Treasure Island Unit Study - Part V
This is the fifth lesson in the unit study on Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson. Part Five is called "My Sea Adventure".
Treasure Island 1950 Video
Treasure Island (Signet Classic)
For a free ebook version of Treasure Island check out http://www.gspp.com.au/treasure_island.htm.
You may also be interested in the Introduction to the Treasure Island unit study.
Suggested Vocabulary:
Define the meaning as the one used in the book.
palisade
spit
French leave
lawsers
phosphorescent
sea lion
coracle
tiller
batten
bowsprit
jib boom
Israel Hands
subaltern
disquietude
pistol
cross-trees
sign articles
circumspectly
Summary of the Book:
From Biblomania.com: "Stevenson's most famous novel and an enduringly popular romance, Treasure Island was published in 1883, although it had appeared initially in Young Folks in serial form July 1881-June 1882 under the alternative title of "The Sea-Cook or Treasure Island". It is of course the author's success, but the novel's conception is interesting. It developed from an imaginary map that Stevenson and his stepson Lloyd Osbourne had devised on holiday and this goes some way towards explaining the book's appeal among children. Moreover, the famous antihero Long John Silver was the invention of Stevenson's friend, William Henley. Nonetheless, the tale is the archetypal nineteenth century 'ripping yarn'. Our narrator is Jim Hawkins, son of a guesthouse owner on the west coast of England sometime in the eighteenth century. To the inn come firstly an old buccaneer who has a map of Captain Flint's treasure, and secondly a group of pirates under the command of ominous blind man Pew. Jim Hawkins, our hero, in an act of bravery and cunning gets hold of the map before this rabid mob gets it. He delivers the map to Squire Trelawney, and together they set off for Treasure Island in the Squire's schooner. The rest of the crew, apart from Dr Livesey (a friend of the squire) are a company collected by Long John Silver. The latter and his men try to mutiny and get hold of the treasure themselves but Jim intervenes and through a series of enthralling adventures we find ourselves on Treasure Island with the marooned Ben Gunn and ever closer to the treasure itself."
Suggested Activities and Questions:
1. Several of the vocabulary words from this section have to do with parts of a ship. Draw a diagram of the Hispaniola and label each part as it comes up in the story.
2. What was the result of the fighting from the previous section?
3. Why did the doctor suddenly set off through the woods?
4. "French Leave" is a term that was used at formal affairs and balls to mean the guest was leaving early and without elaborate goodbyes to their host. How does Jim mean that he was taking "French Leave?"
5. A pirate named Israel Hands is mentioned. Did you know there really was an "Israel Hands?" Can you find out who he was and how he related to Blackbeard?
6. What were "articles" that Israel Hands and Jim Hawkins signed?
7. How did Jim Hawkins capture the Hispaniola?
8. What happened with Jim returned to stockake?
9. Who set off the alarm?
Online Lessons and Resources:
http://www.ukoln.ac.uk/services/treasure/setframe.htm
http://www.dreamcatchers.net/treasure/
http://www.bibliomania.com/0/0/46/88/frameset.html
http://jollyroger.com/treasureisland.html
On to PART SIX
