Wednesday, August 3, 2011
Peter Pan & Flights of Fancy
In the classic story Peter Pan, Peter is a very free person who knows how to fly. In literature flight stands for escape and freedom. “Peter Pan: Wendy, Wendy when you are sleeping in your silly bed you might could be flying about with me saying funny things to the stars.” Wendy was probably asking herself if this was even real. Foster says, “Indeed, often in Literature in freeing of the spirit is seen in terms of flight.” (Foster 133) Characters who fly in stories usually are trying to escape danger or reality. Peter Pan flies because he never wants to grow up.
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I agree with your perspective, but have you ever thought about Wendy, even more than Peter, also NEEDING to be less serious, bossy, big-sister-like and, therefore, NEEDING to fly so that she would, like Peter, be more childlike. If flying is freedom (128), wendy needed to be freed of her oldest, bossy sister seriousness. Ironically (or maybe by design)if you've ever seen the movie Hook, both Peter & Wendy have lost their ability to fly because they "grew-up" & were bound by the shackles of adulthood, hence, were NOT free anymore
ReplyDeleteI agree with the statement about Wendy. I didnt really look at it in her perspective. I love that movie.
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