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In Part IV of Treasure Island, how is the stockade advantageous and disadvantageous to Captain Smollett and the crew?
Quick answer:
The advantage of the stockade is that it so difficult to climb over, but the disadvantage is that it's in range of the cannon. The loyalty of the crew plays a key role in this part, because they are willing to stay with Captain Smollett rather than go over to Silver. When Long John Silver enters the stockade with his men, he offers them a place among his crew if they will come out. But they refuse and remain faithful to Smollett. The leader of the pirates is not one of them—he's an outsider. It's easier for these characters to make a decision against him than if he were one of their own leaders. They know they can'In the classic adventure novel Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson, the characters Jim Hawkins, Squire Trelawney, Doctor Livesey, Captain Smollett, and a crew of sailors sail in search of pirate treasure on a tropical island. However, Long John Silver and his mutinous pirates are part of the crew. After the island is located, Silver and his pirates take over the ship.
In Part IV of the book, Trelawney, Livesey, Smollett, the loyal crew, and eventually Hawkins reach the safety of a stockade on the island. The advantage of this position is that they are greatly outnumbered by the pirates, and from the safety of the stockade, they can more easily defend themselves. There's also fresh water within the stockade, and they have brought supplies of weapons, although they are short of food.
A disadvantage of the stockade is that the palisade is low enough for the pirates to climb...
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over, and once the pirates are inside, there is nowhere for the defenders to run. On this occasion, though, the loyal crew manages to fight off the pirates. Another disadvantage of the stockade is that it is in range of the ship's cannon. Fortunately, though, the cannon is so difficult to aim that the shots are not effective.
The stockade on the island proves to be an excellent protection and advantage for the others against the pirates because it is a sturdy fortification with only small openings for placing rifles for shooting. In addition, it has water close by. On the other hand, it puts the men at a disadvantage when the pirates shoot the long-nine gun that proves light enough for them to bring ashore.
In Chapter XV, after Captain Smollett and his men lock some of the mutineers under the deck, Captain and Dr. Livesey go ashore to find a spot where they can get fresh water, organize themselves, and prepare for the possible appearance of the pirates on the island. Soon, they find an abandoned stockade near the spot where they have sighted water; therefore, the men go inside with their water. There they set up a defensive position against the pirates on the island that affords them excellent openings for shooting. Jim describes the stockade in this way:
The people in the log house....stood quiet in shelter and shot the others like partridges. All they wanted [meaning needed] was a good watch and food; for, short of a complete surprise, they might have held the place against a regiment.
However, one thing that Captain Smollett and Dr. Livesey have not figured on is the cannon on the ship and, especially, the smaller long-nine gun that the others could even bring ashore. Fortunately, only the flag on the stockade is visible for the men on the ship to aim at as they fire on those inside.