Chapter 2 · Treasure Island

Copywork

Bill, said the stranger in a voice that I thought he had tried to make bold and big. The captain spun round on his heel and fronted us; all the brown had gone out of his face, and even his nose was blue; he had the look of a man who sees a ghost, or the evil one, or something worse, if anything can be; and upon my word, I felt sorry to see him all in a moment turn so old and sick.

Two sentences, two movements: a name is spoken, the captain turns. Which single word in the last sentence tells you most about what Jim sees, and why might Jim, who calls the captain "our unpleasant guest", end on feeling "sorry" for him?

Discussion

Narration Tell what happens from the stranger's arrival on the frosty January morning to the moment the doctor leaves the captain's room.

Black Dog calls Jim “sonny,” then orders him in with an oath, then pats his shoulder. Which side of Black Dog do you think is real? Character
Jim answers Black Dog's questions about the captain and thinks, “it was no affair of mine.” Was that understandable, or should he have done something different? Moral reasoning
When the captain wakes, he frowns at the doctor but looks “relieved” at Jim. Why might he react so differently to the two of them? Inference
The doctor calls the captain's life “trebly worthless,” yet works hard to save it. Why do you think he does? Theme
Jim hears the quarrel from the bar as “nothing but a low gabbling” and sees only the last cut. Why might Stevenson keep us with Jim instead of in the parlour? Author's choice

Make a Connection Tell about a time you saw only part of an argument and had to guess the rest.

Vocabulary

bold: Bill, said the stranger in a voice that I thought he had tried to make bold and big. confident and fearless in manner
fronted: The captain spun round on his heel and fronted us; turned to face squarely
indignation: the last sound I heard of him as he turned the big rock was a loud snort of indignation, anger at being treated unfairly
tallowy: He was a pale, tallowy creature, wanting two fingers of the left hand, pale and waxy, like candle fat
leer: Is this here table for my mate Bill? he asked with a kind of leer. a sly, unpleasant sideways look
fawning: he returned to his former manner, half fawning, half sneering, flattering in a grovelling way
sheath: He cleared the hilt of his cutlass and loosened the blade in the sheath; the case a blade is carried in
fugitive: Just at the door the captain aimed at the fugitive one last tremendous cut, a person running away
bewildered: stood staring at the signboard like a bewildered man. confused and unable to think straight
prophetic: Prophetic, said the doctor, touching this picture with his finger. foretelling what is to come

Critical thinking

Black Dog says Jim would not have “stood there to be spoke to twice” if he had sailed with Bill. Using two pieces of evidence, does the captain here fit that picture?
After Black Dog runs, the captain stands “like a bewildered man” and calls for rum. Using two pieces of evidence, what does his state tell us about how the fight left him?
The captain cries, “If it comes to a swinging, swing all,” and has a gallows tattooed on his arm. Using two pieces of evidence, what do these suggest about the life he has led?