The Boy Who Grew Up

If you don't know the story of J.M. Barrie, you still know the story of Peter Pan, the Boy Who Never Grew Up. Peter Pan and his crew of Lost Boys, his sidekick Tinker Bell, his arch-nemesis Captain Hook, the mermaids and fairies, the "Indians" and pirates, and the Darling children that he introduces to the world of Neverland -- like Robin Hood and King Arthur, or Odysseus and Hercules, Peter Pan and his story have become a part of our cultural mythology. Even if you've never seen the films, watched the plays, or read the books, you know the name "Peter Pan."

But to look behind the pirates and fairies and see what the classic tale is truly about, you need to know a little bit more about the author behind its creation: J.M. Barrie.

James Matthew Barrie was born on May 9, 1860. His father, a weaver, struggled to support the large family (James was the third son and youngest child). His mother, Margaret, who had a strong interest in literature and art, helped bring about her son's determination to become a writer. Her influence, unfortunately, was far-reaching in other respects: when James's older brother, David, died in a skating accident at age thirteen, James took is upon himself to help his mother over the loss. When Margaret took to bed for the remainder of her life in grief over the loss of her favorite child, six-year-old James played the part of his older brother -- even wearing David's old clothes -- to try and repair his mother's grief.

James Matthew Barrie

Barrie was only seventeen when his first play was performed: Bandolero, the Bandit, presented at the Dumfries Academy of which Barrie was a student. He graduated in 1882 from Edinburgh University, finding employment first as an editor for the Nottingham Journal, then as a journalist in London. He was a well-financed novelist and playwright by the time he married (his wife was Mary Ansell, who appeared in one of Barrie's plays). It was at about this time that Barrie began taking long walks through Kensington Gardens, and it was there that he met the Davies family: father Arthur and mother Sylvia, and their five children: George, Jack, Michael, Nicholas ... and Peter.

The Davies children became an instant family for the childless Barrie, who spent countless hours entertaining the boys with his games and elaborate stories. (They'd also eventually become his wards, when first Arthur, and then Sylvia, both died at young ages.)

Peter Pan first came to life as part of one such story for the Davies children. The character made his first written appearance within Barrie's novel The Little White Bird, which was published in 1902. Two years later came the release of the three-act play Peter Pan.

The classic play is so much a part of our storytelling history that it's something of a shock to realize how much of a gamble the production truly was. Success was by no mean a given with this elaborately fantastical story of flying actors, dogs and crocodiles, pirates and fairies and shadows. Barrie grew increasingly nervous about several elements of the play -- including the sequence in which Tinker Bell, Peter Pan's fairy sidekick, drinks from a poisoned goblet and dies. Peter then turns to the audience and asks them to clap if they believe in fairies, the sound bringing Tinker Bell back to life. On opening night, Barrie had instructed the orchestra to begin clapping if the audience did not -- but his concern was unwarrented. The audience burst into wild applause, beginning a tradition that continues in performances of the play to this day.

From Arthur Rackham's illustrations for "Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens"

The pop culture portrayals of films like Finding Neverland, as well as our own understanding of the myth of Peter Pan, make it tempting to see J.M. Barrie himself as the model for the Boy Who Never Grew Up. But it's also been noted that Barrie gave his eternally youthful hero the name of one of his charges. Barrie reserved his own first name to share with a different character: Captain James Hook. Captain Hook's injury -- his missing right hand -- may have been given in reference to the crippling pain Barrie experienced in his own right hand (a condition which was exacerbated by his time spent writing). 

And Captain Hook's greatest enemy may have been a reference to Barrie's own. It's not just any crocodile which remains in eternal pursuit of Hook -- it's a crocodile that has swallowed a clock. Hook is forever chased by Time itself -- a fitting metaphor, perhaps, for Barrie's own view on the tragedies of mortality.

The Peter Pan statue in Kensington Gardens

The story of Peter Pan is thought of as a children's tale, but that is not, perhaps, quite right. The story, while whimsical and fantastic, has a darker element. Peter Pan, the Boy Who Never Grew Up, is an almost tragic figure: so consumed with thoughts of himself, he cares for no one else. Indeed, he not only cares for no one else: the effects of Neverland mean that he cannot remember anyone else. (Wendy and her brothers must continually remind Peter who they are, as it continues to slip his mind.) Peter may live eternally youthful, but Barrie himself seems to understand that never growing up would be more of a curse than a blessing.

Still, the whimsical world he created for Peter and the Lost Boys remains, for most of us, a symbol of the innocence, fun, and magic of childhood. Neverland seems destined to remain such a symbol for centuries to come. "And thus it will go on," wrote Barrie himself, at the end of his novel, "so long as children are gay and innocent and heartless."

Dustin Hoffman as Captain Hook and Robin Williams as Peter Pan

Books:

The Annotated Peter Pan - The original text by J.M. Barrie, with notes and annotations all about the classic story.

Capt. Hook: The Adventures of a Notorious Youth by J. V. Hart - The childhood of James Hook!

Peter and the Starcatchers by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson - A fun, action-packed prequel series to the original novel.

Peter Pan in Scarlet by Geraldine McCaughrean - The "authorized" sequel to the original story. 

Muppet Peter Pan - The Muppets meet Peter Pan in this fun and kid-friendly graphic novel adaptation.

Films:

Peter Pan, or The Boy Who Wouldn't Grow Up - A classic production of the musical version, starring Cathy Rigby.

Hook - This movie answers the question: what if Peter Pan grew up?  Starring Robin Williams as Peter Pan and Dustin Hoffman as Captain Hook.

Neverland - A miniseries that serves as a prequel of sorts to the traditional story.

Peter Pan - This 2003 film release returns to the stage tradition of having the same actor play both Mr. Darling and Captain Hook. A whimsical, dark adaptation that keeps in the spirit of the novel.

Finding Neverland - Stars Johnny Depp as J.M. Barrie, recounting his meeting of the Davies family and how that meeting led to the story of Peter Pan.

-- Post by Ms. B