Everything enhances the feeling of
discouragement, in a quest that was meant from the beginning to be neither
easy, nor pleasant. The first wrong step that is soon taken is the choice of a
crew whose intentions do not really aim for a peaceful pursuit of the treasure;
thus, the journey is bound for all kinds of hardships and delays, right from
the start – as it could not be otherwise.
Very cleverly, Stevenson creates
some very interesting and unforgettable characters, giving each one of them a
key role in the development of a quest triggered precisely by these contrasting
and strong personalities. How could the reader forget the brave, young Jim
Hawkins, the fearsome Billy Bines, the pirate without a leg Long John Silver,
as well as doctor Livesey, captain Smollet and the parrot and his phrase
“pieces of eight, pieces of eight”? These characters, with their deceptions,
secrets and yearnings, complete a story that offers the reader an addictive and
exciting experience.
The author does not skimp on plot
devices in creating an unforgettable adventure, and he employs a series of
techniques that nowadays may seem typical clichés, as he adds to his plot mysterious
islands, old maps, hidden treasures, pirates and buccaneers, treason and
double-faced friendships, fighting with muskets and cannons, and classical
literary embellishment. However, at the end of the XIXth century,
the story emerged as very fresh and interesting, and even today it remains one
of the greatest pieces of the genre, due to the special features and devices it
uses to create a solid and consistent narrative.
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