J. M. Barrie's Peter Pan (Peter and Wendy) (review)

J.M. Barrie’s classic novel, Peter Pan (or Peter and Wendy as it was first published in 1911) is a beloved tale of childhood innocence, filled with light and dark humor, fun and thrilling adventures, and tragedy. Eventually, everyone grows up, but that doesn’t mean we must forget what it was like to be kids, when we once had vivid imaginations, filled with light and or darkness, playing Cowboys and Indians, or pirates vs honest, courageous sailors of the sea; when we were playful, cheerful, mean-spirited and carefree; when we didn’t have a clue about what the woes and sorrows of the world, and wanted nothing to do with schoolwork or chores.

J.M. Barrie, the author of Peter Pan, the novel and the play, successfully wrote this engaging story about childhood innocence with all its pros and cons, mixing reality with elements of fairy tales, both good and bad, sad and happy, good and evil.

The titular character, Peter Pan, similar to the Greek faun-deity Pan and the Norse god Loki to an extent, is a mischievous immortal and rebellious delinquent, luring children like Wendy and her brothers Michael and John to Neverland where they would never grow up and always play games with him and the Lost Boys. He is the embodiment of joy and youth as he said so in the book to his archenemy, the villainous pirate Captain James Hook in their final battle.

J.M. Barrie is also a character in this story, serving as both narrator, telling the story of Peter Pan and his adventures with Wendy, and commentator, letting in on his personal thoughts about the whole matter, about each of the characters’ motivations, how easily forgetful Peter can be (much like we were, and still may be now as grown-ups), how Hook still sees himself as a virtuous gentlemen despite his criminal occupation as a roguish pirate, about the world of Neverland without lingering so much on the details, explaining the fairy tale elements within the real world, and so on. His writing is both personal and entertaining, intriguing and engaging readers to the story of Peter Pan with well-written, relatable characters, wonderful prose, and blending reality with fantasy.