Chapter 32 of Treasure Island builds to a fever pitch of tension as Jim Hawkins, still a hostage of the mutineers, is dragged deeper into the heart of the island in their relentless search for Captain Flint’s treasure. Guided by the map, the pirates press on, but fear grips them tighter with each step.

The eerie silence of the woods, broken only by their whispered conversations, seems alive with unseen threats.

“Ever since they had found the skeleton and got upon this train of thought, they had spoken lower and lower, and they had almost got to whispering by now, so that the sound of their talk hardly interrupted the silence of the wood.”

When distant singing echoes through the forest, terror overtakes the crew. Their faces pale as though haunted by the very ghosts they fear. But Silver, ever the realist, recognizes the truth:

“That’s some one skylarking—some one that’s flesh and blood.”

It’s Ben Gunn’s voice, and though the pirates scoff at the marooned man, Silver’s impatience grows. Jim, tethered to him like a pawn in a game of greed, can see the burning hunger in Silver’s eyes.

“He plucked furiously at the line that held me to him, and, from time to time, turned his eyes upon me with a deadly look.”

When they finally reach the grove marked on the map, the air is thick with anticipation. But instead of unimaginable riches, they find an empty hiding spot—the treasure is gone.

What will the mutineers do now, their prize stolen and their hopes dashed? Can Jim survive their fury, and what role does Ben Gunn play in this shocking discovery?

Chapter 32 hurtles toward a climactic revelation, where greed, betrayal, and survival collide in a dangerous twist.

SHADOW PUPPET THEATER

“Shaken as I was with these alarms, it was hard for me to keep up with the rapid pace of the treasure-hunters. Now and again I stumbled; and it was then that Silver plucked so roughly at the rope and launched at me his murderous glances.”

We’re going to create the image of the pirates climbing the island’s terrain in search of the hidden treasure, pulling Jim along as a hostage, with our own shadow puppet theater.

TERMS TO KNOW

Fringed with surf – the image of a coastline where the waves break along the edge of the shore, creating a white, frothy border.

A great field of open sea – evokes a vast, expansive view of the ocean, stretching endlessly like a field on land.

Black with precipices – a stark and dramatic image of a landscape dominated by dark, sheer cliffs or steep drops. The word “black” suggests an ominous, foreboding quality.

“That blue in the face, too!” – someone so angry that their face appears discolored—literally or figuratively “blue.”

Ashen lips – lips that appear pale, grayish, or drained of color, often suggesting intense fear, shock, illness, or even death.

“It’s some one skylarking” – someone is playing a prank. The word “skylarking” historically referred to sailors climbing or leaping around the ship’s rigging for fun or to show off

Darby M’Graw – the name “Darby M’Graw” is not explained in the text, leaving its origin open to interpretation. It may have been a real or fictional crew member known to Flint.

Praying volubly – praying in a rapid and intense manner.

“I could hear his teeth rattle in his head” – intense fear.

“Belay there, John!” – to stop or cease what you are doing.

“Might have been entered as a sailing mark upon the chart” – a particular landmark so distinct and prominent it could serve as a navigational reference for sailors.

“Their eyes burned in their heads” – overwhelming greed and obsession as they close in on the treasure. Their “burning eyes” suggest a fiery, almost primal desire that consumes them.

“This also added to my wretchedness” – emotional despair.

“That ungodly buccaneer with the blue face” – a blue face symbolizes death, coldness, or something ghostly.

“We were now at the margin of the thicket” – leaving the dense, tangled undergrowth of the forest and moving into open terrain.

“All was clear to probation” – a moment of clarity or revelation where everything becomes understandable.

“The cache had been found and rifled” – a hidden stash of treasure had already been discovered and looted.