Dick

Dick, also referred to as Dick Johnson, is a young seaman on the Hispaniola who becomes one of the key recruits in Long John Silver's plot to seize the ship and its treasure. He is the youngest hand on board, and his initial admiration for the legendary pirate Captain Flint makes him particularly susceptible to Silver's manipulation. During the pivotal conversation overheard by Jim Hawkins from the apple barrel, Silver flatters Dick with the same words of praise he had used on Jim, calling him "as smart as paint" and a "finer figurehead for a gentleman of fortune I never clapped my eyes on." Dick readily agrees to join the mutineers, shaking hands with Silver and declaring himself "square." His corruption is the last act in the recruitment of the honest hands, and he is entrusted by Silver with the key to the rum keg, a detail that suggests how the previous mate, Mr. Arrow, may have been destroyed by drink.

Role in the Mutiny and the Treasure Hunt

Dick is present throughout the major events of the mutiny, though he rarely takes a leading role. He is among the pirates who take possession of the stockade, and it is he who brings a torch when Jim Hawkins is captured in the dark. During the treasure hunt, Dick's role becomes increasingly passive and fearful. He carries a Bible, a remnant of a pious upbringing before he "fell among bad companions," and when the pirates are terrified by a voice they believe to be the ghost of Captain Flint, Dick is the one who prays volubly. His superstitious dread is so profound that he is the last to be comforted by Silver's rationalizations, and he remains fearful even after the others have dismissed the voice as belonging to Ben Gunn.

Superstition and Fever

Dick's character is defined by a deep-seated superstition that contrasts sharply with the hardened cynicism of older pirates like Silver and George Merry. When the mutineers cut a black spot from a Bible to depose Silver, Dick is horrified, believing that defacing the holy book will bring bad luck. Silver mocks him, saying, "You've gone and cut this out of a Bible. What fool's cut a Bible?" and later tells Dick that his "slice of luck" is gone and he "can get to prayers." The psychological strain of the treasure hunt, combined with the island's unhealthy climate, proves too much for Dick. As the party approaches the treasure site, he falls behind, babbling both prayers and curses as a fever, predicted by Dr. Livesey, rises swiftly within him. His physical and mental collapse marks him as one of the most tragic figures among the mutineers, a young man destroyed by the very adventure he was lured into.

Fate and Significance

Dick's ultimate fate is left uncertain. He is among the three surviving mutineers who are left behind on Treasure Island when the Hispaniola sails away. The last sight of them shows the three kneeling on a spit of sand, arms raised in supplication, before one of them fires a futile shot at the departing ship. Dick's story serves as a cautionary tale within the novel, illustrating the corrupting power of greed and the psychological toll of a life of crime. His vulnerability to superstition and his physical weakness make him a foil to the resilient and cunning Long John Silver, and his decline underscores the moral and physical decay that pervades the pirate crew.