XVIII century A mysterious stranger, an overweight elderly man with a saber scar on his cheek, settles in the Admiral Benbow tavern, located near the English city of Bristol. His name is Billy Bonet. Rough and unbridled, he is at the same time clearly afraid of someone and even asks the son of the innkeepers, Jim Hawkins, to watch for a sailor on a wooden leg to appear in the area.
Finally, those from whom Billy Bonet is hiding find him; The first intruder, a man with a pale, sallow face, is called Black Dog. A quarrel breaks out between Billy Bones and Black Dog, and Black Dog, wounded in the shoulder, flees. From the excitement experienced, Billy Bones suffers an apoplexy. Bedridden for several days, he admits to Jim that he served as a navigator for the late Captain Flint, a famous pirate whose name until recently terrified sailors. The old navigator is afraid that his former accomplices, who are hunting for the contents of his sailor's chest, will send him a black mark - a sign of a pirate warning.
This is what happens. It is brought by a repulsive-looking blind man named Pew. When he leaves, Billy Bonet is about to run, but his sick heart can't take it and he dies. Realizing that sea robbers are about to raid the tavern, Jim and his mother send their fellow villagers for help, and they themselves return to take the money owed to them for the stay from the chest of the deceased pirate. Along with the money, Jim takes a package from the chest.
As soon as the young man and his mother manage to leave the house, pirates appear and fail to find what they are looking for.
The package that Jim gives to two respectable gentlemen, Doctor Livesey and Squire Trelawney, contains a map of the island where Captain Flint's treasure is hidden. The gentlemen decide to follow them, taking Jim Hawkins as a cabin boy on the ship. Having promised the doctor not to reveal the purpose of the upcoming journey to anyone, Squire Trelawney leaves for Bristol to buy a ship and hire a crew. Subsequently, it turns out that the squire did not keep his word: the whole city knows where and why the schooner Hispaniola is going to sail.
The crew he recruited does not please Captain Smollett, who he hired, who thinks that the sailors are not reliable enough. Most of them were recommended by the owner of the Spyglass Tavern, the one-legged John Silver. A former sailor himself, he is hired on a ship as a cook. Shortly before departure, Jim meets the Black Dog in his tavern, who, seeing the young man, runs away. The Doctor and the Squire learn about this episode, but do not attach any importance to it.
Everything becomes clear when the Hispaniola is already approaching Treasure Island. Climbing into an apple barrel, Jim accidentally overhears Silver's conversation with the sailors, from which he learns that most of them are pirates, and their leader is a one-legged cook who was Captain Flint's quartermaster.
As soon as the schooner drops anchor off the island, discipline on the ship begins to plummet. A riot is brewing. Leaving accomplices on the schooner, the pirates, led by Silver, set off on boats to the island. Jim jumps into one of the boats, for some unknown reason, but runs away as soon as it reaches the ground.
Wandering around the island, Jim meets Ben Gunn, a former pirate left here by his comrades three years ago. He paid for convincing them to search for Captain Flint's treasure, which was unsuccessful. Ben Gunn says that he would rather help natural gentlemen than gentlemen of fortune, and asks Jim to tell his friends this. He also tells the young man that he has a boat and explains how to find it.
Meanwhile, the captain, doctor, squire with three servants and sailor Abe Gray, who did not want to stay with the pirates, manage to escape from the ship in a skiff, taking with them weapons, ammunition and a supply of provisions. They take refuge in a log house behind a palisade, where a stream flows and they can hold a siege for a long time. Seeing a British flag over the stockade, and not the “Jolly Roger” that the pirates would have raised, Jim Hawkins realizes that there are friends there, and, joining them, talks about Ben Gunn.
After the courageous little garrison fends off an attack by pirates seeking a treasure map, Dr. Livesey goes to meet Ben Gunn, and Jim commits another inexplicable act. He leaves the fort without permission, finds a boat belonging to Ben Gunn and goes to the Hispaniola. Taking advantage of the fact that shortly before his appearance, two pirates guarding her had a drunken brawl in which one of them died and the other was wounded, Jim seizes the ship and takes it to a secluded bay, after which he returns to the fort.
But he does not find his friends there, but ends up in the hands of pirates, to whom, as he later learns, the fort was surrendered without a fight. They are about to give the young man a painful death, when suddenly John Silver stands up for him. It becomes clear that by that time the leader of the robbers already understands that the game is lost, and, while protecting Jim, he is trying to save his own skin. This is confirmed when Dr. Livesey comes to the fort, who gives Silver the coveted map, and the former cook receives from him a promise to save him from the gallows.
When the sea robbers arrive at the place where, as the map shows, the treasure is buried, they find an empty hole and are about to tear to pieces their leader, and with him the boy, when suddenly shots are heard and two of them fall dead. The rest take to their heels. Doctor Livesey, sailor Abe Gray and Ben Gunn, who came to the rescue, lead Jim and Silver to the cave, where the squire and captain are waiting for them. It turns out that Ben Gunn had long ago found Flint's gold and dragged it to his home.
Having loaded the treasure onto the ship, everyone sets off on their way back, leaving the pirates on a desert island. In one of the American ports, Silver escapes, taking a bag of gold coins. The rest safely reach the shores of England, where everyone receives their share of the treasure.
In the suburbs of Bristol, at the Admiral Benbow tavern, a mysterious man stops - overweight, aged, with saber marks on his face. This is Billy Bones. Sharp and hot-tempered, he is obviously wary of someone. Billy asks the owner's son, Jim Hawkins, to watch for a one-legged sailor nearby.
But Bones is still discovered. The uninvited guest is Black Dog. A conflict arises between them, Billy wounds him, and Black Dog runs away. Bones suffers a stroke from the anxiety he endured. Lying in bed, he told Jim that he worked as a navigator for the well-known Captain Flint. Flint is dead, but his name still strikes fear into sailors. Billy is wary that his former accomplices, wanting to take possession of the treasure chest, will send him a black mark.
She didn't have to wait long. The black mark is delivered by blind Pew. Bones tries to escape, but his health deteriorates noticeably and he dies. The young man and his mother, guessing that pirates will soon appear on the doorstep, take money from Billy’s chest that was supposed to pay for the rent. But Jim also grabs a package. As soon as they leave the hut, pirates arrive and cannot find what they need.
The young man gives the package to Livesey and Trelawney, in it they discover a map of the island where the treasure of the pirate Flint is hidden. Together they decide to go in search of treasure. To do this, Trelawney goes to the city to purchase a ship and recruit a crew. Having bought the ship "Hispaniola", Trelawney is unable to restrain himself and tells him why and to what place they are going. The whole of Bristol will know about this.
Captain Smollett, who was accepted into the team, does not like the sailors; they seem suspicious to him. Many of them were advised to take on the former one-legged navigator John Silver, owner of the Spyglass tavern.
A couple of days before the ship departs, the young man encounters the Black Dog in a tavern, but when he sees Jim, he hides. Having learned about this, Livesey and Trelawney do not pay due attention to this case.
Everything is revealed when the ship approaches the designated location on the map. The young man unwittingly witnesses Silver's conversation with the team. He understands that many of them are pirates, and the most important one was the second person on Flint’s ship. Their plot is to kill all decent people as soon as they find the treasure and deliver it to the ship. Jim tells his comrades about this, and they come up with a plan of action.
As soon as the Hispaniola reaches the shore, the sailors begin to riot. This goes against their plan. The captain gives the command to Silver to pacify the rebels and he offers to inspect the island. The pirates jump into the boats, and Jim follows them. As soon as they swam to the shore, the young man runs deep into the island. There he stumbles upon the pirate Ben Gunn, who was abandoned by his friends three years ago. They also looked for hidden treasures, but to no avail. Ben told Jim that he would help honest people rather than robbers. He says that he has a boat and where to find it.
The summary of Stevenson's "Treasure Island" is probably familiar to every person. And it was not at all necessary to read this wonderful work. Both a film and a cartoon were made based on this book. Although those who read it from cover to cover did not lose anything, rather, on the contrary, they received great pleasure from this fascinating activity. After all, reading only a summary of Stevenson’s “Treasure Island”, it is impossible to feel the spirit of romance and adventure, to enjoy the beautiful style that the writer mastered perfectly.
A few words about the author
Before conveying a brief summary of the book “Treasure Island” (Stevenson worked on it for several years), I would like to say a few words about the author. He was born in Edinburgh on November 13, 1850. The family was quite wealthy, so the boy received a good education. Biographers claim that at the age of three the future writer became very ill, which forced him to spend a lot of time in bed. It was probably then that he began to come up with his first stories in order to somehow amuse himself. But the first book saw the world only in 1866.
It is impossible to say with certainty that Stevenson’s first works as a writer brought him fame. But the main thing is that the young man did not stop halfway. He travels a lot around his native country and the world, simultaneously publishing his works and arranging his personal life.
Having married Fanny Osborne in May 1880, he adopted her two children as his own. In the future, daughter Fanny took dictation of her stepfather's works, and her son Lloyd became a co-author of many of Robert's works.
History of Treasure Island
Of course, we will tell you a summary of “Treasure Island”. Stevenson had long wanted to write a real novel, but not a single attempt to start the work was crowned with success. Perhaps the right moment has not yet arrived. But then one day, while painting with his stepson, Robert began to draw himself. This is how a map of the island appeared, which he would later describe in the book. The writer began work on it in September 1881. Relatives were the first listeners of the novel and became its co-authors. So, the father recommended introducing a barrel of apples and Billy Bones' chest into it.
The first publication was published in the children's magazine Young Folks, but the public did not like it. But the book, published under the author’s real name, was received favorably. Already in 1886 it was translated into many languages, including Russian. As a result, R. L. Stevenson became a classic of fiction. “Treasure Island,” a brief summary of which we will consider below, is recognized as the best example of an adventure novel. And now it is studied in school curriculums all over the world.
Plot
Without a doubt, the best novel Robert Louis Stevenson wrote is Treasure Island. We will now consider a brief summary of it.
The book takes place in the eighteenth century. The work begins with a story about the Admiral Benbow tavern, where young Jim Hawkins lives and works. A mysterious stranger, Billy Bones, has arrived at the establishment and is hiding from a sailor with a wooden leg. But he finds him. and a fight ensues. After the massacre, the wounded Black Dog runs away, and Billy Bones feels terrible. His fears are confirmed: the messenger of the sea robbers brings a black mark. Billy soon dies of a heart attack.
After the death of the guest, Jim and his mother become the owners of a strange package. Forced to flee from pirates, they go into hiding. The young man shows the package to Squire Trelawney and Doctor Livesey, who find in it a map to the island with Captain Flint's hidden treasure. They equip the ship, take Jim as a cabin boy and go on a search. The adventure begins!
The journey continues
We continue to look at the summary of “Treasure Island”. Stevenson, I must admit, did a great job! We cannot convey the intrigue that captures the reader from the first lines. But still he learns that the ship is sailing in search of treasure. For some reason, Captain Smollett does not like the team, most of whose members were recommended by John Silver, the one-legged cook.
When the ship was already approaching the treasured island, Jim accidentally overheard a conversation between one-legged John and the sailors. It turns out that these are pirates who are also hunting for treasure. They plan to take away the treasure, seize the ship, and kill all unnecessary people. Warned of danger, our heroes can adequately prepare for it.
On the island
Robert Stevenson came up with a very interesting story! “Treasure Island,” the summary of which we continue to retell, does not let the reader go until the last page. Having given Silver the opportunity to suppress the rebellion, Smollett invites the sailors to rest on the island and then return to the ship to continue the journey; Jim, finding himself on the shore with everyone else, runs away. On the island, he accidentally finds Ben Gunn, a former comrade of the pirates, whom they abandoned three years ago. He is ready to help an honest company in exchange for them taking him to the mainland.
The gentlemen leave the ship, taking everything they need. Jim joins his comrades and tells them about Ben. Meanwhile, the pirates go on the attack. Jim captures an empty ship, takes it to safety, but finds himself trapped and does not know where his friends have gone. Suddenly, John Silver, who managed to get the map, stands up for the cabin boy. But instead of treasure, the corsairs find an empty pit. Friends fight off Jim and capture Silver, who was unable to escape like his comrades during the shootout. It turns out that Ben Gunn dug up the treasure long ago and moved it to his home.
Having loaded Flint's gold onto the ship, the treasure hunters go home, leaving the pirates on the island. Taking advantage of the moment, one-legged John runs away, taking part of the treasure with him. All other participants in the expeditions received their share and returned safely home to England.
What is this book about?
This is an interesting novel that Stevenson gave the world. “Treasure Island,” a very brief summary of which we have outlined, is a very unusual work. I would like to note that the writer made a revolution by writing a book in a genre that was previously unknown. Society did not accept him at first, but then truly appreciated him and fell in love. Who among us has not raved about exciting adventures, secrets, and the romance of the sea and uninhabited islands? And all this against the backdrop of a dangerous enemy - pirates, hungry for easy money and stopping at nothing. However, justice has triumphed, good triumphs over evil. The heroes of the novel with Dr. Livesey, Squire Trelawney, Captain Smollett, Jim Hawkins appear to be very brave, courageous and respectable people. Their enemies are pirates, they are cruel and desperate scoundrels, but cowards who can leave their comrades in trouble.
Why is it worth reading the work?
The summary of the literary masterpiece that we have retold is, of course, suitable for a reader’s diary. But it does not convey the beauty of speech, the lightness of style, the wit of phrases. We missed many important points and quotes that simply did not fit into the limited scope of our article. But you can fix everything. To do this, you just need to pick up this wonderful book.
Instead of an afterword
The book by a classic of world literature will be of interest to both adults and children. After all, the spirit of adventure has no age. And if we remember that the novel ends with a happy ending, then we can safely say that Stevenson’s work promotes positive thinking, teaches one to believe in the best, and liberates one’s imagination. And for this reason alone, Treasure Island is worth reading or re-reading.
18th century. In one of the taverns located near Bristol, a mysterious middle-aged man appears, introducing himself to others under the name Billy Bones. He behaves rudely and arrogantly with all the visitors to this establishment, but at the same time he is clearly afraid of someone and asks young Jimmy, the son of the owners of the inn, to keep an eye on whether the boy, somewhere in the vicinity, sees a sailor whose one leg turns out to be wooden.
Soon those from whom Billy is hiding actually find him, and a man named Black Dog meets him. During a loud quarrel between the two, the uninvited guest, wounded in the shoulder, is forced to disappear, while Mr. Bones is overtaken by an apoplexy from the fear he experienced. Unable to get out of bed for several days, Billy tells Jim that he previously served as a navigator in the crew of the famous pirate Flint, and former comrades hunting for the treasure hidden in his chest may send him a black mark, that is, notice of imminent violence.
A blind man named Pew actually brings the old pirate a fatal sign. Bones tries to escape, but immediately dies from a broken heart. Jimmy and his mother are looking in his chest for money that the deceased guest owed them; the young man also discovers and hides a certain package, although he has no idea about its contents. As soon as the guy and his mother leave the house, pirates immediately arrive, but they are followed by the royal guards, and the sea robbers are forced to flee, left with nothing.
Jim gives the package to two quite decent and respected people in society, the aristocrat Mr. Trelawney and Dr. Livesey. These men realize that they have at their disposal a map of a mysterious island, where the treasures of the legendary Flint are located. Two gentlemen decide to equip an expedition for their search; young Hawkins is also invited to sail to unknown lands as a ship's cabin boy, and the boy enthusiastically agrees. When Trelawny buys a schooner intended for long-distance voyages and hires sailors, the whole city learns about the purpose of the intended trip due to the incontinence of the frivolous squire.
A captain named Smolett, invited by the owners of the schooner, treats his new crew with extreme distrust; the sailors do not seem to him to be decent and reliable. Almost everyone was recommended by the one-legged John Silver, who had also served as a sailor for many years in the past and was now hired as a cook on the schooner. Before setting sail, Jimmy also meets Black Dog, who immediately runs away at the sight of the guy, and Livesey and Trelawney do not consider this episode worthy of attention.
Everything becomes clear when you immediately approach the desired island. Hawkins, hiding in an old barrel, accidentally overhears Silver's conversation with the team members. Most of them turn out to be experienced pirates, while the cook is their leader. This company plans to find the treasure, bring it to the ship and immediately destroy all other passengers on the ship who do not belong to their community. Jimmy immediately warns his comrades, and they develop their own plan of action, not intending to meekly turn into defenseless victims of pirates.
When the schooner finally anchors off the desired island, a riot is clearly brewing on the ship. The captain allows Silver to talk with the crew, after which the sailors are invited to spend some time on shore. Cook and his accomplices rush on boats to land, where they expect to find treasure, and Jimmy makes his way to the island. The guy meets there a certain Mr. Gunn, who was also previously a pirate, but was abandoned here by the crew of his ship several years ago. According to him, it was he who convinced other sailors to start searching for treasures, but all efforts were unsuccessful.
Gunn also explains to the young man how it is possible to find the boat he has.
At the same time, Smolett, the doctor, the squire and one of the sailors, who decided not to join the pirates, escape from the ship, also capturing some supplies of provisions and weapons. They hide in a log house behind a palisade, and they are joined by Hawkins, who understands from the British flag that his friends are there; it is from the young man that everyone learns about Gunn’s existence.
The small group fearlessly repels the attack launched by the pirates, after which the doctor plans to meet with the inhabitant of the island. Jimmy begins to act on his own, he takes the boat he found and goes on it to the ship on which they sailed to these shores. Taking advantage of the fact that there is no security on the schooner, the guy captures it and directs it to a quiet bay that he had noticed before.
But Hawkins fails to meet friends; moreover, he is captured by pirates who, without hesitation, are ready to put the young man to death, having first subjected him to severe torture. However, unexpectedly Silver stands up for Jim, the leader of the sea robbers by this time already understands perfectly well that luck is definitely not on the side of the pirates, now the cook thinks only about saving his own skin. When Dr. Livesey appears, John hands him the island map, while the gentleman promises that Flint's former associate will not be hanged.
When the pirates arrive at the place where, according to the instructions of the map, countless treasures are hidden, they discover only a completely empty pit. They become enraged and are ready to destroy both their leader Silver and Jimmy, but suddenly shots are fired. Two of the team members are killed, the rest immediately flee. Hawkins and the cook follow the doctor and Gunn into the cave, where the ship's captain and the aristocrat Trelawney are already waiting for them. It turns out that the former Flint sailor had long ago found everything that was on the island and moved it to his own, carefully hidden home.
The treasures are quickly loaded onto the ship, which immediately sails home, while the pirates are forced to remain on the island. In one of the American ports, John Silver disappears without a trace, taking with him a certain amount of coins, and everyone else safely arrives in their homeland, England, where everyone gets their due share from the wealth of the famous robber, whose name for many years caused panic horror even among the most courageous sailors.
Year of writing: 1881
Genre: novel
Main characters: Jim- a boy, the son of a tavern owner Mrs Hawkins, John Silver- cook on a ship, pirate, Ben Gan- resident of treasure island
Stevenson's exciting adventures will not leave the boys indifferent; after reading the summary of the novel "Treasure Island" for the reader's diary, hurry up and read the original!
Plot
Jim and Mom work in a tavern. They have a guest, Billy Bones. A pirate came to him, and after a quarrel with him, Bones has a stroke. Before his death, he tells Jim about the island on which Captain Flint's treasures are hidden, and gives the boy a map and the last money for the trip. Jim, together with a doctor known to his mother, hire a ship and set off on a journey. On the ship, Jim finds out that the cook is a pirate, and he tricked his crew onto the ship, and all the sailors are pirates. They reach the island and, after many adventures and dangerous battles, find treasures and return home in triumph.
Conclusion (my opinion)
Jim is a brave boy who sets the example of a caring son, a smart cabin boy, and an intelligent believer in justice and fairness. He is not afraid of pirates and stays his course. You need to believe in yourself and go towards your goals.
