Described as the quintessential British adventure novel, Treasure Island remains one of the best loved children's books ever written. It is a simple though exciting tale of pirates and buried treasure, largely responsible for many of the stock phrases and ideas associated with piracy in popular culture today. This is the second time I have read the book, but my enjoyment of it was in no way diminished. The story cracks on at a rattling pace; there are no lengthy diversions from the main plot, hardly any exposition and the language is regular and concise. It is a book written for boys and no bones about it; indeed, women are almost entirely absent from its pages from start to finish. That's not to say Treasure Island cannot be enjoyed by girls as well, I merely quote Stevenson himself when mentioning that it was intended for boys. The book is divided into six parts, each consisting of several chapters, but on the whole it's a short read and one can easily get through it in a couple of days.
Treasure Island is written in first person from the viewpoint of young Jim Hawkins, narrator and protagonist of the tale. It begins with the appearance of a mysterious buccaneer with an old sea chest who turns up at The Admiral Benbow, a humble inn run by Jim's parents. Following an extraordinarily (albeit heavily plagiarised) characterisation of the stranger, events are soon set in motion when this unwanted lodger is paid a visit by some very sinister ex shipmates of his. After being tipped the black spot, a death warrant used by pirates, the sailor promptly dies, leaving Jim to fall into possession of a map detailing the whereabouts of the notorious Captain Flint's buried treasure. Accompanied by Doctor Livesey, Squire Trelawney, the villainous Long John Silver and a crew of unruly mutineers, Jim sets off for Treasure Island aboard the Hispaniola. What follows is an action packed swashbuckler of treachery, bloodshed, shipwreck and dirty double dealings as both parties vie to get their hands on the treasure first.
The narrative contains enough twists and turns to engage the attention of even the most casual reader and one can be sure that there is not an awful lot going on in the book beyond the surface plot. There are no hefty morals to endure and the pages are mercifully free of philosophical jargon. My favourite part of the novel remains the beginning; a masterfully executed aura of intrigue slowly unfolding before the excitement and buzz of the expedition kicks in. The rapping of blind Pew's cane as he advances towards the inn through the mist has lost none of its chilling suspense over the years and has probably haunted many a child's nightmares. Whilst many of the characters are rather two dimensional type-casts, the figures of Billy Bones and Long John Silver in particular are explored to full capacity. Silver represents the ambiguity of morality and the thoroughly corrupt nature of a 'gentleman of fortune', as the pirates deign to call themselves. He cuts a complex character at once both likeable and detestable; a charming yet murderous rogue who ensures that the tale is never simply a struggle of good versus evil.
Although still able to enjoy Treasure Island as an adult, there are elements of the book which have irked me, namely the supposed situation of the island. The flora and fauna is unlike anything that can be found in the Caribbean, which instantly ruled out that most obvious of locations. The topography was sometimes very difficult for me to visualise and Stevenson's map would have come in handy at points. I like to be able to imagine the environment of a book and being unable to do so is rather frustrating. The introduction to my edition claimed that an illustration of the map was included, yet try as I might, I could not locate it. Another minor grievance was the idiotic behaviour of Jim Hawkins, whose hasty actions as excuses for driving forward the plot were sometimes a little hard to swallow. Still, one cannot censure a children's story for taking such liberties with our suspension of disbelief too heavily; it is after all, a fantasy adventure. I will always retain a soft spot for pirates and their ilk, so this book will remain a source of infantile pleasure despite my petty quibbles. Recommended to all lovers of adventure on the high seas, talking parrots, peg legs and cut throat brigands.
Rating: 4/5
Treasure Island is written in first person from the viewpoint of young Jim Hawkins, narrator and protagonist of the tale. It begins with the appearance of a mysterious buccaneer with an old sea chest who turns up at The Admiral Benbow, a humble inn run by Jim's parents. Following an extraordinarily (albeit heavily plagiarised) characterisation of the stranger, events are soon set in motion when this unwanted lodger is paid a visit by some very sinister ex shipmates of his. After being tipped the black spot, a death warrant used by pirates, the sailor promptly dies, leaving Jim to fall into possession of a map detailing the whereabouts of the notorious Captain Flint's buried treasure. Accompanied by Doctor Livesey, Squire Trelawney, the villainous Long John Silver and a crew of unruly mutineers, Jim sets off for Treasure Island aboard the Hispaniola. What follows is an action packed swashbuckler of treachery, bloodshed, shipwreck and dirty double dealings as both parties vie to get their hands on the treasure first.
The narrative contains enough twists and turns to engage the attention of even the most casual reader and one can be sure that there is not an awful lot going on in the book beyond the surface plot. There are no hefty morals to endure and the pages are mercifully free of philosophical jargon. My favourite part of the novel remains the beginning; a masterfully executed aura of intrigue slowly unfolding before the excitement and buzz of the expedition kicks in. The rapping of blind Pew's cane as he advances towards the inn through the mist has lost none of its chilling suspense over the years and has probably haunted many a child's nightmares. Whilst many of the characters are rather two dimensional type-casts, the figures of Billy Bones and Long John Silver in particular are explored to full capacity. Silver represents the ambiguity of morality and the thoroughly corrupt nature of a 'gentleman of fortune', as the pirates deign to call themselves. He cuts a complex character at once both likeable and detestable; a charming yet murderous rogue who ensures that the tale is never simply a struggle of good versus evil.
Although still able to enjoy Treasure Island as an adult, there are elements of the book which have irked me, namely the supposed situation of the island. The flora and fauna is unlike anything that can be found in the Caribbean, which instantly ruled out that most obvious of locations. The topography was sometimes very difficult for me to visualise and Stevenson's map would have come in handy at points. I like to be able to imagine the environment of a book and being unable to do so is rather frustrating. The introduction to my edition claimed that an illustration of the map was included, yet try as I might, I could not locate it. Another minor grievance was the idiotic behaviour of Jim Hawkins, whose hasty actions as excuses for driving forward the plot were sometimes a little hard to swallow. Still, one cannot censure a children's story for taking such liberties with our suspension of disbelief too heavily; it is after all, a fantasy adventure. I will always retain a soft spot for pirates and their ilk, so this book will remain a source of infantile pleasure despite my petty quibbles. Recommended to all lovers of adventure on the high seas, talking parrots, peg legs and cut throat brigands.
Rating: 4/5
No comments:
Post a Comment