The Analysis of Moral Ambiguity Seen Through

THE ANALYSIS OF MORAL AMBIGUITY SEEN IN LONG JOHN SILVER’S CHARACTERIZATION IN ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON’S TREASURE ISLAND

AN UNDERGRADUATE THESIS

Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degee of Sarjana Sastra in English Letters

RONNY SANTOSO

Student Number: 044214076

ENGLISH LETTERS STUDY PROGRAMME DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH LETTERS FACULTY OF LETTERS SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY YOGYAKARTA 2011 THE ANALYSIS OF MORAL AMBIGUITY SEEN IN LONG JOHN SILVER’S CHARACTERIZATION IN ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON’S TREASURE ISLAND

AN UNDERGRADUATE THESIS

Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degee of Sarjana Sastra in English Letters

RONNY SANTOSO

Student Number: 044214076

ENGLISH LETTERS STUDY PROGRAMME DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH LETTERS FACULTY OF LETTERS SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY YOGYAKARTA 2011

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IF YOU LISTEN TO YOUR FEARS,

YOU WILL DIE NEVER KNOWING

WHAT A GREAT PERSON YOU MIGHT HAVE BEEN.

Robert H. Schuller

For

My Beloved Family

LEMBAR PERNYATAAN PERSETUJUAN PUBLIKASI KARYA ILMIAH UNTUK KEPENTINGAN AKADEMIK

Yang bertanda tangan di bawah ini, saya mahasiswa Universitas Sanata Dharma: Nama : RONNY SANTOSO Nomor Mahasiswa : 04 4214 076 Demi pengembangan ilmu pengetahuan, saya memberikan kepada Perpustakaan Universitas Sanata Dharma karya ilmiah saya yang berjudul: THE ANALYSIS OF MORAL AMBIGUITY SEEN IN LONG JOHN SILVER’S CHARACTERIZATION IN ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON’S TREASURE ISLAND Beserta perangkat yang diperlukan (bila ada). Dengan demikian, saya memberikan kepada Perpustakaan Universitas Sanata Dharma hak untuk menyimpan, mengalihkan dalam bentuk media lain, mengelolanya dalam bentuk pangkalan data, mendistribusikannya di Internet atau media lain untuk kepentingan akademis tanpa perlu meminta ijin ataupun memberikan royalti kepada saya selama tetap mencantumkan nama saya sebagai penulis. Demikian pernyataan ini saya buat dengan sebenarnya. Dibuat di Yogyakarta Pada tanggal: 22 Februari 2011

Yang menyatakan

RONNY SANTOSO

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Praise to the Lord in Heaven whom with His blessings the writer can finish this thesis. The writer thanks Him for always being on his side through the fortunes and disaster times.

First of all, the gratitude goes to his advisor, Elisa Dwi Wardani, S.S.,

M.Hum., who has spent her times and been patient in reading, re-reading and correcting this thesis. To Drs. Hirmawan Wijanarka, M. Hum., his co-advisor, the writer thanks him for giving the suggestion on this thesis. In addition, the writer thanks all the lecturers in the English Letters Department who have shared their knowledge, for the Secretariat Staff for their best services.

The writer would thank his parents and his brothers for supporting and praying for him. The writer would like to say thanks to Tikos, Galeh, Adit, Tony,

Wawan, Gadol, Silas, Jonet, Kipli, Arek, Ikball and all my friends in English

Letters 2004. The writer thanks them for always being with him.

Last, the writer would like to thank everyone whose names can not be mentioned here who have helped the writer during his study in Sanata Dharma

University and given also their contribution to this thesis.

Ronny Santoso

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

TITLE PAGE ……………………………………………………………………...i APPROVAL PAGE ………………………………………………………………ii ACCEPTANCE PAGE …………………………………………………………..iii MOTTO PAGE …………………………………………………………………..iv DEDICATION PAGE ……………………………………………………...... v LEMBAR PERNYATAAN PUBLIKASI……………………………………….vi ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ……………………………………………………..vii TABLE OF CONTENTS ……………………………………………………….viii ABSTRACT ……………………………………………………………………...x ABSTRAK ……………………………………………………………………….xi

CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION ………………………………………………1 A. Background of the Study …………………………………………………..1 B. Problem Formulation ………………………………………………………4 C. Objectives of the Study ……………………………………………………4 D. Definition of terms ………………………………………………………...5

CHAPTER II: THEORETICAL REVIEW ……………………………….…..6 A. Review of Related Studies ………………………………………………...6 B. Review of Related Theories ……………………………………………….9 1. Review of Theories on Character ………………………………………9 a. Theory of Character According to Harvey ………………………..9 b. Theory of Character According to Abrams ……………………...10 2. Review of Theories on Characterization ……………………………...10 a. Theory of Characterization According to Laurence Perrine …….11 b. Theory of Characterization According to Murphy ………………12 3. Review of Theory on Moral …………………………………………..13 4. Review of Theory on Ambiguity ……………………………………..14 5. Review of Theory on Moral Ambiguity ………………………………14 C. Theoretical Framework …………………………………………………..15

CHAPTER III: METHODOLOGY …………………………………………..17 A. Object of the Study ……………………………………………………….17 B. Approach of the Study ……………………………………………………18 C. Method of the Study ……………………………………………………...19

CHAPTER IV: ANALYSIS …………………………………………………...21 A. The Characteristics of Long John Silver …………………………………21 B. Long John Silver’s Characteristic Revealed to be Ambiguous Through his Characterization ……………………………………………………………..37

CHAPTER V: CONCLUSION ……………………………………………….48

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BIBLIOGRAPHY ……………………………………………………………...51

APPENDIX 1 ...... 54

APPENDIX 2 ...... 55

APPENDIX 3 …………………………………………………………………...58

ABSTRACT

RONNY SANTOSO. The Analysis of Moral Ambiguity Seen in Long John Silver’s Characterization in Robert Louis Stevenson’s Treasure Island. Yogyakarta: Department of English Letters, Faculty of Letters, Sanata Dharma University.

Novel is one of many genres in literary work. Treasure Island is a novel that is written by Robert Louis Stevenson. Treasure Island is an adventure novel that narrates a tale of pirates and buried gold. This novel was published in 1883. In this study, the writer wants to analyze the moral ambiguity of the character named Long John Silver. This study has two objectives. First, the writer wants to find out the Long John Silver’s characteristics in the novel. Second, the writer wants to reveal the moral ambiguity seen in Long John Silver’s characterization. The method that is applied in this study is library research. The primary source is the novel itself entitled Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson. The secondary sources are from criticism, article and other related to the novel. In answering the problems, the writer applies some theories; those are theory of character, characterization, moral, ambiguity and moral ambiguity. The study applies moral-philosophical approach. In the analysis the writer finds that Long John Silver has several characteristics, which are dangerous, manipulative, treacherous, cruel and kind. Besides, the writer finds that Long John Silver deals with moral ambiguity. Long John Silver’s moral ambiguity can be seen through his action he does to the other characters in the novel. It is shown when he manipulates Jim Hawkins and his own men. At the time he manipulates Jim Hawkins, he does it to deceive Jim Hawkins. This action is as an act of evil. But when long John Silver uses his same skill as what he does to Jim Hawkins to save Jim Hawkins’s life from the threat of Long John Silver own men, it becomes a virtue. This is how Long John Silver’s moral ambiguity is revealed through his characterization.

ABSTRAK

RONNY SANTOSO. The Analysis of Moral Ambiguity Seen in Long John Silver’s Characterization in Robert Louis Stevenson’s Treasure Island. Yogyakarta: Jurusan Sastra Inggris, Fakultas Sastra, Universitas Sanata Dharma.

Novel merupakan salah satu jenis dari karya sastra. Treasure Island adalah sebuah novel karya Rober Louis Stevenson. Treasure Island adalah sebuah novel petualangan yang menceritakan sebuah kisah bajak laut and harta karun. Novel ini pertama kali di publikasikan pada tahun 1883. Dalam studi ini, penulis ingin menganalisa tentang keambiguitasan moral pada tokoh yang bernama Long John Silver. Studi ini membahas dua permasalahan. Pertama, penulis ini memaparkan sifat-sifat Long John Silver dalam novel ini. Kedua, penulis ingin mengungkapkan keambiguitasan moral Long John Silver di tinjau dari penokohannya. Metode yang di pakai dalam studi ini adalah studi pustaka. Sumber utama dalam studi ini adalah novel itu sendiri yang berjudul Treasure Island karya Robert Louis Stevenson, dan data data pendukungnya dari kritik-kritik, artikel- artikel, dan sumber-sumber lain yang berkaitan dengan novel tersebut. Dalam menjawab masalah-masalah yang di ajukan, penulis menggunakan beberapa teori, yaitu teori karakter, penokohan, moral, keambiguitasan dan keambiguitasan moral. Studi ini menggunakan pendekatan moral-filosofis. Dalam analisa penulis menemukan bahwa Long John Silver memiliki beberapa sifat, yaitu berbahaya, memanipulasi, pengkhianat, kejam dan baik. Selain itu, penulis juga menemukan bahwa Long John Silver memiliki keambiguitasan moral. Keambiguitasan moral Long John Silver dapat dilihat melalui tindakannya kepada tokoh-tokoh lain. Ini di tunjukkan ketika Long John Silver memanipulasi Jim Hawkins dan anak buahnya sendiri. Pada saat Long John Silver memanipulasi Jim Hawkins, dia melakukannya untuk menipu Jim Hawkins. Tindakan ini adalah sebagai tindakan jahat. Tapi ketika Long John Silver menggunakan keahlian yang sama seperti yang dia lakukan kepada Jim Hawkins untuk menyelamatkan Jim Hawkins dari ancaman anak buah Long John Silver, ini menjadi sebuah tindakan kebaikan. Inilah bagaimana keambiguitasan moral Long John Silver di tunjukan dari penokohanya.

CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

A. Background of the Study

Life is a series of moral choices, and each and every one of us is at it all time. There is no area of deliberate human behavior that lacks a moral dimension.

The value questions are everywhere, in politics, in business, in bringing up children, and in the realm of what one owes to one’s self; all of them deal with it.

Each of us has, in effect, his own little method for moral evaluation. So, what is moral? In Filsafat Moral, Poespoprodjo points out that morality is the quality of human behavior, which based on it we can take a conclusion whether an action is right or wrong, good or bad (1986: 102). Morality is also including the understanding of good and bad of human action. Take from Poespoprodjo’s statement, it can be said that moral is a principle of right or wrong based on human behavior.

Moral values are more basic than all other values, because moral values touch, not just on what we do or experience or have, but on what we are. In the book Morals and Ethics, Carl Wellman states that according to this view, what makes an act morally good or evil is its utility or disutility, the amount of non moral value or disvalue it brings into existence (1975:136). So it is possible to say that what makes an act morally good or evil, having of moral approval and disapproval, is the value or disvalue of its consequence. Magnis states in his book, Etika Dasar, that to conclude whether a good action will create a good

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characteristic, it is not enough if we just see it based on the external action, however we also consider what the motive behind this all, because a good act that objectively good can be done by purpose. Not all motivation is bad, however it is clear if a good act done with a motivation to take an advantage is morally bad.

The real act of moral is called morality. Morality happen when in taking a good act, we realize of what becomes our obligation and responsibility, not because of taking an advantage (1987: 56). Since moral is based on the human action, so it must be deal with the behavior of human being. Every human being has different behavior. Referring from the book Positive Social Behavior and Morality by

Ervin Staub, that human behavior can be influenced by many factors, such as culture or situation, emotions, values, persuasion, personality characteristic and many more (1978:70). Ervin Staub also states that positive social behavior is as a behavior that benefits other people. However, not all human being is deal with this kind of action. Moreover, usually people perform prohibited acts to satisfy a need or impulse (1978:2). It is not impossible that both kind of action, positive and negative behavior, will lies as one in someone personality and influence someone behavior. This is what happens to Long John Silver character in Robert

Louis Stevenson’s Treasure Island. As the character of Long John Silver is as the subject of the study, so to give clearer about the discussion it will be much better the writer gives a brief description about the object of the study, Robert Louis

Stevenson’s Treasure Island.

Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson is a classic adventure-story which is created based on his fascination with a watercolor map he himself draws 3

of an imagined treasure island. It narrates a tale of pirates and buried gold.

Although the story center on Jim Hawkins’s adventure and transition in his life, however the writer finds something interesting that the author wants to convey through the other characters. Long John Silver, one of many characters in the novel, is depicted as both good and bad character, and his role in this novel demands both kinds of actions. As what Nigel Fabb and Alan Durant point out in

How to Write Essays, Dissertations and Thesis in Literary Studies that:

“Once you have chosen your text (or had them chosen for you), you need to decide how to focus on them. No matter familiar with the literary works you become, you can not focus equally on all parts of a text (particularly a long text, such as novel). So you need to decide which parts of it are most worth reading closely and writing about” (1995: 32).

Therefore, the writer decides to look at how the way of the characteristic of Long John Silver commits to this thing. In this case, Robert Louis Stevenson wants to tell to the readers that the characteristic of character can change as long as the story goes, by denying the role of the character in the novel.

Before we go too far, the writer wants to give the definition of the novel, as one of literary works, which as the object of this study. Quoting from

Schoonderwoerd’s An Approach to English Literature,

“A novel is a work of art in so far as it introduces us into a living world; in some aspects resembling the world we live in. but with an individuality of his own” (1957:174).

Novel, as a form of literary genre, can draw an issue that exists in this living world. It can serve many more, in details, and involve complex problems.

After giving a brief description about the novel, the writer wants to focus on the subject of the study. 4

In this thesis, the writer will limit the study to specifically focus on the way Robert Louis Stevenson manage Long John Silver, as a character in Treasure

Island, which shows moral ambiguity through his characterization.

Why Treasure Island is chosen because it does not only tell about an adventure story, however there are many of education aspects or moral values that can be gained by the readers concerning its character. Since it gives an education to the readers, it will be worth to be studied. Moreover, the way of the author to manipulate the reader’s feelings toward the Long John Silver characteristic is profitable to be analyzed.

B. Problem Formulation

Based on the background above, the writer formulates two problems in this study to lead the discussion of the topic. The problems are as follow:

1. What are the characteristics of Long John Silver?

2. How is Long John Silver’s moral revealed to be ambiguous seen in his

characterization?

C. Objectives of the Study

In this part, the writer wants to tell about the objective of the study. The objective of the study aimed to obtain satisfying answer from the question formulated above. According to the problem formulation above, there are two problems formulation that will be solved. First, this study is aimed to find out of what are the characteristic of Long John Silver. Second, this study is aimed to 5

analyze of how the Long John Silver’s moral ambiguity through his characterization is revealed in the story.

D. Definition of Terms

To avoid misunderstanding on the study of the analysis of Long John

Silver’s moral ambiguity through his characterization, it necessary to give a clarification of the term used in the discussion. The clarification essentially is needed in order to give clear understanding on the study.

1. Characterization

In Reading and writing about Literature, Rohrberger and Woods state that characterization is a process by which an author creates the characters in a literary work so that the readers may understand deeper on characters (1972: 20).

2. Moral Ambiguity

Urban Dictionary stated that moral ambiguity is lack of clarity in ethical decision-making. That is, when an issue, situation or question has moral dimensions or implications, but the decidedly moral action is unclear, either due to conflicting principles, ethical systems or situational perspectives (Urban

Dictionary the Company, 1999) April 5th, 2010.

CHAPTER II

THEORETICAL REVIEW

A. Review of Related Studies

Robert Louis Stevenson was born in Edinburgh in 1850. He died 44 years later on a small Samoan island in the Pacific. During his short life he traveled the world and made him self one of the most famous writers on 19th century. Robert

Louis Stevenson is a Scot writer which has produced a large variety of writing during his life. He is remembered as the writer of one great horror story, The

Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Although it is very popular for many readers, there are still others of the stories that remain as his supreme achievement. One of them is Treasure Island. It is an adventure story which was published in 1883, and also as his first novel which never having been out of print since it was first published (National Library of Scotland, 1925).

The novel of Treasure Island comes as one of his famous novels during the summer of 1881 when Robert Louis Stevenson and his family spend his holidays in a cottage in the Scottish Highlands. His step son, Lloyd Osbourne turned his room into a picture gallery with his own juvenile sketches; occasionally, his stepfather contributed a picture. Once Stevenson made a map of an island, brightly, colored and marked with harbors, swamp, headlands, hills, rivers. It fascinated Stevenson, and his storytelling mind soon took the map as an inspiration. He made a list of chapters, began writing a narrative of treasure hunting, and read the installment day by day to the family, including his father,

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who enjoyed it as much as Lloyd. Stevenson was persuaded to send the story, which he called “The Sea Cook,” to a magazine. It was accepted, but with the subtitle “Treasure Island” added. It appeared as a book in 1883 and became the most popular of all books for boys and for many of their elders.

In Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson said that Treasure Island is a novel that is influenced by several stories. Stevenson was very frank to admit that he had been influenced by several stories in the writing of Treasure Island.

He had a remarkable ability to imitate other writers. Stevenson states that his chief source for Treasure Island is a story by Washington Irving’s The Money Diggers.

But he owes much to Edgar Allan Poe’s The Gold-Bug, with its famous cryptogram. He also mentions James Fenimore Cooper’s The Sea Lions, Captain

Frederick Marryat’s Masterman Ready, and Charles Johnson’s Lives of Pirates.

The phrase “the dead man’s chest” came from a book by Charles Kingsley, but the rest of the ballad sung throughout Treasure Island was entirely Stevenson’s own (1957:15).

The novel of Treasure Island tells to the readers about interesting and exciting adventure. The readers are invited by the author to enjoy the traveling in searching the treasure. Treasure Island is a simple novel. The readers will not be served with hard thinking to understand the novel. It is action, action and action from the first sentence to the last. Yet every one who plays his part in the action is as deeply characterized as if he the center of an introspective novel. In designing the idea of the story, it is to be the story for boys so that it does not need of psychology or fine writing, as Leslie said: 8

“Treasure Island is a pure novel of adventure. It satisfies what he somewhere described as the criterion of a good ‘romance’. The writer and his readers throw themselves into the events, enjoy the thrilling of excitement, and do not bother themselves with questions of psychology” (Http:// WWW. Leslie Stephen. Com / Treasure Island Opinions. html.).

The story of Treasure Island has a lot of moral messages or moral values to be learnt from the characters. Treasure Island is very interesting and exciting story. Stevenson hopes that the readers will get some inspiration by reading this novel. As Dawson states in his critic on his website:

“Treasure Island is the one story which I can admire without the least qualification or reserve. The aim may not be the highest, but it is attained with the most thorough success. It may be described as a ‘message’ in the sense that it appeals to the boyish element. Stevenson has described the fit of inspiration in which he wrote it” (Http:// WWW chf web. Com/ Dawson/ rlstevenson.html.).

Silver, one of many characters in Treasure Island, is character that is depicted as a character which has two characteristic. He is bad and good, cruel and generous, despicable and admirable. As Leslie Stephen said:

“Treasure Island indeed contains Silver, who, to my mind, is his most successful hero. But Silver incarnates the spirit in which the book is have to be read; the state of mind in which we accept genial good humor as a complete apology for cool-blooded murder” (http://WWW.kellscraft.com/treasureislandopinion/html).

Based on those statements above, it is clear that the novel of Treasure

Island is an adventure novel which inside of it lays moral values from its character that can be gained by the readers. It supports the writer’s idea to find the value through Long John Silver’s characterization as the topic of the study. It can be said that the position of the study is to find and analyze the value, moral 9

ambiguity, based on the Long John Silver’s characterization in Robert Louis

Stevenson’s Treasure Island.

B. Review of Related Theories

In this chapter, the writer wants to explain about some theories that are used in analyzing problem formulation above. In analyzing the problem formulation, the writer uses some theories such as theory of character, theory of characterization, theory of moral, theory of ambiguity and theory of moral ambiguity. To know about what the definitions of the theories above are, here is the explaination of the theories:

1. Theory of Character

Character is the most important element for the author in creating the literary work because the work will have no strength without any character involved in the story.

In Fiction: An introduction to Reading and Writing by Edgar V. Robert and Henry E. Jacobs; Stories, like drama, are about characters. Characters, though not real people, are drawn from life. A character is a reasonable facsimile of human being, with all the good and bad traits of being human (1987: 63). Here are another theories of character used in analyzing the problem formulation.

In Character and the Novel, Harvey states that when, in real life, we try to describe a person’s character we consider it as something unique and separable from all other identities (1968: 31). Further, Harvey wants to say that the author is free to create and present his or her fictional characters in the novel. Such as his 10

appearance and what problems he or she might face. It is different from the real life, which needs unique description of characters. Here, Harvey mentions that we can not separate and describe all character as unique ones like in the real life and discuss them as independent entities, the novel itself consist of simple description of character that we get from real life (1968:31).

As stated in Abrams’s A Glossary of Literary Terms 4th edition:

“Characters are the persons presented in dramatic or narrative work, who are interpreted by the readers as being endowed with moral, dispositional and emotional qualities that are expressed in what they say- the dialog- and by what they do- the action. The grounds in character’s temperament, desires and moral nature for their speech and action are called their motivation. A character may undergo a radical change, either through the gradual process of motivation and development or as the result crisis” (1981: 20).

According to Abrams, physical appearance, emotion and moral qualities describe character in dramatic or narrative work. The emotion, person’s mind quality and moral qualities of characters are shown in the way they speak, act and think. Because of the motivation and development, the characters may have self- change gradually.

2. Theory of Characterization

We know that generally literature focus on the character of the story.

Between one character to another character usually have different characteristics, and for sure that they sometimes also have similarities. By seeing the differences and similarities between them in the novel, we will catch the message of what the author is going to talk about. The key in which the author describes is called as characterization. Through characterization, help us to us to understand how the 11

characteristic of the character in the novel. Here are some theories used by the writer in the study.

In a literary work, there are some ways to present characters. In his book

Literature: Structure, Sound and Sense, Perrine states that characters can be presented in direct and indirect presentation. In direct presentation, character is described in straight way. The description about the characters about what they are like, their physic condition, and behavior or attitude is already told in expository part of the work by the author or other character in the work. This method makes the reader easer in identifying the character in their action and dialogues. It is because direct presentation can be regarded as its being economical and clear presentation. In the real application, this method may be collaborated with indirect presentation. It is because by collaborating those two methods will establish a more convicting story because in indirect presentation the characters present their characteristic through what they thing, say or do. If the direct method is applied without the support of the indirect method, the description of the character is moreover like an explanation, not a characterization. A good story will be success if the author dramatizes the character in his work (1969: 68-69).

Perrine also states that characters should be understandable or convincing to the readers. It should consist of three principles. The first principle is consistence of the behavior. Characters may change in someway. The changing of their behavior must be accompanied by clear reasons because characters must be 12

consistence in their behavior. Thus, the readers will observe and understand why the characters are changed in his attitude.

In the book Understanding Unseen: an Introductory to English Poetry and the English Novel for Overseas Student, Murphy states that characters can be recognized in several ways.

First, one’s characteristics can be observed through their personal description. It means that the author describes the details of the characteristic of the characters directly to the character.

Second, the author describes certain character’s characteristic through the eye and opinion of another character. What the readers get is a reflected image of the characters.

Third, one can observe one’s characteristics through his speech. The author describes the person through what another person say. Whenever the person speaks, involved in conversation or conveys an opinion, he is describing the character or giving keywords to his characteristics.

Fourth is character’s past life. Through the shape of person’s thoughts, conversation or giving comment, the author helps the readers to build the person’s characteristic by learning about the person’s past life.

Fifth is through other person’s conversation. The author gives the readers clue about a person’s characteristics through the other person’s conversation.

Sixth, the readers can also understand a person’s characteristic by learning the person’s reactions to various situations and events. 13

Seventh, the author can also describe a person’s characteristics by direct comment. It means that the author directly give explanation toward one’s characteristics briefly and clearly.

Eighth, the author gives the readers direct knowledge of what a person is thinking about. Here, the author is able to do what people can not do in the real life. He can tell the readers what different people are thinking of. The readers then are in a privileged position; they have a secret listening device plugged in to the inmost thought of a character in a novel.

Last, the author can give description to the character from the mannerism or habit. It may tell something about his one’s characteristics (1972: 161-173).

Above, Murphy states that there is several ways for the readers in understanding the characteristic of the character in the story.

3. Theory of Moral

In Etika Dasar by Magnis is stated that the word of moral concerns about good and bad of human as a human. Moral norm is a measuring rod to determine good and bad of human behavior, seen based on good and bad of human as a human, not as a doer of certain role (1987: 19). Magnis also states that to be able to take a conclusion whether a good action will create a good characteristic, it is not enough if we just see it based on the external action, however we also consider what the motive that lies behind this all. Because a good act that objectively good can be done by purpose. Not all motivation is bad, however it is clear if a good act that is done with a motivation to take an advantage is morally bad. And the real act of moral is called morality. Morality is happen when in taking a good act, we 14

realize of what become our obligation and responsibility, not because of taking an advantage (1987: 56)

4. Theory of Ambiguity

William Empson in Seven Types of Ambiguity says that at the last type of ambiguity, it is the most ambiguous that can be conceived. It occurs when the two meaning of the word, the two value of the ambiguity, are the two opposite meanings defined by the context, so that the total effect is to show a fundamental division in the writer’s mind (1947: 217).

5. Theory of Moral Ambiguity

In the book of Existentialist Philosophy by James Agould and Willish H.

Truitt at Simone de Beauvoir’s article about The Ethics Ambiguity, states that human life in itself is neither good nor evil, it is the place of good and evil, according to what you make it (1973: 41). Seeing on that statement, it is said that life is a place for good and bad. Good and bad that happen are created by human being. Human being is a unique creature with his own characteristics, which for instance that there is no human being that live in this world are same. Because the product of life whether it is good or bad are created by human being so it is possible for human being to do something good or bad, or even they do both, according to what they make it. As long as there have been men and they have lived, they have all felt this tragic ambiguity of their condition (1973: 41).

So, moral ambiguity as seen from this point of view can be perceived as a lack of clarity or an ambiguity in dealing with ethical decision because that human 15

being is not inherently good or bad, but, instead, human being has the potential for both good and bad.

As Liz Lewis said related to moral ambiguity in Toni Morrison’s Beloved and Jazz that in exploring the moral ambiguity of monstrous potential of love,

Morrison shows how an act of violence can paradoxically be, as it was for Sethe, the right thing to do, but she had no right t do it… the only thing to do but it was the wrong thing to do. Sometimes good looks like evil and evil looks like good.

(http://www.Toni Morrison's Beloved and Jazz_ Moral ambiguity the monstrous potential of love.com/html.)

So, seeing from the above statement about moral ambiguity, it can be concluded that in general moral ambiguity is lack of clarity in ethical decision- making. That is, when an issue, situation or question has moral dimensions or implications, but the decidedly moral action is unclear, either due to conflicting principles or ethical system.

C. Theoretical Framework

The main purpose of this study is to analyze how the Long John Silver’s moral is revealed to be ambiguous through his characterization. To help the writer to answer the problems formulation above, the writer takes some theories.

The theories of character and characterization are important. These theories are necessary since the subject that is discussed in this study is character of the novel. The combination of both of them will support the writer to find out 16

the description of the character, Long John Silver, characteristics as the subject character of this study.

The theory of moral is used to determine whether the action that is taken is good or bad. By applying this theory, the writer is able to take a conclusion and a judgment if the action is good or bad.

The theory of ambiguity is used to give a clear explanation about ambiguity. The theory states that it is possible for a word has two meaning which the two opposite meaning defined by the context. So, it is appropriate to the second problem formulation which analyze about an ambiguity.

The last theory that is used is theory of moral ambiguity. Since the study talk about the moral ambiguity, so the theory is profitable to be applied to this analysis.

In answering the problem formulation above, all the theories that are state before can not be ignored. Each of the theory has its own significant. Then, all the theories that are applied in this study are very helpful to the writer in answering the problem formulation.

CHAPTER III

METHODOLOGY

A. Object of the Study

In this study, the writer analyses a novel entitle Treasure Island. The book was published in 1883 for the first time. Treasure Island is included in 19th century English fiction. There are several version of Treasure Island novel. The edition that the writer uses for the study was published by Pocket Book Inc and copied in 1957. This novel was printed in United State of America. This novel was composed of 240 pages and built of six chapters. Treasure Island was a novel which is wrote by Scottish writer, his name is Robert Lewis (later: “Louis”)

Balfour Stevenson. The study will focus in analyzing the moral ambiguity of the character through its characterization. And here is the summery of the novel:

An old scarred seaman arrived at the Admiral Benbow Inn. Billy Bones, as the man was known, filled Jim’s ears with the story that he should warn him to be on the lookout for a one-legged seaman. Some months later, Bones was visited by mysterious seaman, named Black Dog. They were fighting then Bones got stroke and died. Jim escaped with the treasure map given by Bones. Jim took the map to Dr. livesey then travel to Bristol to meet up with the ship, the Hispanoila.

In Bristol, Jim met the sea cook, Long John Silver, who was recommended to be one of many ship’s crews to Trelawney. One night on the deck, Jim overheard

Silver plotting a mutiny. The next day, Jim sneaked away with the plan to cut loose the Hispanoila and strand the pirates. After a dangerous trip, Jim was

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succeeding in freeing the ship then he jumped out and trying to ashore. After anchoring the ship, Jim returned to the stockade and was captured by Silver’s man in the middle way. Silver told to Jim that Dr. Livesey and the other have to give the stockade to the pirates and the treasure map. The pirates set out to look for the treasure, but only found an empty hole. When the pirates turned on from Silver and Jim, Dr. Levesey and the other ambushed the pirates and drove them off.

They rejoined again with the other which the treasure had already there. They back to England and then Silver escaped with a bag of the treasure.

B. Approach of the Study

According to Guerin in his book A Handbook of Critical Approaches to

Literature 4th edition, there are five approaches. Those are the historical- biographical, the moral-philosophical, the formalistic, the psychological and the mythological approach (1999: 25-155).

To conduct the study, the writer applies the moral-philosophical approach to analyze the moral ambiguity revealed in the character in the novel. Wilbur S.

Scot explains about the moral- philosophical approach in his Five Approaches to

Literary Criticism that:

“Starts from a conviction that the important of literature is not merely in its way. For the critic who follows this approach, the chief interest lies in literature as a “criticism” of life, to them the study of technique of literature is a study of means, whereas they concerned with the end of literature as affecting man, with literature as it takes place in the human forum of ideas and attitude” (1962: 123-125)

Thus, the moral-philosophical approach is an appropriate approach because the writer would like to discover the moral issues, moral ambiguity on the character in the novel.

C. Method of the Study

The method of the study used to finish the thesis. The writer applied a library research, which demanded primary and secondary data. The primary data were taken from Robert Louis Stevenson’s Treasure Island. The secondary data were taken from many books, articles and internet which consisting about related theories, related studies and criticism.

To finish the thesis, the writer took some steps. First, the writer read the main source, Treasure Island, several times so that the writer understood of what actually the author wanted to say through this novel. Second, the writer tried to figure out what is the most interesting thing in the novel and took it as a topic of the study. After it had been achieved, the writer formulated two problems. First problem formulation is about the characteristic of the character. Second problem formulation is about moral ambiguity of the character through its characterization.

To answer the first problem formulation, the writer read and quoted from the primary book, Treasure Island that related to the characteristic of the character

(Long John Silver) from the beginning to the end of the story and analyzed it one by one. To answer the second problem formulation, the writer also read and quoted from the primary book, Treasure Island that gave the evidence to the process which made the moral of the subject was revealed to be ambiguous 20

through the characterization, and then analyzed it. After the first and second problem had been done, the writer went to the next step, writing conclusion. In making a conclusion, the writer concluded all of the analysis, starting from what the characteristic of the character is and how the character’s moral revealed to be ambiguous.

CHAPTER IV

ANALYSIS

In this chapter, the writer is trying to analyze the problems formulations that are discussed in the previous chapter. First, the writer wants to analyze about the characteristic of Long John Silver as the subject of the topic. Second, the writer wants to analyze about how Long John Silver’s moral ambiguity is revealed through his characterization.

1. The Characteristics of Long John Silver

In this part will discuss the characteristic of Long John Silver. He is the character who is presented against the truly evil figure buccaneer, as Jim Hawkins describes him; he is intelligent and smiling, a very different creature, according to me, from this clean and pleasant-tempered landlord (p 53-54), very different from what he expects a buccaneer to be. He is landlord of “the Spyglass” public house and a ship’s cook of the Hispaniola. He is the most interesting character in the novel. He is a genuine individual. He is dangerous and cruel as the common buccaneer image; however he is also smart and kind. He is physically described as a seaman who his left leg is cut off close by the hip, and under the left shoulder he carry a crutch, which he manage with wonderful dexterity, hopping about upon it like a bird. He is very tall and strong, with a face as big as a ham- plain and pale and seems in the most cheerful spirits, whistling as he moves about among the tables, with a merry word or a slap on the shoulder for the more favored of his guest. Long John Silver is portrayed as round character. He is presented as a bad

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character in early of the novel and lets his better side reveal itself late in the novel.

According to Murphy in Understanding Unseen, a person’s characteristic can be traced through personal description, as seen by another, speech, author’s direct comment, past life, conversation of other, thoughts, reactions and mannerism. In this analysis, the characteristic of Long John Silver may deal with some possibilities above. The characteristic of Long John Silver will be presented in the following: a. Dangerous

Although the character of Long John Silver appears in the second chapter in this novel, it is very clear that Long John Silver is a character which is very dangerous. It can be seen from another character’s opinion about him in beginning of the story. Billy Bones, he is the first mate of captain Flint and he is the only buccaneer that knows where the treasure lies as captain Flint tells him when lay dying before dead. “I was the first mate, I was, old Flint’s first mate, and I’m the on’y one as knows the place. He gave it me at Savannah, when he lay a-dying, like as if I was to now” (p 19). Knowing himself to be a marked man for his possession of the map, as soon as the other Flint’s crews desire to recover the treasure, he looks for refuge to safe himself. His travels take him to the rural village of Black Hill Cove and bring him to the Jim Hawkins’s father inn,

“Admiral Benbow Inn” to hide for a moment to safe himself. As he stays there, he always takes actions to beware of the one-legged man, Long John Silver and always ask to the owner if there is a seaman comes around.

Everyday, when he came back from his stroll, he would ask if any seafaring men had gone by along the road. At first we thought it was the 23

want of company of his own kind that made him ask this question; but at last we began to see he was desirous to avoid them (p 4-5).

It is because of the figure of Long John Silver that makes Billy Bones has to be so careful and wary. He always keeps watching for every seaman who comes to the Inn just to make sure if there is a seaman with one-legged or not.

Everyday after he has his time to walk around. He always asks the Inn’s owner if there is a one-legged seaman who comes to the inn.

He has to keep watching for every seaman who comes to Admiral

Benbow. Besides, he also places himself as safe as he can by hiding his profile as silent as he can.

When a seaman put up at the “Admiral Benbow” (as now and then some did, making by the coast road from Bristol), he would look in at him through the curtained door before he entered the parlor; and he was always sure to be as silent as a mouse when any such was present (p 5).

Although he has already acted carefully, he does not want to take a risk of every bad possibility to his life, so to make sure that he is really safe from the figure of Long John Silver, he is willing to spend some of his silver penny to Jim

Hawkins to keep an eye to a seafaring man with one leg and let him know the moment he appears.

He had taken me aside one day, and promised me a silver four penny on the first of every month if I would only keep my “weather-eye open for a seafaring man with one leg,” and let him know the moment he appeared. Often enough, when the first of the month came round and I applied to him for my wage, he would only blow through his nose at me, and stare me down; but before the week was out he was sure to think better of it, bring me my four penny piece, and repeat his former orders to look out for “the seafaring man with one leg” (p 5).

As what Billy Bones has done, it is very clear that Billy Bones is very afraid of the coming of Long John Silver, a one leg seafaring man that wants to 24

get the captain Flint’s chest. He has to ask Jim Hawkins, the son of the Admiral

Benbow Inn’s owner, to keep watching for one legged seaman and he gets some of money as a replace.

Long John Silver is dangerous buccaneer. Although he does not appear in the early part of the novel, we can see it from the other character’s opinion which considers him to be dangerous and it can be seen on what Billy Bones has experienced when he stays at the Admiral Benbow Inn. He always asks if there is a seaman comes to the inn, he has to keep an eye of every seaman who put up at the inn and takes someone to help him keep watching of the seafaring man with one leg. b. Manipulative

Long John Silver is able to manipulate the others. As a buccaneer who is portrayed as a man who has bad behavior, but he is far from that impression. I had seen the captain, and Black Dog, and the blind man Pew, and I thought I knew what a buccaneer was like-a very different creature, according to me, from this clean and pleasant-tempered landlord (p 54). He is attractive, the way he talks, the way he answers the question, speaks respectfully to the others give an impression that he is forthrightness. His forthrightness is able to manipulate and convincing to Dr. Livesey and Jim Hawkins at first encounter that he is a good man, but behind this all lay a conspiratorial evil, his true motive, to arrange the voyage and to do mutiny. Long John Silver’s politeness is seen when he meets Jim Hawkins for the first time in the Spyglass public house.

I plucked up courage at once, crossed the threshold, and walked right up to the man where he stood, propped on crutch, talking to a customer. 25

“Mr. Silver, sir?” I asked, holding out the note. “Yes, my lad,” said he; “such is my name, to be sure. And who may you be?” And then as he saw the squire’s letter, he seemed to me to give something almost like a start. “Oh!” said he, quite loud, and offering his hand. “I see. You are our new cabin-boy; pleased I am to see you.” And he took my hand in his large firm grasp (p 54).

The above quotation can be seen that Long John Silver is very polite and respect others. They way he answers the question and takes an action toward Jim

Hawkins mark him that he is different from the image of pirate figure such as

Black Dog and Pew. However he does it just to attract the attention so that it will be easier for him to take any further actions to hide his true motive.

At the same time when Jim Hawkins has a conversation with Long John

Silver, suddenly he is alarmed with the figure of seaman, one of the costumers, which remind him of the previous incident. He is Black Dog, a seaman who has fought and almost killed by Billy Bones in the Admiral Benbow.

And then one of the costumers at the far side arose suddenly and made for the door. It was close by him, and he was out in the street in a moment. But his hurry had attracted my notice, and I recognized him at a glance. It was the tallow-faced man, wanting two fingers, who had come first to the “Admiral Benbow”. “Oh,” I cried, “stop him! It’s Black Dog!” “I don’t care two coopers who he is,” cried Silver. “But he hasn’t paid his score. Harry, run and catch him.” “If he were Admiral Hawke he shall pay his score,” cried Silver (p 54).

It said how Long John Silver is manipulating the conversation. He wants to protect his man from Jim Hawkins’s curiosity. Long John Silver, beside the owner of the Spyglass public house, he is also the leader of Black Dog. It is obvious that Long John Silver is able to manipulate the conversation. During the conversation between Long John Silver and Jim Hawkins, suddenly Jim is 26

alarmed by the figure of another seaman on the other side. Jim Hawkins realizes that he is a bad pirate that wants to kill Jim’s friend, Billy Bones, at his father’s inn. When Jim Hawkins asks to stop him, Long John Silver tries to cover and safe the seaman, Black dog, because he is one of his men by saying, I don’t care two coppers who he is but he hasn’t paid his score. If he were Admiral Hawke he shall pay his score.

Then to make sure that he, Long John Silver, knows nothing about the man named Black Dog, he asks Morgan, his man at the Spyglass, to explain and make it clear that Long John Silver really knows nothing about that man.

“Now, Morgan,” said Long John, very sternly; “You never clapped your eyes on that Black-Black Dog before, did you, now?” “No I, sir,” said Morgan, with a salute. “You didn’t know his name, did you?” “No, sir.” “By the power, Tom Morgan, it’s as good for you!” exclaimed the landlord. “If you had been mixed up with the like of that, you would never have put another foot in my house, you may lay to that. And what was he saying to you? “I don’t rightly know, sir,” answer Morgan. “Do you call that a head on your shoulders or a blessed dead-eye?” cried Long John. “Don’t rightly know, don’t you! Perhaps you don’t happen to rightly know who you was speaking to, perhaps? Come, now, what was he jawing-v’yages, cap’ns, ships? Pipe up! What was it?” “We was a-talkin’ of kneel-hauling,” answer Morgan. “Kneel-hauling, was you? And a mighty suitable thing, too and you may lay to that. Get back to your place for a lubber, Tom (p 55).

By asking to Morgan of what Jim Hawkins curios about, Long John Silver strictly state that he does not only know nothing about seaman named Black Dog, however he also tries to convince Jim Hawkins that he really does not know about the man Jim Hawkins has worried about. It shows that he manipulates the conversation to deceive Jim Hawkins to cover his true motive. 27

To cover his true motive on that cruise, Long John Silver tries to act as a good seaman to throw away the possibilities that can make the others curious of him. Besides, Long John Silver also makes himself as if there is no distance between him and Jim Hawkins by saying.

“Why, what a precious old sea-calf I am!” he said at last, wiping his cheeks. “You and me should get on well, Hawkins, for I’ll take my davy I should be rated ship’s boy. But, come, now, stand by to go about. I’ll put on my old cocked hat, and step along of you to Cap’n Trelawney, and report this here affair. For, mind you, it’s serious, young Hawkins (p 57).

What Silver has done toward Jim is to make Jim feels that he is really close to him and to get Jim Hawkins’s trust. I began to see that here was one of the best of possible shipmates (p 58). And Long John Silver deed toward Jim

Hawkins is able to take attention to Dr. Levesey. “Well, squire,” said Dr. Levesey,

“I don’t put much faith in your discoveries, as a general thing; but I will say this,

John Silver suits me” (p 58).

This also come when Captain Smollett, as a captain of Hispaniola hired by

Trelawney, says that there is something wrong with the crews he manages and asks him to take certain precautions of them. Then Dr. Livesey says to Trelawney that besides Captain, there is another man he can rely on, Long John Silver.

“Trelawney,” said the doctor, “Contrary to all my notions, I believe you have managed to get two honest men on board with you-that man and John Silver” (p 63).

It said that what Long John Silver has done has attracted Dr. Livesey’s attention. Dr. Livesey feels that Long John Silver is a good man which he can rely on along the cruise in searching for the treasure. 28

Besides, he also manipulates the other mutineers as well as what he has done to Jim Hawkins and Dr. Livesey at the first encounter. In the middle of the journey in searching for the treasure, Long John Silver’s own men try to depose him and give him the black spot, pirate death notice, because they think that Silver has play over them. As what the mutineers state to Long John Silver; First, you’ve made a hash of this cruise-you’ll be a bold man to say no to that. Second, you let the enemy out o’ this here trap for nothing. Why did they want out? I dunno; but it’s pretty plain they wanted it. Third, you wouldn’t let us go at them upon the march. Oh, we see through you John Silver; you want to play booty, that’s what’s wrong with you. And then, fourth, there’s this here boy (p 200). Then Silver tries to explain it clearly and convince them that what he has done is right. As he says to the mutineer:

“well, now, look here, I’ll answer these four p’ints; one after another I’ll answer’ em. I made a hash o’ this cruise, did I? Well, now, you all know what I wanted; and you all know, if that had been done, that we’d a’ been abroad the Hispaniola this night as ever was, every man of us alive, and fit and full of good plum-duff, and the treasure in the hold of her, by thunder! Well, who crossed me? Who force my hand, as was the lawful cap’n? That’s for number one,” cried the accused. And if you want to know about number four, and that boy, why, shiver my timber! Isn’t he a hostage? Are we a-going to waste a hostage? No, not us; he might be our last chance, and I shouldn’t wonder. Kill that boy? Not me, mates! And number three? Maybe you don’t count it nothing to have a real college doctor come to see you every day-you, John, with your head broke-or you, George Merry, that had the ague shaken upon you not six hours agone, and has your eyes the color of lemon peel to this same moment on the clock? And maybe, perhaps, you didn’t know there was a consort coming, either? But there is and we’ll see who’ll be glad to have a hostage when it comes to that. And for number two, and why I made a bargain-Well, you came crawling on your knees to me to make it, you was that down-hearted-and you’d starved, too, if I hadn’t-but that’s a trifle! You look there-that’s way!” And he cast down the chart on yellow paper, with the three red crosses (p 200-202).

Silver tries to say to the other that they have done something wrong by giving him a black spot. Besides, He also explains the reason clearly one by one and convinces them that as long as they follow him, it will be works out as what he planned. Not only that, what Silver has said to the others also got his men’s trust back. By convincing them, it also makes Silver able to reverse the situation and gets his superiority back upon the mutineer. “Fair! I reckon so,” said the sea cook. “You lost the ship; I found the treasure. Who’s the better man at that? And now I resign, by thunder! Elect whom you please to be your cap’n now; I’m done with it.” “Silver!” they cried. “Barbecue forever! Barbecue for cap’n!” (p 203), and the most important is that he is able to save Jim Hawkins’s life from the other mutineers who want to kill him.

Long John Silver is described as a man who has ability to control and influence other by forcing his strength of mind and courage cleverly. The way he talks, the way he answers the question, and the way he acts to the others are able to convince and influence the other. c. Treacherous

At the first time Jim Hawkins meets Long John Silver, he says that Long

John Silver can be the best of possible shipmate. I began to see that here was one of the best of possible shipmates (p. 58). He is very impressed with the figure of

Long John Silver. Besides, he is also able to attract the Jim’s trust. But after what

Jim has heard in the apple barrel, has changed Jim Hawkins’s perception about

Long John Silver’s image, which he has trusted on him along the cruise. This 30

circumstance makes Jim Hawkins, who really sees Silver as a close shipmate, feels that he has been betrayed by the man he has believed in.

“I sailed first with England, then with Flint, that’s my story; and now here on my own account, in a manner of speaking. I laid by nine hundred safe, from England, and two thousand after Flint. Where’s all England’s men now? I dunno. Where’s Flint’s? Why, most on’em abroad here, and glad to get the duff-been begging before that, some on’em. Old Pew, as had lost his sight, and might have thought shame, spends twelve hundred pound in a year, like a lord in Parliament. Where is he now? Well, he’s dead now and under hatches; but for two year before that, shiver my timbers! The man was starving. He begged, and stole, and he cut throats, and starved at that, by the powers!” (p 72-73).

It shows that Long John Silver is far from what Jim expected. At the first encounter with Jim, Silver says that he does not know about a seaman named Old

Pew. Instead, the conversation above is stated that Silver does not only know about Old Pew however he is his old seaman friend. And Silver also knows his background before he joins in the Flint’s ship and what he does next after getting the treasure loot.

Long John Silver’s conversation with the young seaman also convinces

Jim that Silver has another motivation behind this all.

“Well, it ain’t much use, after all, “said the young seaman. “Tain’t much use for fools, you may lay to it-that, nor nothing,” cried Silver. “But now, you look here: you’re young, you are, but you’re as smart as paint. I see that when I set my eyes on you, and I’ll talk to you like a man.” You imagine how I felt when I heard this abominable old rouge addressing another in the very same words of flattery as he used to myself. I think, if I had been able, that I would have killed him through the barrel (p 73)

What Silver has said to this young seaman is same with what he said to

Jim in their first encounter at Spyglass public house. Jim remembers clearly how

Silver has flattered him as what he has done to this young seaman. Silver does it 31

just to get his sympathy but not for the real purpose. Jim feels that Silver has betrayed him and make Jim wants to kill him.

Jim Hawkins also realizes who Long John Silver truly is when he tells to the young seaman about “gentlemen of fortune”. It is about gentlemen of fortune that they lives rough, and they risk swinging, but they eat and drink like fighting cocks, and when a cruise is done they will get not just hundreds of pounds instead of hundreds of farthings in their pocket. And most goes for rum and a good fling, and to sea again in their shirt (p.73). It makes Jim realizes of what image truly they are.

By this time I had begun to understand the meaning of their terms. By a “gentlemen of fortune” they plainly meant neither more or les than a common pirates, and the little scene that I had overheard was the last act in the corruption of one of the honest hands-perhaps of the last one left aboard (p 74-75).

Long John Silver’s treachery is also seen when he is arguing with his own men. He says to Israel not to hurry, because he has planned everything forward.

He wants what he has planned will work out; therefore he asks his men to be more patient to take the action.

“Well, I don’s say no, do I?” growled the cockswain, Israel. “What I say is when? That’s what I say.” “When! By the power!” cried Silver. “Well, now, if you want to know, I’ll tell you when. The last moment I can manage; and that’s when. Here’s a first-rate seaman, Cap’n Smollett, sails the blessed ship for us. Here’s squire and doctor with the map and such- I don’t know where it is, do I? No more do you, says you. Well, then, I mean this squire and doctor shall find the stuff, and help us to get it abroad, by the power. Then we’ll see. If I was sure of you all, son of double Dutchmen, I’d have Cap’n Smollett navigate us halfway back again before I struck” (p 75).

Long John Silver’s treachery obviously lies when he has planned everything of what he will do so that the mutiny will be success. Silver plans that 32

captain smollett which will bring him and his men to the island where the buried treasure lies, and wait for the treasure map that is kept by squire and doctor. Then after this all done just begin to launch what he has planned before.

Another Long John Silver’s treachery is shown at the time he asks for his men to kill the others who non conspirators. As a ship crew which makes him has to obey his captain’s order however he plans something behind it and he claims to wring Trelawney’s calf head off his body, a man who hire him as a ship cook.

“Right you are,” said Silver, “rough and ready. But mark you here: I’m an easy man-I’m quite the gentleman, says you; but this time it’s serious. Dooty is dooty, mates. I give my vote death. When I’m in Parliament, and riding in my couch, I don’t want none of these sea-lawyers in the cabin a- coming home, unlooked for, like the devil at prayers. Wait is what I say; but when the time comes, why let her rip!”(p 77).

Long John Silver says seriously to his men not need to hurry and wait until the time is come. He also asks to kill all the nonconspirators, do not let them all home who deny his order.

“John,” cries the cockswain,” you’re a man!” “You’ll say so, Israel, when you see,” said Silver. “Only one thing I claim- I claim Trelawney. I’ll wring his calf’s head off his body with these hands (p 77).

In the scene of the apple barrel shows the evidences that Long John Silver is a treacherous. Jim Hawkins overhears Long John Silver reveal his plans to his conspirators. What Jim Hawkins hears in the apple barrel shows that what Silver’s real purpose is to take over and control the ship crew so that he can gain the hidden treasure.

d. Cruel

It is obvious for buccaneer dealing with something cruel, like killing other, as well as Long John Silver. Long John Silver has this kind of characteristic too.

As a buccaneer, it is possible for him to take any action in gaining what he wants most, that is treasure, even if it means that he has to kill his own man. The beginning of the novel is told that the readers are prepared for the bad Long John

Silver by the many early warnings to beware of the one leg man. Then go to how he tries to manipulate Jim Hawkins and Dr. Levesey in their first encounter which lays the conspiratorial evil behind it. And go to the treacherous of Long John

Silver when he and the other mutineers plan to mutiny. Long John Silver’s evil characteristic is clearly shown when he kills a seaman who refuses to join the mutiny; first he stunned the seaman with his crutch and then stabbed him to death.

You’ve killed Alan, have you? Kill me, too, if you can. But I defies you.” And with that, this brave fellow turned his back directly on the cook, and set off walking for the beach. But he was not destined to go far. With a cry, John seized the branch of the tree, whipped the crutch out of his armpit, and sent that uncouth missile hurtling through the air. It struck poor Tom, point foremost, and with stunning violence, right between the shoulders in the middle of his back. His hands flew up, he gave a sort of gasp, and fell. Whether he was injured much or little, none could ever tell. Like enough, to judge from the sound, his back was broken on the spot. But he had no time given him to recover. 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 defenseless body. From my place of ambush, I could hear him pant aloud as he struck the blows (p 96-97).

The above quotation shows how cruel Long John silver is. Long John

Silver has to kill Tom who refuses to join in mutiny, which he is his own man.

The way Long John Silver kills Tom show that he is very cruel buccaneer. When

Tom turns back and goes to the beach, Silver takes his crutch and throws it to 34

Tom and makes him fall down. After Silver strikes Tom with his crutch which making him fall down, he directly goes to him and seems that he does not want to lose any of chance to give another strike to Tom. And without any word come out through his mouth, he snaps him mercilessly with a knife twice up to the hilt until he dead just like an animal.

It is stated of how Long John Silver’s evil characteristic is clearly shown when he has to kill his own man who refuses to join the mutiny. e. Kind

Long John Silver is portrayed as a round character. In the early view of

Long John Silver, he is told that he has evil characteristics. But, as the story goes, it appears the good of Long John Silver’s characteristic as what Jim Hawkins describes about him, that he is different from the other buccaneers. He is clean, intelligent, has a pleasant tempered, has good personality and very different from what he expects a pirate to be. “But one look at the man before me was enough. I had seen the captain, and the Black Dog, and the blind man Pew, and I thought I knew what a buccaneer was like- a very different creature, according to me, from this clean and pleasant-tempered landlord” (p 54). This is come when Long John

Silver, which is as the captain of the mutineer, has to save Jim Hawkins from his own men’s threat.

The sea cook instantly removed his pipe. “Now, look you here, Jim Hawkins,” he said, in a steady whisper, that was no more than audible,” you’re within half a plank of death, and what’s a long sight worse, of torture. They’re going to throw me off. But, you mark, I stand by you through thick and thin. I didn’t mean to; no, not till you spoke up. I was about desperate to lose that much blunt, and be hanged into the bargain (p 195).

Long John Silver tries to tell Jim Hawkins that there is no other way to help him and the situation has gone worse, except he says everything possible reason to convince the mutineers of what exactly happen for the prospect of the treasure, because the mutineers have already desperate with the situation.

“You mean all’s lost?” I asked. “Aye, by gum, I do!” he answered. “Ship gone, neck gone-that’s the size of it. Well, I’m tough, but I gave out. As for lot and their council, mark me, they’re outright fools and cowards. I’ll save you life-if so be as I can- from them. “What I can do, that I’ll do,” I said. “It’s a bargain!” cried Long John. “You speak up plucky, and, by thunder! I’ve a chance” (p 196).

The above quotation is said that sincerely Long John Silver wants to save

Jim Hawkins as long as Jim tells everything he knows so that Silver has a chance to save his life. Since Silver has already struggled to keep the situation under his control however it will not go far further because the mutineer has become impatient and desperate, except Jim says what exactly happen so that Silver is able to do something to the mutineers.

Long John Silver does want to protect and save Jim Hawkins’s life is stated when Silver asks the doctor to wait outside the stockade. Silver himself that wants to bring Jim to him for them to have the conversation as what the bargain is deal with. Silver does not want to take a risk of what will happen to Jim as he speaks with doctor inside the stockade.

“Then, doctor,” said Silver, “you just step outside o’ that stockade, and once you’re there, I’ll bring the boy down on the inside, and I recon you can yarn through the spars. Good-day to you, sir, and all our dooties to the squire and Cap’n Smollett. “Slow, lad, slow,” he said. “They might round upon us in a twinkle of an eye, if we seen to hurry.” 36

Very deliberately, then, did we advance across the sand to where the doctor awaited us on the other side of the stockade, and as soon as we were within easy speaking distance, Silver stopped (p 208-209).

It said that Long John Silver asks the doctor to go outside of the stockade and Silver will bring Jim Hawkins to him so that they have their privacy in their conversation and, and for the most that Silver wants to make both of them away from any possibilities threat from the mutineers. It can be seen when Silver and

Jim have to walk deliberately to doctor so that there is no any curiosity of what they have done to the mutineers.

Long John Silver’s goodness is obvious. It can be seen when Silver says something to doctor of what he has already done to Jim Hawkins before Silver back to his friends.

“You’ll make a note of this here also, doctor,” says he, “and the boy’ll tell you how I saved his life, and were deposed for it, too, and you may lay to that. Doctor, when a man’s steering as near the wind as me-playing chuck- farthing with the last breath in his body, like-you wouldn’t think it too much, mayhap, to give him one good word? You’ll please bear in mind it’s not my life only now-it’s that boy’s into the bargain; and you’ll speak me fair, doctor, and give me a bit o’ hope to go on, for the sake of mercy” (p 209).

The above statement says that Long John Silver is really safe Jim

Hawkins’s life. Silver says to doctor of what he has already done for Jim

Hawkins’s life. It is clear for Long John Silver that he really wants to safe Jim

Hawkins’s life although it must brings him into a dangerous situation as his own men depose him as his master and give him the black spot, pirate death notice.

Above statements are some of Long John Silver’s goodness as what he does to save another life.

2. Long John Silver’s Moral Ambiguity Revealed Seen in his

Characterization

After the writer explains some of the Long John Silver’s characteristic, then for this second section in the problem formulation, the writer concerns about the analysis of how Long John Silver’s moral ambiguity will be revealed through his characterization. This analysis will explain about how Long John Silver’s moral ambiguity is revealed through his characterization. The process about how the revelation of Long john Silver’s moral ambiguity will be provided into two parts according to how the story is told in the novel. First, it presents the evil side of Long John Silver gradually, such as the dangerous, tricky, treacherous and ruthless aspects of Long John Silver’s characteristic in the beginning of the novel.

Second, it reveals Long John Silver’s better side in the novel, and keeps the evil

Long John Silver for a while and then shows the good view of Long John Silver as the adventure goes on.

The very beginning of the novel, it is obvious that the figure of Long John

Silver is very dangerous and frightening. It can be shown at the many early warnings from another seaman, Billy Bones, to beware of the one-legged seaman,

Long John Silver. Billy bones has to run away and hide from the figure of Long

John Silver. He comes to Jim Hawkins father’s inn, Admiral Benbow, and plan to stay there. Although he has found a place to hide from Long John Silver, however it still does not make him feel safe. He almost spends his time to stand on the parlor and keep watching along the hill just to find the figure of Long John Silver.

After he spends his time for stroll, he always asks the owner whether there is one 38

legged seaman coming or not. He always sees through the curtain door to make sure that he is safe from that figure for every seaman that coming to the inn. He has to act carefully, and even make him to spend some money pay someone to keep watching on the one-legged seaman figure.

Billy Bones’s action in case for avoiding and watching out of the figure of

Long John Silver represent that Long John Silver is very dangerous seaman.

As the story goes, there will be other of Long John Silver’s evil characteristics. The first of Long John Silver’s evil characteristic is shown when he manipulates and deceives Jim Hawkins and Dr. Livesey in their first encounter.

This is stated at the Spyglass, Silver public house, where Silver and Jim meet for the first time. When they are having a conversation, Jim Hawkins is alarmed by another seaman, Black Dog. He is a seaman whom Jim Hawkins has met at his father’s inn and tries to kill his friend, Billy Bones. This situation force Long John

Silver to deal with an action to control the situation. He has to talk smooth, and try to convince Jim’s suspicion.

“But he hasn’t paid his score. Harry, run and catch him.” “If he were Admiral Hawke he shall pay his score,” cried Silver (p 54).

The way Long John Silver manipulates the situation is able to convince

Jim and even get Jim’s trust.

As Long John Silver is able to handle the situation, it makes Jim feels that he is the only seaman that can be the possible shipmate along the cruise. Jim

Hawkins says about Silver, “I began to see that here was one of the best possible shipmates (p. 58). Silver’s pleasant deed he has done toward Jim also attracts Dr.

Livesey’s attention, which places his as a good man.

“Trelawney,” said the doctor, “Contrary to all my notions, I believe you have managed to get two honest men on board with you-that man and John Silver” (p 63).

However both Jim Hawkins and Dr. Livesey do not realize that there is another purpose behind this all, to take control the ship and seize the treasure.

Long John Silver is succeed to convince Jim Hawkins and attracts Dr. Livesey’s attention and makes him easily to hide his true motive. Here is stated that the way

Long John Silver manipulates Jim Hawkins and Dr. Livesey make him able to hide his true motive.

Then as the story goes, at the night along the cruise, another Long John

Silver’s evil side appears when Jim Hawkins overhears Long John Silver discussing mutiny with the member of the crew. This is the early evidence of

Long John Silver’s badness that appear over Jim Hawkins. Long John Silver is not 40

only want to take control over the crew and seize the treasure, but he also asks the member of his crew to kill everyone who uncooperative.

The Long John Silver’s treachery which is shown in the apple barrel is one of his evil characteristic in the part of the novel.

Long John Silver’s evil characteristic is shown most clearly when he kills his own man who refuses to join the mutiny. It is very clear that Long John

Silver’s evil shown in this action. The time when his man who refuse to join in the mutiny goes ashore to leave him, Long John Silver directly grab his crutch and pointing it to him then throw it strongly and strike exactly on his shoulder which throw him to the ground. Even Long John Silver does not give him a chance to say a word, moreover begging for mercy, he directly goes after him like he does not want to lose a chance to give another strike to him. After Long John Silver already stands over him, he pulls out his knife and gives him another strike twice on his body which brings him to death.

shoulders in the middle of his back. His hands flew up, he gave a sort of gasp, and fell. Whether he was injured much or little, none could ever tell. Like enough, to judge from the sound, his back was broken on the spot. But he had no time given him to recover. 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 defenseless body. From my place of ambush, I could hear him pant aloud as he struck the blows (p 96-97).

It is clearly shown the evil characteristic of Long John Silver when he kills his own man. The dangerous, manipulative, treacherous and ruthless of Long John

Silver presented above as his evil characteristics that lie in the early of the story.

As what the previous has been said that in presenting the process of Long

John Silver’s moral to be ambiguous, it will be divided into two parts, so after the writer explains about the evil of Long John Silver in the early part of the novel then the analysis will go to the next part which will give an explanation about

Long John Silver’s good characteristic.

As what has been stated above, Long John Silver has some bad characteristics. As the adventure goes on, there will be shown the Long John

Silver’s good characteristic. It is shown when Long John Silver, as the captain of the mutineers, has to safe Jim Hawkins, a boy who has failed his plan in doing the mutiny, from the threaten of his own men.. The mutineers claim that Jim Hawkins has made a mistake by cutting off all the schooners and the ship adrift away and also that Jim Hawkins has faked the Billy Bones’s chart. Ship lost, treasure lost, men lost; your whole business gone to wreck; and if you want to know who did it- it was I! (p 192). Then, the mutineers think that Long John Silver has been too far to have a relation with Jim Hawkins, which they think that it will make the characteristic of Long John Silver will soften to Jim Hawkins. As what the 42

mutineers say for their disaffection toward Silver, “Oh, we see through to you,

John Silver; you want to play booty, that’s what’s wrong with you. And then, fourth, there’s this here boy” (p 200).

Along in the treasure hunt, Long John Silver, who as the captain of the mutineers, has tight relationship with Jim Hawkins and this cause the characteristic of Long John Silver become soften to him. It makes Long John

Silver and Jim Hawkins becomes a partner in survival when the mutineers want to throw both off because they have already desperate and impatient with the prospect of the treasure. They’re going to throw me off. But you mark, I stand by you through thick and thin (p 195). And it also makes Long John Silver pirate’s status has changed as his own men give him black spot, pirate death notice. Thus encouraged, the buccaneer stepped forth more briskly, and having passed something to silver, from hand to hand, slipped yet more smartly back again to his companions. The sea cook looked at what had been given him. “The black spot! I thought so,” he observed (p 199).

As Long John Silver has a close relationship with Jim Hawkins, the mutineers think that Jim Hawkins will be just an obstacle for them in searching for the buried treasure. So the mutineers plan to throw him away, and even for

Long John Silver too because he has played over them. Under the threat of his own men, Silver realizes that the only way to go out from this situation is by using

Jim Hawkins for all possible reason in bargain. It is also the only possible way for

Jim Hawkins to survive from the threat of the mutineers. I say to myself: You stand by Hawkins, John, and Hawkins’ll stand by you (p 195-196). To safe their 43

life, Long John Silver tries to convince the mutineers that what he has done is right and will bring them to the treasure as long as they obey what he has planned.

And for Jim Hawkins, Silver says to them that Jim is as a hostage.

“And if you want to know about number four, and that boy, why, shiver my timbers! isn’t he a hostage? Are we a-going to waste the hostage? No, not us; he might be our last chance, and I shouldn’t wonder” (p 202).

By saying that Jim Hawkins is a hostage, Long John Silver tries to convince the mutineers that Jim Hawkins is very useful for them to bargain with

Jim’s friends because they have already known where the treasure is buried, so he does not want to waste this chance. As the time goes on, Silver is able to control the situation and safe Jim Hawkins’s life although it has to endanger his own life.

“You’ll make a note of this here also, doctor,” says he, “and the boy’ll tell you how I saved his life, and were deposed for it, too and you may lay to that. Doctor, when a man’s steering as near the wind as me-playing chuck- farthing with the last breath in his body, like you wouldn’t think it too much, mayhap, to give him one good word? You’ll please bear in mind it’s not my life only now-it’s that boy’s into bargain; and you’ll speak me fair, doctor” (p 209).

What Long John Silver does to Jim Hawkins shows that Silver deals with good characteristic.

Long John Silver’s moral ambiguity is shown when he manipulates Jim

Hawkins and the mutineers in the story. In the first part when he manipulates Jim

Hawkins at the Spyglass public house, it is very clear that what Long John Silver intended is to hide the truth from Jim Hawkins. It is said that when Jim Hawkins is alarmed with the figure of Black Dog, by deceiving, Long John Silver tries to convince Jim Hawkins that what he has seen is wrong.

“Oh,” I cried, “stop him! It’s Black Dog!” “I don’t care two coopers who he is,” cried Silver. 44

“But he hasn’t paid his score. Harry, run and catch him.” “If he were Admiral Hawke he shall pay his score,” cried Silver (p 54).

In this case, what Long John Silver has done toward Jim Hawkins is understood as an act of evil. The next part is shown when Jim Hawkins is threatened by the mutineers. Here, Jim Hawkins is faced with the situation which can bring him to death. Long John Silver as the master of the mutineers have to use the same talent as what he has done to Jim Hawkins at the first encounter to safe Jim Hawkins’s life from his own men hand, although it has to endanger his own life because the mutineers have been already mad over him too. If long John

Silver does not like Jim Hawkins he will ignore him, for Long John Silver’s first motive is arranging the voyage and does the mutiny. And at the time when Long

John Silver protects Jim Hawkins at the risk of his own life, it will be easy for

Long John Silver to give him up to the mutineers or kill him by himself.

“Now, look you here, Jim Hawkins,” he said, in a steady whisper, that was no more than audible,” you’re within half a plank of death, and what’s a long sight worse, of torture. They’re going to throw me off. But, you mark, I stand by you through thick and thin. I didn’t mean to; no, not till you spoke up. I was about desperate to lose that much blunt, and be hanged into the bargain (p 195).

And for that all, Jim Hawkins can be no use to him in that regard. What

Long John Silver has done to Jim Hawkins shows that Long John Silver really wants to save his life. So, to save Jim Hawkins’s life, Long John Silver has to manipulate the mutineers as what he has done to Jim Hawkins when they first met. Here, Long John Silver does manipulate the mutineers to save Jim Hawkins’s life because he believes that the only way to save Jim Hawkins’s life is by doing this action. 45

And if you want to know about number four, and that boy, why, shiver my timber! Isn’t he a hostage? Are we a-going to waste a hostage? No, not us; he might be our last chance, and I shouldn’t wonder. Kill that boy? Not me, mates! And number three? Maybe you don’t count it nothing to have a real college doctor come to see you every day-you, John, with your head broke-or you, George Merry, that had the ague shaken upon you not six hours agone, and has your eyes the color of lemon peel to this same moment on the clock? And maybe, perhaps, you didn’t know there was a consort coming, either? But there is and we’ll see who’ll be glad to have a hostage when it comes to that (p 202).

So, it can be said that the act of evil, that is manipulation, can be the right thing to do. In this case manipulation is an act of good.

The representation of how an act of evil can be as an act of good as being stated on above shows moral ambiguity. From the moral point of view, it is clear that manipulating or controlling and influencing somebody by unfair means is an act of evil, however it can be understood that what Long John Silver has done to the mutineers is as an act which is empowered by good rather than evil. So, what

Long John Silver has done to safe Jim Hawkins by manipulating the mutineers becomes a virtue. It can be said that how an act of evil can be the right thing to do and the only right to do is the evil thing to do. Here, what Long John Silver has done in manipulating the mutineers to safe Jim Hawkins’s life shows that Long

John Silver deals with good characteristic.

The early view of Long John Silver in the early of the novel shows how the Long John Silver’s skillful and clever manipulation of the good men of the

Hispaniola are as the portrait of Long John Silver’s evil side in the story, but when

Long John Silver is threatened by a mutiny of his own men and must utilize that same talent to safe himself and Jim Hawkins, it becomes a virtue. Although it can be said that what Long John Silver has done is motivated by an act for self 46

preservation, what Long John Silver does is really to protect Jim Hawkins from the mutineers and it conveys a feeling of honesty and want to help him.

As stated in the second part of the analysis above, it is explained how

Long John Silver deals with both characteristics, good and evil.

Thus, it is how Long John Silver’s moral ambiguity is shown. In the early part of the novel is shown that Long John Silver is a dangerous man, and as the story goes, Long John Silver’s evil characteristic is gradually shown in the middle of the story and then served with the good of Long John Silver at the last. Long

John Silver’s moral ambiguity is relevant to the fact that he lacks the unchangeable characteristic that will determine his characteristic. On the other hand, his characteristic continuously will always form a new as he interprets the situations he faces and acts in them at the same time. Therefore, there is no privileged point of reference that is available for Long john Silver to be categorized, whether he is good or bad. For example, as Silver utters,” I claim

Trelawney. I’ll wring his calf’s head off his body with these hand,” or take his words for it when Silver says, “You’ll make a note of this here also, doctor,” says he,” and the boy’ll tell you how I saves his life”. If Long John Silver is a bad person however he never gets punishment. As what Jim Hawkins thinks of him:

Yet, I think, none treated him better than a dog; unless it was Ben Gunn, who was still terribly afraid of his old quartermaster, or myself, who had really something to thank him for; although for that matter, I suppose, I had reason to think even worse of him than anybody else, for I had seen him meditating a fresh treachery upon the plateau (p 236).

In the contrary, if Long John Silver is a good person, it is impossible for him regarded as a hero. 47

And as the story proceeds to the end, it is still impossible to decide whether Long John Silver is truly good or bad because he has the potential for both good and bad. “I’m on your side now, hand and glove” (p 237). This statement shows that he is not bad enough. But when Ben Gunn does not want to take a risk of any bad possibilities, like: Benn Gunn had connived at his escape in the shore boat some hours ago, and he now assure us he had only done so to preserve our lives (p 239). It shows that Long John Silver is also not good enough.

CHAPTER V

CONCLUSION

After finishing the analysis of the problems formulation above, the writer will take a conclusion of the analysis.

Long John Silver is one of many characters that appear in the novel entitle

Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson. Why Long John Silver is chosen because he is different from the other characters in this novel. Unlike the others character in the novel, here, Long John Silver is presented that he deals with moral ambiguity, good and evil. In analyzing the character of Long John Silver, the writer formulates two problems in this thesis.

The first problem formulation is about the characteristics of Long John

Silver. It is important to analyze the characteristics of Long John Silver in order to know deeper about the character of Long John Silver. As the result of the first problem analysis, the writer find out that Long John Silver has several characteristics. First, Long John Silver is described as a dangerous seaman. It can be seen from Billy Bones’s attitude to hide from the figure of Long John Silver.

Second, Long John Silver is described as a man who is skillful in manipulating others. It can be seen at the time he manipulates Jim Hawkins at the first encounter and his own men who try to kill him. Third, Long John Silver is described as a treacherous man, it can be seen when he plans to arrange the voyage and to do mutiny on Hispaniola ship. Fourth, Long John Silver is described as a cruel seaman. It is shown when he kills his own man who refuses to

48 49

join the mutiny. And the last, Long John Silver is described as a kind man. It is shown when he saves Jim Hawkins from the mutineer’s threat.

The second problem formulation is about how Long John Silver moral is revealed to be ambiguous through his characterization. Ambiguity can occur when two meanings of the word, the two values of the ambiguity, are the two opposite meanings defined by the context, and this is what happens to Long John Silver in the novel. .Long John Silver’s moral ambiguity can be seen when he manipulates both Jim Hawkins and his own men. At the time Long John Silver manipulates

Jim Hawkins at the Spyglass public house, it is clear that Long John Silver does it to hide the truth from Jim Hawkins. Here, Jim Hawkins sees one of Long John

Silver men and reminds him with the man who tries to kill his friend, Billy Bones, at the Admiral Benbow Inn. So to avoid Jim Hawkins’s curiosity, Long John

Silver tries to deceive and convince him that what he has seen is wrong. Here, what long John Silver does is as an act of evil. Next come when Long John Silver tries to convince his own men not to kill Jim Hawkins. Here, Long John Silver uses his same talent as what he has done to Jim Hawkins at the first encounter to save Jim’s life from the threat of his own men. So, it can be said that an act of evil, as what Long John Silver has done when he manipulates Jim Hawkins at the first encounter, becomes a virtue at the time Long John Silver does it to save Jim

Hawkins’s life. The representation of how an act of evil can be as an act of good as Long John Silver does to save Jim Hawkins shows moral ambiguity.

In the early view of Long John Silver in the early of the novel shows how the Long John Silver’s skillful and clever manipulation of the good men of the 50

Hispaniola are as the portrait of Long John Silver’s evil side in the story, but when

Long John Silver utilizes that same talents to save Jim Hawkins, it becomes a virtue. Thus, it is how Long John Silver’s moral ambiguity is shown. Long John

Silver’s moral ambiguity is relevant to the fact that he lacks the unchangeable characteristic that will determine his characteristic. On the other hand, his characteristic continuously will always form a new as he interprets the situations he faces and act in them at the same time. Therefore, there is no privileged point of reference that is available for Long john Silver to be categorized, whether he is good or bad. And as the story proceeds to the end, it is still impossible to decide whether Long John Silver is truly good or bad because he has the potential for both good and bad.

It can be said that the value of good and evil are intrinsically ambiguous, so that in the end all choices are to be taken individually as personal acts of assuming one’s responsibility in life, toward all others surround us.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Abrams, M. A Glossary of Literary Terms 4th edition: New York: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich college publishers, 1981.

Agould, James and Willish H. Truitt. “The Ethics of Ambiguity” in Existentialist Philosophy. Simone de Beauivoir. New York: Philosophical Library, 1949.

Empson, William. Seven Types of Ambiguity. New York: The Noonday Press, 1955.

Fabb, Nigel and Alan Durant. How to Write Essay, Dissertations and Thesis in Literary Studies. New York: Longman, 1993.

Guerin, L. Wilfred. A Handbook to Critical Approaches to Literature 4th Ed. New York: Oxford University Press, 1999.

Harvey, W.J. Character and the Novel. New York: Monarch Pers, 1966.

Herzberg, Max J. Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson. New York: Pocket Books, Inc., 1957.

Lewis, Liz. “The Monstrous Potential of Love. Moral Ambiguity in Tony Morrison’s Beloved and Jazz”. 2001. (May 17th, 2010).

Murphy, M.J., Phd. Understanding Unseen: An Introduction to English Literature and the English Novel for Overseas Students. London: George Allen & Unwin ldt., 1972.

Magnis, Franz Von. Etika Dasar. Yogyakarta: Kanisius, 1987.

National Library of Scotland. “Robert Louis Stevenson”. Scotland: Edinburgh, 1925. (March 24th, 2010).

Perrine, L. Literature: Structure, Sound and Sense. New York: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, Inc., 1974.

Poespoprodjo, W. L. Filsafat Moral. Bandung: Remadja Karya CV, 1986.

Robert, V. Edgar and Henry F. Jacob. Fiction: An Introduction to Reading and Writing. New York: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1987.

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Rohrberger, Mary and Samuel H. Woods, Jr. Reading and Writing about Literature. New York: Random House, Inc., 1972.

Scott, Wilbur. S. Five Approaches of Literary Criticism: An Arrangement of Contemporary Critical Essay. 1st Collier Books ed. New York: Collier Books, 1962.

Stanton, Robert. An Introduction to Fiction. New York: Holt, Rineheart and Winston, inc., 1965.

Staub, Ervin. Positive Social Behavior and Morality. New York: Academic Press, Inc., 1978.

Stephen, Leslie. “Treasure Island Critical Options”. Kellscraft Studio, 1999. (April 20th, 2010).

Urban Dictionary LLC (the Company). “Moral Ambiguity”. San Fransisco. (April 5th, 2010)

Van De Laar, E and Schoonderwoerd, N. An Aprroach to English Literature. Malmberg: L.G.C., 1957.

Wellman, Carl. Moral and Ethics. Illinois: Scott, Foresman and Company, 1957.

APPENDIX 1

Summary of Treasure Island

A young boy named Jim Hawkins had great memories of the first day when the seaman, Bill Bones, came looking for lodging at his father’s inn, the

Admiral Benbow. Jim was curios to Bill Bones because Bill was very afraid with someone who only had one leg and often watched the inn. After that, Jim knew that the one-legged sailor is Long John Silver. One day Bill died and Jim found

Bill’s packet. He took it and ran away. Then Blind Pew ran after him, but Jim saved himself and went to Dr. Livesey’s house. Jim gave the packet to Dr.

Livesey and Squire. The packet contained a map locating the hidden treasure of the bloody buccaneer, Captain Flint.

In Bristol, Squire decided to outfit a ship in which to sail after the treasure.

Squire purchased a schooner, Hispaniola, and hired Long John Silver as the ship’s cook. Squire hired Captain Smollet as the Captain of Hispaniola.

After the Hispaniola had sailed, Jim overheard Silver discussing mutiny with members of the crew. Silver had a bad plan about the party to take over the treasure. Ashore, Jim ran away to the island and met Ben Gunn, Captain Flint’s crew.

Finally Hispaniola had been floated by a tide; consequently the group left the treasure island. A full crew was taken on, and the schooner voyaged back to

Bristol. And Jim and other survivors took the treasure and divided it fairly.

53 APPENDIX 2

The life of Robert Louis Stevenson

Robert Louis Stevenson was born in Edinburgh’s New Town in 1850. He died 44 years later on a small Samoan island in the Pacific. During his short life he traveled the world, defined convention, and made himself one of the most famous writers of 19th century.

Stevenson was born into a prosperous Edinburgh professional family, and christened Robert Lewis Balfour after his two grandfathers.

As he grew up, Robert Louis Stevenson rebelled against the conventions of Edinburgh middle-class society. He changed the spelling of his name from

“Lewis” to the French form, “Louis”. Wearing his famous velvet coat, he explored all aspects of the life which the city of Edinburgh presented, turning from the New Town to the Old in search of Bohemianism and adventure.

Robert Louis Stevenson never enjoyed good health, and this had a profound effect on both his life and work. Even short periods spent in the meteorological purgatory of Edinburgh always led to a decline, and to his being dispatched to a warmer climate. In itself this was not a great hardship, because he loved traveling. Despite his ill health, he undertook quite strenuous journeys.

Some of the happiest times Robert Louis Stevenson spent in France were at the Bohemian artists’ colony at Grez. It was here he met his future wife, Fanny

Vandegrift Osbourne, an American who had come to France to study art and escape from unhappy marriage.

54 55

After a year in United State, Robert Louis Stevenson sailed back to

Europe. He spent the winters in the mountain towns of the Alps, returning to

Scotland in the summer to brave the inhospitable climate. During the summer of

1881, Stevenson and his family were staying in a cottage in Braemar. One afternoon he began drawing a map to amuse his stepson, but found that he himself was carried away. This enthusiasm produced Treasure Island, a tale of buccaneers and of mutiny on the high seas, and it remains his best-loved work, never having been out of print since it was first published.

Robert Louis Stevenson’s health decline sharply throughout 1884 and his anxious parents persuaded him to return from the Continent. He settled as far north as he dared, and they bought him a villa in Bournemouth. There he began work on Kidnapped, his famous story of the adventure of David Balfour following the Jacobite Rebellion of 1745.

In 1887, after the death of his father, Robert Louis Stevenson left for the

United State once more. This time he was accompanied by his family. The following year, in yet another attempt to find good health, he chartered a yatcht and set sail for the South Seas. He immediately took to life on board ship, which he had earlier portrayed so vividly in his books.

Finance and his precarious state of health meant that Robert Louis

Stevenson’s cruising life could not go on indefinitely. However, he was increasingly fascinated by the Pacific island and their peoples.

Although he wrote many stories which are set in the South Seas, Robert

Louis Stevenson’s native land remained in his thoughts. He had completed The 56

Master of Ballantrae during his cruise, and once settled at Vailima he began work on a new novel. Weir of Hermiston is claimed by many to be his finest work, although it was never completed.

One evening in December 1894, Stevenson died very suddenly. He had defied his weak lungs for over 40 years, but in the end it was a brain haemorrhage which killed him. The final words of his unfinished novel were strangely appropriate:

‘It had seemed unprovoked, a wilful convulsion of brute nature…’

APPENDIX 3

The works of Robert Louis Stevenson

Prose

1 The Pentland Rising (1866).

2 An Inland Voyage (1878).

3 Edinburgh: Picturesque Notes (1879).

4 Travels with a donkey (1879).

5 Virginibus Puerisque (1881).

6 Familiar Studies of Men and Books (1882).

7 New Arabian Nights (1882).

8 The Silverado Squatters (1883).

9 Treasure Island (1883).

10 Prince Otto (1885).

11 The Dynamiter (1885)

12 Dr. Jeckyll and Mr. Hyde (1886).

13 Kidnapped (1886).

14 Memories and Portraits (1887).

15 The Black Arrow (1888).

16 The Master of Ballantrae (1889).

17 The Wrong Box (1889).

18 Father Damien (1890).

19 Across the Plains (1892).

57 58

20 The Wrecker (1892).

21 A Footnote to History (1892).

22 Island Nights Entertainments (1893).

23 Catriona (1893).

24 The Ebb Tide (1894).

25 Vailima Letters (1895).

26 The Weir of Herminston (1896).

27 Lay Morals and Other Papers (1896).

28 St. Ives (1898).

Play

29 Deacon Brodie (1880).

30 Beau Austin Admiral Guinea (1884).

31 Macaire (1885).

Poems

32 A Child’s Garden of Verses (1885).

33 Underwoods (1887).

34 Ballads (1890).

35 Songs of Travel (1896).