Book Anatomy · Thriller and adventure
Anatomy of Treasure Island
Robert Louis Stevenson, 1883. Public domain in the UK and the US. The boy narrator; the map as engine; a charming villain.
Ask Treasure Island a question about its craft (free beta)
Answers cite chapter and paragraph, and every quote is checked against the text. (3 free questions a day).
68,669 words
34 chapters
28% dialogue
18.4 words a sentence
first person
4.6 hours to read
Lessons to borrow
- Show character through action and dialogue rather than exposition: Silver's charm and Jim's courage are revealed through what they do and say, not through description, making them feel alive and real.
- Use setups and payoffs to create satisfaction: The sea-chest, the oilskin packet, and Ben Gunn's hidden treasure are all planted early and paid off later, rewarding attentive readers and creating a sense of inevitability.
- Let young characters surprise readers with their resourcefulness: Jim's boldness in cutting the ship adrift, battling Hands, and navigating the sea proves that youth and courage can overcome experience and numbers, subverting expectations about who can be a hero.
All 180 lenses
The 20 lenses below are the most asked for. The full set of 180 is grouped in 12 pages:
Beat positions Both
Story and structure · lens A1 · compare across books
| Beat | Where | Our reading | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Inciting incident | Ch 1 (I), about 2% through | Billy Bones arrives at the Admiral Benbow inn, bringing danger and mystery into Jim's ordinary life. | |
| First turning point | Ch 6 (VI), about 17% through | The oilskin packet is opened, revealing the treasure map and launching the voyage to Treasure Island. | |
| Midpoint | Ch 10 (X), about 28% through | Jim discovers Silver's mutiny plot in the apple barrel, learning that the voyage is a trap and the officers' lives depend on his silence. | |
| Low point | Ch 28 (XXVIII), about 80% through | Jim is captured by Silver and the mutineers, the blockhouse is taken, and his friends' fates are unknown. | |
| Climax | Ch 33 (XXXIII), about 96% through | The treasure pit is found empty, the doctor's party ambushes the mutineers, and the true treasure is revealed in Ben Gunn's cave. | |
| Resolution | Ch 34 (XXXIV), about 99% through | The treasure is loaded aboard the Hispaniola, Silver escapes, and the survivors sail home with the riches secured. |
a tall, strong, heavy, nut-brown man, his tarry pigtail falling over the shoulder of his soiled blue coat (Ch 1, para 3)
Supposing that I have here in my pocket some clue to where Flint buried his treasure, will that treasure amount to much? (Ch 6, para 27)
He’s no common man, Barbecue,” said the coxswain to me. “He had good schooling in his young days and can speak like a book when so minded; and brave--a lion’s nothing alongside of Long John! (Ch 10, para 19)
That was Flint’s treasure that we had come so far to seek and that had cost already the lives of seventeen men from the HISPANIOLA. (Ch 33, para 41)
Percent is the middle of that chapter as a share of all words. The beat labels are our AI reading of the chapter notes.
Chapter length chart Count
Pace · lens D1 · compare across books
34 chapters. Median 1,998 words, shortest 1,497, longest 2,966. Whole book 68,669 words, about 4.6 hours at 250 words a minute.
Each bar is one chapter in reading order. Hover for the title and count.
Dialogue share per chapter Count
Dialogue and voice · lens C1 · compare across books
28% of all words are dialogue. Speech tags: "said" is 47% of tag verbs we found.
Cast and presence map Count
Character · lens B1, B2 · compare across books
| Character | Role (our reading) | Share of mentions | Chapters on page | First appears |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Long John Silver | antagonist | 32% | 27 of 34 | Ch 6, para 12 |
| Jim Hawkins | lead | 13% | 25 of 34 | Ch 2, para 31 |
| Dr. Livesey | mentor | 8% | 21 of 34 | Ch 1, para 2 |
| Captain Smollett | ally | 6% | 20 of 34 | Ch 4, para 4 |
| Captain Flint | minor | 6% | 17 of 34 | Ch 3, para 5 |
| Ben Gunn | ally | 5% | 11 of 34 | Ch 8, para 18 |
| Israel Hands | antagonist | 5% | 14 of 34 | Ch 9, para 54 |
| Squire Trelawney | ally | 4% | 12 of 34 | Ch 1, para 2 |
| Tom Redruth | minor | 4% | 13 of 34 | Ch 6, para 50 |
| George Merry | minor | 4% | 9 of 34 | Ch 1, para 9 |
| Billy Bones | minor | 4% | 10 of 34 | Ch 2, para 8 |
| Abraham Gray | ally | 3% | 9 of 34 | Ch 16, para 30 |
Who is on the page, chapter by chapter
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Long John Silver | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Jim Hawkins | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Dr. Livesey | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Captain Smollett | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Captain Flint | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Ben Gunn | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Israel Hands | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Squire Trelawney | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Tom Redruth | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| George Merry |
Most shared chapters: Jim Hawkins and Long John Silver (20), Captain Smollett and Long John Silver (19), Dr. Livesey and Jim Hawkins (18), Dr. Livesey and Long John Silver (16), Captain Smollett and Jim Hawkins (15).
Counts use the names and aliases in our cast list. A name in narration or speech counts as a mention.
Chapter ending hooks AI
Pace · lens D8 · compare across books
Chapter endings: 12 reveal, 9 quiet, 9 cliffhanger, 4 question.
Chapters end with cliffhangers and reveals that propel the narrative forward: mysterious arrivals, violent confrontations, discoveries of treachery, and narrow escapes. The pacing alternates between quiet moments of reflection and intense action sequences, keeping readers engaged through both suspense and character development.
Every chapter ending
- Ch 1: quiet. The chapter ends with the captain's routine established, his fear of a one-legged man planted as a mystery
the captain held his peace that evening, and for many evenings to come (Ch 1, para 24)
- Ch 2: reveal. Dr. Livesey reveals the captain's true name is Billy Bones and warns him that rum will kill him
the name of rum for you is death (Ch 2, para 48)
- Ch 3: reveal. The captain dies suddenly after receiving the black spot, leaving Jim in shock and sorrow
- Ch 4: cliffhanger. Jim and his mother hide under a bridge as armed men search for them, with danger still close
So there we had to stay--my mother almost entirely exposed and both of us within earshot of the inn. (Ch 4, para 29)
- Ch 5: reveal. Jim rides to Dr. Livesey with the packet, having survived the night's dangers
I’m glad I trod on Master Pew’s corns,” for by this time he had heard my story. (Ch 5, para 35)
- Ch 6: question. The squire declares they will sail tomorrow, raising the question of what adventures await
- Ch 7: question. The squire announces they sail tomorrow, raising anticipation for the voyage
Sail!” says he. “We sail tomorrow! (Ch 7, para 35)
- Ch 8: quiet. Silver and Jim walk together to the inn, with Jim now trusting Silver completely
by the time the two men had come back out of breath and confessed that they had lost the track in a crowd, and been scolded like thieves, I would have gone bail for the innocence of Long John Silver. (Ch 8, para 32)
- Ch 9: quiet. The captain leaves after his demands are met, and Jim reflects on his dislike for the captain
I assure you I was quite of the squire’s way of thinking, and hated the captain deeply. (Ch 9, para 59)
- Ch 10: cliffhanger. Jim realizes from Silver's words that the honest men's lives depend on him alone, and he must keep silent
from these dozen words I understood that the lives of all the honest men aboard depended upon me alone. (Ch 10, para 35)
- Ch 11: reveal. The moon rises and 'Land ho!' is called, ending the chapter with discovery of the island and Jim's terror at what he has learned
- Ch 12: question. The chapter ends with Jim noting they have only six grown men to nineteen mutineers, raising doubt about their survival
- Ch 13: cliffhanger. Jim runs into the island's interior, pursued by his own fears and the unknown dangers ahead
But you may suppose I paid no heed; jumping, ducking, and breaking through, I ran straight before my nose till I could run no longer. (Ch 13, para 30)
- Ch 14: cliffhanger. Jim runs in terror, convinced he is lost and will die, as a new alarm brings him to a standstill
It was all over, I thought. Good-bye to the HISPANIOLA; good-bye to the squire, the doctor, and the captain! There was nothing left for me but death by starvation or death by the hands of the mutineers. (Ch 14, para 30)
- Ch 15: cliffhanger. A cannon fires, signalling the start of fighting; Jim and Ben run toward the stockade where the Union Jack flies
And I began to run towards the anchorage, my terrors all forgotten, while close at my side the marooned man in his goatskins trotted easily and lightly. (Ch 15, para 54)
- Ch 16: reveal. Jim Hawkins arrives safely at the stockade, answering the officers' fears about his fate
We were clear out of the ship, but not yet ashore in our stockade. (Ch 16, para 38)
- Ch 17: quiet. The party wades ashore, leaving behind the boat and half their supplies, but reaching safety
With all this in our minds, we waded ashore as fast as we could, leaving behind us the poor jolly-boat and a good half of all our powder and provisions. (Ch 17, para 41)
- Ch 18: quiet. Jim Hawkins arrives safely at the stockade, ending the chapter with relief and reunion
And I ran to the door in time to see Jim Hawkins, safe and sound, come climbing over the stockade. (Ch 18, para 44)
- Ch 19: quiet. Jim falls asleep exhausted, and wakes to news of Silver's approach under a flag of truce
Flag of truce!” I heard someone say; and then, immediately after, with a cry of surprise, “Silver himself! (Ch 19, para 42)
- Ch 20: reveal. Silver departs in fury, spitting into the spring and threatening to destroy the stockade within an hour
- Ch 21: reveal. Captain reveals the odds have improved: five pirates dead means nineteen down to fourteen, better than the original seven to nineteen
Five!” cried the captain. “Come, that’s better. Five against three leaves us four to nine. (Ch 21, para 51)
- Ch 22: cliffhanger. Jim sets the coracle on the water and prepares to cut the ship's anchor cable, beginning a dangerous sea adventure
wading a little way in, with some strength and dexterity, set my coracle, keel downwards, on the surface. (Ch 22, para 32)
- Ch 23: cliffhanger. Jim falls asleep in the coracle, exhausted and terrified, expecting death at any moment
So I must have lain for hours, continually beaten to and fro upon the billows, now and again wetted with flying sprays, and never ceasing to expect death at the next plunge. (Ch 23, para 28)
- Ch 24: reveal. Jim leaps aboard the Hispaniola just as it bears down on him, discovering the ship is unsteered and the watchmen are fighting
And then, of a sudden, I began to comprehend. I had scarce time to think--scarce time to act and save myself. I was on the summit of one swell when the schooner came stooping over the next. (Ch 24, para 30)
- Ch 25: quiet. Jim successfully sails the Hispaniola toward North Inlet, pleased with his command but uneasy about Hands's watchful, treacherous expression
I had now plenty of water and good things to eat, and my conscience, which had smitten me hard for my desertion, was quieted by the great conquest I had made. (Ch 25, para 38)
- Ch 26: reveal. Hands throws his dirk at Jim, pinning him to the mast, but Jim's pistols fire and Hands falls into the water, dead
Jim,” says he, “I reckon we’re fouled, you and me, and we’ll have to sign articles. I’d have had you but for that there lurch, but I don’t have no luck, not I (Ch 26, para 42)
- Ch 27: cliffhanger. Captain Flint's parrot announces Jim's arrival with 'Pieces of eight!' and Silver captures him
Silver’s green parrot, Captain Flint! It was she whom I had heard pecking at a piece of bark; it was she, keeping better watch than any human being, who thus announced my arrival with her wearisome refrain. (Ch 27, para 31)
- Ch 28: reveal. Silver confides in Jim that the ship is lost and his only hope is Jim's testimony to save him from hanging
- Ch 29: quiet. Silver dismisses the black spot as worthless and the crew settles down to sleep, though Jim remains troubled by the night's events
Without are dogs and murderers.” The printed side had been blackened with wood ash, which already began to come off and soil my fingers; on the blank side had been written with the same material the one word “Depposed. (Ch 29, para 42)
- Ch 30: reveal. Dr. Livesey departs after promising to save Silver if possible, hinting at hidden knowledge about the treasure hunt
if we both get alive out of this wolf-trap, I’ll do my best to save you, short of perjury. (Ch 30, para 51)
- Ch 31: question. The party approaches the tall tree with growing excitement, but Jim is haunted by dread of what Silver will do once the treasure is found
- Ch 32: cliffhanger. The party reaches the tall tree with renewed determination, but Jim senses impending tragedy
The pines, great and small, grew wide apart; and even between the clumps of nutmeg and azalea, wide open spaces baked in the hot sunshine. (Ch 32, para 39)
- Ch 33: reveal. The treasure is found safe in Ben Gunn's cave, and Silver's true allegiance is finally tested and proven
That was Flint’s treasure that we had come so far to seek and that had cost already the lives of seventeen men from the HISPANIOLA. (Ch 33, para 41)
- Ch 34: quiet. Jim reflects on the fates of the survivors and notes that Silver has vanished from his life, though perhaps living in comfort with his old love
Viewpoint per chapter Both
Viewpoint and narration · lens E2 · compare across books
Counted: the narration is mostly first person (first person words per 1,000 outside speech: 47.3).
The narrative is told primarily from Jim's first-person perspective, with one section narrated by Dr. Livesey in chapters 16 and 17. This shift allows readers to see events from a different angle while maintaining Jim's voice as the dominant perspective, creating intimacy with his growth and discoveries.
- Ch 1 to 15: Jim Hawkins
- Ch 16 to 18: Dr. Livesey
- Ch 19 to 34: Jim Hawkins
Want and need of the lead AI
Character · lens B3 · compare across books
| Lead | Jim Hawkins |
|---|---|
| Wants | Jim wants to find the treasure and survive the adventure on Treasure Island. |
| Needs | Jim needs to grow from a naive boy into a resourceful young man who can navigate betrayal and danger with courage and cunning. |
| False belief | Jim initially trusts Long John Silver completely, believing his charm and kindness are genuine rather than calculated manipulation. |
| Arc | positive. Jim transforms from an innocent innkeeper's son into a brave, resourceful young man who outwits experienced sailors and plays a crucial role in securing the treasure. |
Scene log AI
Story and structure · lens A4 · compare across books
One line per chapter: goal, conflict, outcome
| Ch | Summary | Goal | Conflict | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | A mysterious sea-dog arrives at the Admiral Benbow inn and takes lodging, bringing with him an air of danger and dark secrets. | The captain seeks a safe place to hide and watch for someone | His violent nature and frightening stories terrify the locals; he waits for a one-legged seafaring man | He settles at the inn, paying with gold and establishing himself as a long-term guest |
| 2 | Black Dog appears at the inn seeking the captain, they fight, and the captain suffers a stroke; later Dr. Livesey reveals the captain's name is Billy Bones. | Black Dog wants to confront the captain about something urgent | The captain and Black Dog fight with cutlasses; the captain collapses from a stroke | Black Dog escapes wounded; the captain is saved by Dr. Livesey but remains gravely weakened |
| 3 | The captain reveals his past and fears the black spot; a blind beggar delivers it and the captain dies; Jim's father also dies. | The captain wants to escape before his enemies find him with the black spot | The captain is too weak to flee; the blind beggar Pew arrives and delivers the black spot; the captain dies | The captain receives the black spot and dies of apoplexy; Jim is left with secrets and grief |
| 4 | Jim and his mother open the captain's sea-chest, find money and an oilskin packet, and flee as the captain's enemies arrive. | Jim and his mother want to recover what is owed to them from the captain's belongings | The blind beggar and his crew arrive to search the inn; Jim and his mother must escape with the packet | They escape with the money and the oilskin packet; the enemies search but find them gone |
| 5 | Jim watches from hiding as Pew and his crew search the inn; revenue officers arrive and kill Pew; Jim escapes with the packet to Dr. Livesey. | Pew and his crew want to find Jim, his mother, and the oilskin packet | Revenue officers arrive on horseback; Pew is trampled and killed; the crew scatters | Pew dies; the crew flees; Jim and his mother are rescued and the packet is secured |
| 6 | Jim brings the oilskin packet to Dr. Livesey and Squire Trelawney; they open it and find a map of Treasure Island with marked treasure locations. | Jim wants to deliver the packet safely to Dr. Livesey; the gentlemen want to know what the packet contains | None; the packet is opened and its contents examined with excitement | The map is revealed, showing Treasure Island and the location of buried treasure; plans for a voyage are made |
| 7 | Jim waits at the hall, receives the squire's letter about the ship Hispaniola being ready in Bristol, visits his mother, and travels to Bristol to join the voyage. | Jim wants to join the treasure voyage; the squire wants to gather the crew and sail | Delays in preparation; Jim must say goodbye to his mother and home | Jim arrives in Bristol and meets Squire Trelawney, who announces they sail tomorrow |
| 8 | Jim visits Long John Silver at the Spy-glass tavern and sees Black Dog flee; Silver's reaction seems suspicious but he charms Jim with his manner and knowledge. | Jim wants to deliver a note to Long John Silver; Silver wants to maintain his cover | Black Dog appears and flees; Silver must explain his presence and his connection to the buccaneers | Silver convinces Jim of his innocence through charm and quick thinking; they walk to meet the squire |
| 9 | Captain Smollett boards the Hispaniola and expresses concerns about the crew and the secret treasure voyage; he demands the powder and arms be moved and the crew be separated. | Captain Smollett wants to ensure the ship's safety and the crew's loyalty | The squire is angry at the captain's insubordination; the captain fears mutiny among the crew | The captain's demands are met; the powder is moved and the crew is reorganized; Jim dislikes the captain |
| 10 | The Hispaniola sails for Treasure Island; Mr. Arrow disappears overboard; Long John Silver proves himself a capable and beloved cook; Jim overhears Silver plotting mutiny in the apple barrel. | The ship sails toward Treasure Island; Jim seeks an apple and overhears a conspiracy | Mr. Arrow's drunkenness and disappearance; Silver's hidden plot to mutiny and seize the treasure | Jim discovers that Silver and others plan to take the ship and treasure; the lives of the honest men depend on Jim alone |
| 11 | Jim overhears Long John Silver recruiting a young sailor to the mutiny and revealing his plans to seize the treasure and kill the officers. | Silver wants to convert the crew to piracy and secure the treasure | Jim discovers the conspiracy from hiding; the crew's loyalty is uncertain | Silver successfully recruits one hand; Jim learns the mutineers plan to use the officers to find treasure then kill them |
| 12 | Jim escapes the barrel and reports the mutiny plot to the captain, squire, and doctor, who hold a council to plan their defence. | The officers must learn of the mutiny and prepare to survive it | They have only seven loyal men against nineteen mutineers; they must act without revealing their knowledge | They decide to wait for the right moment to fight, relying on Jim to gather intelligence |
| 13 | The ship reaches Treasure Island; Jim volunteers for a boat and sneaks ashore, escaping Silver's notice and beginning his solo adventure. | Jim wants to explore the island and gather information | Silver is watching; the crew is restless and mutinous; Jim must hide his knowledge | Jim slips ashore undetected and runs into the island's interior |
| 14 | Jim witnesses Silver murder Tom, an honest sailor, and flees in terror through the island's interior. | Jim seeks to gather information; Tom seeks to escape the mutineers | Silver kills Tom to prevent him from warning the officers; Jim is trapped between murderers and unknown dangers | Tom is murdered; Jim flees in panic, believing himself doomed |
| 15 | Jim encounters Ben Gunn, a marooned sailor, who reveals he was left on the island three years ago and has hidden knowledge of Flint's treasure. | Jim seeks safety; Ben Gunn seeks human contact and a way off the island | Jim fears Ben is a cannibal or enemy; Ben fears Jim is sent by Silver; both must establish trust | Jim and Ben form an alliance; Ben hints he has valuable information about the treasure |
| 16 | Dr. Livesey narrates how the officers abandon the ship, provision the stockade, and prepare to defend it against the mutineers. | The officers must secure supplies and establish a defensible position | The mutineers control the ship; the officers must move supplies under fire and reach the stockade | The officers successfully reach the stockade with supplies; Abraham Gray joins them; they prepare for siege |
| 17 | Dr. Livesey describes the perilous final boat trip to the stockade, during which the boat is sunk by cannon fire but the party reaches shore safely. | The officers must reach the stockade with the last of their supplies | The mutineers fire the ship's cannon; the boat is overloaded and the tide works against them | The boat sinks but all reach shore; most supplies are lost but the party survives |
| 18 | Dr. Livesey describes the first day's fighting at the stockade, including the death of Tom Redruth and the mutineers' cannon bombardment. | The officers must defend the stockade and survive the mutineers' attack | The mutineers attack with superior numbers and cannon fire; supplies are critically low | The officers repel the attack; one mutineer is killed; Tom Redruth dies; the stockade holds |
| 19 | Jim rejoins the stockade party and recounts his adventures; the officers discuss their dire situation and plan to kill off the mutineers. | Jim must report his findings; the officers must assess their chances of survival | Supplies are critically low; the mutineers outnumber them; time is running out | The officers decide their best hope is to kill mutineers and rely on fever to weaken the enemy |
| 20 | Long John Silver arrives under a flag of truce to negotiate with Captain Smollett, offering terms but being firmly rejected. | Silver seeks to negotiate surrender or exchange of the chart for safe passage | Captain Smollett refuses to negotiate; Silver's authority over the mutineers is questioned | Silver leaves in anger, threatening immediate attack; the standoff continues |
| 21 | Captain Smollett prepares the blockhouse for attack and the pirates assault, resulting in heavy casualties on both sides. | Pirates want to overrun the blockhouse; defenders want to hold it | Outnumbered defenders in a fortified position against determined attackers | Pirates repelled with five killed; defenders lose Hunter and Joyce, captain wounded |
| 22 | After the battle, Jim becomes restless and secretly takes supplies and pistols, then escapes to find Ben Gunn's hidden boat. | Jim wants to escape the confines of the blockhouse and find Ben Gunn's boat | Jim must leave without permission and navigate the island at night | Jim finds the coracle hidden near a white rock and prepares to cut the Hispaniola adrift |
| 23 | Jim cuts the Hispaniola adrift and is swept out to sea in the coracle, witnessing Hands and the red-cap pirate fighting in the cabin. | Jim wants to cut the ship's cable and send her out to sea | The taut cable is dangerous; the current is strong and unpredictable | Jim successfully cuts the cable and is swept out to sea with the ship, discovering the two watchmen fighting |
| 24 | Jim wakes to find himself near Treasure Island and discovers the Hispaniola under sail with no one steering; he pursues and boards her. | Jim wants to reach land or catch up with the drifting Hispaniola | The coracle is difficult to control; the ship is moving erratically; Jim is thirsty and exhausted | Jim boards the Hispaniola and discovers Hands and O'Brien fighting |
| 25 | Jim takes command of the Hispaniola, strikes the Jolly Roger, and makes a bargain with the wounded Israel Hands to sail the ship to North Inlet. | Jim wants to secure the ship and sail it to safety | Hands is wounded but dangerous; the ship is unsteered and in danger | Jim takes command, removes the pirate flag, and agrees to sail with Hands to North Inlet |
| 26 | Jim and Hands sail toward North Inlet, but Jim discovers Hands's treachery and they fight; Hands is killed when the ship runs aground. | Jim wants to beach the ship safely; Hands wants to kill Jim and escape | Hands is armed with a dirk and determined to murder Jim; the ship is being navigated into shallow water | The ship runs aground, Jim climbs the shrouds, and Hands is shot and falls into the sea |
| 27 | Jim recovers from his wound, disposes of the bodies, secures the ship, and makes his way back to the blockhouse through the night. | Jim wants to return to the blockhouse and rejoin his companions | Jim is wounded, exhausted, and must navigate the dark island; he fears the blockhouse may have been taken | Jim reaches the blockhouse and discovers it is occupied by Silver and the mutineers |
| 28 | Jim is captured by Silver and the mutineers; he boldly confesses his role in their downfall and Silver protects him from the crew's vengeance. | Silver wants to control his mutinous crew; Jim wants to survive and learn his friends' fate | The mutineers want to kill Jim; Silver defends him; Jim's boldness impresses Silver | Silver and Jim form an alliance; Silver promises to save Jim's life in exchange for Jim saving Silver from the gallows |
| 29 | The mutineers present Silver with the black spot; he defends himself against their accusations and regains control by revealing the treasure map. | The mutineers want to depose Silver; Silver wants to retain command and save his life | The crew is angry about lost opportunities and Silver's decisions; Silver must justify himself | Silver produces the treasure map, the crew's loyalty is restored, and he remains captain |
| 30 | Jim is discovered at the blockhouse by Dr. Livesey, and Silver negotiates parole for him to speak with the doctor outside the stockade. | Jim wants to see the doctor and explain himself; Silver wants to maintain control while appearing cooperative | The mutineers distrust Silver's motives and fear he is making a separate peace; Jim fears torture and death | Silver arranges parole on Jim's word of honour; Jim reveals to the doctor that he has hidden the ship in North Inlet |
| 31 | The treasure hunt begins; the party finds a skeleton arranged as a pointer and sets out across the island toward the tall tree marked on the chart. | The pirates want to find Flint's buried treasure; Silver wants to keep control and find the ship | The skeleton discovery unsettles the men; Silver must maintain morale while Jim fears Silver's true intentions | The party reaches the plateau and begins searching for the tall tree, with Jim tethered to Silver |
| 32 | As the treasure hunters approach the tall tree, they hear a ghostly voice singing Flint's song, which terrifies them until Silver deduces it is Ben Gunn. | The pirates want to reach the treasure; the voice wants to frighten them away | Supernatural terror grips the mutineers; Silver must restore their courage to continue | Silver's reasoning about echoes and spirits convinces them it is Ben Gunn, not Flint's ghost, and they press on |
| 33 | The treasure pit is found empty; the doctor and his allies ambush the mutineers, killing Merry and the bandaged pirate, and the survivors flee. | The pirates want to claim the treasure; the doctor's party wants to prevent them from getting it | The treasure has been moved; Silver must choose sides; the doctor's party attacks | Two mutineers are killed, three escape, and Silver joins the doctor's party; the treasure is revealed to be in Ben Gunn's cave |
| 34 | The treasure is loaded aboard the Hispaniola; the three surviving mutineers are left on the island; Silver escapes with a sack of coins during a shore visit. | The honest party wants to load the treasure and sail home; Silver wants to escape with his share | The three mutineers are stranded on the island; Silver must be watched; the voyage home is difficult | The treasure is safely loaded; the mutineers are abandoned with supplies; Silver escapes in a shore boat |
Setups and payoffs AI
Story and structure · lens A8 · compare across books
| Planted | Pays off | |
|---|---|---|
| The captain's fear of a one-legged man and his monthly payment to Jim to watch for him (Ch 1) | The one-legged man never appears; instead Black Dog arrives, showing the captain's fears were about his pirate past catching up (Ch 2) | |
| The sea-chest that the captain guards and never opens (Ch 1) | The chest is opened to reveal money and the oilskin packet containing the treasure map (Ch 4) | |
| Long John Silver is hired as ship's cook and proves to be a man of substance (Ch 7) | Silver is revealed as the leader of the mutiny plot, using his position to recruit crew members (Ch 10) | |
| Jim overhears Silver plotting mutiny in the apple barrel (Ch 10) | Jim uses this knowledge to warn the officers and help them prepare the stockade defence (Ch 12) | |
| Ben Gunn is hinted at through mysterious figures and Silver's past (Ch 11) | Ben Gunn is revealed as a marooned sailor who has hidden the treasure and can help Jim and the officers (Ch 15) | |
| Jim discovers Israel Hands is wounded and retrieves a blood-stained dirk (Ch 25) | Hands uses the dirk to attack Jim during their sail to North Inlet, but Jim kills him in self-defence (Ch 26) | |
| The doctor gives Silver the treasure chart, which seems like a betrayal (Ch 28) | The chart is revealed to be useless because Ben Gunn moved the treasure two months earlier, allowing the doctor to set an ambush (Ch 33) | |
| Silver promises to protect Jim from the mutineers' vengeance (Ch 28) | Silver's promise saves both their lives when the doctor's party arrives at the treasure pit, and Silver is allowed to escape (Ch 34) |
keep my “weather-eye open for a seafaring man with one leg” and let him know the moment he appeared (Ch 1, para 10)
they’d have the black spot on me by then. The lubbers is going about to get the wind of me (Ch 3, para 11)
a bundle tied up in oilcloth, and looking like papers, and a canvas bag that gave forth, at a touch, the jingle of gold (Ch 4, para 19)
Speech fingerprints Count
Dialogue and voice · lens C3 · compare across books
| Character | Share of attributed speech | Lines | Words a line | Questions per 100 lines | Exclaims per 100 | Pet words |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Long John Silver | 63% | 165 | 18.7 | 23.6 | 24.2 | don't, cap'n, i'll, you're, you'll, seen |
| Captain Smollett | 15% | 37 | 19.5 | 10.8 | 5.4 | tell, there's, take, point, hands, i'll |
| George Merry | 5% | 23 | 11.1 | 8.7 | 26.1 | don't, you'll, you're, want, it's, pretty |
| Dr. Livesey | 5% | 30 | 7.5 | 13.3 | 6.7 | make, don't, bones, john, take, three |
| Israel Hands | 4% | 15 | 14.8 | 13.3 | 20.0 | he's, want, john, dick, look, here's |
| Pew | 3% | 15 | 11.1 | 6.7 | 46.7 | scatter, it's, eyes, find, dirk, march |
| Ben Gunn | 3% | 5 | 26.8 | 20.0 | 0.0 | that's, you're, mean, wouldn't, till, precious |
| Abraham Gray | 1% | 5 | 6.6 | 0.0 | 0.0 | current's, less, a'ready, ease, israel, flint's |
| Tom Redruth | 1% | 5 | 6.4 | 20.0 | 0.0 | bristol, cannot, keep, head, stockade, tide |
| Squire Trelawney | 1% | 5 | 5.8 | 20.0 | 0.0 | doesn't, matter, captain, speak, captain's, wounded |
We give a line to a speaker only when one cast name appears in the narration of that paragraph, so many lines stay unattributed. Treat the figures as a sample.
Sentence length per chapter Count
Pace · lens D2 · compare across books
Mean sentence 18.4 words, median 14.0. 33% of sentences are under 10 words and 18% over 30. In the last fifth of the book, chapters run at 106% and sentences at 98% of the earlier average.
Emotional arc shape Count
Pace · lens D7 · compare across books
Computed shape: Cinderella (rise, fall, rise) (fit 0.4 on a scale of 0 to 1).
We score the mood of each paragraph with a standard word list, then average across 20 equal slices of the book and smooth it. It is a rough reading of word mood, not of plot, and old styles of English can fool it. Shapes follow Reagan and others (2016).
When the lead and the first dialogue arrive Count
Openings and endings · lens F3, F4 · compare across books
First line of dialogue: after 192 words (Ch 1, para 4), 0.3% into the book.
The lead, Jim Hawkins, is first named after 3,704 words (Ch 2, para 31). In a first person book the narrator may be on the page from the first line before we learn the name.
Mystery clue list AI
Genre craft · lens G4 · compare across books
| Clue | Kind | Laid | Explained | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The captain's sabre cut across his cheek and his tarry pigtail mark him as a seafarer with a violent past | clue | Ch 1 | Ch 2 | |
| Black Dog is missing two fingers on his left hand and mentions old shipmate Billy | clue | Ch 2 | Ch 3 | |
| The captain mentions old Flint and being his first mate, revealing his pirate history | clue | Ch 3 | Ch 6 | |
| The oilskin packet contains papers worth more than money to the enemies | clue | Ch 4 | Ch 6 | |
| Silver's reaction to seeing Black Dog at the Spy-glass tavern and his quick action to pursue him | red herring | Ch 8 | Ch 10 | |
| Captain Smollett knows the exact latitude and longitude of Treasure Island, suggesting the crew knows about the treasure | clue | Ch 9 | Ch 10 | |
| Ben Gunn was present when Flint buried the treasure with six men, all of whom died | clue | Ch 15 | Ch 33 | |
| The skeleton is perfectly arranged with feet and hands pointing in opposite directions, revealing Flint's cruel genius | clue | Ch 31 | Ch 33 | |
| The voice singing Flint's song calls out Darby M'Graw's name, Flint's last words, suggesting a human mimic | clue | Ch 32 | Ch 33 | |
| The excavation boards bear the name WALRUS, Flint's ship, confirming this is the original treasure site | clue | Ch 33 | Ch 33 |
old Flint’s crew, man and boy, all on ’em that’s left. I was first mate, I was, old Flint’s first mate (Ch 3, para 17)
I found written on the other side, in a very good, clear hand, this short message: “You have till ten tonight. (Ch 4, para 10)
Flint’s fist, I mean,” he cried. (Ch 5, para 14)
Antagonist AI
Character · lens B7 · compare across books
| Who | Long John Silver |
|---|---|
| Goal | Silver seeks to seize the treasure and escape with it, using the mutiny as a means to eliminate the officers and claim the riches for himself. |
| Methods | Silver charms Jim and the crew, recruits mutineers, plans to use the officers to find the treasure then murder them, and plays both sides to ensure his survival. |
| Shows their hand | Ch 10 |
| Our note | Silver is revealed as the mutiny leader when Jim overhears him plotting in the apple barrel, though his true ruthlessness emerges gradually through his actions. |
Tension curve AI
Pace · lens D6 · compare across books
Tension score per chapter, 1 to 5 (our AI reading). The novel moves swiftly from the inn to the voyage to the island, with the first half establishing the mutiny plot and the second half delivering action and adventure. The pace quickens during Jim's solo adventures at sea and the treasure hunt, creating a sense of mounting danger and excitement.
Subplot thread map Both
Story and structure · lens A7 · compare across books
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The mutiny plot and stockade defence | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Jim's solo adventures at sea | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Ben Gunn's redemption and hidden treasure | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Silver's double-dealing and survival | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| The treasure hunt and its revelation | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Jim's capture and alliance with Silver |
- The mutiny plot and stockade defence: Jim discovers Silver's mutiny plan and the officers prepare to defend the stockade against the mutineers' assault.
- Jim's solo adventures at sea: Jim escapes the blockhouse, cuts the Hispaniola adrift, battles Israel Hands, and secures the ship for the officers.
- Ben Gunn's redemption and hidden treasure: Ben Gunn, a marooned sailor, reveals he has hidden the treasure and helps the officers defeat the mutineers.
- Silver's double-dealing and survival: Silver manipulates both the mutineers and the officers, ultimately escaping with a portion of the treasure.
- The treasure hunt and its revelation: The party searches for the treasure using the map, discovers the pit is empty, and finds the riches in Ben Gunn's cave.
- Jim's capture and alliance with Silver: Jim is captured by the mutineers but forms a secret alliance with Silver, who protects him in exchange for future testimony.
Motif tracker AI
Theme and motif · lens J3 · compare across books
- The sea-chest and oilskin packet (Ch 1, 3, 4, 6): The chest represents hidden secrets and the source of all conflict, containing the map that drives the entire adventure.
- The one-legged man and fear of pursuit (Ch 1, 2, 3, 5): The captain's dread of being found reflects how the past catches up with those who flee it, setting the tone for the adventure.
- Betrayal and false friendship (Ch 8, 10, 11, 25, 28): Silver's charm masks his treachery, teaching Jim and the reader that appearances deceive and trust must be earned through actions.
- The skeleton pointer and Flint's cruelty (Ch 31, 32): The arranged skeleton reveals Flint's genius for cruelty and serves as a final marker of the dead pirate's influence over the island.
- Superstition and the supernatural (Ch 3, 29, 32): The black spot, the Bible page, and Flint's ghost voice show how fear and superstition can be used to manipulate people.
- Youth and resourcefulness (Ch 13, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26): Jim's youth allows him to act boldly and improvise in ways the experienced sailors cannot, proving that courage matters more than age.
Fifteen men on the dead man’s chest-- Yo-ho-ho, and a bottle of rum! (Ch 1, para 4)
One of my last thoughts was of the captain, who had so often strode along the beach with his cocked hat, his sabre-cut cheek, and his old brass telescope. (Ch 7, para 26)
Fifteen men on the dead man’s chest-- (Ch 1, para 4)
Silver, agile as a monkey even without leg or crutch, was on the top of him next moment and had twice buried his knife up to the hilt in that defenceless body. (Ch 14, para 25)
Signature words Count
Prose style · lens H3 · compare across books
Words this book uses far more than the other books on our shelf (log odds, at least 8 uses). Names often top the list.
Commercial facts card Research
Commercial facts · lens L1, L2, L4 · compare across books
| First published | 1883 |
|---|---|
| Author died | 1894 |
| Copyright | Public domain in the UK (author died 1894, so life plus 70 years has passed) and in the US (first published 1883, before 1931). |
| Length | 68,669 words in 34 chapters; about 4.6 hours to read |
| Genre | Thriller and adventure |
| Sales and adaptations | Coming in a later phase, with sources. |
Method: counts come from a clean public domain plain text, split into chapters and paragraphs with stable IDs (for example c3p12 is chapter 3, paragraph 12, in reading order). Lenses marked AI are our AI reading of each chapter, made once and stored. Every quote shown was checked word for word against the text; 38 AI quotes for this book failed that check and were dropped.
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