Ben Gunn (Treasure Island) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Benjamin Gunn
Treasure Island character
Jim Hawkins and Ben Gunn
Created by	Robert Louis Stevenson
Information
Gender	Male
Occupation	Pirate
Religion	Christianity
Nationality	English

Benjamin "Ben" Gunn is a fun and interesting character from the famous book Treasure Island. This exciting adventure story was written by Robert Louis Stevenson in 1883. Ben Gunn is known for being stranded on Treasure Island for a long time. He really wants to get back to civilization and eat some delicious cheese! Even though he is close to a huge treasure, he can't use it. He often wants things that money can't buy.

Ben Gunn's Adventures in Treasure Island

Ben Gunn was once a crew member for the scary Captain Flint. His own shipmates left him stranded on Treasure Island for three years. This happened because he couldn't find the treasure without a map. During his lonely time on the island, Ben Gunn developed a huge craving for cheese.

How Ben Gunn Meets Jim Hawkins

Ben Gunn first appears in the book when Jim Hawkins finds him. Ben is very kind to Jim. In return, he hopes Jim can help him get back home to civilization.

Jim later leaves Ben Gunn behind for a bit. He uses Ben's small boat, called a coracle, to escape to the ship Hispaniola.

Ben Gunn's Clever Plan

Ben Gunn shows up again later in the story. He makes spooky sounds to slow down Long John Silver and his pirate group. The pirates are searching for the treasure. Silver recognizes Ben's voice, which makes the pirates feel brave again. They keep going and find the spot where Flint's treasure was buried. But they discover that someone has already taken all the treasure!

The angry pirates turn on Silver and Jim. But then, Ben Gunn and some others surprise attack the pirates. They defeat two pirates and make the rest run away. Silver gives up to Dr. Livesey, promising to behave.

The Hidden Treasure and Return Home

Everyone then goes to Ben Gunn's cave home. It turns out Ben Gunn had found the treasure months ago and hidden it there! The treasure is shared among Squire Trelawney and his loyal men, including Jim and Ben Gunn. Ben Gunn gets a smaller share, about £1,000 out of a total of £700,000. They all return to England, leaving the remaining pirates stranded on the island.

Once back in England, Ben Gunn quickly spends all his money in just a few days. He then works as a porter for the rest of his life.

Ben Gunn in Other Stories

Ben Gunn is such a popular character that he appears in other books too!

Porto Bello Gold

In the book Porto Bello Gold, written in 1924, Ben Gunn is a servant. He works for Captain Andrew Murray, a privateer. Murray thinks Ben Gunn isn't very smart, which makes him a trustworthy servant. Captain Flint's pirate group works with Murray to capture a Spanish treasure ship.

Later, Flint's crew and Murray's crew fight over the treasure. Flint's crew wins. Ben Gunn, who doesn't like being a servant, offers to work for Flint. He becomes a servant to Flint's cabin boy, Darby McGraw. After more fighting among the pirates, Ben Gunn and Darby McGraw escape with some gold. Ben Gunn insists on becoming a proper sailor. He finds a job on a ship going to Barbados.

The Adventures of Ben Gunn

The Adventures of Ben Gunn is another book that tells a story before Treasure Island. It was written by R. F. Delderfield. This book focuses on Ben Gunn's life, from being a parson's son to becoming a pirate. Jim Hawkins tells the story using Ben Gunn's own words. At first, people think Ben Gunn is crazy. But he proves them wrong by showing his strengths. In this story, Ben Gunn finds the treasure before the other pirates.

Ben Gunn in Movies and TV Shows

Ben Gunn has been played by many actors in different movies and TV shows!

Ben Gunn in Other Media

Ben Gunn's character has inspired many other stories and creations.

Muppet Treasure Island

In the 1996 Disney film Muppet Treasure Island, Ben Gunn is changed into a female character named Benjamina Gunn. She is played by Miss Piggy! In this fun version, she was Captain Smollett's old fiancée. She later became queen of the wild boars on the island. By the end of the movie, she and Smollett get back together. She helps him fight against Silver's pirate crew.

Treasure Planet

In Disney's animated film Treasure Planet, Ben Gunn is a robot named B.E.N. He is voiced by Martin Short. B.E.N. stands for Bio-Electronic Navigator. He is an abandoned, silly robot who has lost most of his memory. Jim and his friends meet B.E.N. while exploring the Treasure Planet's forest. The robot invites them to his house to help the injured Captain Amelia.

When Silver's pirates trap the group, Jim and B.E.N. go back to the ship. B.E.N. tries to mess up the ship's weapons. He accidentally turns off the gravity, which causes a lot of chaos! Later, Jim and B.E.N. get the map. They are captured by Silver, who has already captured Doppler and Amelia. Jim finds Flint's skeleton in the treasure pile. The skeleton is holding a missing part of B.E.N.'s memory. Jim puts the piece back. B.E.N. then remembers that the planet is set to explode when the treasure is found! They barely escape the explosion. B.E.N. joins Jim's family and helps work at the rebuilt Benbow Inn.

Stage Plays and Music

For a while, there was a play of Treasure Island every year at the Mermaid Theatre in London. The famous comedian Spike Milligan often played Ben Gunn in these shows.

The Ben Gunn Society album came out in 2003. It tells the story from Ben Gunn's point of view. It is based on parts of the original book.

Video Games

Ben Gunn was the main inspiration for the character Herman Toothrot in the Monkey Island video game series.

Black Sails

Ben Gunn is also played by Chris Fisher in the Starz TV series Black Sails. Captain Flint and his crew first meet him when they are captured. They are imprisoned on an island where many escaped slaves live. Gunn is already a prisoner there. He is the last surviving crew member of a slave trading ship.