The Childrens Literature Choice Exemplified by the Peter Pan Play - Essay Example

The Children’s Literature ‘Let them doze among their playthings yet a while! For who knows what a rough wayfaring existence lies before them in the future?’ (Stevenson, 1879) Children, more so in their younger age, are so naive and are not aware of whatever is awaiting them in their future. The story of Peter Pan, the lost boys and the Darling’s family so suitably explains the underlying subject of childhood. In the text, I am going to analyze the major characters that will be useful in tackling the theme of childhood. Relevant examples will be used to support the respective arguments. Peter Pan, a central character in the play, is described as a boastful and careless stereotype and never grows. He hurriedly points out his might even when such claims could gravely be challenged (Birkin, 2003, p.78). We see a character with a devil-may-care attitude and take his chances to put himself in grave danger. For example, the question of death is scary to any human being, and if you so happen to escape death by any narrow chancethen believe you me, the thought of it will haunt you for a very long period of time. When Peter felt that he was going to die in the Marooner’s rocks, he felt scared yet he only felt one shudder run through him. Funnily enough, he describes the tragedy death as an awfully big adventure. Wendy Moira Angela Darling, daughter of George and Mary, is a female protagonist in the play. She is the first borne followed by two other boys, John and Michael. Though her age is not specified, we see a girl who is growing up and possibly in her adolescence stage. She comes out as an agent of change from childhood to adulthood. Her efforts to enjoy the feelings associated with this stage are being turned down unknowingly by Peter who does not understand whatever she is undergoing (Birkin, 2003, p.78). Wendy loved her childhood as she liked telling stories and fantasizing about it. She loved her father so much but was afraid of him because he had a high temper. This experience from her father could have made her dislike adulthood and given a chance maybe she could have wanted to remain a child. Well, such an opportunity knocked the door when Peter took her brothers and her to the Neverland, where they can remain children forever. This opportunity did not help her run away from her fears of being an adult as it made her realize the adult part of her when Peter and the lost boys requested her to be their mother. She acceded to their request and performed various tasks for them. In the due course, we see Wendy developing an interest to be married to Peter. Eventually Wendy goes back home appreciating the values of maturity and postponing the thought of ever remaining a child (Birkin, 2003, p.57). The lost boys are a bunch of rogue pre-teen boys who lacks adult supervision; though they wished they had a mother to take care of them. Peter is the captain of the lost boys and together they enjoyed the freedom that they had in this kind of life. In this context, they represent life without proper parenthood as compared to the Darling’s family who tried to bring up their children in a responsible and an ideal manner. Tinker Bell is also one of the major characters in this context. She is a metal smith by profession. She depicts the competitive nature of the teenage and adolescence stage. She is a companion to Peter and always loyal to him. In Neverland, Wendy and she are the only girls present (Birkin, 2003, p.57). Peter of all the boys, was the only who stood a chance with them. Tinker Bell is occupied with jealousy when she sees a close relation between Wendy and Peter. Also in the play are John and Michael, brothers to Wendy. Michael is the last borne. In him we see an innocent character who still does not understand the importance of doing certain things. For example, he is supposed to take medicine basically for his own well-being but what does he do? He refuses to take it. The father is therefore forced to use other means to persuade him to take the medicine. His sister Wendy also joins in the same endeavor. Eventually he takes his medicine but after being tricked by both his father and sister. In this context, I wish to concentrate on a few characters that wholesomely develop the theme of childhood. In the beginning of the story, Wendy, who is a female protagonist, is happy with her childhood life to the extent where she liked fantasizing about her childhood. The love for her childhood life is discouraged by her father, Mr. George Darling, as he make her daughter scared of him to the point where she did not have the urge to become an adult (Birkin, 2003, p.23). But then thanks to Peter who brings the opportunity to her to ever remain a child by taking her to the Neverland. In Neverland we see a right turn of events as Wendy assumes the job of an adult, a mother at her presumed age of thirteen, maybe fourteen. This comes as a bigger challenge to her, more than what her own mother, Mrs. Mary Darling, assumed. She takes good care of six ill-behaved boys who had never been in any parental control. The child aspect in this character begins to shed as she starts to enjoy her maturity. This is also the time when she starts realizing herself. At her considerably younger age, she is already projecting to be married to Peter though it turns to a dead end (Birkin, 2003, p.23). We see competition being generated between her and Tinker Bell over Peter, a sign that both the girls were actually growing up and probably were in the same stage of adolescence. In this context, Wendy is a manifestation of proper parenthood in the Darling’s family, because honestly, she would not have managed to mother the boys if she never had proper guidance. Beside, her mother is also described as a responsible woman. She did understand her husband and more so she took good care of her children, giving them a motherly love and support. She is an important character in bringing out the female child development in the context, though we don’t see a lot of naivety in her because she seems to be aware of what is going on in life. She cannot be compared to other characters such as the lost boys, John or Michael. Peter is one of the most contradicting characters in the play. For one, he does not grow, and he is very pleased with that. He prefers ever remaining a child. Well, this could be what many children wish for but the difference is that for him, he kept it real (Birkin, 2003, p.23). Peter does not undergo the normal stages of a child development. He comes out as a character that is in a totally different world. He actually lived in the world of heroes. At the time he came back to take his shadow from the Darling’s, there was an exchange between him and Wendy. She expected him to understand some things like what a kiss is or even a thimble. Apparently, he does not even know how to treat a lady. Wendy, by an act of mercy and care, decides to sew the shadow for him. In a normal set up, if a lady does something like that to a boy, we expect an appreciation, but what does Peter do? He disregards her effort and makes her feel like what she did was unworthy. Well, any normal female would feel offended so Wendy goes back to sleep but off course saddened by his act, though Peter redeems himself at the end of it. Peter is attributed to the wonders and miracles of childhood. Childhood, as presented in Peter’s character, is an incorporation of both happiness and sadness. This is a very important realistic element in the play. A child can only be able to appreciate the values of happiness and experience it if only he or she is acquainted with sadness (Birkin, 2003, p.23). The Lost Boys in Neverland, adventurous, free, and happy. However, at the same time, they are in need of a mother’s touch in their lives. Neverland, a world that is full of fantasy and to where the children escape, is not an idealized place for the children. It incorporates both happiness and sadness, just like in the real life. Memory of childhood becomes less clear with the passage of time. The play brings out babyhood in its entirety, as well as that of the Lost Boys is an endeavor to paint a complete picture of childhood (Birkin, 2003, p.78). Peter has no sense of time and has little memory. Wendy, being an adult, only limits the child experience. Metaphorically, Peter is a representation of a temporal state (Birkin, 2003, 78). Despite the fact that our imagination, ability and opportunity to take refuge in another world diminish considerably upon entering adulthood, everyone can always return to their childhood for a second, and probably remember how flying was easy then. In this context, Peter reminds us of our childhood, and even as adults, we do sometimes need the feeling of being in Neverland as described in the play. Parents, at the same time, represent authority. Peter Pan coaching the Darling children how to fly is in itself a symbol of childhood. The mother’s effort to “tidy up” their children minds is an endeavor by a parent to shelter their children from the feeling of sadness and fear. This accounts for the reason why Peter gets terrified and disappointed when Wendy turns on the light, as an adult, because he realizes that Wendy is no longer a child, and that he probably would not be able to fit in her life anymore. Darling, just like any other mother, tries to tidy up her children’s minds and let only the good things come to surface for children to experience the following day is in fact, her attempt to protect her children from hurtful images or language that they might have seen or heard during the day (Birkin, 2003, p.57). Imagination, having no limits, children benefit from it the most. Darkness has always been associated with fear and danger, a theory that drive Mrs. Darling leave the light in the nursery on. This reflects her attempt to protect her children from any harm. Children who live a normal life might find the actions of Peter to be unbearable sometimes. He is a very fascinating character to a child; he lives in a magic island and enjoys some wonderful adventures but the thought of him not going to school, brush his teeth and even do some house chores could make them realize how this could be dangerous to their lives, including flying (Birkin, 2003, p.57). Soon, just like the other memories of their lives, Peter would be like a story to tell of their childhood memories to their children. This makes Peter relevant in the story as he is kept through all the generations. Peter arrives in the old nursery for the first time and here, he meets Wendy as a grown woman. Just like the way had outgrown Peter, so we see how we outgrow our childhood and pass the generation by having our own children. In such essence, Jane, Wendy’s daughter is a manifestation of Peter embodied in childhood. He regenerates through generations just like childhood itself. In conclusion, Peter’s presence in the play serves an important role in explaining childhood life. If we take a look at some of his characters such as his appearance, he is just a child like any other. He is forgetful just like many children, this is explained where he forgets to come back and get Wendy from the spring. He is totally unaware that Tinker Bell, Wendy and later in the story, Tiger Lily are romantically interested in him. The resistance to romance is very sincere just like a child’s (Birkin, 2003, p.109) Peter pan as a character is the personification of our childhood. He reminds us of the adventures that we used to have but more so in the context, Peter can be referred to as Wendy’s escape. She finally comes out of the fear of being an adult and realizes that we all should assume our duties and never run away from them. Since Peter is not anybody we can see physically, his presence in the story just helps us on the concept of childhood. As a matter of fact, he represents a stage which everyone must pass through whatever the circumstances. Being ever present in all generations gives him the unique quality in the explanation of the theme of childhood as everyone, through any generation is able to pass through him (Birkin, 2003, p.57). The role he plays in Wendy’s life is also important because he becomes the agent of change that helps Wendy come out of her fears and assume responsibility. Having considered these, I was convinced that he is the character to concentrate on in this attempt to tackle the theme of childhood in the story. Bibliography Birkin, Andrew, (2003), J.M. Barrie & the Lost Boys, Yale University Press. Read More