3.76

3

Aug 21, 2009

A story of a dead child and a mother who is missing him.

Sir James Matthew Barrie (1860-1937), a Scottish, wrote this book in 1902 for an older brother, David (his mother's favorite) who died in an ice-skating accident the day before he turned 14. Thus, in his mother's mind, David always stayed as a young boy who would not grow up. J. M. Barrie, a middle-child and then only 6 years old, tried to assume David's place in his mother's heart by wearing the latter's clothes and speaking and sounding A story of a dead child and a mother who is missing him.

Sir James Matthew Barrie (1860-1937), a Scottish, wrote this book in 1902 for an older brother, David (his mother's favorite) who died in an ice-skating accident the day before he turned 14. Thus, in his mother's mind, David always stayed as a young boy who would not grow up. J. M. Barrie, a middle-child and then only 6 years old, tried to assume David's place in his mother's heart by wearing the latter's clothes and speaking and sounding like him. Barrie was 42 when Peter Pan (the character) first appeared in his other novel, The Little White Bird but the emotion of longing (the child missing his mother and the mother missing his son) can be felt by the readers as if the death only happened recently. For me, this attests to Barrie's brilliance as a novelist.

They say that losing one's child is the most painful grief that a parent can have. A parent burying his child is in contradiction to the natural cycle of life. Thus, it is a lifelong journey of grief for the parents. The very young Barrie saw this pain in his mother's heart and so he tried his best to act, speak and sound like his brother. A mother missing her child. In the story this is symbolized by the open bedroom window waiting for Wendy, John and Michael to return. When they finally do, Peter tries closing it but when he sees the tears in Mrs. Darling's eyes, he says "we don't want any silly mothers'"; and he flew away. making it a triumph of a mother's unconditional heart. A child longing for his mother's love. This is symbolized by Peter asking for Wendy to be his mother and probably Tink and probably even Mrs. Darling. This is the moral of the story: we all need mothers especially those whose windows are and will always be open for us.

A beautiful book. Mesmerizing prose. A fantasy adventure children's book on the surface. But a sad emotion-filled story of a mother and her son somewhere inside. It has the ethereal beauty of Antoine de Saint-Exupery's Le Petite Prince and the subtle meaningful cycle-of-life lesson in E. B. White's Charlotte's Web, two of favorite children's books. My only regret is that fathers like me are sidelined. We fathers have hearts too and we would like to be part of that love. Why did Barrie depict Mr. Darling as crazy feeding Nana his medicine and has to sleep in the kernel?

You see, my windows are also open.





...more

4

Apr 13, 2017

ENGLISH (Peter Pan) / ITALIANO

«All children, except one, grow up.»

The incipit of Peter Pan of J.M. Barrie is the perfect synthesis of the book. I will try to make the point using as inspiration the words of a child, namely three phrases from my daughter Arianna while in the evening she was listening in her bed my reading of Peter Pan (seventeen chapters read on as many nights with the emphasis of a talented narrator):

1 - "Peter Pan is a bad guy" Yes, my daughter did not like to the protagonist

ENGLISH (Peter Pan) / ITALIANO

«All children, except one, grow up.»

The incipit of Peter Pan of J.M. Barrie is the perfect synthesis of the book. I will try to make the point using as inspiration the words of a child, namely three phrases from my daughter Arianna while in the evening she was listening in her bed my reading of Peter Pan (seventeen chapters read on as many nights with the emphasis of a talented narrator):

1 - "Peter Pan is a bad guy" Yes, my daughter did not like to the protagonist of the novel. I did not investigate the reason for her grudge. Probably she didn't like the fact that Peter doesn't want to grow. Not strange, when you are a child usually you want to grow because several tings are forbidden, etc. It is only when you realize that those years are forever lost that you regret for the lost childhood. Everything normal.

2 - "But why Hook have to die?" My daughter almost burst into tears in the solemn moment of the pirate's death. The bad guy of the novel is not that bad after all? I like James Uncino too (it is obvious that the question was asked by the blood of my blood). Actually, it is the death of a central character that shakes the mind of children, a character they started to know and whose presence they are used to. And punctually the tremendous question arrives: "Why do we have to die?" (dear Arianna, if I exactely explain it to you, maybe you also become like Peter Pan, a child who refuses to grow). I buy time and go further.

3 - "NOOOOOOOOOOOO!" The scream is thrown by my daughter when Peter Pan closes the window of the children's room to prevent their home return. I think that one of the things that terrorizes more a child is to stay without their loved ones. The strenght and especially the desire to break away from the family is perhaps the best indicator of the lost childhood.

I instinctively associate Peter Pan with the The Little Prince of Antoine de Saint-Exupéry. However, although speaking the same language (that of children), and dealing with common themes, I enjoyed more Peter Pan and its sad and sweet conclusion. Imagination is a powerful ability, but it is consumed by time. You just have to use it as long as you can. Thereby children fly with their minds and their hearts:

«It is only the gay and innocent and heartless who can fly» Surely, being all three things at the same time when you are an adult is impossible.

Vote: 8

«Tutti i bambini crescono, meno uno»

L'incipit di Peter Pan di J.M. Barrie è la perfetta sintesi di tutto il libro. Vista la tematica, cercherò di fare il punto della situazione utilizzando come spunti di pensiero le parole di una bambina, vale a dire due frasi pronunciate da mia figlia Arianna mentre la sera ascoltava nel suo letto la mia lettura di Peter Pan (diciassette capitoli letti in altrettante serate con un'enfasi da narratore rodato):

1 - "Peter Pan è un cattivone" Ebbene si, mia figlia non ha preso in simpatia il protagonista del romanzo. Non ho indagato a fondo il motivo del suo rancore. Probabilmente è stato il voler rimanere bambino a tutti i costi che a mia figlia proprio non è andato giù. Non c'è nulla di strano in questo, quando si è bambini si vuole crescere, parecchie cose ti sono proibite, etc. E' solo quando ci si rende conto che quegli anni sono persi per sempre che si rimpiange la propria fanciullezza. Tutto nella norma.

2 - "Ma perché Uncino è dovuto morire?" Mia figlia è quasi scoppiata in lacrime nel solenne momento della morte del pirata. Il cattivo del romanzo dopotutto non è poi così cattivo. A me James Uncino è sempre stato simpatico, difatti (è evidente che a formulare la domanda è stato il sangue del mio sangue... tesoro di papà!) In realtà è la morte di un personaggio centrale che scuote l'animo di un bambino, un personaggio che hai cominciato a conoscere e alla cui presenza ti sei abituato. E puntuale arriva il tremendo quesito, La Domanda con la D maiuscola: "Perchè dobbiamo morire?" (Cara Arianna, se te lo spiego per bene, magari diventi anche tu, come Peter Pan, una bambina che si rifiuta di crescere). Tergiverso e vado oltre.

3 - "NOOOOOOOOOOOO!" L'urlo di disappunto viene lanciato da mia figlia quando Peter Pan chiude la finestra della camera dei bambini per impedire il loro ritorno a casa. Credo che una delle cose che terrorizza di più un bambino sia il rimanere senza i propri cari. La capacità e soprattutto la voglia di staccarsi dalla propria famiglia è forse il principale indicatore per la perduta fanciullezza.

Istintivamente mi viene da associare Peter Pan al Il piccolo principe di Antoine de Saint-Exupéry. Tuttavia, pur parlando la stessa lingua, quella dei bambini, e trattando tematiche comuni, ho apprezzato di più Peter Pan e il suo finale triste e dolce. L'immaginazione è una capacità potente, che però va affievolendosi col tempo. Non resta che sfruttarla appieno fin quando si può. E allora volano con la mente e con il cuore i bambini.

«Solo chi è allegro, innocente e senza cuore può volare»Una cosa è certa: da adulti, essere contemporaneamente tutte e tre le cose è impossibile.

Voto: 8

...more

4

Nov 29, 2015

I read this to Celyn. It's a short book. Google tells me 47,000 words but it felt shorter than that.

Many of us know the story second hand through cartoons, Hollywood adaptations, and picture-books. The original item is not that dissimilar, though it's a fair bit more brutal that the cartoons and having been published in 1911 it's 100 years out of date when it comes to Native Americans!

The first thing to note is that it's not just the Never-Land that has a surreal, imaginary feel to it. The I read this to Celyn. It's a short book. Google tells me 47,000 words but it felt shorter than that.

Many of us know the story second hand through cartoons, Hollywood adaptations, and picture-books. The original item is not that dissimilar, though it's a fair bit more brutal that the cartoons and having been published in 1911 it's 100 years out of date when it comes to Native Americans!

The first thing to note is that it's not just the Never-Land that has a surreal, imaginary feel to it. The Darlings's home life is rather odd, with a dog acting as nursemaid to the three little Darlings, performing such tasks as getting them dressed, bathing them, and giving them medicine...

I liked the imagination on display where Peter Pan's shadow is torn off as he leaves in a hurry and the children's mother rolls it up and stores it in a drawer. Later Wendy sews it back on.

The main difference is in how callous Peter Pan is, and how he stays true to this self-absorbed character the whole time with no softening. He doesn't give a damn about the Lost Boys or Wendy's brothers. Tinkerbell is likewise remorseless, repeatedly attempting to get Wendy not just sent home but actively killed.

In the battles the boys have knives and use them to kill people. It's all in the bang-bang-you're-dead vibe of children's games, but the fact remains that pretty much every person on the Never-Land island is killed with violence by the end of the book. This includes most of the Redskins (whose portrayal in the manner given here would fall south of the racist-border in any of the last 4 decades), and pretty much all of the pirates. Even Wendy gets shot with an arrow at Tinkerbell's behest, though she turns out to be alright due to some rather hard to visualize complication with an acorn.

One surprise for me was that Captain Jas. Hook appears to be our pirate captain's real and longstanding name. The fact he now has a hook for a hand being pure coincidence!

Anyway - the book is full of good things, from the ticking crocodile to the invention of the Wendy House.

And Peter Pan, true to his word, never grows up. True to his character he soon forgets about Wendy, returning many years later and fixing his attentions to her daughter, and later granddaughter.

I'm withholding the 5th star simply because much of the description is rather vague, summary, implausible or all three together, so it can be hard to visualize/believe in the scenes.


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…. ...more

4

Jul 11, 2019

‘all children, except one, grow up.’

perhaps i could call it a quarter life crisis, but i am definitely experiencing a little bit of peter pan syndrome lately. and this story is that wonderful adventure through childhood nostalgia that i am desperately needing.

a bit old fashioned, for sure, but this so perfectly captures what it means to be a child - to long for grand adventures, comprehending how belief alone can allow you fly, and how wishing on dreams will always be the greatest pastime.

so ‘all children, except one, grow up.’

perhaps i could call it a quarter life crisis, but i am definitely experiencing a little bit of peter pan syndrome lately. and this story is that wonderful adventure through childhood nostalgia that i am desperately needing.

a bit old fashioned, for sure, but this so perfectly captures what it means to be a child - to long for grand adventures, comprehending how belief alone can allow you fly, and how wishing on dreams will always be the greatest pastime.

so when i get in those deep moments of adulthood, where i forget what it means to be a child, i know i can always head to the second star to the right and straight on ’til morning. and there, peter pan and the lost boys will be waiting for me.

↠ 4 stars ...more

1

Jan 15, 2018

Oh boy. I'm not sure what to say other than I cannot think of one aspect I enjoyed about this book. I tend to gravitate toward dark, disturbing, and twisted stories (what does that say about me???), but this was just sad with no pay off. Each page felt like a chore to get through and I didn't even find the illustrations redeeming. I'm clearly in the minority, but I may have possibly been bit by the old "heard the story so many times that the original feels like a rip off" bug. Definitely not my Oh boy. I'm not sure what to say other than I cannot think of one aspect I enjoyed about this book. I tend to gravitate toward dark, disturbing, and twisted stories (what does that say about me???), but this was just sad with no pay off. Each page felt like a chore to get through and I didn't even find the illustrations redeeming. I'm clearly in the minority, but I may have possibly been bit by the old "heard the story so many times that the original feels like a rip off" bug. Definitely not my cup of tea and I shall choose to bury my head in the sand and pretend this version does not exist. ;) The only reason I didn't DNF this was A) I'm trying my hardest to finish all my popsugar books if possible and B) I try not to DNF books under 200 pages if possible. Rant is over and now I'll move on to the next read! ...more

5

Sep 24, 2008

My children wanted to do our read aloud outside this evening. So we went on the patio and I began reading "Peter Pan." I read about how the mermaids would play with the bubbles, but when the children would come they would all disappear, but they would secretly watch. Pretty soon I hear over the fence our 11 year old neighbor boy say, "Is that Peter Pan?" "Yes," I say, "Would you like to come listen?" "I've been listening from here," he says. So I go on and read about Wendy's rule that all the My children wanted to do our read aloud outside this evening. So we went on the patio and I began reading "Peter Pan." I read about how the mermaids would play with the bubbles, but when the children would come they would all disappear, but they would secretly watch. Pretty soon I hear over the fence our 11 year old neighbor boy say, "Is that Peter Pan?" "Yes," I say, "Would you like to come listen?" "I've been listening from here," he says. So I go on and read about Wendy's rule that all the boys must take a nap after they eat and they are all settled on marooners rock when an eery darkness begins to spread of the lagoon. "Oh, it must be Hook!" and the neighbor is now perched on top of the fence. We go on to the fight and Peter is wounded and can't fly nor swim and is left with Wendy on the rock and the tide is coming in. "Oh...but they can't really drown. They don't drown. Do they?" And the boy is now over the fence. There is a kite, Peter fastens Wendy to it and it carries her away. Peter looks out bravely and says 'to die will be an awfully big adventure.' The chapter ends and the neighbor boy is beside us. I smile and ask, "Do you guys want another chapter?" "Well, if you want to," says the boy and so there is a devoted neverbird, a mother sitting on her nest that has fallen out of the tree and is now bobbing up and down in the gentley lapping waters of the lagoon... ...more

5

Oct 20, 2013

Peter Pan, J.M. Barrie
Peter Pan is a fictional character created by Scottish novelist and playwright J. M. Barrie. A young boy who can fly and never grows up, Peter Pan spends his never-ending childhood having adventures on the mythical island of Neverland as the leader of the Lost Boys, interacting with fairies, pirates, mermaids, Native Americans, and occasionally ordinary children from the world outside Neverland.

عنوانها: پیتر پن؛ سفر به سرزمین خیالی؛ نویسنده: جیمز متیو بری؛ تاریخ نخستین ‎Peter Pan, J.M. Barrie
Peter Pan is a fictional character created by Scottish novelist and playwright J. M. Barrie. A young boy who can fly and never grows up, Peter Pan spends his never-ending childhood having adventures on the mythical island of Neverland as the leader of the Lost Boys, interacting with fairies, pirates, mermaids, Native Americans, and occasionally ordinary children from the world outside Neverland.

عنوانها: پیتر پن؛ سفر به سرزمین خیالی؛ نویسنده: جیمز متیو بری؛ تاریخ نخستین خوانش: روز بیستم ماه اکتبر سال 2003 میلادی

عنوان: پیتر پن - خلاصه شده؛ نویسنده: جیمز متیو بری؛ تلخیص: جان کالینز؛ مترجم: امین اظهری؛ تهران، حنانه، 1380، در 39 ص؛ شابک: ایکس - 964596130؛
عنوان: پیتر پن؛ نویسنده: جیمز متیو بری؛ مترجم: مهدی غبرائی؛ تهران، نشر مرکز، کتاب مریم، 1381، در 208 ص؛ شابک: 9643056686؛ موضوع: داستانهای کودکان و نوجوانان از نویسندگان انگلیسی - سده 20 م
عنوان: سفر به سرزمین خیالی؛ نویسنده: جیمز متیو بری؛ مترجم: زهرا حصارپرور؛ بازنویسی: جواد داعی؛ مشهد، جام آپادانا، 1381، در 12 ص؛ داستانهای تخیلی برای کودکان سنی الف و ب؛ شابک: 9647728069؛
عنوان: پیتر پن؛ نویسنده: جیمز متیو بری؛ مترجم: رامک نیک طلب؛ تهران، قدیانی، 1389، در 240 ص؛ شابک: 9789645365231؛

ماجرای سفر سحرآمیز کودکان، به جزایر خیالی است. جزایری که به گفته‌ ی: «بری»، نویسنده‌ ی همین کتاب، هر کسی ممکن است آنجا را ببیند، «پيتر» پسری ست، که هرگزی بزرگ نمی‌شود. شبی که خانم و آقای «دارلینگ»، از خانه بیرون رفته بودند، «پیتر پن»، به خانه آنها فرود آمد. چیزی نگذشت، که به «وندی»، «جان» و «مایکل»، کودکان خانم و آقای «دارلینگ»، پرواز کردن را یاد داد، و آنها، در هیجان انگیزترین ماجرای عمرشان، به پرواز درآمدند، و به «هیچستان» رفتند. بچه ها در «هیچستان»، به: «پریان دریایی»، «دزدهای دریایی»، «سرخ پوستها»، «خانه ی زیر زمینی»، «تالاب پری دریایی» و «کاپیتان هوک» برخوردند. «هوک» که فرمانده «دزدان دریایی» است، در یک حادثه یک دستش، توسط یک «تمساح» بلعیده شده است. «هوک»، «پیتر» را دوست ندارد، و همین، ماجراهای عجیب و غریبی، برای «پیتر» و بچه ها میآفریند، که تنها، با خوانش داستان برای شما گشوده میشود. داستان زبان ویژه ای دارد. نویسنده، هماره در داستان حضور دارد، و راجع به شخصیت، و کنشهای آنها، اظهار نظر میکند، و همین، به شیرینی داستان میافزاید. در پایان، این پرسش پیش مبآید، که: آیا همگان میتوانند به دنیای خیال «پیتر»، و به «هیچستان» پرواز کنند؟ پاسخ این است: «تنها آدمهای شاد، معصوم، و خیالپرداز، میتوانند آنجا بروند. تنها آنهایی که، دلشان میخواهد کودک باقی بمانند. آنهایی که، اندیشه های خوب و قشنگ دارند، و با آنها به هوا بلند میشوند. خوب گوش کنید، آیا صدای جرینگ جرینگ را میشنوید؟ این صدای زنگوله ی یک «پری» است. میتوانید خودتان را، به زنگوله ی او آویزان کنید، و به دنیای خیال بروید. یا نه، همینجا بمانید. گزینش با شماست. «پیتر پن»، اثر «جیمز ماتیو بری»، از آثار کلاسیک، و محبوب کودکان است، که نخستین بار، در سال 1901 میلادی، نگاشته شده است. «بری» در سال 1904 میلادی، نمایشنامه ای از آنرا، بر روی صحنه نیز بردند. از آن هنگام، همین نمایشنامه، بارها و بارها اجرا شده است. ا. شربیانی ...more

2

Feb 17, 2018

Not gonna lie, I had to push myself to get through this.

I just didn’t find it enjoyable in the slightest, which makes me feel like a loser since it’s such a beloved children’s classic.

But at least I’m an honest loser?

I didn’t really like Peter.
Wendy annoyed me.
And the humor and tone just fell flat for me.

But, on the plus side, at least I can count this as my first completed classic for the year. This was supposed to be my January read and it’s now February...but who’s counting.

Me, that’s who. Not gonna lie, I had to push myself to get through this.

I just didn’t find it enjoyable in the slightest, which makes me feel like a loser since it’s such a beloved children’s classic.

But at least I’m an honest loser?

I didn’t really like Peter.
Wendy annoyed me.
And the humor and tone just fell flat for me.

But, on the plus side, at least I can count this as my first completed classic for the year. This was supposed to be my January read and it’s now February...but who’s counting.

Me, that’s who. One out of 12 complete! ...more

4

Jan 02, 2009

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I can't believe I've never actually read Peter Pan until now. I'd seen the Disney version, but this is both more charming and more sinister than that. There are lots of sweet little details, like mothers tidying up their children's thoughts, and the kiss on the corner of Mrs Darling's mouth.

But Peter is a monstrous sort of figure when you get past the romance of Neverland. He's a wild boy, selfish and cocky. Instead of being a kind of example of innocent childhood, he almost brings to mind the I can't believe I've never actually read Peter Pan until now. I'd seen the Disney version, but this is both more charming and more sinister than that. There are lots of sweet little details, like mothers tidying up their children's thoughts, and the kiss on the corner of Mrs Darling's mouth.

But Peter is a monstrous sort of figure when you get past the romance of Neverland. He's a wild boy, selfish and cocky. Instead of being a kind of example of innocent childhood, he almost brings to mind the boys from Lord of the Flies. Near the end, it says that he nearly stabs Wendy's baby! And he steals other children.

Of course, the moral of the story is that children need mothers. It's just charming enough to get away with the moralising. ...more

4

Mar 09, 2013

INCREDIBLE! SO WEIRD AND GOOD.

Things that are great:
1) All of these tiny details that Barrie added in that just make everything feel really intricate.
2) Peter Pan is the most bizarre and interesting characters ever.
3) The whole concept of Neverland being fact of fiction? Fascinating.
4) The parents. WOAH SO INTERESTING.
5) I listened to an audiobook version while reading along which was read by Jim Dale and OMGSOGOOD.
6) The magic.
7) The pirates.
8) Understanding why Tinker Bell is called Tinker INCREDIBLE! SO WEIRD AND GOOD.

Things that are great:
1) All of these tiny details that Barrie added in that just make everything feel really intricate.
2) Peter Pan is the most bizarre and interesting characters ever.
3) The whole concept of Neverland being fact of fiction? Fascinating.
4) The parents. WOAH SO INTERESTING.
5) I listened to an audiobook version while reading along which was read by Jim Dale and OMGSOGOOD.
6) The magic.
7) The pirates.
8) Understanding why Tinker Bell is called Tinker Bell.
9) It was really sad. The ending, man, was technically happy and cheerful but MAN WAS IT SAD.
10) Pirates.

You should check it out. ...more

4

Mar 11, 2017

Before I get into the review... it took me forever to go through all the editions of Peter Pan listed on Goodreads. While I suppose it's not too important to get the right version, I was shocked at how many there were, as well as that this was a longer series with multiple books. I guess I always knew that, but when I read it, it was just the Peter Pan book, which I believe was the third in the series. I could be wrong... nonetheless... wow... and it's review time and let's do some soaring...



Before I get into the review... it took me forever to go through all the editions of Peter Pan listed on Goodreads. While I suppose it's not too important to get the right version, I was shocked at how many there were, as well as that this was a longer series with multiple books. I guess I always knew that, but when I read it, it was just the Peter Pan book, which I believe was the third in the series. I could be wrong... nonetheless... wow... and it's review time and let's do some soaring...



There is so much I could say about this book. I could write a formal review. I could compare the story to the TV and film adaptions. I could cover the cartoons. BTW, the most interesting one for me was "Once Upon a Time's" portrayal of Peter. So dark... LOVED IT. But that said, to me, it's a children's tale with a huge primary lesson: We never want to grow up, but we have to...

And that's what I'll focus on. This book must be read to children a few times over the years. I'd start first when they are about 4 or 5, and then show the cartoon versions. Let them absorb it and think about it. And then again when they are 7 or 8, helping them understand what it means to grow up. And then again when they are about 12 or 13... and make them do a book report on it, even outside of school. It's a lesson that must be taught young.



Growing up is scary. But so is not growing up. There's a fine balance between finding the time to be free and open, enjoying life and staying away from one's fears. But you must also learn what is necessary to become a good, solid and functioning citizen of the society.



What I love about this story is the amount of interpretations you can absorb from the story, the characters, the setting and the action. Just when you think you've got them all down, another view point comes into play -- and you have to re-think what the moral purpose of the book is about.

Or did Barrie intend it to just be a fun trip for kids... I'm not so sure we'll ever know!



About Me
For those new to me or my reviews... here's the scoop: I read A LOT. I write A LOT. And now I blog A LOT. First the book review goes on Goodreads, and then I send it on over to my WordPress blog at https://thisismytruthnow.com, where you'll also find TV & Film reviews, the revealing and introspective 365 Daily Challenge and lots of blogging about places I've visited all over the world. And you can find all my social media profiles to get the details on the who/what/when/where and my pictures. Thanks for stopping by. ...more

5

May 06, 2017

Reread #2
This is still my favorite book. It's whimsical, beautiful, heart-warming, heart-wrenching, dark... it's wonderful. I love it so much.
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Upon Reread:
It's even better the second time. I will never stop rereading this book. It's so important to me and I don't even know why. Walt Disney, I've always loved you, but I'm never touching merch that reflects your version of this story. Nothing can compare.

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This is one of Reread #2
This is still my favorite book. It's whimsical, beautiful, heart-warming, heart-wrenching, dark... it's wonderful. I love it so much.
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Upon Reread:
It's even better the second time. I will never stop rereading this book. It's so important to me and I don't even know why. Walt Disney, I've always loved you, but I'm never touching merch that reflects your version of this story. Nothing can compare.

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This is one of my new favorite books. it's hillarious, it's heart tugging, it's one that I'll go back to many many times. I'm so happy I read the original story. ...more

1

Jun 04, 2008

I am not sure I can see why Peter Pan is such a beloved "classic." J.M. Barrie's story of the boy who wouldn't grow up just didn't reach me. And I read it aloud to 4 year old boy-girl twins.

Oh, they enjoyed it, and I may have bred a love for the story in them that will last (which could be exactly why the story has endured -- parental readings), but no matter how much they liked Peter Pan I could not see the appeal.

Wendy drove me crazy; Peter grew increasingly annoying; Hook bored me stiff; I am not sure I can see why Peter Pan is such a beloved "classic." J.M. Barrie's story of the boy who wouldn't grow up just didn't reach me. And I read it aloud to 4 year old boy-girl twins.

Oh, they enjoyed it, and I may have bred a love for the story in them that will last (which could be exactly why the story has endured -- parental readings), but no matter how much they liked Peter Pan I could not see the appeal.

Wendy drove me crazy; Peter grew increasingly annoying; Hook bored me stiff; there was too much violence; Barrie's narrative interjections grew to be too intrusive; and I generally felt a distinct lack of fun. About the only thing I liked about the book, besides it ending, was Tinkerbell. Her snooty fairy arrogance always made me smile.

I know I will incur the wrath of many when I say this, but I actually prefer the Disney version. Walt brought some real joy to the story, and while I will never read Peter Pan again, I will watch the movie. Probably tomorrow.

If there wasn't a successful play of Pan I would put the longevity of Barrie's story on the head of Disney. Too bad I can't, but then he's been blamed for enough over the years, hasn't he? ...more

5

Jul 14, 2011

“I suppose it's like the ticking crocodile, isn't it? Time is chasing after all of us.”

Beautifully written, hauntingly nostalgic, and adventure filled, Peter Pan is not a story that can be forgotten and that has made itself live on in childhood literature since its conception.

So many are familiar with the Disney version, a book and movie which highlights the fun and joyful adventures of youth as they escape a bedroom window and fly in the night to a hidden world rich with adventures. The “I suppose it's like the ticking crocodile, isn't it? Time is chasing after all of us.”

Beautifully written, hauntingly nostalgic, and adventure filled, Peter Pan is not a story that can be forgotten and that has made itself live on in childhood literature since its conception.

So many are familiar with the Disney version, a book and movie which highlights the fun and joyful adventures of youth as they escape a bedroom window and fly in the night to a hidden world rich with adventures. The original Peter is just an joyous on some levels - the sense of magic and nostalgia is potent - but Barrie's more sophisticated and original story does more than entertain on a simple level - it makes the reader thing and wonder. Is there a joy in staying young forever, free of adult responsibility and ruling responsibilities? Yes. Is there a tragedy in staying young forever and never growing? Also yes.

The character of Peter is fascinating. He's a child who likes to live carefree and is drawn to that particular nursery on the second floor for whatever reason. Through it he sees Wendy, an inspiration for a mother he doesn't know and claims he doesn't want. He invites her - and she invites her brothers - on a magical ride through the night into a strange land befit with pirates, ticking crocodiles, feisty fairies, and mermaids.

“Absence makes the heart grow fonder… or forgetful.”

Peter has a dark tone as well. He doesn't value life because he can't comprehend it. The author points out as a narrator in the story that he forgets stuff all the time, and may bore of the game of saving the boys as they learn to fly and let them drown simply because he may lose interest. He forgets all those special to him, including the main characters of the story, as he lets himself be tugged by adventure alone and no strong ties to reality and the living, evolving people.

I can see the inspiration for the magical and fertile imagination of children, but I wonder too on the thoughts of children never growing up and forgetting the realities of life through death - the author's brother was tragically killed in an accident at the age of 13, which could leave an impression of a child leaving to fly away and abandon family while they never age.

“Dreams do come true, if only we wish hard enough. You can have anything in life if you will sacrifice everything else for it.”

"The boys on the island vary, of course, in numbers, according as they get killed and so on; and when they seem to be growing up, which is against the rules, Peter thins them out....."

Yeah, Peter totally probably kills them, as the author Brom speculated when he was inspired to write The Child Thief

Hook is shown as a deplorable villain but there is more black and white to the story than the simplified Disney version. He is capable of sympathy but shrugs it aside in his war against Peter because of the boy's arrogant, devil-may-care attitude. I guess I understand the Peter Pan and Hook rivalry more when Peter casually mentions they kill pirates for sport while they're sleeping...

Tink is awesome - she goes around in the story mainly saying, "You silly ass", to Peter. It cracked me up. The author focused a good bit on the mother, Mrs. Darling, too, and it seemed to be because of a strong mother theme through the story, first in her and then in Wendy. Indeed the father is shown as ineffective and rather whiny, although the author points out in the end that Mrs. Darling is now dead and "long-forgotten."

“To die will be an awfully big adventure.”

The story carries more oomph when you glimpse into the author's life and inspirations. J.M. Barrie clearly loved children. When he died in 1937, he left the copyright of Peter Pan to a children's hospital in London, which has continued to financially benefit from royalties. He got the inspiration for the story through meeting and getting close to a family with some young boys, and he took guardianship of the children to the parent's wishes when they passed away.

Sadly, the children he adopted also perished later - one in war and one in drowning. The one survivor, Peter, outlived Barry but committed suicide by jumping in front of a train in 1960.

“Never say goodbye because goodbye means going away and going away means forgetting.”

When I think of Peter Pan, I think of nostalgia. There is magic and joy in living for the present moment and letting go of the future, but there is no foundation. The sands of time dissolve under the feet of everyone except Peter Pan. In the end he lives on and rewards himself with lack of aging, but he forgets all and is forgotten by everyone. It is more of a magical moment that can't last. When the young die, they don't have to grow and face adulthood; they get to live with the magic of childhood forever in the memories of all who knew them when they were alive.

“Never is an awfully long time.” ...more

3

Jun 22, 2017

I’ve never really thought much to Peter Pan. I read it when I was very small and again in my late teens, though each time it didn’t particularly interest me. Sure, it was entertaining enough but that’s about it.

I’ve recently read Lost Boy by Christina Henry and the genius nature of her plot has made me reconsider the original work a little bit. She very cleverly tells the story from the perspective of Peter’s nemesis Hook. And coming from his point of view, it is Peter who is genuinely the one I’ve never really thought much to Peter Pan. I read it when I was very small and again in my late teens, though each time it didn’t particularly interest me. Sure, it was entertaining enough but that’s about it.

I’ve recently read Lost Boy by Christina Henry and the genius nature of her plot has made me reconsider the original work a little bit. She very cleverly tells the story from the perspective of Peter’s nemesis Hook. And coming from his point of view, it is Peter who is genuinely the one in the wrong: he is evil by accident and selfishness alone. Hook was wronged by his greatest friend when he was a child and forced into a role that is misunderstood.

The book made me consider this in a new light. Sure the Hook here is a bit of a caricature and he certainly doesn’t carry any sense of a dualistic relationship with Pan (it is just hate) but the way it has been adapted by Henry made me think that it could be. Under the surface of the writing there could be much more to the situation. And this made me appreciate the writing here a little bit more. It will never be something I consider great, but something I feel that could have been. ...more

4

Aug 26, 2008

I was surprised by this book in many good ways. I was expecting something that glorified the Child and its imagination, and perhaps cursed the unstoppable destruction of our Childinity. I was surprised to see this was not truly so. Barrie loves the Child, but he does not hide its foolishness, its selfishness, its ignorance. The Child in this is almost pre-moral. They have some understanding of villainy, but do not grasp the virtue of a hero. Barrie deems a key attribute to being a child as being I was surprised by this book in many good ways. I was expecting something that glorified the Child and its imagination, and perhaps cursed the unstoppable destruction of our Childinity. I was surprised to see this was not truly so. Barrie loves the Child, but he does not hide its foolishness, its selfishness, its ignorance. The Child in this is almost pre-moral. They have some understanding of villainy, but do not grasp the virtue of a hero. Barrie deems a key attribute to being a child as being heartless. All of this raises many points for potential argument and discussion and this is why this book so impressed me. Because I am still thinking about it.

It is interesting to think that Barrie was mostly a playwright because I highly enjoyed the playful narrative voice he employed and would mark it as one of my key enjoyments for the book. I love a remarkable narrative voice, though I can't say it is entirely unique. However I may be judging it by its followers as opposed to its peers or master. Regardless, I was entertained and thus I applaud.

It should be noted that the sensibilities of this book are not those of today's children entertainment. Most notably, Barrie does not sidestep the fact that the lost boys actively seek to kill pirates. This goes back again to one of my earlier comments, but it may seriously affect the reader. This could bring up many discussions of its own: the place of killing in the imagination of a child, how a child views the struggle between good and evil when they perhaps can't properly discern the two, the distinction between our modern censorship and older standards and they why of all of that, and plenty of other things. However if a parent is looking for a book to read to their child, I just figured this should be brought up.

As an aside: for those who know the premise behind the comic series Fables, the writer originally intended for Peter Pan to be the Adversary only to find out that they didn't have rights to the character if they published in the UK. After reading this book I can totally see the interpretation he was going with. It makes for a fun idea. He would have obviously had to constructed the means of the Adversary differently, but Pan as a villain is not unbelievable after this book. ...more

5

Jun 25, 2014

"You need not be sorry for her. She was one of the kind that likes to grow up. In the end she grew up of her own free will a day quicker than the other girls."

I loved Wendy when I was little - I was a bit over two when I got to know her, so I probably knew I was going to grow up at some point too. And knowing what she chose, it was a deliberate choice in my case as well. Peter Pan is one of those many childhood classics I devoured, loved and cherished, only to put it aside and - seemingly - "You need not be sorry for her. She was one of the kind that likes to grow up. In the end she grew up of her own free will a day quicker than the other girls."

I loved Wendy when I was little - I was a bit over two when I got to know her, so I probably knew I was going to grow up at some point too. And knowing what she chose, it was a deliberate choice in my case as well. Peter Pan is one of those many childhood classics I devoured, loved and cherished, only to put it aside and - seemingly - forget it.

But as I was reading poetry this weekend and enjoying it so much I was laughing tears, I all of a sudden thought of fairies, and that they are made of children's laughter. Laughing like a child made me think of that hidden identity somewhere underneath the grown-up self I have become, and that in turn made me think of the difference between Peter and Wendy.

Peter refuses to grow, and prefers to stay a child and play and fight and live an irresponsible, crazy adventure. His world is a male paradise, and he is its king. As fascinating as it is to follow his story, I would never have wanted to stay in Neverland with him. Telling the story of the adventure to my own children as a grown-up - a mother - would have been much more tempting. Wendy and Peter are symbols of the storyteller and the story.

What would you like to be?

Why are so many people still idealising an immature phase in life, glorifying young adult behaviour, living off the stories of their youth? Telling the story of Captain Hook is so much more satisfying than chasing him around while listening for the crocodile ticking away in all eternity.

I bow to the wisdom and wit of Barrie, who must have had plenty of Peters and Wendys to draw from to create those two concepts of life - so true and yet so much in need of pixie dust. ...more

3

Apr 02, 2015

“To die will be an awfully big adventure.”

I didn't love this book as much as I wanted to. Peter Pan's world is this magical, wonderful, dangerous place full of adventures. One of those places every child wants to visit, exactly like Wendy and her brothers. Just open a window and fly away.
I read this book because 1. it's a classic and 2. because it's my friend's favourite book of all times. It was my duty to pick this up. But it wasn't completely what I imagined. The book wasn't as exciting, the “To die will be an awfully big adventure.”

I didn't love this book as much as I wanted to. Peter Pan's world is this magical, wonderful, dangerous place full of adventures. One of those places every child wants to visit, exactly like Wendy and her brothers. Just open a window and fly away.
I read this book because 1. it's a classic and 2. because it's my friend's favourite book of all times. It was my duty to pick this up. But it wasn't completely what I imagined. The book wasn't as exciting, the characters not as likeable as I thought. It was not exactly the kind of fairytale I had in mind.
Still, it's a classic, and a beautiful one, too.

Find more of my books on Instagram ...more

4

Dec 03, 2011

Of course in the end, Wendy let them fly away together. Our last glimpse of her shows her at the window, watching them receding into the sky until they were as small as stars.

Reread in preparation for Neverland this coming weekend!

2

Aug 18, 2017

Ever since I was a young girl, I've been obsessed with the musical performance of Peter Pan starring Cathy Rigby (which you can view here on YouTube.) I don't think I've ever seen Disney's adaption because my mother & friends could not convince me that any other version in existence was worth watching.

As I've grown up (boooooo) I've really enjoyed the movie Hook, & didn't mind the concept behind the mini-series Neverland. However, nothing has ever stuck with me the way the musical did, Ever since I was a young girl, I've been obsessed with the musical performance of Peter Pan starring Cathy Rigby (which you can view here on YouTube.) I don't think I've ever seen Disney's adaption because my mother & friends could not convince me that any other version in existence was worth watching.

As I've grown up (boooooo) I've really enjoyed the movie Hook, & didn't mind the concept behind the mini-series Neverland. However, nothing has ever stuck with me the way the musical did, and so I figured it was about time I read the book.

While I read this, I had the distinct feeling that I just wasn't as into it as I expected myself to be. When I expressed this unfortunate feeling to my cousin, she had this to say:

"You've been drowned with the same content over and over until the original feels like a bad clone of itself."

Honestly, I think she hit the nail on the head. It's the same exact feeling I had while reading Alice's Adventures in Wonderland & Through the Looking-Glass & The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. So many iterations of these stories have over saturated the media, and now I'm left feeling very underwhelmed in the present day where I may have felt how special & magical & wonderful this was had been alive during the time it which it was published.

So really, I don't know if it's this book's fault that I didn't love it. I didn't hate it, but I don't see myself ever choosing to read it again. The whole time I was transposing scenes from the play over my imagination instead of focusing on the book itself.

Also, I want to mention how much I don't care for the end of this novel? It's such an antagonistic conclusion about adulthood (I guess the whole story is too but whatever.) & I'm just saying if my child pulled that whole "Yea mother, you can't go to Neverland! You can't fly anymore, you're an icky grown up!" shit, she better damn well expect them bars on the windows.

I appreciate this work for all the originality & subsequent works it has influenced into creation, but I can't say you're missing out on much if you've never read the book.

*shrugs* ...more

4

Jun 26, 2013

This edition of Peter Pan contains the text of J.M. Barrie’s 1911 novel, “Peter and Wendy”, which he wrote from his earlier play of 1904. The character of Peter Pan, the little boy who wouldn’t grow up, had already made an appearance in an earlier work by J.M. Barrie, “The Little White Bird” (1902). There continue to be many retellings of this magical story, and Peter is himself a timeless figure; one of the best-loved characters in children’s literature. There is maybe a little of Peter in This edition of Peter Pan contains the text of J.M. Barrie’s 1911 novel, “Peter and Wendy”, which he wrote from his earlier play of 1904. The character of Peter Pan, the little boy who wouldn’t grow up, had already made an appearance in an earlier work by J.M. Barrie, “The Little White Bird” (1902). There continue to be many retellings of this magical story, and Peter is himself a timeless figure; one of the best-loved characters in children’s literature. There is maybe a little of Peter in everybody. We can all empathise with that concept; it speaks to our inner psyche.

But what are we to make of the original? For any readers critical of modern children’s fiction for being too violent, I would direct them to read this piece (plus some Lewis Carroll, and “Strewelpeter…”) to see what was considered appropriate for Victorian children. It is by turns overblown, full of Victorian sentiment and whimsy, but there is also a dark side with very grim overtones. There is betrayal, selfishness, cruelty, torture and bloodthirstiness galore. For,

“children are ever ready, when novelty knocks, to desert their dearest ones.”

William Golding’s “Lord of the Flies” owes a lot to this book. And it is not only the children and the “baddies” who are depicted as evil and malicious. Their parents seem full of hypocrisy too.

For instance, a few pages into the story, the Darlings are discussing whether or not they can afford to keep their newborn baby, Wendy. Then a little later there is a “competition” between father and son about who will take his medicine more bravely. The father pours his medicine into the dog’s bowl and tricks her into drinking it. He treats this as a great joke although the rest of the family do not think so. What is the message here? Parents betray you? Parents do not feel remorse? Or is it simply very black humour? The dog “Nana”, incidentally, is just that. She is quite literally, a nursemaid to the children. Whimsy? Humour? A little of both probably, although I do remember finding this confusing myself, as a child.

A further observation on how traitorous adults can be comes later in the story, when Hook bites Peter as he is helping him up,

“its unfairness was what dazed Peter … He could only stare horrified. Every child is affected thus the first time he is treated unfairly … After you have been unfair to him he will love you again, but he will never afterwards be the same boy.”

The story of Peter Pan is the stuff of dreams. Or is it? Isn't it more the stuff of nightmares? Look at the pirates. There is the cadaverous Captain Hook with his Charles II costume and of course the murderous hook instead of a hand. He is tormented by the thought of the crocodile which pursues him - and who has opportunely swallowed an alarm clock to increase Hook’s dread. And in addition Hook is oddly scared of the sight of his own blood. Hook is a tormented character,

“ever a dark and solitary enigma, he stood aloof from his followers in spirit as in substance.”

It becomes clear that he was an ex-Etonian, with a sorry past.

“Hook was not his real name,” states Barrie.

Then there is his second-in-command Smee, who, “had pleasant names for everything, and his cutlass was Johnny Corkscrew because he wriggled it in the wound. One could mention many lovable traits in Smee.” The author lurches between sardonic humour such as this, and being curiously dispassionate about the story, “Let us now kill a pirate to show Hook’s method. Skylights will do”.

The Lost Boys, although given individual names, again seem to be curiously abstract and interchangeable. Depicted as budding pirates themselves, they, “vary in numbers… they get killed and so on; and when they seem to be growing up, which is against the rules, Peter thins them out.”

Thins them out?!

He also hunts down Captain Hook, while he, “swore a terrible oath: “Hook or me this time." He crawled forward like a snake with, "one finger on his lip and his dagger at the ready. He was frightfully happy."

Yes, Peter could be said to be the most merciless character of them all. But Barrie depicts him as truly amoral, perpetually in that very early stage of childhood where “the self” is the centre of the universe.

“The difference between him and the other boys at such a time was that they knew it was make-believe, while to him make-believe and true were exactly the same thing.”

The character of Peter is consistent with this throughout. He frequently forgets things - and people - and views his own actions as responsible for anything which pleases him. Thus his “crowing”. Barrie has given us a perfect description of a child's focus prior to learning about others, or such concepts as responsibility, cause and effect. It is merely the reader’s interpretation to regard him as a “mischievous boy”. The character himself is a long way off such self-knowledge.

The idea of “Neverland” is an intriguing one. Again, it speaks to something deep inside us all. The three children found that they recognised the island from their dreams. It had aspects of all they desired, and also much of what they feared. It was different for each, and yet the same. It was make-believe, but also with real threats. This dual perception of reality is a constant theme throughout the novel, and very hard to grasp. “It doesn't matter, it's only make-believe”, we think. And then, “Oh no, but it's not!” At one point Peter,

“regretted that he had given the birds of the island such strange names and that they are very wild and difficult of approach.”

The Lost Boys are variously acting as redskins or pirates, switching at will. Barrie's skill at depicting how involved they become in their characters adds to the blurring of unrealities.

There is no doubt that Barrie’s imaginative and inventive powers are superb. “Tinkerbell”, the selfish fairy, is another whose persona has seeped into the public’s consciousness.

“Tink was not all bad: or, rather, she was all bad just now, but, on the other hand, sometimes she was all good.”

Interestingly, the use of “fairy dust” to enable the children to fly is a later addition. After the stage play, parents had complained to Barrie that their children were hurting themselves by jumping out of their beds and “trying to fly”. This seems an extraordinary detail for Barrie to believe necessitated changing in such a bloodthirsty tale!

Actually, Barrie has slotted into a common traditional folk view of the little people as being essentially bad. He refers to the fairies coming home “unsteady… from an orgy” the night before, looking for malevolent tricks to play. But Tinkerbell is loyal to Peter throughout, and of course when all the audience (or readers) are urged to clap their hands, or else she will die, this is pure magic. But Peter stays true to character. By the end of the story he does not even remember her.

“There are such a lot of them,” he said, “I expect she is no more.”

Again, what does this teach a young reader about loyalty or friendship? This is a ruthless tale, not a moral one.

If we look for a “good” character, we tend to trip over Wendy, who seems to be an archetype for Barrie’s idea of females. She delights in being a “mother" to the lost boys, forgets her true home much as her brothers do, spends all her time cooking, cleaning and darning, and professes to feel sorry for spinsters. The reader doesn't get the impression that this is ironic; more likely, wish-fulfilment on behalf of the author. Even during the bloodbath at the end, she,

“praised them all equally and shuddered delightfully when Michael [her youngest brother] showed her the place where he had killed one...”

A psychologist would have a field day with this book. Indeed, there is a “Peter Pan” syndrome, to describe individuals who are reluctant to take on “adult” cares and responsibilities, preferring to pursue their own, often creative, interests. And there is plenty of substance to support the view that Barrie was a troubled individual, and that this fed into his writing. His elder brother David, died in a tragic skating accident at the age of fourteen. This deeply affected their mother. The dual parallels with the boy who couldn't grow up, and would therefore remain a boy for ever, and the idealised mother, are quite blatant. Then when James Barrie grew up, he apparently had a troubled marriage, with difficulties making love, which alienated his wife.

He became close friends with the Llewelyn Davies family, having met two of the boys in Kensington Gardens, and began to tell them stories about his invented character Peter Pan. Barrie coined the name using the first name of one of the five, and “Pan” from the mischievous god of the woodlands. Again, this story is overlaid with sadness. In 1907 the father Arthur died of cancer of the jaw, and three years later the mother Sylvia followed, apparently from lung cancer. Barrie became their guardian in 1910, and from then on even closer to the boys.

But the real life tragedies continued. The eldest, George, was killed like much of his generation on Flanders Field in 1915. The character of Peter Pan was apparently primarily based on him. Michael, who was deeply afraid of the water, drowned in 1921 with a classmate at Oxford. And in 1960 Peter, the second son, threw himself in front of a subway train in London.

Much has been made of Barrie’s interest in these children, just as has been with Lewis Carroll’s interest in children, especially in our over-sensitive and suspicious climate. This is a bit of a mystery. Surely an interest in children is natural and common to all humans, to a greater or lesser degree, whether male or female. Would it seem so “shocking” if these two writers had been female?

Surely the point is that writers write from their own experience. Even if what they write is ostensibly pure fantasy, there will be facets of their own experience underlying it. Like most writers he took his inspiration from real life and reworked the people he knew and loved to populate his books and plays. Many experiences came together to make James Barrie’s creation of an immortal little boy. In some ways he was writing about what he wished might happen. But because of that creation, current history will unfortunately peer into his personal life. He achieved immortality himself, but at a price.

So far this has been an analysis of the text of the original novel, which is perhaps rarely read now. Certainly the perception of the story of Peter Pan is a much “softer” version, deduced from a composite number of sources. This edition of the text though, dates from 1987, and was reissued in 2003 as a Centennial Edition (presumably in readiness for 2004, 100 years after the first edition.) It has decorative illustrations by Michael Hague which complement the text perfectly. They are watercolours with a wealth of detail, using subtle colours and complicated patterns which appeal far more to an adult than a child. They are moody and sensitive without being sentimental. And there are a lot of them - between two and four for each of the seventeen chapters. It is a beautiful book.

Reading the original Peter Pan as an adult has been a startling experience. It is not at all what a reader might expect, and although Barrie wrote it as a children’s story, this book as it stands would not appeal to a modern-day child. We have all lost the capacity for appreciating whimsy in the same way. A child might well enjoy the bloodthirsty nature of the book, and the absoluteness of punishment and judgment. There are few shades of grey in this book. Nobody is urged to “get along” with anybody else. And the adults are seriously flawed. But the cosiness of the language makes it an unlikely choice.

It does however deserve four stars from an adult’s point of view. From its first instantly recognisable line,

“All children, except one, grow up”

through to Peter Pan’s claim,

“To die will be an awfully big adventure,”

it is an incomparable classic.

“Off we skip like the most heartless things in the world, which is what children are…and we have an entirely selfish time, and then when we have need of special attention we nobly return for it, confident that we shall be rewarded instead of smacked”

observes James Barrie. The characters in this book, especially Peter Pan, act out that theory to perfection. The book ends with the phrase,

“and so it will go on, as long as children are gay and innocent and heartless.”

For all its flaws it is a unique and truly imaginative book, with an unforgettable antihero, and one which has spawned many imitations. ...more

1

Jan 17, 2013

Firstly, let me make it clear that there is actually more than one J M Barrie 'Peter Pan' story (something that I did not initially realise). There is 'Peter Pan and Wendy,' which is the story we are all familiar with (immortalised - inaccurately - by Disney); there is 'Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens,' which tells the story of him as a baby with the lost boys when he was originally abandoned, (which I have not yet read) and then 'The Little White Bird' (which I have not read either), but is a Firstly, let me make it clear that there is actually more than one J M Barrie 'Peter Pan' story (something that I did not initially realise). There is 'Peter Pan and Wendy,' which is the story we are all familiar with (immortalised - inaccurately - by Disney); there is 'Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens,' which tells the story of him as a baby with the lost boys when he was originally abandoned, (which I have not yet read) and then 'The Little White Bird' (which I have not read either), but is a set of stories in which Peter also appears. However, this is the most famous of the narratives and I read it mainly because I was looking for famous pirate descriptions for a scheme of work I wanted to teach to my Year 7s. I know, I am very dull!

So...the story is pretty much what one would expect if you have encountered Peter in his many big screen incarnations: Peter encourages Wendy, John and Michael to fly off to Neverland to the Lost Boys. Wendy becomes their surrogate mother and they undertake a whole series of adventures together until they begin to miss home. Of course, there are the famous faces: Captain Hook who captures them all and is always looking to gain revenge on Peter; Tinkerbell who adores Peter and is reliant on the clapping of children to survive; Tiger Lily and her deadly crew and of course the Darling family waiting patiently and desperately at home while their children undertake the adventure of a lifetime.

Oh how lovely? What a smashing tale for children? What a sweet little narrative about childhood and innocence? NO! NO! NO! NO! This was a highly disturbing and even distasteful children's tale in my opinion and I can only assume that the glowing reviews it seems to receive are based on the fact that too often we read this book wearing Disney blinkers, seeing what we want to and not recognising its dark underbelly. So what were my problems? (I'm afraid that there will have to be a list as there are simply too many):

1. The obvious violence delivered callously and without remorse throughout (I have no issue with violence, but not in a young children's narrative)

2. Peter's characterisation - there is nothing appealing about this arrogant, deceitful, manipulative imp, who cares for little but himself and this never changes! (view spoiler)[SPOILER: Tinkerbell nearly dies and is devoted to Peter, but a year later she has vanished and he can't even be bothered to remember her name. This is a sadistic bully who becomes infuriated when his domination of the lost boys fails and is quite content to undertake violence simply for the pleasure of doing so. He is quite content to take Wendy, John and Michael from their families knowing how much the others yearn for a mother and that in the process, they will lose theirs. He even refuses to allow the Lost Boys to talk about their lost mothers in order to maintain his hold over them and his lie that all mothers are silly and horrid creatures. (hide spoiler)]

3. The novel begins with Mrs Darling rummaging around in her children's BRAINS...yes BRAINS...to tidy up their minds! Barrie describes: 'Mrs. Darling first heard of Peter when she was tidying up her children's minds. It is the nightly custom of every good mother after her children are asleep to rummage in their minds and put things straight for next morning, repacking into their proper places the many articles that have wandered during the day. If you could keep awake (but of course you can't) you would see your own mother doing this, and you would find it very interesting to watch her. It is quite like tidying up drawers' The implication being she is sorting out their thoughts and removing anything unsuitable like some form of Edwardian brainwashing!

4. The portrayal of Mr Darling who can only be described as an absolute buffoon. He is an aggressive and cruel man who abuses the lovely dog Nana feeding her his medicine because he is too cowardly to take it himself and it is this that results in his children being abducted. The implication is that he is a clock watcher who wants an easy life and that his wife has had to manipulate him and her menstrual cycle in order to conceive the second two children that he never wanted! However, when the children vanish, his behaviour can only be classified as bizarre: he sleeps in a kennel even going to work with it as penance. Ludicrous!

5. At one point, Barry describes how the fairies return through the forest 'FROM AN ORGY!' And I quote: 'After a time he fell asleep, and some unsteady fairies had to climb over him on their way home from an orgy'. Surely inappropriate and peculiar in a children's novel.

6. (view spoiler)[SPOILER: At the end of the novel, we are told that Wendy's ancestor's return to Peter (when he bothers to remember them, such is his egotism) to do his spring cleaning on a yearly basis! Well, what a mother you have become Wendy! What mother would allow their child to return to place of danger and death with some a mendacious creature as Peter knowing there was no way to access them again. Moreover, the implication seems to be that, this is all such women are good for: cleaning! (hide spoiler)]

7. In fact, the novel is obviously misogynistic throughout. The message is that all mothers fail and are essentially useless creatures. Peter hates mothers (although his reason is that she abanadoned him, but Barrie seems to blame her for giving up hope and barring the window and having another child after years of his absence, implying that she should have lived eternally with the guilt and blame of his loss and never moved on). At one point we are told, 'mothers alone are always willing to be the buffer' implying it is perfectly acceptable to blame them for everything. Likewise, Mrs Darling, who seems a fairly caring, attentive if vacuous woman, is blamed for the loss of her children. Barrie tells us 'so long as mothers are like this, their children will take advantage of them' so clearly generosity of spirit and loving your children, is a terrible flaw in woman kind. Moreover, the sole function of Wendy's descendants is to become Peter's mother in turn! In short, this is a novel that presents women as useless creatures whose only use is for cleaning, breeding and raising little brats. The only other female figures presented are in the mode of the femme fatale - they seem deceptive, cruel and use their physical attraction to manipulate men such as Tiger Lily who uses her physical charms to rule the Indians and Tinkerbell, who out of female jealousy, gets the Lost Boys to shoot Wendy. So what Barrie presents us with is the disturbing Victorian dichotomy that women are either the angel in the house of the whore in the street.
8. Having said this, Barrie actually appears misanthropic as well. He has little good to say about anyone (least of all children).

Ironically, the one redeeming feature of this novel is that all the proceeds went to Great Ormond Street Hospital to help fund cures for children's genetic diseases. And for that one admirable action, I give this book a lonely star.

Because, in short, this is a terribly disturbing book, written by a terribly disturbing mind - if only his mother had 'tidied it up'! ...more

5

May 04, 2018

I suppose we never really grow up. We all have our imagination just like we did as children. Fantastic fantasy tale is Peter Pan. I suppose we never really grow up. We all have our imagination just like we did as children. Fantastic fantasy tale is Peter Pan.???????? ...more

4

Feb 09, 2016

Not until I heard this song, Ruth B's Lost Boy did I realize how much I miss this story. Peter Pan was and is and will always be my most favorite fairytale of all time because I used to watch its cartoons, movie adaptations, and read the story books when I was little. It's such beautiful memory I have and I even dreamt of him as my boyfriend(well, I didn't know what "book boyfriend" was at that time) and waited for him to appear at my windowsill or sneak in my room at night. Just all kinds of Not until I heard this song, Ruth B's Lost Boy did I realize how much I miss this story. Peter Pan was and is and will always be my most favorite fairytale of all time because I used to watch its cartoons, movie adaptations, and read the story books when I was little. It's such beautiful memory I have and I even dreamt of him as my boyfriend(well, I didn't know what "book boyfriend" was at that time) and waited for him to appear at my windowsill or sneak in my room at night. Just all kinds of sweet imagination then and that's how the story stayed with me ever since.

I am a lost boy from Neverland
Usually hanging out with Peter Pan
And when we're bored we play in the woods
Always on the run from Captain Hook
"Run, run, lost boy," they say to me,
"Away from all of reality."
...
Peter Pan, Tinker Bell, Wendy Darling,
Even Captain Hook—
You are my perfect story book
Neverland, I love you so,
You are now my home sweet home
Forever a lost boy at last
...more

3

Oct 26, 2019

'There is a saying in Neverland that every time you breathe a grown up dies'

This book was never on my radar however during a conversation with Ammara about me having never read Peter Pan she said, you should as it's not like you would expect. And so I did. And it wasnt what I expected at all.

As this book is way old you can now download it for free and with it being around 150 pages it's a very quick read.

This is the story of Peter Pan and Wendy and it is nothing like the Disney movie at all.

I 'There is a saying in Neverland that every time you breathe a grown up dies'

This book was never on my radar however during a conversation with Ammara about me having never read Peter Pan she said, you should as it's not like you would expect. And so I did. And it wasnt what I expected at all.

As this book is way old you can now download it for free and with it being around 150 pages it's a very quick read.

This is the story of Peter Pan and Wendy and it is nothing like the Disney movie at all.

I really dont want to say much about this book as to go in blind is awesome. I'm glad I didn't have a clue how this story would unfold.

I am now really keen to read more original fairytales as it appears they are much darker than Disney would have you believe. ...more