Treasure Island

Indian Boy · 08-17-2009, 11:50 AM

Last week I read Robert Louis Stevenson's classic, "Treasure Island". I'm thirty years old so when my friends saw me walking around with a book with a skull and bones on the cover they busted my chops a little. Having never read the book themselves they are under the impression that a book about pirates and treasure can only appeal to young boys. But I couldn't disagree more. In my opinion I found Treasure Island to be very well written, Stevenson's prose are excellent and his vocabulary was extensive. I was really surprised. In saying that I mean that the although the book is about pirates, etc, it's actually a book that I think many adults would enjoy. It has that perfect blend of childhood adventure and mature realism, i.e. the pirates were real guys, not some walking sack of bones with a curse. I'd like to get some other opinions on this book. I'm sure others have read it.

Indian Boy · 08-17-2009, 11:52 AM

Also, did anybody ever take notice that the protagonist of the story, Jim Hawkins, never bothers to talk about the death of his father or the fact that he quickly ditches his mother and sets out for treasure with the doctor and the lawyer. Seems like a pirates life for Jim Hawkins I suppose.

mal4mac · 08-17-2009, 02:45 PM

I read this earlier this year and really enjoyed it. The prose was very clear and excellent, suitable for children and adults. The vocabulary became slightly too extensive for me when it came to nautical terms, but I guess that is what dictionaries are for!

For children, or lazy adults, try and find a version with a glossary (or even better!) a labelled diagram of an old sailing ship illustrating the terms. I guess Victorian kids would know these terms, just as modern kids know the parts of cars, but few of today's kids or adults will know them.

I also agree that the pirates were very well drawn, especially Long John Silver. The captain, doctor and the squire are also strong characters, but of course LJS, Jim, and the parrot, steal the show.

Jim's parents do get short shrift, though you can look at his interaction with the adult male figures as a search for a father figure. Again, especially LJS, whose character is wonderfully ambivalent. You can see how LJS has become a canonical figure in English popular culture. One more in a long line of loveable rogues!

If memory serves, Jim's mother is the only female character and only appears, in passing, in the early chapters. But she has one good, positive piece of the action when she goes back to the pub to confront the pirates when the male characters are afeard of doing so!

I'm definitely going to read more Stevenson soon, and there's a lot to choose from. Harold Bloom lists seven of his works. Few authors get that many entries!

dfloyd · 08-17-2009, 02:47 PM

I have read Treasure Island about 5-6 times, and seem to enjoy it more with age. The illustrators of the book, such as N.C. Wyeth and Edward A. Wilson, make the book even more enjoable. This is abook which should be read in a nice edition, amply illustrated.

bluosean · 08-17-2009, 04:59 PM

This is one of my favorite books! After Dickens and Kipling, Stevenson is one of my favorite writers. Kidnaped (sp?) by Steventon is great too.

08-17-2009, 11:50 AM	#1
Indian Boy Registered User Join Date: May 2009 Posts: 28	Treasure Island Last week I read Robert Louis Stevenson's classic, "Treasure Island". I'm thirty years old so when my friends saw me walking around with a book with a skull and bones on the cover they busted my chops a little. Having never read the book themselves they are under the impression that a book about pirates and treasure can only appeal to young boys. But I couldn't disagree more. In my opinion I found Treasure Island to be very well written, Stevenson's prose are excellent and his vocabulary was extensive. I was really surprised. In saying that I mean that the although the book is about pirates, etc, it's actually a book that I think many adults would enjoy. It has that perfect blend of childhood adventure and mature realism, i.e. the pirates were real guys, not some walking sack of bones with a curse. I'd like to get some other opinions on this book. I'm sure others have read it.

08-17-2009, 02:47 PM	#4
dfloyd Registered User Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 236	Treasure Island can be enjoyed throughout your life .... I have read Treasure Island about 5-6 times, and seem to enjoy it more with age. The illustrators of the book, such as N.C. Wyeth and Edward A. Wilson, make the book even more enjoable. This is abook which should be read in a nice edition, amply illustrated.

08-17-2009, 04:59 PM	#5
bluosean Registered User Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 103	This is one of my favorite books! After Dickens and Kipling, Stevenson is one of my favorite writers. Kidnaped (sp?) by Steventon is great too. __________________ I stood upon a high place, And saw, below, many devils Running, leaping, and carousing in sin. One looked up, grinning, And said, "Comrade! Brother!" Stephen Crane

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08-17-2009, 11:52 AM	#2
Indian Boy Registered User Join Date: May 2009 Posts: 28	Also, did anybody ever take notice that the protagonist of the story, Jim Hawkins, never bothers to talk about the death of his father or the fact that he quickly ditches his mother and sets out for treasure with the doctor and the lawyer. Seems like a pirates life for Jim Hawkins I suppose.

08-17-2009, 02:45 PM	#3
mal4mac Registered User Join Date: Aug 2009 Posts: 471	I read this earlier this year and really enjoyed it. The prose was very clear and excellent, suitable for children and adults. The vocabulary became slightly too extensive for me when it came to nautical terms, but I guess that is what dictionaries are for! For children, or lazy adults, try and find a version with a glossary (or even better!) a labelled diagram of an old sailing ship illustrating the terms. I guess Victorian kids would know these terms, just as modern kids know the parts of cars, but few of today's kids or adults will know them. I also agree that the pirates were very well drawn, especially Long John Silver. The captain, doctor and the squire are also strong characters, but of course LJS, Jim, and the parrot, steal the show. Jim's parents do get short shrift, though you can look at his interaction with the adult male figures as a search for a father figure. Again, especially LJS, whose character is wonderfully ambivalent. You can see how LJS has become a canonical figure in English popular culture. One more in a long line of loveable rogues! If memory serves, Jim's mother is the only female character and only appears, in passing, in the early chapters. But she has one good, positive piece of the action when she goes back to the pub to confront the pirates when the male characters are afeard of doing so! I'm definitely going to read more Stevenson soon, and there's a lot to choose from. Harold Bloom lists seven of his works. Few authors get that many entries!