While both parties have the same motto, how one executes his plan draws the line between good and evil. The author’s choice of characters ranges from a squire, to a doctor, to a captain, to pirates, to a young boy of sixteen.
Jim Hawkins
The novel’s protagonist and narrator
Heroic and courageous
An impulsive young adventurer
Jim Hawkins, a young boy and the son of an innkeeper near Bristol, is the young protagonist and narrator of ‘Treasure Island‘. Readers share their feelings and perceptions through the story. Although he acts impulsive and impetuous throughout the novel, Jim exhibits remarkable courage and heroism, with his increasing sensitivity and wisdom. As a result, he transforms from an enthusiastic young boy to a young man who is determined to take courageous decisions, often very risky actions.
His impulsive actions start with getting the maps from Billy’s chest, to uncovering the truth about the pirates and their plan for mutiny, to finding Ben Gunn and enlisting him in their cause, to making a deal with Long Silver, to stealing the Hispaniola, and then to returning it to the captain on time to save themselves. Jim returns home to write the story and is haunted by Long John Silver and his parrot in his dreams long after his return from Treasure Island.
Billy Bones
An old pirate who is a bit rough around the edges
Gives Jim the job of looking out for Long John Silver
Jim grows to like Billy Bones, and is sad when he passes
Billy Bones is an old seaman who comes to stay at Admiral Benbow, where Jim lives with his parents. He is the first pirate Jim meets in the book with a ragged, scarred appearance with a ponytail and a cut on his cheek. In the beginning, he hires Jim to be on the lookout for a one-legged man. Later, it turns out that the one-legged man is Long John Silver, who is another pirate who worked with Flint.
Other pirates were on the lookout for him as he held the treasure map to Flint’s treasures, which sparks the whole story. Despite his dubious behavior and gruff refusal to pay his hotel bills, Jim is genuinely sad when he passes away at the end of the first part of the book
Squire Trelawney
Good-natured, noble, and wealthy landowner
A great shooter
Enthusiastic about adventure
Squire John Trelawney is a good-natured, honest nobleman and a wealthy landowner. He is described as a tall man, over six feet high, and plump in proportion with “a bluff, rough-and-ready face,” from his long travels. Jim Hawkins, the protagonist of the novel, finds recourse in him when the pirates were in search of him for the treasure map.
The moment he acquires the map, his enthusiasm increases over his desire for adventure. His deep passion for going to sea sets him to action. Still, his inability to keep a secret, despite his promise to be “as silent as the grave”, lands him and his companions in trouble. In turn, he was tricked into hiring Long John Silver and his fellow pirates as crew members. His best quality, as Jim describes, lies in his ability to shoot straight. Thus, he is given the jobs that require the best shot.
Dr. Livesey
Local doctor and district magistrate
Intelligent, brave, and cool-headed
Devoted to his profession and will even help pirates
Dr. David Livesey is both the local doctor and district magistrate. He is wise, practical, and a great inspiration to Jim. In the novel, he is seen as intelligent, brave, and cool-headed which helps him to win against his adversaries. Livesey exhibits common sense and rational thought, which gives him credit as a hero, for without him, the whole expedition would have been a disaster.
Devoted to his profession, he even treats wounded and ill pirates, even though they are enemies. His characteristics of steady, modest virtues of everyday life represent him in contrast to his friend, Squire Trelawney, with his fantasy, dream, or adventure.
Captain Smollett
Hired by Squire Trelawney on their voyage
Honest and devoted to his duty as a captain. He expects the same care from others
Becomes suspicious of some of the other crew members
Captain Alexander Smollett is the captain of Hispaniola, hired by Squire Trelawney on their voyage to Treasure Island. He is experienced, honest, and devoted to duty. At the same time, he is persistent and temperamental, which often creates disagreement with other characters. Although a man of few words, he rightly suspects the crew Trelawney has hired. He is very professional and expects his order to be obeyed. He believes in rules to the extent that he admonishes Jim for his disobedience. At one point, he even tells him that he never wishes to sail with him again.
During the voyage to Treasure Island, Captain Smollett manages the ship and crew with great skill and brings the Hispaniola safely within sight of Treasure Island. Smollett is competent and reliable. Thus, like Livesey, he too becomes an inspirational figure for Jim.
Long John Silver
The major antagonist of the novel
A notoriously cunning, greedy, and feared pirate
Despite having just one leg, is a renowned fighter with physical prowess
Long John Silver is a one-legged seaman, introduced as the cook for the voyage to Treasure Island. Later, it turns out that he is the one-legged man Billy Bones feared and the major antagonist in the novel. Unbeknownst to Stevenson, he had made a prototype for a pirate through Long John Silver. He was one of the Flints’ important pirates. He led other pirates during the voyage to Treasure Island. He proved to be a smart and crooked pirate in the novel.
Despite missing a leg, he demonstrates impressive physical and emotional strength. Despite being a cunning, fickle, greedy, and self-seeking personality, he acts genuine and kind towards Jim. Toward the end of the novel, he leaves the ship with his share of gold without informing anyone.
Black Dog
A pirate from Flint’s crew who is missing two fingers
Threatens to give Billy the black spot
Black Dog is the second pirate from Flint’s crew Jim meets in the novel. He visits Billy and enquires him about the map, and threatens to give him a black spot. When Billy attacks, he flees, but he is the cause of the nightmarish consequences Jim has to undergo.
Ben Gunn
A pirate who was marooned by Flint’s crew
Appears on Treasure Island in tattered clothes and agrees to help Jim and the crew
Ben Gunn, a marooned pirate by Flint’s pirate crew, three years before Jim and his companions visit Treasure Island. When Jim meets him for the first time, it took him some time to recognize that Ben is nothing but a human being.
His condition could be the result of his solitude on the island. He appears like a ghost, ”clothed with tatters of old ship’s canvas and old sea-cloth, and this extraordinary patchwork was all held together by a system of the most various and incongruous fastenings, brass buttons, bits of stick, and loops of tarry gaskin [hose].” He willingly helps Jim and Dr. Livesey in bringing back the gold. Also, he agrees to mend his ways when he accompanies them on their journey back.
Pew
Blind man who delivered the black spot to Billy Bones
Billy dies after visiting Pew
A blind man with a formidable appearance presents Billy with a black spot. Unfortunately, “poor Pew”, as he calls himself, dies accidentally when he tries to flee from Admiral Benbow.
Israel Hands
A pirate who works for Long John Silver
Represents the reckless behavior of all pirates
Israel Hands is one of the trusted pirates of Long John Silver. Though described as Captain Flint’s gunner, he works as Hispaniola’s coxswain. He is one of two guards deposited by Silver on the ship when the other pirates are ashore. In the novel, he symbolizes the reckless behavior of all the pirates. When he was expected to be vigilant, he gets drunk and kills his fellow pirate. The other guard lies in a drunken stupor while the ship drifts aimlessly.
Tom Redruth
Servant of Squire Trelawney
A large, strong, and dependable man
Tom Redruth is one of the servants of Squire Trelawney, accompanies him on the ship. He is a large man with a dependable nature and does a lot of the heavy lifting. However, he was killed during the fight with the pirates and buried on the island.
Mr. and Mrs. Hawkins
Parents of Jim Hawkings, who run the Admiral Benbow Inn
Jim’s father dies in the novel
Mr. and Mrs. Hawkins, parents of Jim, run Admiral Benbow Inn. Mrs Hawkins in the novel is projected as a strong and honest woman. She accompanies Jim to get the money from Bill, even though there was no one to witness, she takes only what was hers.
Richard Joyce, and John Hunter
Servants of Squire Trelawney
Accompany the crew to Treasure Island
Like Tom Redruth, Richard Joyce, and John Hunter are servants of Squire Trelawney, who accompany him on the voyage to Treasure Island.
In the novel, R.L. Stevenson has used some minor characters who play a less significant role. Some honest seamen like Mr. Arrow, Abraham Gray, Tom, and Alan travel along with the pirates Job Anderson, Tom Morgan, George Merry, O’Brien, Dick, and nine more unnamed pirates.