Summary
The story begins with
a canoe approaching a tropical island. Two men, Evans and Hooker, are on a
quest to find a buried treasure. They enter a bay, navigate through a reef, and
reach the island, where a dense forest grows close to the beach.
Evans and Hooker are in possession of a rough map that hints at the
location of the treasure. The map indicates a bay, a river, and a clump of palm
trees. The treasure hunters believe that the treasure is buried where a star
marks a spot on the map.
As they explore the island's interior, Evans has a disturbing dream that
recalls their encounter with the Chinamen who shared the treasure's story. In
the dream, Chang-hi, one of the Chinamen, grins mysteriously.
While searching for the treasure, they come across the body of a dead
Chinaman who had apparently found the treasure before them but died, likely
from a snakebite. They also find a pile of gold ingots nearby.
One of the men, Evans, becomes incapacitated by the poison from a thorn
prick. Hooker attempts to suck out the poison but soon realizes it's
ineffective. Evans experiences severe symptoms and becomes motionless.
Hooker, now poisoned himself, realizes that the thorns are similar to
those used by the Dyaks to poison blowgun darts.
As Evans and Hooker suffer from the poison, they contemplate their dire
situation, with Hooker sitting beside the treasure and his dying companion. The
story ends in a bleak and ominous atmosphere.
Overall, the story serves as a cautionary tale about the consequences of
greed and the pursuit of material wealth, highlighting the futility and
destructive nature of such pursuits.
a. The expository
scene of the story begins with the description of a canoe approaching a
tropical island. The bay opens up, revealing a river flowing into the sea,
surrounded by a lush forest. The forest is described as being close to the
beach, with mountains visible in the distance. The sky is hot and sunny, and
the sea is calm.
b. The map in the
story is described as rough and creased, with pencil markings that outline the
bay, the reef, and a river. There is also a straight line that cuts across the
river and points to a clump of palm trees. Evans and Hooker interpret the map as
a guide to the location of buried treasure. They believe that the star on the
map marks the spot where the treasure is buried, and the dotted line may
indicate the path to follow. The writing on the map is identified as Chinese,
suggesting that the treasure was buried by a Chinese individual.
c. Evans and Hooker
learned about the treasure from the Chinamen they encountered. The Chinamen
told them the story of a Spanish galleon that ran aground and buried its
treasure on the island. They explained that a Chinese man had discovered the
treasure, buried it again, and now sought help to recover it.
d. Evan's dream in
the story is described as a sequence of memories and thoughts that come to him
as he drifts off to sleep. He recalls the night when he and Hooker learned
about the treasure from the Chinamen, including their conversation and the
details of the treasure's location. The dream also includes a disturbing image
of a Chinese man, Chang-hi, grinning at him.
e. As Evan and Hooker
walk towards the island, they see a dense forest with towering trees,
undergrowth, and colorful flowers. They also hear the rush of water from a
river, which indicates their proximity to the river mouth.
f. When the treasure
hunters find the dead man, he is lying on his face in a clear space among the
trees. He is dressed in blue, and his body shows signs of decay. Nearby, there
is a spade, a freshly dug hole, and a pile of stones.
g. The treasure
hunters attempted to carry the gold ingots by placing them in a coat. They
intended to transport the treasure to their canoe, which was anchored nearby.
h. Evan and Hooker
were poisoned when they pricked their hands on thorns while handling the
treasure. These thorns were similar to the ones used by Dyaks to poison blowgun
darts.
Reference to the
context:
a. The story is set
on a tropical island because it describes a bay, a reef, a lush forest, palm
trees, mountains, and hot, sunny weather—all typical features of a tropical
island.
b. Evan and Hooker
took the risk of finding the buried treasure on a deserted island because of
their greed and the promise of untold wealth. They were lured by the prospect
of discovering the treasure and becoming rich.
c. The narrator of
the story does not explicitly exhibit racist attitudes, but the story portrays
the Chinamen in a stereotypical manner, using pigeon English and depicting them
as secretive and cunning treasure hunters. The narrator does not express feelings
of racial superiority, but there are elements of racial stereotyping in the
portrayal of the Chinese characters.
d. The moral of the
story is a cautionary tale about the destructive nature of greed and the
pursuit of material wealth. It warns against the consequences of letting greed
drive one's actions, as it can lead to suffering and even death.
Reference beyond the
text:
a. The story can be
interpreted as a mystery story because it revolves around the discovery of a
hidden treasure and the mystery of how the Chinese man died. The treasure map
and the unexpected challenges the characters face add an element of mystery to the
narrative.
b. A popular
childhood treasure hunting story is "Treasure Island" by Robert Louis
Stevenson. In contrast to "The Treasure in the Forest,"
"Treasure Island" is an adventure novel that features pirates, buried
treasure, and a young protagonist named Jim Hawkins. While both stories involve
treasure hunting, "Treasure Island" is more of an adventure tale with
a larger cast of characters and a swashbuckling narrative. "The Treasure
in the Forest," on the other hand, focuses on the consequences of greed
and the isolation of the treasure hunters in a remote and hostile environment.
Both stories explore the theme of treasure hunting but do so in different ways.
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