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Setting
Definition of Simile
A simile is a figure of speech that directly compares two unlike things. To make the comparison, similes most often use the connecting words "like" or "as," but can also... read full definition
A simile is a figure of speech that directly compares two unlike things. To make the comparison, similes most often use the connecting words "like... read full definition
A simile is a figure of speech that directly compares two unlike things. To make the comparison, similes most often... read full definition
Chapter 6. The Captain’s Papers
Explanation and Analysis—The Treasure Map:
In Chapter 6, the novel uses descriptive language and vivid visual imagery to describe the invaluable map of Treasure Island, where Captain Flint's buried treasure supposedly lies:
It was about nine miles long and five across, shaped, you might say, like a fat dragon standing up, and had two fine land-locked garb ours, and a hill in the centre marked “The Spy-glass." […] above all, three crosses of red ink—two on the north part of the island, one in the south-west, and, beside this last, in the same red ink, and in a small, neat hand, very different from the captain’s tottery characters, these words:—Bulk of treasure here.
Jim pays great attention to Captain Flint's map and even lists exact measurements. It's carefully described, an intentional choice on the part of Stevenson. In doing so, Stevenson underscores the map's significance to the reader. Captain Flint's map lies at the center of Treasure Island; it's what motivates most of the characters. Because the map leads to hidden, valuable treasure, it also attracts greed. Many of the men in the novel go to great lengths in order to find it, including murder.
Jim also uses a simile and compares the island's shape to an enormous, terrifying creature. This foreshadows the danger that awaits Jim and other members of the Hispaniola crew once they find themselves on Treasure island. As the map suggests, the journey to the treasure is long and treacherous—it's no easy feat. The challenges Jim encounters on the ship and island force him to adapt and figure things for himself, traits Treasure Island suggests are necessary to survive the harshness of life.
Related Themes:
Explanation and Analysis—Silent as the Grave:
In Chapter 6, Jim, Doctor Livesey, and the Squire look over the map to Treasure Island. Aware that other pirates are also in search of Captain Flint's treasure map, Doctor Livesey tells them they are in danger and must keep its existence a secret. The Squire then uses a simile to respond to the Doctor and assure that he is to be trusted:
"Livesey," returned the squire. "You are always in the right of it. I'll be as silent as the grave."
Chapter 6 ends with this dramatic proclamation. In comparing his silence to a graveyard, Livesey emphasizes the gravity of the situation the three have found themselves in. If word gets out about the map, they risk attracting more desperate, ruthless pirates. Stevenson uses this metaphor purposefully in order to highlight the map's significance and raise the stakes for the reader. The quest for the treasure map is the driving force of the novel. It represents the allure of fortune and wealth. The pirates in the novel go to great lengths in order to obtain or keep it. Billy Bones murders the pirate Black Dog after he attempts to take it from him, for example, and Long John Silver orchestrates an undercover plan to take over the Hispaniola and find the treasure himself. This greed drives the pirates in the novel to disobey the law. But obtaining the buried treasure is far from straightforward. Jim and his companions encounter obstacles that challenge their pursuits. In the end, finding the buried treasure requires a mixture of intellect, pragmatism, and courage.
Related Themes:
Chapter 8. At the Sign of the “Spy-glass”
Explanation and Analysis—Animals:
Animals, especially birds, are a common motif in Treasure Island. Birds are associated with pirates—Long John Silver in particular. When Silver first appears in Chapter 8, Jim uses a simile and compares him to a bird:
His left leg was cut off close by the hip, and under the left shoulder he carried a crutch, which he managed with wonderful dexterity, hopping about upon it like a bird. […] Indeed, he seemed in the most cheerful spirits, whistling as he moved about among the tables, [...].
Jim presents Silver's movements as bird-like, as if he's hopping about. The passage generally paints Silver in positive light. It characterizes him as jovial and pleasant to be around. His whistling is like the call of a bird, and the reader can picture him moving "about among the tables" like a bird hopping from branch to branch in a tree.
To that end, one of Treasure Island's characters actually is a bird: namely, Captain Flint, who is Long John Silver’s worldly parrot:
Now that bird, [Long John Silver] would say, is, may be, two hundred years old, Hawkins—they lives for ever mostly; and if anybody’s seen more wickedness, it must be the devil himself.
Silver's bird shares a name with Captain Flint, the notorious pirate who never appears in the novel but nevertheless haunts many of the characters. Silver speaks about his parrot with great affection and treats him like a trusted companion rather than a pet. Indeed, the parrot is more like a pirate than a bird and even speaks like one.
The pirates in Treasure Island are associated with other animals, not just birds. In Chapter 11, Silver describes pirates as "gentlemen of fortune" who:
Lives rough, and they risk swinging, but they eat and drink like fighting-cocks.
In making such a comparison, Silver characterizes pirates like himself as tough, ruthless, and violent. In Chapter 14, Jim observes Silver attempting to convince Tom, a member of the crew, to join the mutiny. When a frightening cry rings out, Tom reacts with fear:
Tom had leaped at the sound, like a horse at the spur; but Silver had not winked an eye. He stood where he was, resting lightly on his crutch, watching his companion like a snake about to spring.
The story compares Tom to a skittish horse who jumps when urged forward, painting a clear image of his fear for the reader. In describing Silver like an awaiting snake, the story emphasizes the danger Tom is in and foreshadows his murder soon after. When Tom refuses to join Silver, Silver literally strikes and kills him, and the story compares him to yet another animal, this time a monkey:
Silver, agile as a monkey, even without leg or crutch, was on top of [Tom] next moment, and had twice buried his knife up to the hilt in that defenseless body. From my place of ambush, I could hear him pant aloud as he struck the blows.
This comparison to everyday animals allows the reader to vividly picture Silver's violent actions. Silver is not only clever and good on his feet but is also like a shapeshifter, able to transform from one thing to the next. These descriptive details underscore his shadowy nature as a character.
In Chapter 15, the novel uses a simile again to describe a character's physical movements. As Jim runs away from Silver and the other pirates on the island, he suddenly sees a strange figure in the woods:
From trunk to trunk the creature flitted like a deer, running manlike on two legs, but unlike any man that I had ever seen, stooping almost double as it ran.
Jim compares the creature's movements to a deer. This strange "creature" turns out to be Ben Gunn, a former member of Captain Flint's crew who has been moored on Treasure Island for three years. Gunn, forced to survive on his own, has transformed into something more beast-like than human. His appearance reflects his wild state, having been isolated from other human beings for years. All in all, Stevenson uses physical descriptions and characteristics like the one above to reveal important information about a character's emotions or personality.
Chapter 10. The Voyage
Explanation and Analysis—Animals:
Animals, especially birds, are a common motif in Treasure Island. Birds are associated with pirates—Long John Silver in particular. When Silver first appears in Chapter 8, Jim uses a simile and compares him to a bird:
His left leg was cut off close by the hip, and under the left shoulder he carried a crutch, which he managed with wonderful dexterity, hopping about upon it like a bird. […] Indeed, he seemed in the most cheerful spirits, whistling as he moved about among the tables, [...].
Jim presents Silver's movements as bird-like, as if he's hopping about. The passage generally paints Silver in positive light. It characterizes him as jovial and pleasant to be around. His whistling is like the call of a bird, and the reader can picture him moving "about among the tables" like a bird hopping from branch to branch in a tree.
To that end, one of Treasure Island's characters actually is a bird: namely, Captain Flint, who is Long John Silver’s worldly parrot:
Now that bird, [Long John Silver] would say, is, may be, two hundred years old, Hawkins—they lives for ever mostly; and if anybody’s seen more wickedness, it must be the devil himself.
Silver's bird shares a name with Captain Flint, the notorious pirate who never appears in the novel but nevertheless haunts many of the characters. Silver speaks about his parrot with great affection and treats him like a trusted companion rather than a pet. Indeed, the parrot is more like a pirate than a bird and even speaks like one.
The pirates in Treasure Island are associated with other animals, not just birds. In Chapter 11, Silver describes pirates as "gentlemen of fortune" who:
Lives rough, and they risk swinging, but they eat and drink like fighting-cocks.
In making such a comparison, Silver characterizes pirates like himself as tough, ruthless, and violent. In Chapter 14, Jim observes Silver attempting to convince Tom, a member of the crew, to join the mutiny. When a frightening cry rings out, Tom reacts with fear:
Tom had leaped at the sound, like a horse at the spur; but Silver had not winked an eye. He stood where he was, resting lightly on his crutch, watching his companion like a snake about to spring.
The story compares Tom to a skittish horse who jumps when urged forward, painting a clear image of his fear for the reader. In describing Silver like an awaiting snake, the story emphasizes the danger Tom is in and foreshadows his murder soon after. When Tom refuses to join Silver, Silver literally strikes and kills him, and the story compares him to yet another animal, this time a monkey:
Silver, agile as a monkey, even without leg or crutch, was on top of [Tom] next moment, and had twice buried his knife up to the hilt in that defenseless body. From my place of ambush, I could hear him pant aloud as he struck the blows.
This comparison to everyday animals allows the reader to vividly picture Silver's violent actions. Silver is not only clever and good on his feet but is also like a shapeshifter, able to transform from one thing to the next. These descriptive details underscore his shadowy nature as a character.
In Chapter 15, the novel uses a simile again to describe a character's physical movements. As Jim runs away from Silver and the other pirates on the island, he suddenly sees a strange figure in the woods:
From trunk to trunk the creature flitted like a deer, running manlike on two legs, but unlike any man that I had ever seen, stooping almost double as it ran.
Jim compares the creature's movements to a deer. This strange "creature" turns out to be Ben Gunn, a former member of Captain Flint's crew who has been moored on Treasure Island for three years. Gunn, forced to survive on his own, has transformed into something more beast-like than human. His appearance reflects his wild state, having been isolated from other human beings for years. All in all, Stevenson uses physical descriptions and characteristics like the one above to reveal important information about a character's emotions or personality.
Explanation and Analysis—Clever Long John:
In Chapter 10, the Hispaniola's coxswain Israel Hands praises Long John Silver (whom he nicknames Barbecue) and uses a simile to describe the way he speaks:
He’s no common man, Barbecue, said the coxswain to [Jim]. He had good schooling in his young days, and can speak like a book when so minded; and brave—a lion’s nothing alongside of Long John! I seen him grapple four, and knock their heads together—him unharmed.
In the passage above, Israel makes it clear to Jim and the reader that Long John Silver is no typical pirate. Supposedly the only man Captain Flint ever feared, Silver is not only physically adept but also intelligent to boot. His wits are so advanced that Hands even compares him to a literal book. Stevenson uses this figure of speech, a simile, to emphasize Silver's uniqueness. Silver's exceptionalism makes him admirable. Unlike the other pirates, Silver relies on his cleverness to survive. He refrains from drinking rum, which the other pirates abuse. This sobriety makes Silver clear-eyed and allows him to outsmart and manipulate the mutineers. Silver, all in all, is complex and contradictory, which makes him a formidable enemy. He even escapes unobserved at the very end of the novel, with "three or four hundred guineas" in tow. Although Jim is initially taken aback by Silver's acts of deceit, he eventually learns to respect Silver's pragmatism and resourcefulness.
Related Themes:
Chapter 11. What I Heard in the Apple Barrel
Explanation and Analysis—Animals:
Animals, especially birds, are a common motif in Treasure Island. Birds are associated with pirates—Long John Silver in particular. When Silver first appears in Chapter 8, Jim uses a simile and compares him to a bird:
His left leg was cut off close by the hip, and under the left shoulder he carried a crutch, which he managed with wonderful dexterity, hopping about upon it like a bird. […] Indeed, he seemed in the most cheerful spirits, whistling as he moved about among the tables, [...].
Jim presents Silver's movements as bird-like, as if he's hopping about. The passage generally paints Silver in positive light. It characterizes him as jovial and pleasant to be around. His whistling is like the call of a bird, and the reader can picture him moving "about among the tables" like a bird hopping from branch to branch in a tree.
To that end, one of Treasure Island's characters actually is a bird: namely, Captain Flint, who is Long John Silver’s worldly parrot:
Now that bird, [Long John Silver] would say, is, may be, two hundred years old, Hawkins—they lives for ever mostly; and if anybody’s seen more wickedness, it must be the devil himself.
Silver's bird shares a name with Captain Flint, the notorious pirate who never appears in the novel but nevertheless haunts many of the characters. Silver speaks about his parrot with great affection and treats him like a trusted companion rather than a pet. Indeed, the parrot is more like a pirate than a bird and even speaks like one.
The pirates in Treasure Island are associated with other animals, not just birds. In Chapter 11, Silver describes pirates as "gentlemen of fortune" who:
Lives rough, and they risk swinging, but they eat and drink like fighting-cocks.
In making such a comparison, Silver characterizes pirates like himself as tough, ruthless, and violent. In Chapter 14, Jim observes Silver attempting to convince Tom, a member of the crew, to join the mutiny. When a frightening cry rings out, Tom reacts with fear:
Tom had leaped at the sound, like a horse at the spur; but Silver had not winked an eye. He stood where he was, resting lightly on his crutch, watching his companion like a snake about to spring.
The story compares Tom to a skittish horse who jumps when urged forward, painting a clear image of his fear for the reader. In describing Silver like an awaiting snake, the story emphasizes the danger Tom is in and foreshadows his murder soon after. When Tom refuses to join Silver, Silver literally strikes and kills him, and the story compares him to yet another animal, this time a monkey:
Silver, agile as a monkey, even without leg or crutch, was on top of [Tom] next moment, and had twice buried his knife up to the hilt in that defenseless body. From my place of ambush, I could hear him pant aloud as he struck the blows.
This comparison to everyday animals allows the reader to vividly picture Silver's violent actions. Silver is not only clever and good on his feet but is also like a shapeshifter, able to transform from one thing to the next. These descriptive details underscore his shadowy nature as a character.
In Chapter 15, the novel uses a simile again to describe a character's physical movements. As Jim runs away from Silver and the other pirates on the island, he suddenly sees a strange figure in the woods:
From trunk to trunk the creature flitted like a deer, running manlike on two legs, but unlike any man that I had ever seen, stooping almost double as it ran.
Jim compares the creature's movements to a deer. This strange "creature" turns out to be Ben Gunn, a former member of Captain Flint's crew who has been moored on Treasure Island for three years. Gunn, forced to survive on his own, has transformed into something more beast-like than human. His appearance reflects his wild state, having been isolated from other human beings for years. All in all, Stevenson uses physical descriptions and characteristics like the one above to reveal important information about a character's emotions or personality.
Chapter 14. The First Blow
Explanation and Analysis—Animals:
Animals, especially birds, are a common motif in Treasure Island. Birds are associated with pirates—Long John Silver in particular. When Silver first appears in Chapter 8, Jim uses a simile and compares him to a bird:
His left leg was cut off close by the hip, and under the left shoulder he carried a crutch, which he managed with wonderful dexterity, hopping about upon it like a bird. […] Indeed, he seemed in the most cheerful spirits, whistling as he moved about among the tables, [...].
Jim presents Silver's movements as bird-like, as if he's hopping about. The passage generally paints Silver in positive light. It characterizes him as jovial and pleasant to be around. His whistling is like the call of a bird, and the reader can picture him moving "about among the tables" like a bird hopping from branch to branch in a tree.
To that end, one of Treasure Island's characters actually is a bird: namely, Captain Flint, who is Long John Silver’s worldly parrot:
Now that bird, [Long John Silver] would say, is, may be, two hundred years old, Hawkins—they lives for ever mostly; and if anybody’s seen more wickedness, it must be the devil himself.
Silver's bird shares a name with Captain Flint, the notorious pirate who never appears in the novel but nevertheless haunts many of the characters. Silver speaks about his parrot with great affection and treats him like a trusted companion rather than a pet. Indeed, the parrot is more like a pirate than a bird and even speaks like one.
The pirates in Treasure Island are associated with other animals, not just birds. In Chapter 11, Silver describes pirates as "gentlemen of fortune" who:
Lives rough, and they risk swinging, but they eat and drink like fighting-cocks.
In making such a comparison, Silver characterizes pirates like himself as tough, ruthless, and violent. In Chapter 14, Jim observes Silver attempting to convince Tom, a member of the crew, to join the mutiny. When a frightening cry rings out, Tom reacts with fear:
Tom had leaped at the sound, like a horse at the spur; but Silver had not winked an eye. He stood where he was, resting lightly on his crutch, watching his companion like a snake about to spring.
The story compares Tom to a skittish horse who jumps when urged forward, painting a clear image of his fear for the reader. In describing Silver like an awaiting snake, the story emphasizes the danger Tom is in and foreshadows his murder soon after. When Tom refuses to join Silver, Silver literally strikes and kills him, and the story compares him to yet another animal, this time a monkey:
Silver, agile as a monkey, even without leg or crutch, was on top of [Tom] next moment, and had twice buried his knife up to the hilt in that defenseless body. From my place of ambush, I could hear him pant aloud as he struck the blows.
This comparison to everyday animals allows the reader to vividly picture Silver's violent actions. Silver is not only clever and good on his feet but is also like a shapeshifter, able to transform from one thing to the next. These descriptive details underscore his shadowy nature as a character.
In Chapter 15, the novel uses a simile again to describe a character's physical movements. As Jim runs away from Silver and the other pirates on the island, he suddenly sees a strange figure in the woods:
From trunk to trunk the creature flitted like a deer, running manlike on two legs, but unlike any man that I had ever seen, stooping almost double as it ran.
Jim compares the creature's movements to a deer. This strange "creature" turns out to be Ben Gunn, a former member of Captain Flint's crew who has been moored on Treasure Island for three years. Gunn, forced to survive on his own, has transformed into something more beast-like than human. His appearance reflects his wild state, having been isolated from other human beings for years. All in all, Stevenson uses physical descriptions and characteristics like the one above to reveal important information about a character's emotions or personality.
Chapter 15. The Man of the Island
Explanation and Analysis—Animals:
Animals, especially birds, are a common motif in Treasure Island. Birds are associated with pirates—Long John Silver in particular. When Silver first appears in Chapter 8, Jim uses a simile and compares him to a bird:
His left leg was cut off close by the hip, and under the left shoulder he carried a crutch, which he managed with wonderful dexterity, hopping about upon it like a bird. […] Indeed, he seemed in the most cheerful spirits, whistling as he moved about among the tables, [...].
Jim presents Silver's movements as bird-like, as if he's hopping about. The passage generally paints Silver in positive light. It characterizes him as jovial and pleasant to be around. His whistling is like the call of a bird, and the reader can picture him moving "about among the tables" like a bird hopping from branch to branch in a tree.
To that end, one of Treasure Island's characters actually is a bird: namely, Captain Flint, who is Long John Silver’s worldly parrot:
Now that bird, [Long John Silver] would say, is, may be, two hundred years old, Hawkins—they lives for ever mostly; and if anybody’s seen more wickedness, it must be the devil himself.
Silver's bird shares a name with Captain Flint, the notorious pirate who never appears in the novel but nevertheless haunts many of the characters. Silver speaks about his parrot with great affection and treats him like a trusted companion rather than a pet. Indeed, the parrot is more like a pirate than a bird and even speaks like one.
The pirates in Treasure Island are associated with other animals, not just birds. In Chapter 11, Silver describes pirates as "gentlemen of fortune" who:
Lives rough, and they risk swinging, but they eat and drink like fighting-cocks.
In making such a comparison, Silver characterizes pirates like himself as tough, ruthless, and violent. In Chapter 14, Jim observes Silver attempting to convince Tom, a member of the crew, to join the mutiny. When a frightening cry rings out, Tom reacts with fear:
Tom had leaped at the sound, like a horse at the spur; but Silver had not winked an eye. He stood where he was, resting lightly on his crutch, watching his companion like a snake about to spring.
The story compares Tom to a skittish horse who jumps when urged forward, painting a clear image of his fear for the reader. In describing Silver like an awaiting snake, the story emphasizes the danger Tom is in and foreshadows his murder soon after. When Tom refuses to join Silver, Silver literally strikes and kills him, and the story compares him to yet another animal, this time a monkey:
Silver, agile as a monkey, even without leg or crutch, was on top of [Tom] next moment, and had twice buried his knife up to the hilt in that defenseless body. From my place of ambush, I could hear him pant aloud as he struck the blows.
This comparison to everyday animals allows the reader to vividly picture Silver's violent actions. Silver is not only clever and good on his feet but is also like a shapeshifter, able to transform from one thing to the next. These descriptive details underscore his shadowy nature as a character.
In Chapter 15, the novel uses a simile again to describe a character's physical movements. As Jim runs away from Silver and the other pirates on the island, he suddenly sees a strange figure in the woods:
From trunk to trunk the creature flitted like a deer, running manlike on two legs, but unlike any man that I had ever seen, stooping almost double as it ran.
Jim compares the creature's movements to a deer. This strange "creature" turns out to be Ben Gunn, a former member of Captain Flint's crew who has been moored on Treasure Island for three years. Gunn, forced to survive on his own, has transformed into something more beast-like than human. His appearance reflects his wild state, having been isolated from other human beings for years. All in all, Stevenson uses physical descriptions and characteristics like the one above to reveal important information about a character's emotions or personality.
Chapter 18. Narrative Continued by the Doctor: End of the First Day’s Fighting
Explanation and Analysis—Lain Like a Trojan:
In Chapter 18, Squire Trelawney’s gamekeeper and servant Tom Redruth is shot and killed by mutineers on Treasure Island. Narrated by Doctor Livesey, the novel then uses both an allusion and simile to describe Tom Redruth after his death:
He had lain like a Trojan behind his mattress in the galley; he had followed every order silently, doggedly, and well; he was the oldest of our party by a score of years; and now, sullen, old, serviceable servant, it was he that was to die.
Doctor Livesey, who narrates the passage above, uses a simile and compares Tom Redruth to a Trojan. In Greek mythology, Trojans were defenders of the ancient kingdom of Troy. Fierce warriors, they symbolized courage and loyalty. In comparing Tom to a soldier, the novel suggests his death is a virtuous and noble act, not unlike the fallen Trojan who has sacrificed his life for some larger cause. The Doctor then goes on to describe Tom as a "sullen, old, serviceable" servant who was extremely loyal to the Squire and always obeyed his orders. In emphasizing these traits, the Doctor characterizes Tom's death as misfortune and sacrifice to be mourned.
Stevenson includes this allusion and simile in the narrative to heighten the drama of Tom's death. It is an important, tragic moment for Jim and the others; they realize how much they may lose as a consequence of the pirates' act of mutiny.
Related Themes:
Chapter 34. And Last
Explanation and Analysis—Coins Like Autumn Leaves:
In Chapter 34, Jim, Long John Silver and the rest of the crew finally find the ever-elusive buried treasure. Jim uses vivid imagery and a simile to describe the money he and the others find:
English, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Georges, and Louises, doubloons and double guineas and moidores and sequins, the pictures of all the kings of Europe for the last hundred years, strange Oriental pieces stamped with what looked like wisps of string or bits of spider’s web, round pieces and square pieces […] nearly every variety of money in the world must, I think, have found a place in that collection; and for number, I am sure they were like autumn leaves, so that my back ached with stooping and my fingers with sorting them out.
Jim compares the endless denominations of coins to the varying colors of autumn leaves. This vivid description underscores the allure of the coins while complicating their seemingly harmless and pleasant nature. Sorting through the treasure is like raking or gathering fallen autumn leaves, an exhausting, tiresome task. In describing the found gold in this way, Stevenson complicates the treasure's allure, reminding the reader of the potential pitfalls and downsides of riches like the ones found at the end of Treasure Island.
Related Themes:
