I knew the basic Peter Pan story and have seen Hook multiple times, but had never read the book before. And there was plenty of unfamiliar information. One evening, Peter Pan comes to find his shadow (which had been previously lost and stored at the Darlings house), and he takes the three children -- Wendy, John, and Michael -- with him. They go to have adventures together in Neverland, with Wendy to be the mother for all the lost boys (including her two brothers and peter, of course). Neverland is inhabited by the Lost Boys, Pirates, Redskins, Beasts, and the Crocodile. And adventures there are!
Peter comes to Wendy and she is kind to him. She sews his shadow back on so he can't lose it again. So he offers to take her (and her brothers) to Neverland. He teaches them to fly and off they go to have adventures. This leaves their parents and Nana without them for a long while. Peter is one of the most selfish characters I've come across in literature. Barrie portrays that as being one of his charms, in that he is so selfish that others care for him and are gentle with him and allow him to continue on as such. Someone who is selfish and demands his own way might be enjoyable and 'cute' for a bit -- but in real life that is not the case. Life is brightened when we make a point to care for others as well as ourselves. Wendy loves being a mother (of sorts) to the Lost Boys, putting them to bed and making sure they take their medicine and such things. I guess it's disappointing to have as a 'hero' a young boy who will not grow up and insists on living only in the present without care for others. Enjoyable for a story, but definitely not characteristics I'd seek out in a friend.
| Title: | Peter Pan |
|---|---|
| Author: | J.M. Barrie |
| Date published: | 1911 |
| Genre: | Children's Literature, Fantasy |
| Number of pages: | 185 |
| Notes: | Borrowed from Teodora |
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