Long John Silver is a very complex and self-contradictory
character. He is cunning and mendacious, hiding his true intentions
from Squire Trelawney while posing as the ship’s genial cook. He
is very disloyal, shifting sides so frequently that we cannot be
sure of his true affiliations. He is greedy and has an almost animal
nature, caring little about human relations, as we see in his cold-blooded
murder of Tom Redruth. Nonetheless, Silver is without question the most
vital and charismatic character in the novel. Though lacking a leg,
he moves swiftly and powerfully across unsteady decks and spryly
hoists himself over fences. His physical defect actually showcases
his strength of character, revealing with every step his ability
to overcome obstacles. Likewise, Silver’s mental resolve is impressive: he
is the only one of the pirates not to be spooked by Ben’s imitation of
the dead Flint’s voice. He remains rational in the face of his men’s collective
superstitions, driving them forward to the treasure site. Silver’s
“two-hundred-year-old” parrot, which screeches dead men’s words,
gives the pirate an almost satanic aura. He has obvious leadership
abilities, as he is able to maintain control of his ragged and surly
band of mutineers to the very end of their search, through heavy
losses and suspicions of treachery.
Despite Silver’s formidable and frightening appearance,
he is quick to inspire trust in those who meet him. Captain Smollett
and Dr. Livesey both have great confidence in Silver’s character
at the outset of the voyage. His friendliness and politeness never
seem fake, deceitful, or manipulative. Silver describes himself
as a “gentleman of fortune,” a term that, while clearly a euphemism
for “pirate,” does emphasize something genuinely gentlemanly about Silver.
When Livesey requests a private chat with the hostage Jim, the other
pirates protest loudly, but Silver allows it because he trusts a
gentleman like Livesey. This trust on Silver’s part seems noble
and real. Additionally, the affection between Silver and Jim seems
sincere from the very beginning. Though Jim is a mere cabin boy,
Silver speaks to him fondly; toward the end of the trip, he remarks
that Jim reminds him of himself when he was young and handsome.
Likewise, Jim publicly calls Silver “the best man here,” and his
wish for Silver’s happiness in the last paragraphs of the novel
is sincere. Overall, Silver’s behavior indicates that he is more
than a mere hoodlum. There is something valuable in him for Jim’s
development, as the name “Silver” suggests.
