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Metaphor
Explanation and Analysis—The Pluck of a Weevil:
In Chapter 5, Jim secretly watches as the blind pirate Pew and a fellow buccaneer fight over Billy Bones's sea chest and the missing treasure map. Frustrated because the map has been stolen, Pew uses a metaphor and declares to the man:
If you had the pluck of a weevil in a biscuit you would catch them still.
Pew's unusual phrase isn't meant to be taken literally. It is a figure of speech in which he subtly compares the man to a "weevil in a biscuit." "Weevil" refers to a type of invasive beetle known to be a pest. To "have pluck" means to be brave and tenacious. Pew insults the man by making this comparison, telling him he doesn't even have the courage of a bug. In doing so, he provokes the man to be more courageous and ruthless in their pursuit of the treasure.
The novel uses this metaphor to present the idea of courage to the reader in a unique and memorable way. The pirate Long John Silver becomes a model of this exact type of courage. Extremely clever and bold, his bravery repeatedly allows Silver to escape death and punishment. Once Jim finds himself on the strange, perilous adventure to Treasure Island, he learns that courage is an especially important trait to have and something he must cultivate within himself in order to face difficult challenges.
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