The story of a boy who refuses to grow up is even more endearing once the events behind the legend are looked at.
A boy who defies all the rules including never growing up; a land created from the imaginations of children and filled with all sorts of fanciful creatures and people that are specifically connected to childhood. These are the markings of the story of Peter Pan, the story of a boy who led a group of children who shared in his desire to never grow up and to live forever in the land of their imaginations. To truly appreciate this story as an important part of children’s literature and as to why it has earned its rightful place in folklore one must look at its creator.
James Barrie was from Scotland and the youngest of ten children. The eldest child, David, was the hope of their parents. It was David that was going to make them proud, he was going to go to the prestigious university and make something of himself. However, David’s life was cut short in a skating accident when James was six years old. Their mother never recovered from the incident sinking into a deep depression. It was at this young age that James decided that he was going to fulfill the dreams of his parents for David. James did everything that he had set out to do; he became a journalist and a well-known playwright. A short man by many accounts and a childlike demeanor attracted children to him. James was able to entertain the children of many of his friends who were quite fond of him. It was from these games that he played that the story of Peter Pan was born.
Looking at James’ life we see the similarities in it with the story of Peter Pan. For instance Peter, the vary boy who would not grow up, was the literary equivalent of James. Some could say that James never really had a mother or the ideal childhood of his dreams. For the rest of his life he was mentally in the world of youth also known as Neverland. There in that magical place he could play with the children that he was friends with they would never grow up and neither would he. Others say that Peter is based on his older brother David who died as a child. David never had to grow up. He lived in another land and forever remained a child.
For every hero there is a villain. Every villain is based on something or someone in this case it can be said that the infamous Hook is based on James as well. As we all grow we are in fear of the immanent ticking of the clock and it’s painful repercussions. The passing of time could have been one of James’ fears, he was always growing older but yet wanted desperately to remain a child. On the other hand if David is Peter and Hook is James then Hook could be the representation of the jealousy that James could have harbored towards his brother for being the favorite and being able to remain forever young.
If only one moral can be learned from this story it would be that childhood is precious and must always be remembered.
