How ‘Peter Pan’ by J.M. Barrie is Actually Wendy’s Coming-of-Age Story
About the Author
J.M. Barrie studied at the University of Edinburgh and studied journalism. He worked at the Nottingham newspaper and contributed to various journals before moving to London in 1885. In London, he met the Llewelyn Davies boys who inspired him in writing about a baby boy who has magical adventures in Kensington Gardens (Peter Pan and The Little White Bird). Barrie actually adopted the Davies boys following the death of their parents. And before his death, he gave the rights to Peter Pan to Great Ormond Street Hospital, which continues to benefit from them.
What is Peter Pan & Wendy abOUT?
Wendy Darling is a young girl looking to avoid boarding school and she meets Peter Pan, a boy who refuses to grow up. Wendy, her brothers, John, Michael and Tinker Bell travel with Peter to the magical world of Neverland, where she encounters an evil pirate Captain named Hook.
Who is in Peter pan & Wendy?
Alexander Molony as Peter Pan
Ever Anderson as Wendy Darling
Alyssa Wapanatahk as Tiger Lilly
Jude Law as Captain Hook
Jim Gaffigan as Mr. Smee
Joshua Pickering as John Darling
Jacobi Jupe as Michael Darling
Molly Parker as Mrs. Darling
Alan Tudyk as Mr. Darling
Yara Shahidi as Tinker Bell
Who is peter Pan actually About?
Courtesy of Disney
For many years audiences and readers have always focused on Peter Pan and Neverland as the main story of Peter Pan and rightfully so. But it wasn’t until David Lowery’s Peter Pan & Wendy that the focus began to shift. Even though Peter Pan is the title character, the Darlings tell Wendy that she needs to grow up first and not direct that toward John and Michael. Since Peter is a boy, the coming-of-age story had been focused on little boys who have lost their mothers -through death or abandonment - but it’s the gender roles that are actually being analyzed.
When Peter recruits Wendy, even in the animated film, he wants her to be their den mother. And because Peter never grew up in a surrounding where there were other women, the maternal void is what needed to be filled for him. Meanwhile, Wendy misinterprets Peter’s admiration for her as love, and that’s where the miscommunication lies. Wendy may seem that she’s ready to take the next step in her adolescent journey to become a woman, but it’s the decisions made by Peter that affect Wendy’s journey throughout the novel and the adaptation. In the end, Peter Pan doesn’t really develop as a character, but Wendy does. She understands what it is to be a mother, sister, and woman as she journeys to Neverland with the lost boys.
Is j.m. Barrie’s novel Better Than The Movie Adaptation?
After reading J.M. Barrie’s novel, any of the adaptations that were made breathed life into the story that he originally created. The structure of the novel is disjointed and abruptly changes throughout. It’s difficult to get through such a short book because it doesn’t give that magical feeling when reading. The descriptions for characters and locations weren’t as detailed, so it was left to the imagination. It’s the details that matter when building a fantasy world and that’s not what Barrie did.
Whether it’s the animated version of Peter Pan from Disney, Hook directed by Steven Spielberg, or now David Lowery’s adaptation, they all brought that whimsy and magic to the world. If it wasn’t for these magical adaptations then the story of Peter Pan wouldn’t have had the longevity it has now. It’s the visuals that were presented in the animated adaptation and the songs that were written for the film that had made an impact on pop culture. And now, Barrie’s coming-of-age story will stay with many as an escape from being an adult.
Is Peter Pan and Wendy Worth the Watch?
Peter Pan & Wendy is a solid live-action retelling. The famous songs were worked into the score and some character relationships were changed. Fortunately, the film still felt unique to Lowery’s style. It was nice to see a different approach to live-action special effects that still felt magical even though it was animated. It’s hard to connect with Tinker Bell because she isn’t animated. A live-action fairy is hardly believable, and it felt too human in this film.
It was more female-centric, and the focus was on Wendy. After reading the novel, it made more sense that Lowery worked in the coming-of-age story for her. It felt like Peter Pan was a secondary character and in a way, he always was.
What did you think about Peter Pan & Wendy? Let me know in the comments below and come join the discord for more discussions!
