Treasure Island

Authors Avatar

In this essay we are going to analyze and look into the mysterious man known as Long John Silver. We are going to learn about the ways he influences others, manipulates them and his powerful physical status. All these qualities together really do make him a “remarkable man”.

Robert Louis Stevenson was a Scottish author who first published “Treasure Island” in 1883. Stevenson originally wrote the book as “The Sea Cook” but the publishing company would not have the name of a criminal on the front cover of a book so Stevenson changed it to “Treasure Island”. He named the character of Long John Silver after a good friend as Stevenson thought of him as a remarkable man but their relationship soon deteriorated.  

Long John Silver is a one – legged pirate who used to be quartermaster to the treacherous Captain Flint. Long John Silver is a cunning, crafty man who appears friendly and forthcoming but soon shows his true colours as a devious pirate on “Treasure Island”.

At the start of the novel Jim Hawkins’s impression of Long John Silver was very good. “His left leg was cut off close by the hip, and under the left shoulder 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”. Jim feels that he is wanted and is a genuine friend of Silvers. Silver flatters Jim and makes him feel like he is one of the gang. “You’re as smart as paint”. I feel Long John Silver has a genuine affection for Jim and is not putting up a completely false front with him.

Join now!

When Black Dog enters the Inn everyone is horrified as a pirate is in their midst. They turn to Silver for an explanation of why this violent, treacherous man is here but with Silver’s false and manipulative qualities everyone believes he is a victim of the incident and takes pity on him. This is another side to Silver’s personality as we know Black Dog is one of Silver’s old ship mates and Silver knows him very well. Silver had been talking to Black Dog and they had a quarrel so Black Dog ran out injuring Silver. Silver is a ...

This is a preview of the whole essay