Classic Starts®: Peter Pan

I have always been curious to read the adventures of Peter Pan without the 'bloated' media versions (Disney, Dreamworks, Kids Story Books, Shrek) that have floated around forever... much like Peter Pan... floating around forever (accidental analogy) Not until my curiosity was peaked by reading about the book 'Child Thief' by Brom did I finally do it. The interest was spurned by Brom's recollections of the Pan story that caused him to actually be inspired to write his own version. I very likely would have given this book a 4 1/2 stars, but some of the language and terminology was lost on me (some was 'translated' but I am sure I am missing some chunks of understanding due to my lack of vocabulary) You may want to keep in mind that I am reading this .. in order to understand the adaptation that Brom created - in that light I knew what Brom got out of tiny parts of the Peter Pan story... that likely affected my minds-eye in reading it, but honestly ... hopefully ... not too much. Initially as you enter the story, the undertone of 'horridness' begins, because there is SO much talked about how 'that night' and the regrets that the parents have over what they did, or did not do - that caused the children to be able to travel to Neverland. Peter is much of a failure of a hero - but I think that not because he fails (many 'heroes' do this) - but because he does not seem to learn - honestly that is the truth of who he is. A boy that just wants to have fun - if he were to learn and become a respectable hero ... he would have to learn and mature, instead he gets by on his luck, and just more blind luck - calling it cleverness does not necessarily make it yours - though when done properly, you certainly can look the wise hero. When you can completely forget that you were leading a group of children to your home, then you cannot be that great of a 'role model'. I would hate to think there were other children he found to recruit as lost boys ... to only forget them and lose them while flying over the ocean. The fact that Peter actually 'made up' or 'said whatever was in head' coming up with the directions that 'EVERYONE' knows in order to get yourself to Neverland. It seems to me that leave five minutes before morning would make for a shorter trip based on those directions. Now - I do not mean to try to rip this classic apart, just bring to light some things that may have been 'glossed' over for so long that we have no idea what the story really contained. I very much enjoyed the story - and gave the stars to prove it, I just never realized how dark the story behind what I saw all my life really was! I had my suspicions - watching the tinkerbell movies - tink is kind and lovable, basically one of the better fairies - yet in the original story (and this was in the movies) she had a foul mouth - and tried to cause a murder. Micheal (the youngest Darling - btw SPOILER ALERT after this ........) killed a pirate near the end of the 'adventure' ... how is that for a young child's upbringing! Peter forgets about Tink a year after the adventure (the narration mentions that she probably died) .... what a wonderful companion? (also the part in Shrek where you see Peter trying to sell Tink... I think is entirely possible as he could have forgotten who she was... ) As well to not completely 'trash' Peter - he has his kinds streaks (with the Never Bird's eggs - and a few other times) ...SPOILER END... All in all - the story is great as it is. Not the happy go lucky clean and cut adventure that we may have all seen and 'loved', but a story with a grand lesson. Peter does not wish to grow up... so in Neverland he forgets everything - memory is what causes us to grow. When we learn something - when we begin to understand something ... we need to make changes, because we REMEMBER! When we make the decision to NOT REMEMBER - to NOT GROW - we become like Peter. Lost. And Alone. So afraid to move forward in life that he must 'steal' children and create adventures. Well onto the adaptation by Brom... which is promised to be even darker - more honestly - I can see it only lifting the veal a tiny bit more.

So many persons have experienced "Peter Pan" as a Broadway musical or as a Disney film that it is easy to overlook how brilliant, fun, and timeless this story is. 100 years from now it will hold up...as it has held up in the last 100 years. What are some of these terrific ideas? - a faerie that can either be all good or all bad, but not both at once - a boy wrapped in leaves who is dangerously courageous but still naive - a shadow that can be attached with a sewing needle - a marvelous dog that acts like a nanny - a mother who arranges a child's thoughts at night - a pirate captain who sings as he plunges his iron claw into his victim - bright stars that wink and whisper. Barrie's tale has both delightfully light and disturbingly dark aspects...perhaps that is part of its universal appeal. And for all the fun of "Peter", he is emotionally scarred from his conviction that he was abandoned by his mother. The scenes of Wendy holding him in her lap when he has nightmares is very touching. Children love "Peter Pan" because of the adventure! The final show down between the Lost Boys/Peter Pan and the Pirates is not to be missed. What I liked about Jim Dale's narration is that he makes you feel he is reading aloud a "bed time" story...maybe something you heard from your father long, long ago. On top of that, he is very good in voicing different accents for the various characters so it is easy to distinguish the many personalities. Even for those who "think" they know Peter Pan, this can be a surprising gift.

Like most people, my first introduction to the story of Peter Pan was through the Disney movie. And for the most part, the book and the movie are pretty similar. Some may disagree and point to all of the details that Disney misses or alters, but considering how many liberties Disney takes in its storytelling for most of its movies (consider The Little Mermaid), Disney's Peter Pan is surprisingly close to its source. I became curious about this book as an adult because I read that J.M. Barrie's inspiration for "the boy who never grew up" was in fact a child who died just a day shy of turning 14. This child was the author's older brother - a child who could never be replaced in his mother's heart. As a mother myself, reading about that dark origins of Peter Pan touched my heart and made me incredibly sad. I had never thought about it before, but yes, a dead boy is indeed a boy who never grows up because he can't. Ostensibly, this book is about a boy who comes to whisk three English children away for fun adventures with pirates, mermaids, and Indians, but dig a little deeper and actually this book is really a book about mothers. Over and over again, the author comments on the unconditional love of mothers, the importance of mothers, the role of mothers, and the poor children without mothers. Peter Pan brings Wendy to Neverland where she becomes a mother to him and the lost boys. As Wendy plays the role of a mother, she also keeps faith in her own mother's love and fervently believes that her mother would keep the window open for them. At one point, in a rare moment of darkness, Peter Pan reveals that he doesn't share Wendy's faith in a mother's love. "Long ago," he said, "I thought like you that my mother would always keep the window open for me; so I stayed away for moons and moons and moons, and then flew back; but the window was barred, for mother had forgotten all about me, and there was another little boy sleeping in my bed." And so, we see these small glimpses of darkness amidst the shining faith that Wendy holds on the unconditional love of mothers. Such nuanced and complex commentaries about mothers throughout this book make it worthwhile for adults, and especially mothers, to read. As a mother, I deeply connected with Barrie's theme of mothers, and it made me reflect on how important mothers truly are. With that said, I will say that I didn't care for all the swashbuckling Neverland adventures. I guess those are the sorts of stories that would appeal more to a child than an adult. Nevertheless, I wouldn't recommend this book to children, mostly because the language and vocabulary are rather advanced. Keep the Disney version for the kids and save the book for the parents.

Es un libro muy bello y la edición está muy bien cuidada además de que es bellísima. Vale la pena comprarlo.

日本語訳もいいけれど、やはり原本を読んだ方がより味わい深い。 英単語に含まれている意味や、ブラックジョークなどは 原本でなければ分からないかもしれない。 一緒に訳本も買って、読み比べると面白いです。

A wonderful hardback edition of the classic novel.

¡Preciosa edición estadounidense americana en inglés hecha e impresa en Los Estados Unidos de América (Nueva York) de Peter Pan con una presentación preciosa de lujo (portada, contraportada, lomo,etc...) y muy suave y cómoda de llevar de bolsillo!. Lo único negativo es que no tiene ninguna ilustración o dibujo pero aún así, ¡compra muy recomendable! . ¡Ha llegado al día siguiente de haberla comprado!. ¡Muy recomendable!. ¡Un 10!.

Bom