Treasure Island
Concept Analysis
By Jeremy Smith
Organizational Patterns:
Treasure Island is divided into 6 “parts” (or sections, if you please)—The Old
Buccaneer, The Sea Cook, My Shore Adventure, The Stockade, My Sea Adventure, and Captain
Silver. With the exceptions of the 3rd and last part, each part has enclosed in it 6 chapters (part 3
has 3 chapters, and part 6 has 7 chapters). The entire book is essentially one flowing narration
told by Jim Hawkins, a young boy who finds himself embarking on a journey for buried treasure
with a sinister group of pirates. The six parts represent (for the most part) changing scenes in the
story. (For example, My Shore Adventure recounts Jim’s arrival on the shore of the island).
The last chapter of the book is written is present tense, as though the story is no longer a past
event, but a living moment that is destined for additional adventures. This possibility is alluded
to in Jim’s last statement to the reader: “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” (Stevenson 187). In a very
real sense, the story never ends, nor will it, as long as there are readers willing to set sail with the
swashbuckling prose and the teeth-gritting action that exist within the pages of Treasure Island.
Issues Related to the Study of Literature:
Theme—One theme of the book is that of adolescent progression, or coming of
age. Jim goes from being a timid boy to a life-saving, ship-sailing adventurer. Jim
models his own behavior after the pirate Long John Silver—he takes the leadership,
courage, and independence from the pirate, while avoiding the dishonesty and piratical
tendencies.
Another theme is the longing for past heroic ages—Ubi Sunt, if you will.
Evidences of this theme are seen in the fact that the story is set in the 1700’s (much
earlier than the publication date of the novel). The many pirates we are introduced to are
all victims of scars, handicaps, and disease, showing how they are disappearing from the
modern world. And in Silver, Robinson shows many of the good traits (charm, passion)
that are lost to the world with the disappearance of pirates.
Setting—During the eighteenth century, near Bristol, England, and Treasure
Island, an island off the coast of “Spanish America.” The novel starts at the Admiral
Benbow, an inn owned by Jim’s father, and moves to the coast (where the adventuresome
crew and cargo is assembled), to the ship, then to the island, and finally, back home
again.
Foreshadowing—There are many examples of foreshadowing throughout the
book. For starters, Billy Bones is handed his black spot and dies soon thereafter.
Another major one is when Captain Smollett is suspicious of his new crew, which turns
out to be mutinous. Mr. Arrow repeatedly gets drunk and proves his uselessness as a
sailor, then disappears from the ship. Jim sees Israel Hands hide a knife under his jacket,
and Hands soon attacks him; the sailors sing about a dead man’s chest before the
adventure has begun, and almost all of them end up dead in the end.
Point of View, Narrative Voice—The first-person narrative is invigorating—it
gives life and emotion to an already compelling tale of adventure. Jim’s use of “I” helps
the reader to associate more with what the protagonist is going through at all times. As a
narrator, Jim is open and reliable—he has a sense of innocence and trust that, in turn,
helps the reader to trust his credibility.
Stevenson’s choice of a boy-narrator is significant. While the adult men have
greater life experience, education, and verbal skills than this young boy has, Jim’s
account is unhampered by political motives and pursuit of fame. The boy has fears and
dreams, worries and inadequacies, all of which combine to help the reader associate
much more to the story that is being told. We are able to see that Jim is learning about
himself and developing his own moral character. Without this perspective, the novel
would just be a narration of events, rather than a rich story with many twists and turns,
unexpected events, and moral progression.
Tone—Jim’s attitude changes throughout the novel, depending on who (or what)
you are talking about. The fact that he hardly mentions his parents (and hardly blinks
even after his father dies) suggests indifference toward his family. Jim shows moderate
respect (and sometimes impatience) when describing Captain Smollett and Dr. Livesey.
When Jim describes the pirates, however, his tone suggests that he admires and reveres
them, and is fascinated by their cunning ways and scandalous practices. Jim’s tone is
generally modest when narrating his own acts of bravery
Irony—To me, the most ironic element of the novel is that the man who
everybody trusted the most was the man they should have trusted least. Silver effectively
pulls the wool over everyone’s eyes, showing how ironically bad human judgment can
sometimes be. It is also ironic that almost all of the very pirates who sang of a “dead
man’s chest” ended up in coffins themselves.
Symbols—First, the coracle. There are two main representations associated with
the coracle. First, it is a small boat used to help Jim take on a big ship (David and
Goliath). However, the coracle also symbolizes Jim’s desertion of Captain Smollett, and
thus, his morality and loyalty to law as well. It represents Jim’s tendency toward piracy.
Another symbol is the treasure map. This is the object that takes Jim on his
journey—indeed, the entire story revolves around the map. The map also symbolizes
desire and greed—men are willing to do anything to get their hands on it. The map does
not lead to happiness, but to sadness and disappointment, and thus comes to symbolize
the futility of seeking happiness through material gain.
Affective issues related to the work
Students in relation to:
Characters—Young Jim is any young boy’s hero. Who hasn’t dreamt of
traveling across the ocean in search of buried treasure? His shyness and inadequacies
make him an ideal example of a typical youth in search of adventure, yet almost too
scared to embark on it. He is sometimes caught in difficult, frightening situations (being
held tightly by Pew, hearing of mutiny while in the apple barrel). However, he always
does what’s right, even if it frightens him. He is in no way a one-dimensional character;
Jim’s sense of morality is not overly extreme, nor is he insincere in anyway. He is just a
boy growing up and trying to get by in a difficult world filled with trials and danger, with
the possibility of a glorious happy future.
Story—No matter which character a student may associate most with, the story is
applicable in many life situations, even in the 21st century. Danger is (sadly) present
today in the form of gangs and abuse; adventure on the high seas is not too much
different than a mission, college far away from home, marriage, or career decisions. The
emphasis we put on material possessions (and the lengths we are willing to go to achieve
them) is also applicable in today’s society.
Vocabulary
There are many words that must be addressed when reading Treasure Island. The words
used are rich in meaning but there are many which certainly are not used in common everyday
speech. In only the first chapter, the following words are mentioned: schooner, marooned,
buccaneers, cove, bearings, saber, handbarrow, tottering, capstan bars, connoisseur, berth,
desirous, fourpenny, Dry Tortugas, Spanish Main, tyrannizes, hawker, rheumatics, ruffian, and
assizes.
The following link is a great one to use for many activities used to teach Treasure Island,
as well as extensive vocabulary lists given for each chapter.
(Amity Learning
http://amitylearning.com/treasure/schedule.html)
Background Knowledge
One thing I love about this novel is the need to understand the era in which the story is
set. Students would do well to study the lives of famous pirates, as well as the mythical and
historical facts that accompany pirates. Knowledge of sailing, maps, and navigation would also
be helpful. In addition, knowing the context in which the story was written would help readers
to understand much more about the novel.
Implications for Students of Diversity
There are occasional references to race in Treasure Island. The majority of these deal
with the differences of the English and the Spanish. The book also indirectly comments on ways
that groups of individuals who vastly differ in moral upbringing and professional training can get
along. I think a historical look into the traditions and practices of certain races of pirates would
be interesting and helpful to diverse students.
There are also great distinctions made in the book between the wealthy and the poor, the
educated and the illiterate characters. In a classroom made up of a group differing in talents and
economic means, class discussion of these issues might be relevant.
Gender Issues
Besides Jim’s mother, there is almost no mention whatsoever made about women. The
novel is about men and boys who are becoming men. This absence might make for interesting
discussion in a multi-gender classroom. Was Stevenson’s omission of female characters
accidental or purposeful? And if the latter is true, what is the author trying to say in his
commentary about women in society?
The Central Question/ Enduring Issue
In many respects, Treasure Island is a commentary on human nature. What makes men
the way they are? What events (if any) can change our moral stance on certain issues? What is
the driving force behind most humans, and where does it lead us? What must we do to protect
ourselves from a) others, and b) ourselves?
Research Issues/Project Ideas
1. Research the history of pirates in the 18th century. Include such important aspects
such as the ships, the methods of getting money, the pirate societal organization, etc.
Gather the information and present it in a visual form to the rest of the class.
2. Research the life of a famous (historical) pirate. Include as much information as we
have of the pirate, including known ports, family, estimated wealth, etc. Compare
this pirate with Long John Silver. How are they different? Similar? Find one
situation in the book where the two pirates would have acted differently. Why would
they act that way? Is Silver a credible pirate?
3. Research and construct a model of a coracle. Be sure that it is fully operational.
Explain the benefits of such a craft, as well as the disadvantages.
4. Research 18th century sailing, focusing on the responsibilities of cabin boys. What
age were they? Why were they on the ships in the first place? How often did they
remain on ships for the test of their lives? What was the mortality rate?
5. Come up with an alternate ending for the book. Convince us that your ending is
better, or more appropriate to the novel, or better suited (historically) than the original
ending. Explain why you started revising where you did. Present to the class, either
in presentation form or as a dialogue/play that you have written, to be acted out by
classmates.
Informational/functional texts
1. Maps
2. Biographical books on Stevenson
3. Additional books by the author
4. Videos of piracy (but not pirated videos)
5. Books on geography, the sea, islands, rainforests, etc
6. Ship’s logs