Treasure Island · Chapter
Part II: The Sea-Cook explained
Jim Hawkins recounts the journey to Bristol, the hiring of Long John Silver as ship's cook, and the initial preparations for the voyage to Treasure Island.
What happens
Jim Hawkins recounts the journey to Bristol, the hiring of Long John Silver as ship's cook, and the initial preparations for the voyage to Treasure Island.
Themes in this chapter
Deception and Disguise
Long John Silver's charming demeanor masks his true intentions as a mutineer.
Adventure and Coming of Age
Jim's journey to Bristol and his first encounter with the sea represent a rite of passage into a world of danger and discovery.
Characters to notice
- Jim Hawkins
Narrator and protagonist, traveling to Bristol and observing the crew.
- Long John Silver
Introduced as the one-legged sea-cook, hired in Bristol; charismatic and cunning.
- Squire Trelawney
Organizes the voyage, hires the crew, and trusts Silver.
- Doctor Livesey
Accompanies the expedition, provides medical and practical advice.
- Captain Smollett
Expresses concerns about the crew and the secrecy of the voyage.
Key passages
“I was not so easy, and I began to look about me.”
Jim felt uneasy and started to pay closer attention to his surroundings.
Jim's growing wariness foreshadows his later suspicions.
“He was a very tall man, well and strongly built, and had a face as big as a ham—plain and pale, but intelligent and smiling.”
Silver was a large, strong man with a broad, pale face that looked clever and friendly.
First description of Long John Silver, emphasizing his deceptive charm.