Treasure Island, by Robert Lewis Stevenson, is a tale of pirates, treasure, danger and a mysterious island. When we think in our minds of what a pirate is, the descriptions of the characters in this novel are most likely the source of where we get the images we have today. Whether it is a physical trait or a personality trait, items they used, or their usual surroundings, the pirates in the novel Treasure Island represent how we think of pirates today.
Everyone knows that a pirate’s favorite drink is Rum. The book Treasure Island opens with the Captain Billy Bones whistling an old sea-song “Fifteen men on the dead man’s chest—yo-ho-ho and a bottle of rum!” (p 13) When pirates drink rum, they become violent and destructive; chase women, curse, steal, and are just plain uncivilized. The officers on the ship, however, drink wine instead of a hard alcohol like rum. This makes the English gentlemen appear to be more civilized men, with manners, who can act appropriately in society.
Along with being unruly, pirates love to fight each other especially with swords. Captain Bill and Black Dog get into a sword fight at the Inn. “Then all of a sudden there was a tremendous explosion of oaths and other noises--- the chair and table went over a lump, a clash of steel followed, and then a cry of pain, and the next instant I saw Black Dog in full flight and the Captain hotly pursuing, both with drawn cutlasses, and the former streaming blood from the left shoulder.” (p22) They are very skilled on how to use a sword, probably because they have lots of practice fighting each other.
A pirate’s world is again very violent at times. After Black Dog finds him, Captain Bill is eventually given the “black spot” while he is at the inn. The “black spot” is another famous symbol of piracy and death. “On the floor close to his hand there was a little round of paper, blackened on the one side. I could not doubt that this was the black spot; and taking it up, I found written on the other side in a very good, clear hand, a short message: “You have till ten tonight.” (P33) The color black in general represents the pirate’s dark ways, such as their black flag, the Jolly Roger, which signifies death and destruction.
Because of their wild lifestyle, pirates are also known for having many injuries over the years. Long John Silver is very famous for his wooden leg. Even with a missing leg, Silver can move swiftly and fight as well or better than any other pirate. It shows that he has learned to overcome obstacles in his life. The character, Pew, is a blind beggar who walks with a stick which he taps as he walks around. The tapping noise made by Pew and Silver makes people fearful because they can hear them approaching closer and closer. “I suddenly put my hand upon her arm; for I had hard in the silent, frosty air, a sound that brought my heart into my mouth---the tap-tapping of the blind man’s stick upon the frozen road.” (p. 33) Pew’s patch over his eyes is another trait of pirates that we think of today.
Silver traveled around the world with his loyal parrot, Captain Flint. When picturing a pirate in your mind, there is usually a pirate close behind. The parrot was very loyal to Silver and was part of his crew. The parrot seemed to know the pirate’s secrets and would repeat key words over and over again, sometimes giving hints and clues to others, such as; “Pieces of eight!" Pieces of eight! Pieces of eight! and so forth, without pause or change, like the clacking of a tiny mill. Silver’s green parrot, Captain Flint!” (p175) Jim Hawkins knew the pirates had taken over the fort when he heard Captain Flint’s loud cries. He knew Silver was right there with him.
A pirate’s main objective in life is to search for gold and other treasures so he can retire and live well the rest of his life. The adventure begins when Jim finds the treasure map in the Captains chest, at the Inn. He later finds the same map, once again on the island; “And he cast down upon the floor a paper that I instantly recognized---none other than the chart on yellow paper, with the three red crosses, that I had found in the oilcloth at the bottom of the captain’s chest. Why the doctor had given it to him was more than I could fancy. But if it were inexplicable to me, the appearance of the chart was incredible to the surviving mutineers.” (pg.190). The map itself is a symbol of adventure and discovery of treasure. To Jim, the adventure itself is more important than the treasure found. To other people, and greedy pirates, the treasure itself may be more important than the adventure.
One thing is for sure; pirates are made for adventure! Pirates are also known in the book and in real life, to raid and steal others’ ships as well as to have mutinies while aboard the ship. No matter what way they choose, the pirates find a way to take control of the ship. In pirate movies, you will always see at least one fight on land or at sea where the pirates use cannon balls to fire at their enemies. Skulls, bones and skeletons were known to be found on many islands where pirates have been which adds to the adventure.
When you say the word, “pirates” people today automatically picture the original ones from, around the 1800’s. Although pirates are still around today, people don’t always realize this. The novel, Treasure Island, has impacted the way we think of pirates and adventure today. Whether it was a trait, weapons they used violence, fighting, or some other idea, the book has still made an impact. Since the book was written around the time of the original, exciting adventures of famous pirates, people today most likely would think that the author would know how the pirates were really like and probably wrote the book based on his knowledge. Whether or not this is true, people still think of pirates as being the way the author describes them in the book.
Saturday, February 27, 2010
Thursday, December 3, 2009
Siddhartha Visits America
When Siddhartha finally woke up he rubbed his eyes, yawning and stretching and got out of bed. He walked out of his temporary hut, what his tour guide called a tent, and went down to the river. He splashed the fresh smelling, cool water on his face. He sat with his legs crossed, putting his hands together and began to meditate, continuously saying, “Om”. While meditating, Siddhartha thought about all the different places in the world and wondered how he ended up here, in this beautiful meadow in Colorado. Kristen, his American tour guide, had told him how beautiful this part of the country was and she was correct. He could see the purple heather growing on the mountain slopes and could smell the wonderful aroma it gave off. Wildflowers in colors of pink, gold, purple and blue also grew wild in this wondrous place. In the distance, Siddhartha could see the snow capped mountains and the haze around their tips as they rose high into the sky.
As Siddhartha sat and looked at the beauty around him, he could also hear the sounds of birds calling, the rustling of the wind through the treetops, and the sound of water trickling down the nearby rocky cliffs. He thought about how different his life would be if he lived here in America. The freedom the country gave its citizens was an amazing thing. He wondered if the people who lived here knew what a special gift freedom really was. To be fully enlightened, a person’s spirit must be free. A bald eagle flew over Siddhartha’s head and landed on a nearby branch.
Kristen walked up to Siddhartha and sat next to him. He began to explain to her how this beautiful river reminded him of a special river he had known in India. He explained how he had helped many people cross this special river and how the river speaks to us, although many do not hear it. She seemed to understand him. He knew there were other parts of America that were not as peaceful and beautiful as Colorado was. This would be his last day in his glorious meadow. Tomorrow, Kristen would be bringing him back to the airport for his journey to experience an American city, Las Vegas.
The flight arrived in the city at 10:15 a.m. As Siddhartha got off the plane, he felt the heat from the blazing yellow and orange sun above him seeping into his dark skin. He was comforted by the heat because it reminded him of his home in India. He could smell the gas fumes from the plane’s engines as they began to cool down. Kristen led Siddhartha through the airport to the shuttle van parked outside. The van brought them to their hotel, The Luxor. Siddhartha and Kristen got out of the van and looked up. What they saw before them was amazing! The hotel was huge and was shaped like an Egyptian pyramid. It rose up over 300 feet high into the clear, blue sky. There were many palm trees, flowering desert plants and cactus covering the property. It was like nothing Siddhartha had ever seen before!
As they entered the lobby of the hotel, Siddhartha looked up and was even more amazed. Kristen told him The Luxor had one of the largest atriums in the world. “What does this wondrous place represent? I have never seen anything like it!” Siddhartha said. “It represents Egypt and the famous pyramids that lie there from ancient times” Kristen said. “Oh, sounds interesting, you’ll have to tell me more about Egypt later too, but for now, go on and tell me more about this fascinating place!” he said.
Kristen said “The Luxor has restaurants, pools, shops, bars, nightclubs and a huge casino for gambling.” “Ah…” Siddhartha said. “I once lived in a place with many of these same things. Gambling was at one time one of my favorite things to do, but it led me down a path of misery.” “Why did it cause you misery?” Kristen asked. “I thought I was happy with material things and the rich way of life I led. But I was very unhappy with my life and knew I had to move on to my old ways to reach enlightenment. I finally did find my way and connected with Atman. I hope you will find peace in your soul as well.” Siddhartha said.
They walked through the lobby to the casino. Siddhartha saw many colorful and shiny machines that were all flashing light in many directions. He could hear bells and whistles and loud noises but above all, he noticed the “Om” like humming in the background. There were hundreds of people in dressy outfits, mostly black and white, surrounding the area. Women in short skirts were serving alcohol to the guests, reminding him of Kamala and the physical experiences he had once had in India. For a moment, he longed for these things again, but quickly realized this was not the lifestyle he chose and would not keep him on his path of enlightenment. He told Kristen “We must leave here immediately. This is not a safe place. It will lead me down the wrong path once again if I am not careful. I must return to my true home in India where I will continue living a life of enlightenment and connecting with Atman. I hope you choose to do the same. Let us go now while we can.” Kristen smiled at Siddhartha. She understood what he was telling her and they left the casino. Siddhartha went to his quiet room to rest and Kristen went to her room as well.
The following day, they boarded the plane to India. Siddhartha would now be Kristen’s tour guide and bring her to his home in India. He would show her the path to enlightenment and would some day help her cross over the river to the other side.
As Siddhartha sat and looked at the beauty around him, he could also hear the sounds of birds calling, the rustling of the wind through the treetops, and the sound of water trickling down the nearby rocky cliffs. He thought about how different his life would be if he lived here in America. The freedom the country gave its citizens was an amazing thing. He wondered if the people who lived here knew what a special gift freedom really was. To be fully enlightened, a person’s spirit must be free. A bald eagle flew over Siddhartha’s head and landed on a nearby branch.
Kristen walked up to Siddhartha and sat next to him. He began to explain to her how this beautiful river reminded him of a special river he had known in India. He explained how he had helped many people cross this special river and how the river speaks to us, although many do not hear it. She seemed to understand him. He knew there were other parts of America that were not as peaceful and beautiful as Colorado was. This would be his last day in his glorious meadow. Tomorrow, Kristen would be bringing him back to the airport for his journey to experience an American city, Las Vegas.
The flight arrived in the city at 10:15 a.m. As Siddhartha got off the plane, he felt the heat from the blazing yellow and orange sun above him seeping into his dark skin. He was comforted by the heat because it reminded him of his home in India. He could smell the gas fumes from the plane’s engines as they began to cool down. Kristen led Siddhartha through the airport to the shuttle van parked outside. The van brought them to their hotel, The Luxor. Siddhartha and Kristen got out of the van and looked up. What they saw before them was amazing! The hotel was huge and was shaped like an Egyptian pyramid. It rose up over 300 feet high into the clear, blue sky. There were many palm trees, flowering desert plants and cactus covering the property. It was like nothing Siddhartha had ever seen before!
As they entered the lobby of the hotel, Siddhartha looked up and was even more amazed. Kristen told him The Luxor had one of the largest atriums in the world. “What does this wondrous place represent? I have never seen anything like it!” Siddhartha said. “It represents Egypt and the famous pyramids that lie there from ancient times” Kristen said. “Oh, sounds interesting, you’ll have to tell me more about Egypt later too, but for now, go on and tell me more about this fascinating place!” he said.
Kristen said “The Luxor has restaurants, pools, shops, bars, nightclubs and a huge casino for gambling.” “Ah…” Siddhartha said. “I once lived in a place with many of these same things. Gambling was at one time one of my favorite things to do, but it led me down a path of misery.” “Why did it cause you misery?” Kristen asked. “I thought I was happy with material things and the rich way of life I led. But I was very unhappy with my life and knew I had to move on to my old ways to reach enlightenment. I finally did find my way and connected with Atman. I hope you will find peace in your soul as well.” Siddhartha said.
They walked through the lobby to the casino. Siddhartha saw many colorful and shiny machines that were all flashing light in many directions. He could hear bells and whistles and loud noises but above all, he noticed the “Om” like humming in the background. There were hundreds of people in dressy outfits, mostly black and white, surrounding the area. Women in short skirts were serving alcohol to the guests, reminding him of Kamala and the physical experiences he had once had in India. For a moment, he longed for these things again, but quickly realized this was not the lifestyle he chose and would not keep him on his path of enlightenment. He told Kristen “We must leave here immediately. This is not a safe place. It will lead me down the wrong path once again if I am not careful. I must return to my true home in India where I will continue living a life of enlightenment and connecting with Atman. I hope you choose to do the same. Let us go now while we can.” Kristen smiled at Siddhartha. She understood what he was telling her and they left the casino. Siddhartha went to his quiet room to rest and Kristen went to her room as well.
The following day, they boarded the plane to India. Siddhartha would now be Kristen’s tour guide and bring her to his home in India. He would show her the path to enlightenment and would some day help her cross over the river to the other side.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)