Lost in Neverland

I make no secret that my favorite book ever written, from Crime and Punishment to Persuasion, from Blue Castle to Dracula, my favorite favorite book is Peter Pan. James Barrie was known for his outlandish ideas that captured children in his spell. I've read the book at least three dozen times, not to mention all the sequels and fan fiction on it. I've even taken to reading the Tinkerbell books. I admit as a child I had a huh-uge crush on Peter and it will be no surprise to anyone who knew me then that I constantly dreamed of flying off to Never Neverland. If I ever have a son (and an understanding, unjealous husband) I intend to name him Peter.



This past week I watched the Disney classic with the kids and for the first time I began to understand why I was so drawn to the story. It wasn't because Peter could fly or that he battled pirates or that he made friends with mermaids (although all of those reasons might've been), but for the first time in my life I realized how much my life paralled Wendy's.



Let me point out that I never liked Wendy. Or maybe I was just extremely jealous of her- she had the chance to never grow up and instead she chose to (for the record, I'm not sure what I would choose if given the choice), but I digress. Wendy was the leader of her many brothers. Though she loved them, she often felt surrounded by them and didn't necessarily enjoy behaving like a girl. She was very fond of her dog and she often told stories. She loved her parents more than anything, even when her father didn't understand her and didn't know how to understand. She adopted the lost boys without question and enjoyed playing their mother. The culmination of her dreams coming true resulted in Peter whisking her away to Neverland but when she finally had everything she wanted- Peter, Neverland, unceasing childhood, and the adventure of a life time- she realized she had to go back and grow up. Are we noticing some similiarities here? I hope you do.



Wendy's brothers are her best friends whom she confides the most important thing in her life- Peter Pan. Her Mother is her biggest fan and though she doesn't always understand she is always supportive. Her Father sometimes masquerades as the villain in Neverland, but he's also her hero. Tinker Belle represents that feminine prankster that I find innate in all women, and in some ways I think that though Tinker Belle is jealous of Wendy, Wendy is also jealous of Tinker Belle. Peter is the delusion that holds my attention the most. He is the youthful, innocent love- of boys, of childhood, of the impossible happening. Peter is the first boy she ever loved and will always be there, somewhere in her dreams and imagination, but he will never be the man that she needs.

Maybe Peter Pan is everyones story- we all have to be grown ups some time, but the few lucky among us, never have to grow up.