Captain Flint (the parrot) in Treasure Island NEXT Symbolism, Imagery, Allegory One of the most enduring images of pirates we have is that they carry parrots. Maybe it's the name: parrot, pirate; pirate, parrot. And maybe it's that parrots symbolize trips to distant climes and strange lands. (You definitely don't find many parrots native to England.) But the real role of this particular parrot, Captain Flint, is to allow Long John Silver to meditate on good and evil. Long John Silver isn't just a pirate; he is a pirate-philosopher. He points out that Captain Flint the parrot is completely innocent (after all, it's a parrot; how evil can it be?). Still, she swears a blue streak. The problem with poor Captain Flint is that she's been tainted by her upbringing and associates. It would appear that one of the moral lessons of the novel is that the only way to stay morally pure in this world is to stay out of dangerous situations in the first place. Be that as it may, if we all did our best to avoid any appearance of impropriety, we would never get to go on treasure hunts.

So there's a subtle conflict in the novel between what's ethical and what's fun. After all, we're reading Treasure Island precisely because everyone in it is at least a little morally ambiguous. (For more on moral ambiguity in the novel, check out our section, "What's Up With the Ending?") Long John Silver Long John Silver Treasure Hunting Long John Silver Long John Silver from Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson (RLS) is probably one of the most famous of all fictional pirates. With his parrot and his peg leg he is in many ways the archetypal pirate. He's so well known that he's even given his name to a quick-service seafood chain with over 1200 units worldwide. What makes Silver so interesting is not just his physical characteristics but also his character. He's undoubtedly an evil scoundrel who will switch sides whenever it sits his purpose. Yet at the same time has an almost entrancing charisma - at one point early in the story Jack comments: "I would have gone bail for the innocence of Long John Silver". As the book continues, Jack discovers the truth about this dangerous man. Who Is Long John Silver? Silver is introduced into Treasure Island as a "retired" ex-pirate.

He used to sail with the infamous Captain Flint, for whom he served as ship's quatermaster. It was apparently said that Silver was the only person of whom Flint was afraid. Given Flint's reputation as "the bloodthirstiest buccaneer that sailed" that tells you a lot about Silver! Long John Silver has a peg leg which he claimed he "lost it in his country's service, under the immortal Hawke". In reality he lost the leg on board Flint's ship, during the same battle in which "old Pew lost his deadlights". This is one of the lies that Silver uses to trick his way onto the Treasure Island expedition as ship's cook. Silver wants Flint's treasure for himself and attempts to organise a mutiny on board the ship - which is only foiled by Jim who overhears his scheming. The Parrot The pirate's parrot has become a standard part of the fictional pirate image - no self respecting pirate novel or movie today would be without one! Silver's parrot is called Flint, after the old captain. This we can assume was not intended as a mark of respect! The bird squawks out Pieces of Eight incessantly.

Adventures In the 1950s actor Robert Newton starred as Long John Silver in vintage TV show. In this series he is a reformed character - sort of. Some of the episodes from the series are available on DVD to buy online. Long John Silver (Treasure Island) | Villains Wiki | Fandom powered by Wikia Long John Silver (Treasure Island) 37,032pages on Click To Help Darkseid! Darkseid has declared that this article requires immediate Cleanup in order to meet a higher standard. Help improve this article by improving formatting, spelling and general layout - least it fall victim to an Omega Effect Evil-doer Leadership, scheming, fighting skills, cunning Hobby Type of Villain Pirate Long John Silver is a fictional character and the primary antagonist of the novel Treasure Island, by Robert Louis Stevenson. Contents [ show ] Profile In Treasure Island, Long John Silver is a pirate who was quartermaster under the notorious Captain Flint . Long John Silver had a pet parrot called Captain Flint, often seen sitting on his shoulder where she would nibble on seeds.

A quartermaster on a pirate ship ranked higher than any officer except the captain himself, and could veto the captain's decisions whenever the ship was not in a battle. The quartermaster was elected by the crew and one of his tasks was to lead the boarding party from the quarterdeck during boarding attacks. Silver claims to have served in the Royal Navy and lost his leg under "the immortal Hawke". "His left leg was cut off close by the hip, and under the left shoulder he carried a crutch, which he managed with wonderful dexterity, hopping about upon it like a bird. He was very tall and strong, with a face as big as a ham - plain and pale, but intelligent and smiling." He claims to have been the only man whom Flint ever feared. Like many of Stevenson's characters, there is more than a modicum of duality in the character; ostensibly Silver is a hardworking and likable seaman, and it is only as the plot unfolds that his villainous nature is gradually revealed.

His relationship with Jim Hawkins, the novel's protagonist, is interesting, as he serves as a mentor and eventually father-figure to Jim, creating much shock and emotion when it is discovered that he is in charge of the mutiny, and especially when Jim must confront and fight him later on. Although willing to change sides at any time in the interests of his own survival, Silver has compensating virtues: he is wise enough to pay attention to money management, in contrast to the spendthrift ways of most pirates, and is physically courageous despite his disability; for instance, when Flint's cache is found to be empty, he coolly stands his ground against five grown men despite having only Hawkins to back him. Historians have noted that Silver's account of his life experiences during the first half of the 18th century is at variance with the known history of the historical figures he mentions, and that Silver is either exaggerating the range and scope of his exploits for the benefit of Jim Hawkins or for potential pirates he is trying to recruit, or his memory is faulty.

When Silver escapes at the end of the novel, he takes "three or four hundred guineas" of the treasure with him, thus becoming one of only two former members of Captain Flint's crew to get his hands on a portion of the recovered treasure; a separate cache of bar silver is apparently left on the island. (The repentant maroonee Ben Gunn is the other, but he spends all 1,000 pounds in nineteen days.) Jim's own ambivalence towards Silver is reflected in the last chapter, when he speculates that the old pirate must have settled down in comfortable retirement: "It is to be hoped so, I suppose, for his chances of comfort in another world are very small." Stevenson's portrayal of Silver has greatly influenced the modern iconography of the pirate. Silver has a parrot, named Captain Flint in mockery of his former captain, who generally perches on Silver's shoulder, and is known to chatter pirate phrases like "Pieces of Eight," and "Stand by to go about." Silver uses the parrot as another means of gaining Jim's trust, by telling the boy all manner of exciting stories (many of them likely fake) about the parrot's buccaneer history.

"'Now that bird,' Silver would say, 'is, may be, two hundred years old, Hawkins - they live forever mostly, and if anybody's seen more wickedness it must be the devil himself. She's sailed with England- the great Cap'n England, the pirate. She's been at Madagascar, and at Malabar, and Surinam, and Providence, and Portobello ... She was at the boarding of the Viceroy of the Indies out of Goa, she was, and to look at her you would think she was a babby." He is married to a woman of African descent, whom he trusts to manage his business affairs in his absence and to liquidate his Bristol assets when his actions make it impossible for him to go home. He confides in his fellow pirates, that he and his wife plan to rendezvous after the voyage to Skeleton Island is complete and Flint's treasure is recovered, at which point Silver will retire to a life of luxury. According to Stevenson's letters, the idea for the character of Long John Silver was inspired by his real-life friend William Henley, a writer and editor.

Stevenson's stepson, Lloyd Osbourne, described Henley as "...a great, glowing, massive-shouldered fellow with a big red beard and a crutch; jovial, astoundingly clever, and with a laugh that rolled like music; he had an unimaginable fire and vitality; he swept one off one's feet". In a letter to Henley after the publication of Treasure Island Stevenson wrote: "I will now make a confession. It was the sight of your maimed strength and masterfulness that begot Long John Silver...the idea of the maimed man, ruling and dreaded by the sound, was entirely taken from you". Modern portrayals Actors who have portrayed Long John Silver in the various motion picture adaptations of Treasure Island include Wallace Beery, Ivo Garrani, Orson Welles, Charlton Heston, Eddie Izzard, Lance Henriksen, Robert Newton, Anthony Quinn, Tim Curry, Jack Palance, Brian Murray, Oleg Borisov, Boris Andreyev and British actor Ivor Dean in a televised version of the novel. Robert Newton followed up his two Long John Silver movies with an Australian-produced TV series.

BBC1 has presented the story four times, with Anthony Quinn, Bernard Miles, Peter Vaughan and Alfred Burke, respectively, as Long John Silver. In the Soviet animated film Treasure Island of 1988, Armen Dzhigarkhanyan provided the voice talent for John Silver. Ivor Dean played the character in an acclaimed European 4-part mini-series in 1966. He intended to reprise the role in another series with more adventures of Silver. He began writing it with director Robert S. Baker, but his sudden death in 1974 stopped all further plans. In 1985, this script was used as foundation for a Disney 10-part TV-series called Return to Treasure Island, starring Brian Blessed in the role of Long John Silver. John Silver was also the protagonist in Björn Larsson's fictional autobiography of the character, Long John Silver: the True and Eventful History of My Life of Liberty and Adventure As a Gentleman of Fortune and Enemy to Mankind ( ISBN 1-86046-538-2 respectively 91-7263-285-2). The novel was first published in Sweden in 1995.

Silver is the main character in Silver—My Own Tale As Told By Me With A Goodly Amount Of Murder by Edward Chupack ( ISBN 978-0-312-53936-8 ). In popular culture John Silver (left) is portrayed as a cyborg in Disney's Treasure Planet. In anime and manga The 1978 Japanese series Takarajima, he is portrayed as a tall blond man. In film and television John Silver is depicted in L'ile aux tresors, a movie by Alain Berberian; the cast includes Gerard Jugnot and Alice Taglioni. Long John Silver in USSR movie Treasure Island. In 1988, in USSR movie Treasure Island, Long John Silver was voiced by Armen Jigarxanyan. Tim Curry portrayed Long John Silver in the 1996 film Muppet Treasure Island. Long John Silver is voiced by Jim Cummings in the movie The Pagemaster. Long John Silver as he appear in The Pagemaster. The 2002 Disney film Treasure Planet, an animated science fiction adaptation of Treasure Island, depicts John Silver as a cyborg, voiced by Brian Murray.

Hector Barbossa from Pirates of the Caribbean is similar to Long John Silver. He owned a monkey named after his previous captain Jack Sparrow, and was referred to as the "one-legged man" in Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides. In the Animated UK Series, The Legends of Treasure Island, Long John Silver, who is portrayed as a fox in that series, was voiced by Richard E. Grant in Season 1 and Rob Brydon in Season 2. In literature Long John Silver is a Franco-Belgian comics series written by Xavier Dorison, illustrated by Mathieu Laufray and published by Dargaud in French and Cinebook in English. John Silver, a fictional space pirate with mechanical leg who appears in the Italian comic book Nathan Never, was inspired by Long John Silver. According to J. M. Barrie's play Peter Pan, Captain Hook was the only man whom Silver ever feared. Flint and Silver is a prequel novel to Treasure Island written by John Drake. In music The rock band Jefferson Airplane had a song and 1972 album named Long John Silver.

Jethro Tull's song "Mother Goose" (on the Aqualung album) references the title character as well as four and twenty laborers, concluding with the line, "and I don't believe they knew that I was Long John Silver." In other uses A restaurant chain, Long John Silver's, is named after the character. Further reading Elwin, Malcolm. (1939). Old gods falling. New York: The Macmillan Company. Karg, Barbara; Spaite, Arjean. (2007). The everything pirates book : a swashbuckling history of adventure on the high seas, Avon, Mass. : Adams Media. ISBN 978-1-59869-255-6 Prince, Alison. (1994). Kenneth Grahame : an innocent in the Wild Wood, London : Allison & Busby. ISBN 978-0-85031-829-6 Stevenson, Robert Louis; Colvin, Sidney, Sir. (1899). Letters to his family and friends, New York : Charles Scribner's Sons.

Treasure Island Characters | GradeSaver Buy Study Guide Jim Hawkins The young (probably 13 or 14) Jim Hawkins is the narrator of the adventure that is told in Treasure Island. It is his feelings, perceptions, and emotional responses that the reader responds to and views the story through. Jim Hawkins is the typical young boy, who through no fault of his own, becomes involved in the ultimate adventure, especially for a boy of his age. Through this process, Jim transforms from someone who is merely an onlooker, to an active participant who determines his own fate by courageous, and often very risky, actions. Although it is not due to his bravery or any special skills, it is he and not the older, more experienced men on the journey who uncover the pirates plan for mutiny, find Ben Gunn and enlist him in their cause, and steal the Hispanolia and return it to the captain. Jim thinks on his feet and by the end of the book has matured into a capable, competent boy. It is in his triumph over Israel Hands on the Hispanolia that his physically maturation is complete, and likewise, his decision not to run away from Long John Silver when urged by Dr. Livesey that his moral maturation is complete.

Jim returns home to write the story and is haunted by Long John Silver and his parrot in his dreams long after his return from Treasure Island. Mrs. Hawkins Jim's mother. The only female in the book makes her only brief appearance at the beginning of Treasure Island. Her character is most revealed in the actions that she takes in order to assure that she gets what is her due from Billy Bones treasure. By being able to go back and return to the inn in the face of grave danger, she sets an example that Jim follows later in the book. Billy Bones Billy Bones is the first pirate that Jim meets in the book - his appearance (ragged, scarred, ponytail, and a cut on his check) signals the end of tranquil at the inn. Despite his drinking (especially rum) and singing a song that is clearly a pirate tune, his seeking out the Admiral Benbow inn is a sign that he does not want to be captured. Although Billy Bones demonstrates this dubious behavior, Jim is not afraid of him and even enjoys the excitement that the seaman brings to the otherwise isolated island. In return, Billy Bones is kind to the young boy.

Billy Bones is a precursor to one side of Long John Silver's personality, the kind, gentle, parental side that is present when he aligns with the "good" men. Although he is blustery, beneath it all he is good-hearted. Jim is genuinely sad when he passes away at the end of the first part of the book, from a stroke. Dr. Livesey From the moment that Dr. Livesey appears in Treasure Island, he is depicted as an arbitrator who is fair, intelligent, fearless, and well-organized. As he becomes involved in the treasure hunt, he also shows consideration and kindness to Jim, thus, becoming one of many surrogate parental figures to Jim in the course of the novel. Dr. Livesey is also a narrator of the novel (although only for a few chapters). These chapters are not nearly as colorful or as emotionally charged as the chapters that are narrated by the younger Jim. His descriptions further his characterizations as a scientist, who is most concerned with curing the sick (he repeatedly mentions the malaria present in the swamps). Dr. Livesy is also extremely concerned with fairness to all, as his concern about the pirates that they had to leave behind demonstrates.

Black Dog A companion of Billy Bones, his arrival at the Admiral Benbow inn marks the beginning of violence at the inn and the notification to Bones that other pirates know of his whereabouts. Although he and Billy Bones are friendly, their meeting ends in a fight where Billy Bones is injured. Pew Pew is another character who arrives at the Admiral Benbow in order to try and ambush Billy Bones and find the treasure map. Pew is described vividly, at first as a blind old man who "rat-tap-tap" with his stick but, deceptively, also an evil, mean adversary who is willing to use physically prowess in order to cower those around him. Pew foreshadows another side of Long John Silver, the side that is physically challenged but capable of extreme violence. At the end of part I, Pew is trampled by a horse because his friends abandon him. Squire Trelawney Squire Trealwney is the figure in the book who finacially underwrites and initiates the treasure hunt.

Although he appears to be on top of things, he often makes mistakes and his hiring of Long John Silver and the mutineers tops the list of misjudgments and miscalculations which lead to the downfall of the journey. He is very naïve and trusting, and, thus, is constantly being duped. His best quality is his ability to shoot straight - throughout the novel, he is given the jobs that require the best shot because of his famous aim. Captain Smollett The commander of the Hispanolia is the antithesis of the squire, he is perceptive, smart, and scared of the dangers that lie before the journey, an attitude that proves correct. He demands obedience from those who serve under him and is in conflict with both Jim, who shows a rebellious nature against the authority figure, and the squire, whose authority he does not respect. Redruth The Squire's servant, he accompanies the crew on the island but is one of the first "good" men to die, as the group attempts to take the stockade. Long John Silver Long John Silver is an old sailor cook, the leader of the pirates, and one of Jim's friends.

This dynamic character has only one leg, and is usually accompanied by his parrot, Captain Flint, who hollers "Pieces of Eight, Pieces of Eight." Many critics claims that Long John Silver is the novel's real hero, and not Jim Hawkins or Flint's treasure. Evidently, Robert Louis Stevenson agreed with this assessment, as he initially entitled this novel, "The Sea Cook." Throughout the novel, Long John Silver clearly possesses a dual personality (thus, many critics also view Long John Silver as a precursor to Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde). It is thought that Silver combines two pirate characters that appear before Silver makes his appearance in this novel. First is Billy Bones, the blustering buccaneer who is basically good hearted and kind to Jim, and the blind beggar Pew, a deformed, apparently harmless but who is in fact very strong and extremely cool. At times, Silver shows extreme kindness and a paternal liking for the young narrator. At other times, however, Silver, although deformed like Pew, shows extreme brutality and cruelness in killing other sailors.

Robert Louis Stevenson paints this character much more vividly than any of the "good" or "bad" characters and Long John Silver is not "good" or "bad" but rather a composite of both. Because of his openness about his greediness and mercileness, his pursuit of the gold seems more justified than the greediness and evilness of the "good" characters. This character is based on the Stevenson's friend, the poet W.E. Henly, who lost one of his feet. Of all the characters painted in Treasure Island, Long John Silver is the most vivid, most remembered, and most picturesque. Israel Hands Israel Hands is a member of the "bad" pirates and shows a clearly evil' side, as someone who is crafty and cunning in all that he does. His philosophy is that of "live or die," someone who kills in order to not be killed. On the Hisapnolia, he too shows a side that is lively and parental to Jim - Jim almost forgets to be wary of the character because he has too much enjoyment beaching the schooner. Israel Hands is the first person that Jim actually kills, something that he feels no remorse for.

Ben Gunn Ben Gunn provides comic relief in the island, a breath of fresh air in a very tense part of the book. A member of Flint's original crew, Ben Gunn was marooned on the island for three years and forced to survive on his own. He stumbled upon Flint's treasure and buried it, thus saving it from the pirates that try to kill Silver and Jim. He is nice to both Jim and the rest of Jim's group, and provides the means for escape. Although the pirates characterize him as stupid, he shows his agility and smartness in surviving the island. He returns with the rest of them, although spends his part of the treasure in only three weeks. Treasure Island's Long John Silver was based on a real man who was WELSH | Daily Mail Online comments It's a twist worthy of any great adventure story – Long John Silver was based on a Welsh adventurer in the West Indies, researchers claim. They say that Robert Louis Stevenson modelled his classic novel Treasure Island on the lives of Owen and John Lloyd, brothers born in the town of Rhuddlan, North Wales.

Owen is believed to have sailed to the West Indies and went on to bury 52 chests of Spanish silver pieces of eight on the deserted Norman Island, part of the British Virgin Islands. And John had a wooden leg – just like the book’s famous character. Memorable: Long John Silver (left, as portrayed by Eddie Izzard) is the most iconic character from Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson, right The men initially carved out careers as respected merchant captains, but turned to piracy when a storm forced a stricken Spanish galleon filled with booty to seek refuge in the American seaport of Ocracoke in 1750. The pair, who had bitter experience at the hands of the Spaniards in what was called King George’s War, exacted their revenge by sailing away with the treasure. RELATED ARTICLES Share this article Share Following a nine-year investigation, author John Amrhein is adamant that the brothers, who were born near the resort of Rhyl, were the inspiration for Stevenson’s famous book. His claims contradict the long-held belief that Stevenson’s pirate was based on his close friend, the poet and editor William Henley, who also had one leg.

Mr Amrhein points out that the date on the Treasure Island map matches the month and year of the Ocracoke raid, and the book’s notorious Captain Flint appears to be named after the pair’s home county of Flintshire. Influence: Long John Silver, inspiration for the popular Pirates of the Caribbean series, may have his origins in North Wales He said: ‘There would be no Pirates of the Caribbean without Treasure Island, and there would be no Treasure Island without the daring theft of Spanish treasure at Ocracoke. ‘I re-read Treasure Island and was reminded that Stevenson’s Treasure Island contained a map dated August 1750 – it was in August of 1750 that the hurricane brought the galleon of Juan Manuel Bonilla to Ocracoke.’ Mr Amrhein, who lives near Ocracoke in North Carolina, enlisted the help of a team of researchers, including staff at the National Library of Wales. He said: ‘Llona Jones at the National Library of Wales made the connection of John and Owen Lloyd hailing from Rhuddlan. In London, in the Admiralty records, we found John Lloyd giving his age and birthplace – Wales.

Fierce: The vicious pirate, played by Orson Welles in the 1972 film of Treasure Island, may have been based on a pair of buccaneering brothers ‘In the archives of the Netherlands we found the testimony of Owen Lloyd about the stolen treasure. He stated his age, birth month, and that he was born in Wales.’ Maggi Blythin, a genealogist who lives in Rhuddlan, was astonished to hear of the possible link to her home town, and after examining local archives found proof showing the two brothers had been born there. She said: ‘Owen and John’s father Vincent died in Rhuddlan and so we didn’t find out an awful lot more after that. They had eight children and Owen and John were born in Rhuddlan. ‘I think it is very likely that Robert Louis Stevenson was influenced by their story.’ Mr Amrhein’s findings, which are detailed in his book, Treasure Island: The Untold Story, undermines the theory that Stevenson modelled Long John Silver – who was famously portrayed on- screen by Robert Newton – on William Henley.

Henley, who had his left leg amputated as a child, was described by Stevenson’s stepson as having ‘a big red beard and a crutch’ and being ‘jovial’ and ‘astoundingly clever, with a laugh that rolled like music’. The Monterey Historical Society in America, which aims to preserve the historical past of the United States, has backed Mr Amrhein’s work. Back in Britain, Neil Ross of Edinburgh’s Robert Louis Stevenson Club, said: ‘It is certainly a very interesting theory and shouldn’t be discounted, although the model for Long John Silver is traditionally thought to have been William Henley. He suggested Mr Amrhein’s book ‘sounds like something Stevenson fans worldwide will be seeking out’. Treasure Island Summary - eNotes.com Treasure Island Summary Robert Louis Stevenson Treasure Island Summary One day, a boorish seaman named Bill Bones arrives at the inn owned by Jim Hawkins's father. Bones lives there for some time without paying his bills. When he dies, Jim opens the pirate's chest and finds a treasure map. Jim shows the map to Dr. Livesey and Squire Trelawney.

Trelawney decides to buy a boat and enlists a cook, Long John Silver, to put together a crew to help them find the treasure. Upon arriving at the island, Silver leads a mutiny, only to find that the treasure is already gone. A pirate named Ben Gunn has stashed it in a cave, and with Ben's help Jim and his two friends are able to sail safely back to Bristol and divide up the loot. Download Study Guide Start Free Trial Start your free trial with eNotes to access more than 30,000 study guides. Get help with any book. link Link Treasure Island was first a map that Stevenson drew for the amusement of his stepson. The map proved so interesting that he created a story to go along with it, reading installments of the story to his family as he finished them. Stevenson’s father, who happened to be visiting on the day of one of those readings, became so attracted to the story that he made plot suggestions, at least two of which were followed (the contents of Billy Bones’s trunk and Jim Hawkins in the apple barrel).

The novel was published in serial form in a boys’ magazine, Young Folks, and it follows the format of the standard boys’ adventure novel: A boy is drawn into a fantastic, dangerous adventure, but through courage, integrity, and the help of a heroic mentor, he comes through the adventure unscathed, wiser, and more mature. Stevenson, however, improvises on this theme. His hero, Jim Hawkins, gets hold of a map made by a famous pirate, Captain Flint, to show the location of a large treasure that Flint had buried. Hawkins enlists the aid of two adult friends to help him find the treasure. So far, Stevenson has established a plucky boy and possibly heroic mentors. The adults, however, have bad judgment in hiring crew for the voyage to Treasure Island, and there are dangerous conflicts among crew and passengers once the island is reached. Those conflicts are resolved partly by luck, partly by shrewdness, and partly by stupidity and superstition. The treasure is finally retrieved, but in a way no one had anticipated.

The boy comes through the adventure unscathed, but the major villain is not brought to justice, and the boy’s last words in the novel areOxen and wain-ropes would not bring me back again to that accursed island; and the worst dreams that ever I have are when I hear the surf booming about its coasts, or start upright in bed, with the sharp voice of Captain Flint [the parrot of the ship’s cook] still ringing in my ears: “Pieces of eight! pieces of eight!” The story does not end, then, with the voice of newly found wisdom. Though Treasure Island is a standard boys’ adventure on first glance, on second glance its themes and attitudes are more adult than juvenile. Treasure Island was originally published as The Sea Cook, and the original title shows how big a part Long John Silver, the ship’s cook, plays in the story. Jim Hawkins is the protagonist, but, as the original title suggests, Silver is perhaps the most important character in the story. He is certainly the most complex and the most fully realized character. In this, his first novel, Stevenson creates what may be his most memorable character in Long John Silver.

The complexity of this character foreshadows Stevenson’s techniques and concerns in most of his fiction. Treasure Island (Literature) - TV Tropes Treasure Island You need to login to do this. Get Known if you don't have an account Share 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! Treasure Island, written by Robert Louis Stevenson in 1881 , is a classic tale of pirates and buried treasure, which created many of the pirate tropes , including X marks the spot on a Treasure Map to show where the Pirate Booty is hidden. A peg leg and a parrot as the standard pirate look (despite Silver not having a peg leg in the original book). The excessive use of nautical slang by pirate characters ("Shiver me timbers!"). The "Black Spot" as a death sentence handed out to traitors by pirates. (Though historically this may have been done with the Ace of Spades).

In the book, Jim Hawkins, an ordinary (although quick-witted) lad, discovers a treasure map among the effects of a deceased resident at his family's inn. He shows it to two local gentlemen (a landed noble and a wealthy doctor), who charter a ship to search for the treasure on Skeleton Island, but they hire sailor-turned-tavern-owner Long John Silver as their cook, unaware that he is a pirate . Long John becomes Jim's mentor , while winning over most of the crew — who he helped hire. By chance, Jim overhears Long John's plotting, and warns his friends, just as they arrive at the island. Over the next few days, Jim repeatedly wanders into danger, meets a scary hermit and kills a pirate by himself, while Long John keeps switching sides, and the treasure is found. Jim and his friends return home rich, Long John escapes with some of the treasure, and the rest of the pirates get marooned on the island or killed. This book has been adapted into several movies , including: Treasure Island (1920) - Silent film. Now lost. Treasure Island (1934) - Directed by Victor Fleming.

Starred Jackie Cooper as Jim, Wallace Beery as Long John Silver, and Lionel Barrymore as Billy Bones. Treasure Island (1937) - A weird Soviet version.note Irish rebels led by Livesey find a treasure map and trick moneylender Trelawney into organizing an expedition. He hires pirates. Hawkins is a young woman (in love with Livesey), who dresses as a boy to join the expedition. In the end Trelawney and pirates are left on the island. The rebels needed the money to buy weapons. Treasure Island (1950) - Disney 's first fully non-animated film. Introduced the " pirate " accent . Treasure Island (1966) - A French-West German television series starring Ivor Dean as John Silver. It was shown in four instalments (on the four Advent Sundays) in West Germany and in thirteen episodes in France. The 360 minutes of the series were cut to 84 for an unsuccessful US cinematic release in 1970. Ivor Dean wrote a script for a sequel series with Robert S. Baker, but that came to naught because he died in 1974.

The script was dug up again in 1986 (see below). Animal Treasure Island (1971) - an anime version, worked on by Hayao Miyazaki Treasure Island (1972) - Starring Orson Welles as Long John Silver. Treasure Island (1973) - an animated movie produced by Filmation , featuring Richard Dawson (from Hogan's Heroes and Family Feud ) as both Long John Silver and Captain Smollett. Treasure Island (1977) - A BBC series that includes Patrick Troughton as Israel Hands and David Collings (Silver from Sapphire and Steel ) as Blind Pew. Takarajima (1978) - A 26-episode TV anime series, produced by TMS Entertainment and directed by Osamu Dezaki . Return to Treasure Island (1986) - A ten-part Disney television series based on the aforementioned script by Ivor Dean. Set ten years after the events of the novel, it starred BRIAN BLESSED as Long John Silver.

Treasure Island in outer space (1987) also named Pianeta Del Tesoro - Treasure Planet - A 5-episode German and Italian collaboration series, produced by Creator/and directed by Antonio Margheriti and set in 2300. Treasure Island (1988) - A classic Soviet half-animation half-live action musical film. Republished without live-action intermissions as The Return to Treasure Island (1992). Treasure Island (1990) - a TNT cable network TV movie, with Charlton Heston as Silver, Christian Bale as Jim, Christopher Lee as Blind Pew and Pete Postlethwaite as George Merry. The Legends of Treasure Island (1993) - UK Funny Animal In-Name-Only animated series with Jim as a puppy (voiced by Dawn French) and Silver as a fox (voiced by Richard E. Grant ).Many will recognise the cast members, especially Hugh Laurie playing Squire Trelawney as a member of the George family . Muppet Treasure Island (1996) Treasure Island (1999) - Starring Jack Palance as Long John Silver.

Treasure Planet (2002) - Disney's animated version ...IN SPACE! (Surprisingly good and faithful to the source considering the Space Opera setting.) Pirates of Treasure Island (2006) - Comedic take on the story, released by one and only The Asylum . Treasure Island (2012) - Sky 1 two part Mini Series , starring an All-Star Cast including Eddie Izzard and Elijah Wood . Slightly Darker and Edgier . Treasure Island (2013) - An Audio Adaptation of the story by Big Finish productions, starring Tom Baker as Long John Silver. Although originally published chapter-by-chapter in a magazine, when published as a book it became very popular, the British Prime Minister Gladstone staying up until two in the morning to finish it. It is also the ultimate inspiration for all the subsequent pirate movies and other novels , down to Pirates of The Caribbean. Many of them include a Shout-Out to Treasure Island.

E.g., in Peter Pan , it is said that Captain Hook was the only man Long John Silver ever feared, while Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest features the "Black Spot" (in a flashier form) and the song quoted at the beginning of this entry. Starz's Black Sails is a Prequel to Treasure Island, notably featuring Captain Flint and a young John Silver as its protagonists. The novel provides examples of: Affably Evil : Long John, one of the ultimate exemplars of this trope. Sure, he's a lying, thieving, murdering scumbag pirate... but he's also a lovable, charismatic anti-villain! How can you hold anything against him? And, despite everything, his affection and respect for Jim are completely genuine. The Alcoholic : Almost all of the pirates and Mr. Arrow. Billy Bones's stroke at the beginning is attributed to drinking little but rum at the Benbow Inn, and Captain Flint was allegedly killed by rum as well. The Aloner : Ben Gunn, who was marooned on the island by his mates after a failed search for the treasure.

Anti-Villain : Although Silver is the mastermind behind the mutiny, he ends up suffering a mutiny in turn, and is forced to ally with the heroes. Badass Boast : Silver sways one of the honest sailors into joining the rebellion with one. Silver: There was some that was feared of Pew , and some that was feared of Flint ; but Flint his own self was feared of me. Feared he was, and proud." "Blackmail" Is Such an Ugly Word : The pirates prefer to be called "gentlemen of fortune." Catapult Nightmare : At the very end of the book, Jim Hawkins says that the worst dreams he ever has are when he "start[s] upright in bed with the sharp voice of Captain Flint [the parrot] still ringing in my ears." Churchgoing Villain : Silver and the other pirates, who are worried about bad luck when one of their own cuts a page from The Bible to create a Black Spot. Dressed to Plunder : The Trope Codifier , almost singlehandedly popularizing the look.

Even Evil Has Standards : Pirate, mutineer and murderer Long John Silver may be, but he bends over backwards, even risking the Black Spot, to keep Jim Hawkins alive, even when he stands to gain nothing by it. Evil Cannot Comprehend Good : Averted with Silver, but played straight with the other pirates. Near the end of the book, Silver even points out to Dr. Livesey when the latter contemplates checking up on the surviving pirates, "...these men down there, they couldn't keep their word... and, what's more, they couldn't believe as you could." Face Death with Dignity : When Jim is captured by the pirates and is given the offer of joining them or else, he delivers a defiant Facing The Bullets Speech outlining how it was him the whole time that kept screwing up their plans , that the laugh's on his side and he no more fears them than he fears a fly, but he'll put in a word at court for them if they choose to spare him. Foregone Conclusion : The story is introduced as Jim's tale of his adventure retold at the request of Squire Trelawney and Dr.

Livesey, which keeps you from getting too worried whenever their lives are at risk. Considering that the story already includes a boy getting hit by a thrown knife as well as being captured by pirates and threatened with torture, this may have been necessary at the time to keep the story from feeling too dark and shocking the audience. Genre Blind : Crewing out a ship for a secret mission in search of buried treasure, the characters hire a one-legged, tattooed old sea-dog with a Bristol accent and a parrot. But then, the book was what made all these traits stock attributes of pirates in the first place. Jim Hawkins still might have known better since he was specifically warned by Billy Bones to beware of "a one-legged sea-faring man"— they just decide he couldn't possibly have meant this particular one-legged sea-faring man (but then again, considering England's history in naval warfare, there's probably a lot of ex-sailors with one leg limping around). Good Is Not Nice : Cpt. Smollett delivers a blunt assessment of his displeasure over the crew, expecting to be dismissed.

Jim dislikes him from the beginning, and Trelawney comments on finding his behaviour "downright un-English," however they soon discover that he was quite right, and he leads the party's resistance for most of the story. Handicapped Badass : Long John Silver killed an honest crewman who refused to join the pirates, by hurling his crutch at him, thus breaking his spine, and then hopping one-legged to him and slitting his throat. Pew is fully blind, yet most of the survivors of Flint's crew fear him only slightly less than Billy Bones or Silver. Happily Married : What little is said about Silver and his black wife seems to indicate that they get along well. Heelï¿½Face Revolving Door : Silver is an opportunist who will jump to any side if it seems to be the winning one. Honor Before Reason : Jim keeps his promise not to escape with the doctor even though his life is in danger if he stays, at the point where even the doctor himself is ready to break his word because he can't bear the thought of young Jim being tortured to death. This is the turning point in Jim's Coming-of-Age Story .

Similarly, during Long John's final escape, he has everything to gain by shooting Jim, but he can't do it. He likes Jim too much. The Pirates are able to shell the Loyalist base by aiming at the flag flying above the trees. The defenders are aware of this, but striking their colors is unthinkable. Dr. Livesey is determined to heal the ill, even if they are ruthless pirates. In a lesser (but rather more baffling) case, Jim's mother, who rifles through the recently deceased Captain's sea chest but refuses to take any more money than what the Captain owed them for room and board. Which resulted in her doing arithmetic over the sea chest even when she knows that Pew's gang is coming at any minute to take the chest and slit everyone's throats. Improbable Aiming Skills : Squire Trelawney may be a bit of a stereotypical landed-gentry Englishman, but he's also a crack shot. At one point, the mutineer's gunner — his intended target — is roughly a hundred yards away, on the deck of the ship, stooping over a cannon muzzle.

Trelawney himself is seated in an 18-foot "jolly boat," which is overloaded with 4 other men and a ton of supplies. And he's armed with a musket. Despite all this, only a Coincidental Dodge saves the intended target's life — and Trelawney still picks off one of the other villains. Karma Houdini : Long John Silver, who gets away with his life and a few hundred pounds from the treasure (rather less than one tenth of one percent). Also Ben Gunn. Nobody seems particularly bothered that he was a part of one of the most feared pirate crews that ever sailed, and he gets a larger share of the treasure than Silver did (which he manages to blow in three weeks, at which point he is given a pension). Presumably, the characters and readers consider his time marooned on the island punishment enough (not to mention it mellowed him out considerably). Knife Nut : Silver kills with a knife "on camera;" Israel Hands kills with a dirk "off camera" and tries to kill Jim throwing the same dirk; Tom Morgan threatens Jim with a knife, and "the captain" offers to pin Dr.

Livesey to the wall with one early in the book. Truth in Television : knives were cheap, easily carried, and unaffected by the occasional dousing with seawater. Leave Behind a Pistol : For Ben Gunn. But they also left behind a shovel and a pick. Leave No Witnesses : Captain Flint killed the sailors who helped him bury the treasure. Considering that there were six of them, nobody has any idea how the hell he managed it. Loophole Abuse : During his confrontation with Knife Nut Israel Hands, Jim manages to prime his two pistols while Hands is still too far away to stab him with his dirk, and tells Hands in no uncertain terms that he'll shoot if Hands comes any closer. Hands responds by throwing his dirk at Jim. Loveable Rogue : Long John Silver, verging on Magnificent Bastard . Make It Look Like an Accident : The death of Mr. Arrow, who apparently fell overboard one night in a drunken stupor. In most adaptations that includes this incident, a scene is shown of Silver slipping him rum so that he would be drunk all the time and no one would inquire into his death too much. Mundane Luxury : Ben Gunn swears Undying Loyalty to Dr.

Livesey in exchange for a palm-sized piece of cheese (parmesan, to be precise), something he has craved for years. The Mutiny : Captain Flint's crew, under Long John Silver, rebelled in the backstory. Silver also leads the gang of pirates that rebel against Captain Smollett in the actual story. Pirate Booty : The treasure, of course. The book is the Trope Codifier if not the outright Trope Maker . Pirate Parrot : The Trope Maker . Although it's quite likely that real Caribbean pirates may have kept the occasional parrot, this is also true of monkeys and cats, and one of these animals is far more associated with pirates than the others. Pre-Insanity Reveal : Ben Gunn was once a part of Captain Flint's crew, though unliked by his shipmates. He knows the location of Flint's treasure, but no one believes him. Marooned on a deserted island, he becomes more than a little addled, talks in the third person and has an obsessive craving for cheese. "The Reason You Suck" Speech : Silver delivers an epic one to his crew when they try to throw him out.

Long John Silver: Why, I give you my word, I'm sick to speak to you. You've neither sense nor memory, and I leave it to fancy where your mothers was that let you come to sea. Sea! Gentlemen o' fortune! I reckon tailors is your trade. Regenerating Health : Jim doesn't seem to suffer any long-term effects from being wounded and pinned to the mast by Israel Hands's dirk (which had previously been used to kill another pirate), or having to tear a bit of skin off of his shoulder to escape the pinning. It isn't even mentioned when Doctor Livesey sees him again. Retired Badass : "The captain," aka Billy Bones, only wants to be let alone at the Admiral Benbow Inn to drink, sing, and enjoy his own "fair" share of the ill-gotten gains. His former crew, excepting Pew, are still terrified of him. Retired Monster : Flint, the captain who murdered a good chunk of his own crew to hide the treasure's location, was afraid of Silver.

Silver has been peacefully running an inn and living happily with his wife for some years when the story begins, and he continues this after making off with a part of the treasure in the end. Robinsonade : Ben Gunn has been marooned on the island. Seadog Peg Leg : Long John Silver is one of the Trope Codifiers , although he didn't have a peg leg in the original book, using a crutch to help him move around instead. The peg leg would originate in later adaptations. Stiff Upper Lip : Most of the sympathetic characters. Captain Smollet maintains rigid discipline throughout their ordeal. Hawkins maintains his dignity and poise even under threat of death. The Squire's servants are said to react to every calamity without complaint or even much surprise. Switching P.O.V. : For practical reasons, we switch to the doctor when important events occur that Jim didn't witness. They Call Me Mister Tibbs : After successfully seizing control of the Hispaniola, the pirates start referring to their leader as "Captain Silver". Trojan Prisoner : Long John Silver pretends to hold Jim hostage. Or does he?

Trope Maker : Many of the tropes associated with pirates today come from this novel, such as the way Silver's parrot was fond of repeating "pieces of eight." Upper-Class Twit : Squire Trelawney to an extent, although he himself had followed the sea at one point and, as noted above, he does have some skills.

Question: What is the name of Long John Silver's parrot in the novel Treasure Island?
Answer: Captain Flint