In 1902, the Scottish playwright J.M. Barrie created a character who would even to this day continues to inspire the imagination of readers everywhere. Peter Pan is a mischievous boy who can fly; he lives on Neverland which is inhabited by mermaids, Native Americans, fairies and pirates. He goes on adventures with his gang of Lost Boys.
He first appeared in The Little White Bird in 1902 but then had his own adventure in a stage play entitled Peter Pan or The Boy Who Wouldn’t Grow Up in 1904.
Peter Pan is looking for a mother figure for himself and the Lost Boys and ends up bringing Wendy Darling and her two younger brothers, John and Michael to Neverland. It is here the children come face to face with Captain Hook, Tiger Lily and Tinker Bell.
Wendy begins to have feelings for Peter, but is held by a jealous Tinker Bell. However later in the book, Tinker Bell redeems herself and asks the audience to believe in fairies. The children are captured by Captain Hook and his crew and must wait on Peter Pan to save them.
The Darling children do return home, along with the Lost Boys, leaving Peter alone in Neverland. Peter Pan returns for Wendy, only to discover she has grown up, gotten married and has a daughter of her own. This daughter, Jane, agrees to go to Neverland, fulfilling the mother role her own mother held. In time, Jane’s daughter Margaret goes to Neverland. It was Barrie’s idea that this cycle would go on forever as long as children are innocent and heartless.
Peter Pan is the seventh book in Children’s Classics month.
Peter Pan can be found in your local library, the website for the Bergen County Cooperative Library System can be found here or at your local Barnes and Noble in Hackensack.
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