Robert Louis Stevenson
L'isola del tesoro

THE REVIEW

"Fifteen men on the dead man's chest

yo-ho-ho and a bottle of rum"

Everything starts here. Treasure maps complete with a red "X," the figure of a pirate with a peg leg and a parrot on the shoulder. Not to mention the very title, "Treasure Island", which has now become part of common language and is even used by children or people who may not know Stevenson's work. It can be said that thanks to this book, the figure of the pirate was for the first time romanticized, elevated to something more than just a simple criminal, without however removing the negative aspects, which in this book will always make the distinction between pirates (bad) and the rest of the crew (good).

This and much more is seen through the eyes of a boy, Jim Hawkins, who like all those of his age is eager to set sail and see the world, which so far was made up of his old inn. If it weren't for that old sea dog, who years earlier had entered for a glass of rum, and since then had never left, there wouldn't have been the map, and consequently the hope of sailing the seas aboard the "Hispaniola", with all the adventures and experiences it would entail. And it is precisely this sense of freedom that pervades the novel until the last page. After all, adventure is a genre that has never gone out of fashion. Years and centuries pass, but people always feel the need to escape the everyday reality, to find themselves with their minds in some fantastic and imaginary place, whether it's a remote island or some bizarre planet, it's part of human nature.

In the end, the treasure is nothing more than a pretext, or perhaps not. One could say that it is precisely it that fuels the greed and lust of men, and brings out their wickedness. So, in a sense, money is the true antagonist of the story. From the young protagonist's point of view, the adventure can be considered a transition from childhood to adulthood, leaving one's land, loved ones to confront new and harsh realities; fascinating, yes, exciting, agreed, but still harsh. This means also meeting new people, particularly Dr. Livesey and Squire Trelawney, who will take the boy under their wing. But a special note goes to what I consider the most brilliant character of the novel: the ambiguous Long John Silver. Although he is part of the so-called group of "bad guys" and is the main antagonist, he will never be fully bad nor entirely good. A double-dealer, yet capable of keeping a crew in check with his charisma and knowing how to turn situations to his advantage, changing sides at the right moment. Wise and at times human, especially with the young Hawkins to whom he will become particularly attached, but at the same time courageous and ruthless. Silver embodies all the moral ambiguity of man. Perhaps that is why I find him likable and he remains my favorite character.

Numerous films and animated series have been derived from the book, other pirate movies have been based on this novel, more or less directly. But everything starts here, and while you read it, you can still hear those pirates singing between drinks:

"Fifteen men on the dead man's chest

yo-ho-ho and a bottle of rum

Drink and the devil had done for the rest

yo-ho-ho and a bottle of rum."