Daniel Roden 8.A
English Book Report
Matura 2012
“Treasure Island”
by Robert Louis Stevenson
The setting of this story is described by young Jim Hawkins in the
beginning of the book. Gravely ill, Billy Bones lives in Admiral
Benbow’s house for some months. The old seaman strikes fear into
the patrons' heart as he consumes dangerous quantities of rum
and sings an old sea song: "Fifteen men on the dead man's chest Yo-ho-ho, and a bottle of rum! Drink and the devil had done for the
rest - Yo-ho-ho and a bottle of rum!" Bones warns Jim to keep his
weather-eye open for a seafaring man with one leg and relates
tales of piracy and other foul deeds while he was pirate.
One evening, while he is drinking rum, he is reprimanded by Dr. Livesey, who has arrived to
examine Jim's dying father. A short time later, Black Dog, a mysterious person, frightens Jim
into revealing the whereabouts of Bones. Following a brief sword duel with the Dog, Blind
Pew visits the old seaman, another of his old shipmates, who delivers the "black spot", a
death right used by pirates. Soon after Bones succumbs to a stroke and Jim and his mother
run to a nearby village, where the inhabitants refuse to help them. Just before the pirates
reach the inn, Jim removes a key from the dead body and grabs an oilskin packet from the
captain's old sea chest. While the pirates frantically sack Bones' belongings in the inn, Jim
and his mother hide under a nearby bridge. Unable to find Flint's fist, the pirates escape
leaving Pew behind to be fatally trampled by horsemen from the village, who have finally
decided to come to Jim and his mother's aid.
At the home of Squire Trelawney, Jim delivers the packet to Dr. Livesey, who discovers the
black-hearted hound's account book in there after the oilskin is removed. Passing over
figures and course headings, the men turn to a second enclosure, a map of Captain John
Flint's treasure island. Trelaweny experiences an uncontrollable fit of excitement, vows to
secure the best ship in England, and commands Livesey and Jim to accompany him on a
treasure-hunting voyage. Several weeks later, Trelawney hires Long John silver, a one-legged
seaman and cook, and a salty band of other sailors. At Bristol, the crew weighs anchor and
the Hispanolia begins its journey. Becoming acquainted with the charismatic sea cook, who
totes a pet parrot named "Captain Flint," Jim is surprised when, hiding in an apple barrel on
deck, he overhears Silver conspiring with crewmates Israel Hands and the young Dick to take
the ship once the treasure is aboard. After land is sighted, a battle ensues between Captain
Smollett's royal forces and Silver's swarthy pirates. Jim escapes ashore and falls in with Ben
Gunn, an unfortunate seaman who was marooned by Captain Flint three years earlier.
Treading the boundary between the opposing camps, Jim wins the confidence of Gunn (who
leads Dr. Livesy to the treasure, which the marooned sailor has transferred to his secret
cave) and recaptures the Hispaniola after cutting her hawser and sending Israel Hands to his
death at the bottom of the sea. Following a near-fatal experience with the surviving pirates
(who arrogantly tip their leader the black spot and then rescind it once they realize that he
has the treasure map), Jim accompanies Silver on the treasure hunt. When the angry rogues
discover that the treasure has been removed, Silver shoots George Merry. Firing musket
balls form the surrounding trees, Dr. Livesey, Squire Trelawney, and Ben Gunn force the
remaining freebooters into the interior of the island.
Daniel Roden 8.A
English Book Report
Matura 2012
Trelawney and his crew stow the treasure safely in the Hispanolia's hold and leave provisions
for the marooned pirates before setting sail for England. During a brief stop at a South
American port, Silver, who faces trial and execution, steals a sack of coins and escapes over
the rail. Jim Hawkins concludes: "Of Silver we have heard no more. That formidable seafaring
man with one leg has at last gone clean out of my life; but I dare say he met his old Negress,
and perhaps still lives in comfort with her and Capitan Flint. It is to be hoped so, I suppose,
for his chances of comfort in another world are very small. The bar silver and the arms still
lie, for all that I know, where Flint buried them; and certainly they shall lie there for me.
Oxen and wain-ropes would not bring me back again to that accursed island; and the worst
dreams that I ever have are when I hear the surf booming about its coasts or start upright in
bed with the sharp voice of Captain Flint still ringing in my ears: “Pieces of eight! Pieces of
eight!”