Study Guide: Treasure Island — Part Five, “My Sea Adventure: How I Began My Sea Adventure”
Themes / Big Ideas
- Coming of age through risky independence
- Jim acts on his own initiative, disobeys orders, and accepts consequences—key steps in his growth across the novel.
- Courage vs. recklessness
- He calls his actions “folly,” yet they become crucial to the crew’s survival, highlighting the thin line between brave initiative and rash endangerment.
- Authority, duty, and individual agency
- With Smollett wounded and Livesey acting quietly on his own plan, Jim’s choice to break from the chain of command tests loyalty and leadership—central conflicts throughout the book.
- Law vs. lawlessness
- Images like the Jolly Roger and the pirates’ carousing contrast with the stockade’s order, reflecting the novel’s tension between civilization and the pirate code.
- The sea and nature as an indifferent force
- The surf, fog, and tide drive events and tone, showing nature as powerful and neutral—a recurring force shaping fate in the story.
- Death and the cost of adventure
- The wounded and Hunter’s death remind readers that the treasure quest has real and tragic costs, a reality that shadows the entire narrative.
- Fate, chance, and irony
- Jim’s “mistakes” unexpectedly help the loyal crew, emphasizing luck, timing, and the ironic turns that steer the plot.
- Ingenuity and resourcefulness
- Ben Gunn’s makeshift coracle and Jim’s plan to cut the Hispaniola adrift showcase the practical cleverness needed to survive at sea.
- Narrative hindsight and self-judgment
- Adult Jim critiques his younger self (“I was only a boy”), a pattern that deepens theme and tone throughout the memoir-like narration.
Vocabulary
| Word | Part of Speech | Definition |
|---|---|---|
| palisade | noun | A fence of stakes forming a defensive enclosure. |
| loophole | noun | A small opening in a wall for firing weapons through. |
| apoplectic | adjective | Relating to a stroke; here, a seizure or stroke-like fit. |
| grievous | adjective | Very serious; severe. |
| cutlass | noun | A short, heavy, curved naval sword. |
| girt (past of gird) | verb | To fasten or secure around the body; to belt on. |
| anchorage | noun | A safe place where ships anchor. |
| stern-sheets | noun | The rear seating area in a small boat. |
| bulwarks | noun (plural) | The sides of a ship above the deck; protective walls. |
| jolly-boat | noun | A small boat carried by a larger ship. |
| thwart | noun | A crosswise seat or brace in a small boat. |
| coracle | noun | A small, light boat with a framework covered by hide or other material. |
| lee | noun | The side sheltered from the wind. |
| ebb | noun | The outgoing or falling tide. |
| draughts (drafts) | noun (plural) | Currents of air; breezes (British spelling). |
| leaden | adjective | Dull, heavy, gray—like lead. |
| underwood | noun | Low-growing trees and shrubs; underbrush. |
| dell | noun | A small, secluded valley or hollow. |
| truantry | noun | Truancy; skipping duty or obligations. |
| French leave | noun phrase | Leaving without permission or notice. |
| carouse | verb | To drink and celebrate noisily. |
| companionway | noun | The stair/entrance to a ship’s cabin (the “cabin companion”). |
| rations | noun (plural) | Fixed portions of food or supplies. |
| stockade | noun | A defensive enclosure made of tall posts or stakes. |
Quotes to Look For
- “He went to his Maker.” — The blunt reality of death and the costs of the voyage.
- “As for the captain, his wounds were grievous indeed, but not dangerous.” — Smollett’s condition and the crew’s fragile leadership.
- “Why, in the name of Davy Jones, is Dr. Livesey mad?” — Nautical superstition and Livesey’s quiet boldness.
- “I began to get another thought into my head, which was not by any means so right.” — Jim’s self-awareness before his disobedience.
- “I was a fool, if you like… but I was determined to do it with all the precautions in my power.” — Recklessness measured by planning.
- “As I was certain I should not be allowed to leave the enclosure, my only plan was to take French leave…” — The ethics of breaking orders.
- “This was my second folly, far worse than the first… but like the first, it was a help towards saving all of us.” — Irony and fate guiding the plot.
- “I was only a boy, and I had made my mind up.” — Coming-of-age resolve.
- “I have never seen the sea quiet round Treasure Island.” — Nature’s constant force shaping mood and events.
- “The Hispaniola… was exactly portrayed from the truck to the waterline, the Jolly Roger hanging from her peak.” — Stark symbol of piracy and lawlessness.
- “There began the most horrid, unearthly screaming…” — The eerie presence of Captain Flint (the parrot) and pirate menace.
- “There was Ben Gunn’s boat—home-made if ever anything was home-made…” — Resourcefulness and the coracle’s importance.
- “Absolute blackness settled down on Treasure Island.” — Mood, setting, and the cover for Jim’s plan.
- “It was a night out of ten thousand for my purpose.” — Chance and timing aligning with Jim’s daring.