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Does Jim Hawkins find the treasure?
Yes, Jim and his companions find Flint’s treasure and divide the spoils among themselves. However, Jim never mentions how much money the treasure was worth or what he did with his share. His indifference towards the riches implies that the adventure itself, as opposed to the gold, was the real treasure.
Why was Ben Gunn marooned on Treasure Island?
Ben Gunn led a crew to the Island in search of Flint’s treasure but was unable to find it. As punishment, his crew marooned him on Treasure Island where he lived for 3 years until Jim found him. However, during those three years he was eventually able to unearth the gold and relocated it to his cave.
What is the significance of rum in the novel?
Billy Bones, Mr. Arrow, Israel Hands, and many other pirates show a propensity for alcohol, especially rum, throughout the novel. The rum represents the pirates’ recklessness, violence, erratic behavior, and tendency to overindulge. The conflation of rum and piracy is solidified in the refrain, “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!” which is repeated throughout the text.
When does Treasure Island take place?
Treasure Island takes place in the mid-1700s which was considered the Golden Age of Piracy. Stevenson likely set his 1883 novel in the past in order to fully romanticize the pirate lifestyle which, by the time Stevenson was writing, was predominantly a thing of the past.
Is Long John Silver good or evil?
This question does not have an answer because Jim Hawkins, our faithful narrator, is unsure himself. While Silver is certainly sinister and greedy, he also has a strange respect for Jim which Jim seems to reciprocate. Interestingly, Jim wishes Silver well in one of the text’s final lines, a courtesy that he does not extend to any other character in the book, indicating the lasting influence that Silver has on Jim.
