Greed And Hedonism In Robert Louis Stevenson's Treasure Island

Primary theme:
From the blind Pew’s attempt to steal the treasure map at the beginning, to the pirates’ willingness to kill in order to find the treasure, several characters’ sole motive seems to be a desire to find the treasure and become rich. All these people not only lose whatever semblance of a conscience they once had, but also cause their own downfalls. By depicting these characters’ ceaseless obsession with finding the treasure, Stevenson reveals Treasure Island’s primary theme: greed and hedonism lead to one’s own destruction.
Though all the sailors wanted to find the treasure to become rich, only Long John Silver’s followers truly ultimately became greedy; only they were willing to go to any extent in order to achieve their goals.

Before sailing on the ship, most of the selected crew is well-behaved and seeks to split the treasure evenly, happy just to be selected for the voyage. Though some undoubtedly disliked Captain Smollett’s discipline, they were willing to follow orders so they could take part in the final loot. The men moderated their avarice by forgoing their naturally hedonistic lifestyle – they were not recklessly greedy.
Long John Silver, however, corrupts most of the crew by speaking of the riches they can obtain if they rebel against the current captain and his loyal crew members. As a result, the crew becomes restless and careless. In fact, one of the mutineers, Israel Hands, even says, “I’ve had a’most enough of Cap’n Smollett…I want to go into that cabin, I do. I want their pickles and wines, and that” (104-5). Silver does stop Hands from acting impulsively and in fact acts as the guiding force for the mutineers, but Hawkins still listens to their entire conversation because of the mutineers’ lack of caution.
Almost as soon as the ship arrives at the island, the mutineers’ rapid change in personality is very apparent. Hawkins notices, “It was plain as day. Silver was the captain, and a might rebellious crew he had of it” (124). Now overcome with greed, the rebels lose all restraint in order to obtain the treasure. As Hawkins realizes, “it is one thing to be idle and skulk, and quite another to take a ship and murder a number of innocent men” (125). This transition from the silent inner rebellion to the violent uprising that would soon follow is the result of pent up frustration and greed.
The mutineers’ impulsive attack on the honest men, however, causes many of them to die. Moreover, Hawkins singlehandedly seizes the ship and kills the two drunken men, securing the escape of Captain Smollett’s group. Once again, the pirates’ everlasting propensity to pursuing hedonism through bottles of rum, leads to their defeat. Ten of the formerly nineteen rebels and only three of the initially seven honest men are killed; the discrepancy is largely due to the impetuosity of the former group.
The rebels’ final attempt of finding the treasure highlights the extent of their greed: “their eyes burned in their heads; their feet grew speedier and lighter; their whole soul was bound up in that fortune, that whole lifetime of extravagance and pleasure” (322). Once again, the pirates abandon all caution and are controlled by their obsession with the gold. When they finally learn that the treasure has been moved, they immediately plan to backstab Silver, who has been their captain since before even arriving at the island. They thus fall into the trap set by Smollett’s crew, and ultimately lose everything.
Secondary theme:
Besides the theme regarding the ill effects of greed, Stevenson also indicates that morality and conversely, criminality are subjective and vary based on society’s perspective. The novel’s protagonist, Jim Hawkins, is just a young boy. Though he remains uncorrupted by Silver’s sophistry, the journey inevitably influences his perspective on ethics. Silver’s explanation on why his parrot curses so much applies to Hawkins as well: “you can’t touch pitch and not be mucked, lad” (96).
From even before the journey, Hawkins was “full of sea dreams and the most charming anticipations of strange islands and adventures” (65). In fact, his decision to go out to the ship and to hijack it from the two pirates in it was largely due to his penchant for adventure. After successfully seizing the ship, Hawkins comments, “my conscience, which had smitten me hard for my desertion, was quieted by the great conquest I had made” (241). In other words, Hawkins believes that the ends justify the means. Though Hawkins almost impulsively abandoned his troop and then killed a pirate on the ship, he feels no remorse because he was successful in his mission. Though seemingly unethical from an outsider’s perspective, this mentality is commonplace among pirates, which is also why Hawkins adopts this belief. In fact, Israel Hands even says, “I never seen good come o’ goodness yet…dead men don’t bite” (247-8). Hands’ lifestyle, like that of several other pirates, is based on the notion that the ends – often selfish in nature – justify the means.
Despite looseness in morality for many of the characters and Hawkins himself, there is still a certain level of ethics. When the rebel group captures Hawkins and Silver allows him to speak to Doctor Livesey, the doctor tells Hawkins to run away. Hawkins, however, refuses and responds, “Silver trusted me; I passed my word, and back I go” (299). While it seems ironic that Hawkins is so unwilling to break a promise when his life is at danger and he has done far worse like committing murder, once again the environment becomes an important factor. Obviously, Hawkins and the other pirates value promises highly and so breaking one is far more unethical than it is in modern society. Thus, social context once again influences what defines ethics.
IV.

Characterization (Another Element): Long John Silver
Long John Silver is one of the most contentious characters in the novels, since he changes the most as the novel progresses. Stevenson initially portrays Silver as a loyal and mild-mannered man, well-liked by everyone and given the nickname “Barbecue,” as he is the sea cook. Hawkins comments, “he was unweariedly kind” and that Silver told him, “Nobody more welcome than yourself, my son” (95). Silver initially is the most likeable character and is very personable, seemingly unaffected by the greed that soon plagues the other men.
Soon, Stevenson reveals Silver to be underhanded and to be far more cunning than initially expected. When discussing with the other mutineers on how to deal with the honest men, Silver decidedly says, “I give my vote—death” (107). After arriving at the island and declaring himself as a complete rebel, Silver “spat into the spring. ‘There!’ he cried, ‘that’s what I think of ye. Before an hour’s out, I’ll stove in your old blockhouse like a rum puncheon’” (191). Stevenson explains the widespread impact of greed especially through Silver, as the reader at first believes that his newfound greed transforms him into a base criminal. Silver is the human embodiment of greed; in reality, he hides his true self and has always been a manipulative, evil pirate who is willing to sacrifice anything and anyone to find treasure and satisfy his overwhelming

avarice.
As a result, his loss of power among his mutineer crew symbolizes that greed ultimately leads to one’s own downfall and thus contributes to Stevenson’s primary theme. Knowing that he has no chance of leaving the island with the treasure, Silver promises Doctor Livesey that he will agree to being sent to jail after reaching their home. Nevertheless, Silver changes his mind very suddenly when he approaches the site marked on the map. Based on Silver’s visible change, Hawkins thinks, “In the immediate nearness of the gold…I could not doubt that he [Silver] hoped to seize upon the treasure, find and board the Hispaniola under cover of night, cut every honest throat about that island, and sail away as he had at first intended, laden with crimes and riches” (322). Once again, Silver experiences a loss of power and parallels Stevenson’s theme.
Silver’s role in the novel, however, is greater than supporting the novel’s themes. Easily the most cunning of the pirates, Silver helps add a realistic and more complex aspect to the novel. By revealing so many different versions of himself, he not only establishes the multidimensional nature of people but also indicates that people are often not as they first seem. Furthermore, he represents the unchanging nature of people. Although Silver claims to have changed loyalties in favor of Smollett’s group, he actually has not changed sides at all. Instead, he merely acted in the only way possible that would save himself, a basic survival instinct that Silver always exercised. Also, he quickly plans to take the treasure when he thinks he approaches it, in his characteristically selfish manner. On the voyage back, he completes his personality cycle by once again feigning an amiable personality, becoming “the same bland, polite, obsequious seaman of the voyage out” (333).Overall, Silver is the stereotypical pirate: he represents the negative aspects of people and amplifies these vices.