gentle rocking of the ship, falls asleep. When he wakes, he realizes he is not alone on deck. He recognizes Silver’s voice trying to bribe Israel Hands, another sailor. Jim's greatest fear is confirmed: Silver, whom he trusted, is actually a pirate who served under Captain Flint and now plans to mutiny. Once they leave, Jim reports everything to Dr. Livesey and the others, who prepare for the worst. Meanwhile, the island comes into view.
Part Three: MY ADVENTURES ASHORE
Captain Smollett, upon nearing the island, invites the crew to go ashore, allowing him to devise a plan to avoid mutiny. Jim also goes ashore and starts exploring the island. Suddenly, he hears Silver’s voice echoing through the air. Crawling on the ground, Jim moves closer to listen and realizes that Silver is trying to convince another sailor to join him. When the sailor refuses, Silver kills him. Horrified, Jim runs away and, in the jungle, meets the island’s castaway, Ben Gunn. Together, they reach the hill called the “Spy-glass” and find a stockade.
Part Four: THE STOCKADE (The story resumes here from Dr. Livesey's point of view).
Dr. Livesey realizes Jim has gone ashore and hopes he is still alive. He decides to disembark with the captain and the squire, taking supplies and weapons in the last remaining lifeboat. The pirates, noticing their escape, alert their comrades onshore with a cannon shot. The men struggle to reach shore under attack from the pirates and the boat’s sinking. They find the stockade and prepare for a fight with the buccaneers.
Now the narrative returns to Jim.
Jim reaches the stockade, and the next day, Silver and the pirates attack again, but some of them are defeated.
Part Five: MY SEA ADVENTURE
In a moment when his companions are distracted, Jim leaves the stockade to reach the Hispaniola and cut its anchor rope, rendering it useless as it drifts away. The following day, Jim spots the ship in the distance and decides to take control of it and return to his companions. He uses a canoe built by Ben Gunn to board the ship, where he discovers that one of the two pirates on watch is still alive. The pirate attempts to kill Jim, but the boy prevails.
Part Six: CAPTAIN SILVER
Jim returns to the stockade but, to his great surprise, finds it occupied by the pirates and learns that the doctor has given the treasure map to Silver. The next day, Silver leads the pirates to search for the loot. Following the map's directions, they find only an empty hole where the treasure once was. The pirates suspect Silver of betrayal and would kill him if not for the timely intervention of Dr. Livesey, Gray, and Ben Gunn, who kill two of the five pirates. The doctor explains to Jim that Ben Gunn had already found the treasure and hidden it in a cave, rendering the map useless, and the stockade was abandoned because it was in a malaria-infested area. Jim and the others reach the cave, load the treasure onto the ship, and set sail for Bristol.
Characters
There are many characters in the story, but the main ones include:
- Jim Hawkins: The protagonist, a young, resourceful boy saddened by the sudden death of his father. He finds Billy Bones’ treasure map and takes it to Dr. Livesey and Squire Trelawney. On the journey to Treasure Island, he serves as a cabin boy, responsible for cleaning duties. Onboard, he discovers Silver's plot and informs the doctor. Near the island, he ventures ashore, witnesses Silver commit murder, and later finds Ben Gunn. He reclaims the Hispaniola, becomes a trusted friend to Silver, and helps load the treasure onto the ship.
- Long John Silver: Once a pirate under Captain Flint, he is hired as the cook aboard the Hispaniola. His left leg was amputated at the hip, and he skillfully maneuvers on a crutch. Tall and sturdy, with a large, friendly face, Silver corrupts the crew and plans to mutiny. On the island, he saves Jim's life, which Jim later repays. When nearing the treasure, his standing with the crew deteriorates. He escapes with part of the loot on the return trip to Bristol.
- Dr. Livesey: A knowledgeable doctor and magistrate, the only one brave enough to confront Billy Bones. He first studies the map when Jim brings it to him. Always wearing a typical white wig of the era, he dreams of the wealth from the treasure and its use. He invites the others to disembark to avoid the pirates, and convinces Gray, previously swayed, to join their side. He hands the map to Silver after learning from Ben Gunn that the treasure was already hidden elsewhere.
- Squire Trelawney: Lives in a grand estate near Dr. Livesey’s home. Around 5’11”, strong, with a weathered, ruddy face from travel. He enjoys pipe smoking, wears a white wig, and organizes the expedition. Too late, he realizes the crew he hired are pirates.
- Ben Gunn: The island’s man, abandoned by Captain Flint three years earlier as punishment for seeking the treasure in vain. His sunburned skin makes his pale eyes stand out, and he dresses in sailcloth scraps. He is terrified of Flint and Silver. During his time on the island, he finds Flint’s treasure and hides it securely. Back in Bristol, he uses his share of the loot and becomes a guard.
- Captain Smollett: The captain of the Hispaniola, who sails smoothly to the island before being overrun by pirates. He is wounded in the first fight but recovers. He later resumes command to return the ship to Bristol and retires from the sea.
- Abraham Gray: A sailor aboard the Hispaniola, initially swayed by Silver but later joining Dr. Livesey’s side. He plays a key role in saving Silver and Jim and helps carry the gold bars onto the ship. Back in Bristol, he studies to improve his rank, becomes part-owner of a ship, and marries.
- Billy Bones: An old, tall, and strong seaman with sun-darkened skin. Always wearing a heavy blue coat and tarred pigtail. His face features a deep, white saber scar. Fond of rum, he sings and tells tales when drunk. Arrives at the inn with a chest containing the coveted map. Dies after drinking a large glass of rum.
- Pew: A blind man known by Billy Bones at sea. Visits the inn to demand the map. Despite his blindness, he is strong and agile. After Billy’s death, he tries to retrieve the map but is accidentally killed by soldiers on horseback.
Review
Treasure Island by R. L. Stevenson is an adventurous novel, captivating and engaging from start to finish. Reading it, the reader becomes the explorer seeking an ancient treasure coveted by pirates.
The novel is written as a logbook, containing detailed directions, descriptions of places and landscapes, and geographic coordinates, except those of Treasure Island.
The book opens with a dedication from the author to his stepson and an invitation to the reader. The adventure is divided into six parts, each with numerous chapters. The book includes many illustrations, some depicting locations and objects of the time, described in brief captions highlighted in a different font from the main text. Other images depict specific story details and are illustrated by François Place using watercolors and ink. Each page features Place's drawings alongside the corresponding text.
Significant Pages
- Pages 115-116-126-269: description of Treasure Island;
- Pages 116-208-211: use of nautical jargon such as “scuppers,” “booms,” “blocks,” “backstays”;
- Pages 143-164-165: description of the stockade on the island;
- Pages 268-279: Silver, Jim, and the pirates searching for the gold;
- Pages 289-290: description of the treasure coins.
