The artists responsible for John Silver had mentioned how difficult it was to compose this particular character. His two-sided physical manifestation aligns so perfectly with his two sided personality. Half of him is genuine flesh and blood, like Jim and Sarah, while the other half is a cold, intimidating collaboration of machinery, which was the result of his insatiable chase after his lifetime obsession: Flint's treasure.

Silver's personality mirrors his exterior; around Jim Hawkins, he is known as a kindhearted, considerate, and adventurous substitute father figure and friend. To his crew of pirates, he is quite the opposite: a menacing, coldhearted, and covetous scoundrel. I have noticed that no one in the movie actually was completely familiar with him until the end. A coin cannot lay flat upon a surface with both of its sides up, I suppose.

The old scalawag does have a practical sense of humor, evidently ( "Just kiddin, Doc, I'm nothin' if I ain't a kidder." ), and that had led me to question about his past. When he asks Jim if his father had ever taught him "how to pick his fights" and Jim reacts negatively, his voice deepens into a more serious tone as he answers, "Your pop wasn't the teaching sort?" ( Or something along those lines … ) Jim answers, "No, he was more of the taking-off-and-never-coming back' sort.", and the pirate responds with a sympathetic smile. Perhaps Silver, not unlike Jim, was neglected by his father as well? Perhaps Silver has developed his sense of humor in attempts to forget his father's disregard for him. Perhaps that is why Silver is where he is now: a rogue, a pirate. Of course, there is the definite possibility that I could be wrong, but hey, it is an interesting topic to think about.

John Silver is undeniably one of the most fascinating characters, inward and out, that you could ever find and I applaud Disney for bringing us such a powerful, realistic character.

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