TREASURE ISLAND
Treasure Island is considered one of the first adventure stories written specifically for adolescents without an obvious emphasis on teaching morals. This is not to say that Robert Louis Stevenson’s novel about a young boy is without lessons but rather that its emphasis is a coming-of-age story filled with challenges, fears, and triumphs like any exciting and fun-filled journey of exploration. The lessons are learned through the characters’ decisions and mistakes, which makes them more lifelike and less didactic.
Stevenson has stated that the story was inspired by a detailed map he drew from his imagination. This map, Stevenson wrote in an essay called “Treasure Island,” “was elaborately and (I thought) beautifully coloured; the shape of it took my fancy beyond expression; it contained harbours that pleased me like sonnets; and with the unconsciousness of the predestined, I ticketed my performance ‘Treasure Island.’”
The more Stevenson studied this map of his creation, the more his imagination expanded. First, he could see the vegetation of the island. Then the island became peopled in his mind’s eye, and their stories began to appear. “It was to be a story for boys,” Stevenson wrote; and with excitement and ease, he produced the first fifteen chapters in as many days. But then the inspiration disappeared—the author claims that he was at a very low point in his life at this time. He was thirty-one and had yet to make a salary on his own. He was supported by his father, and he wanted to write something that not only would make money but would please his father. Much of his writing up to this point Stevenson referred to as a failure; he was afraid that this current story he was working on would become one too.
Stevenson took a break from his work and went on a short vacation. Upon arriving at his destination, he sat down at a desk, determined to free himself from his despair. With great discipline, he started writing again. “And in a second tide of delighted industry,” Stevenson wrote, “I finished ‘Treasure Island.’” The book turned out to be a huge success for Stevenson, bringing both money and fame. It was published first as a magazine serial before being produced as a book in 1883. But that is not the end of the story. When Stevenson sent his manuscript to his publisher, the map, which had inspired the pirate story, was missing. It was never found. Stevenson had to create another map, “but somehow it was never ‘Treasure Island’ to me,” Stevenson wrote.
Treasure Island Summary
Part 1—The Old Buccaneer Treasure Island is narrated by Jim Hawkins, the son of the owners of the inn, the Admiral Benbow. In the first pages, Billy Bones, a mysterious and ragged old seaman, appears at the doorstep of the inn, dragging a large sea chest. Bones decides to stay at the inn and asks Hawkins to warn him if he ever sees a one-legged man.
One day, while visiting Hawkins’ father whose health has deteriorated, Dr. Livesey, local doctor and magistrate, inadvertently disregards Bones’ demand for silence in the inn. Despite Bones’ physical threats, Dr. Livesey calmly stands up to the old seafarer and even threatens to put him out of town if he hears of any more disturbances.
Bones dies by the end of this section; Hawkins discovers the map of buried treasure in Bones’ sea chest and shares it with Livesey; and the two men, along with Squire Trelawney, begin their search for the buried treasure.
Part 2—The Sea Cook
Hawkins meets Livesey and Trelawney in Bristol, where a ship, the Hispaniola, has been purchased. Here Hawkins meets Long John Silver, a seaman with just one leg. Although Hawkins remembers Billy Bones’ warning, Hawkins finds himself unconcerned about Silver, who puts on a show of gentlemanly manners, poise, and confidence.
Silver is hired as the sea cook for the Hispaniola; and once the voyage gets under way the majority of the pirate sea hands look to Silver as their leader. There is little trouble on the ship as it makes its way toward Treasure Island. However, one night, while Hawkins climbs into a huge apple barrel to retrieve a fruit, he happens to overhear Silver talking to some of the men. It is upon this conversation that the story takes a major turn. Before this point, Silver has been painted as a reliable, intelligent, and fair-minded man. But after overhearing Silver, Hawkins has a new perception of this man, who is proving to be dishonest, cunning, and possibly murderous. Hawkins discovers that Silver is planning a mutiny. Hawkins tells Dr. Livesey, Squire Trelawney, and Captain Smollot about Silver’s plans. The group makes counter plans as the ship heads toward the island.
Part 3—My Shore Adventure
A depressive mood descends upon the crew once the ship is anchored in the harbor of Treasure Island. In order to ease this mood, the captain tells the crew that they can go ashore. The captain hopes this will keep them preoccupied so they do not mutiny prematurely, catching the captain and his cohorts off guard. Hawkins, aware that he is unneeded on board and overly excited about exploring the island, slips off the ship and heads toward land in a small dingy without waiting for his companions.
