Disney's Peter Pan, original

[Giggly_Giraffe]

Is the story of Peter Pan more focused on challenges young women encounter as they enter women hood? I know the main secular focus is about how Peter Pan never grew up. Isn’t this today’s secular man?

Yet, Wendy travels to different stereotypes of women (mermaids, pixies, tiger-lily) and must choose to be like these stereotypes or remain steadfast to her love of “Mother” as the goal of achieving woman hood vs the other stereotypes. The more I watch it the more I see of this.

 

[CAROLOFTHEBELLS]

I grew up watching two fairly similar versions of Peter Pan, the Disney version and the musical stage version. Even though they were similar, there were some differences. The musical was filmed with Mary Martin playing Peter and was shown annually as a television special, back in the days when families made sure to be together for a special movie presentation, before even VCRs.

I loved anything having to do with Peter Pan. I think having grown up knowing that a female could be Peter Pan actually gave me the freedom to imagine myself as Peter sometimes, going on adventures. So I would say the stage version does not present as many stereotypes as the Disney version.

Tigerlily is, if I remember correctly, the head of the Indians. Even though she must be saved by a male, she is a leader, and peacemaker. A good model for girls, although when I was growing up my dreams were to be Tigerlilly and be rescued by Peter. : )

I think the original story of Peter Pan has a wealth of characterizations that can be interpreted in a variety of ways.

No matter what, Wendy must grown up. Peter must not, simply because he is the spirit of youth. When she has her own daughter, she realizes that she too must go and experience the adventures of youth before growing up and lets her go with Peter. And yes, it is before she embarks on real womanhood.

In the book and stage version, the father of Wendy and her brothers has clearly lost his sense of what it is like to be a child and think like a child. The stage version has the same actor play the father and Captain Hook. So much of the story is about finding the child in each of us, loving children, growing up but not losing that sense of childish delight and adventure.

In one of the newer movies based on Peter Pan, Wendy is a storyteller who basically is in control of the adventures! At least that is how I interpreted the movie.

I don’t think I really addressed what you were thinking of, so I am sorry. I just love the story of Peter Pan.

 

[Ophelia23]

I don’t think I really addressed what you were thinking of, so I am sorry. I just love the story of Peter Pan.

Your whole response made me feel a bit nostalgic just to read it, but this last line really made me smile.

 

[Mary_Gail_36]

This morning my little guy wanted to fly.

I asked, “Do you want to be Peter Pan?” He answered, “No, Tinkerboy!”

 

[CAROLOFTHEBELLS]

Ha, ha. Well, there is a Supergirl so why not a Tinkerboy?

 

[Della]

When I was a very little girl Peter Pan was my favorite story. I think it was because Peter could fly more than anything else. It’s ironic because I get air sick in planes.

Anyway, I always saw Wendy as a frustrated lover. She wants to make Peter into an adult and marry him, but it’s never going to happen. I think a lot of us gals went through the stage in which we loved some fella who was charismatic who we thought we could “tame” and make all our own only to be disappointed. It’s a part of learning what a gal wants in a husband. Many women make the mistake of marrying their Peter Pan only to find that he doesn’t make a good husband. Wendy let go of her crush and eventually married a real man–one who would be a true husband to her. That’s what I get from it.

A side note. In the second Hobbit movie the actress playing the elf gal Tauriel said she based her characterization of Tauriel on Tinkerbell. She said that although Tink has her feminine side, no one messes with Tink. Poor Tink is also a victim of unrequited love for Peter. She took a different tack, though. She tried to conquer him by force, but that too doesn’t work. Peter has no use for women as permanent lovers. He wants to be cared for but he doesn’t want to be tied down–he’s the perpetual bachelor.

 

[CAROLOFTHEBELLS]

Wendy is playing house in Neverland, but not ready yet to be a wife and mother. Like a lot of young teens, she is trying on roles, like the OP suggests. I think she is a frustrated lover because she is too young to know how to love a man and being in Neverland allows her to make mistakes and learn. When she is older and a real wife and mother, she knows her daughter must go on this adventure and learn when she is young.

Tinkerbelle drinks poison to save Peter Pan. When Peter sees she is dying, he encourages everyone to believe in her and rouses everyone to have faith like a child who believes blindly in order to save her. That is pretty manly. Tinkerbelle is also a frustrated lover because she allows herself to become jealous. She is also the spirit of youth and wants to prevent Peter from growing up and leaving her alone on her adventures.

Tigerlilly, like the other two, needs to be saved by Peter. But she sees him as a friend and equal partner in fighting the pirates. They work well together and have a more grown up relationship.

 

[Mary_Gail_36]

I probably need to see it again.

My kids are into the spin-offs.

Tinkerbelle has various movies focusing just on her and other fairies. According to 1 film, Fairies are born when babies laugh for the first time. When Wendy was a baby, her first laugh brought Tinkerbelle.

And there is Jake and the Never Land Pirates. He’s a nemesis of Captain Hook.

 

[CAROLOFTHEBELLS]

Yes, I believe the book actually says fairies are born when babies laugh for the first time, or British lore says that.

The Disney Company has it a bit twisted if the stories are now saying Wendy’s first laugh brought Tink to her home. Tinkerbelle arrives at Wendy’s home long after she is a baby and comes to get Peter after he is delayed when looking for his shadow. But maybe I am missing something. Is that backwards? Peter comes to find Tink?

I am a big fan of Disneyland and been a lifelong fan of Disney movies and shorts up until the last few years. Now they seem to take some classic tales, revise, spin them off, and even recreate them so that they are somewhat unrecognizable at times. Walt Disney once said, “There is more treasure in books than all the pirate booty on Treasure Island.” I don’t think he meant milk it for all its worth and it seems like that has happened.

In any case, anything having to do with Peter Pan is an opportunity to read the book to a child and bring them into the wonder and greatness of the original story.

 

[empther]

Interesting to speculate on the feminist elements of the Wendy character.

Who is the hero of the story?

All right. Peter Pan fights the pirates etc.
But in one version of the play at least,
Peter visits London again many years later, Wendy has grown up, and her daughter or son flies off with Peter to Neverland to continue whatever it is that a visit to Neverland means.
Without Wendy, this wouldn’t have been possible and Peter would be alone.
So is Wendy the hero?

 

[Tarpeian_Rock]

It’s amazing that this wonderful story has survived our “culture wars.” Think of it : the “left” would complain about the stereotyping and exploiting of Indians. The “right” would point to the undermining of parental authority, encouragement of running-away from home, putting suicide in a positive light, glorifying guns and violence, and encouraging of belief in spells and magic. Maybe even “pixie dust” as a drug. The horror! Glad I grew up in a more innocent time.

 

[Giggly_Giraffe]

Interesting to speculate on the feminist elements of the Wendy character.

Who is the hero of the story?

All right. Peter Pan fights the pirates etc.
But in one version of the play at least,
Peter visits London again many years later, Wendy has grown up, and her daughter or son flies off with Peter to Neverland to continue whatever it is that a visit to Neverland means.
Without Wendy, this wouldn’t have been possible and Peter would be alone.
So is Wendy the hero?

I think Wendy is the hero and the central person now that I’m watching it with adult eyes. I’m a re-vert back to the faith. I remember my RCIA teacher saying each time we hear a story we view it different at differnt stages if life. This is how God teaches us with the same stories in the Bible. I also see how it changes classics too.

Back to Wendy … She is a hero, meek & humble, trying to spread a mother love to Tver unloved.

 

[CAROLOFTHEBELLS]

Interesting to speculate on the feminist elements of the Wendy character.

Who is the hero of the story?

All right. Peter Pan fights the pirates etc.
But in one version of the play at least,
Peter visits London again many years later, Wendy has grown up, and her daughter or son flies off with Peter to Neverland to continue whatever it is that a visit to Neverland means.
Without Wendy, this wouldn’t have been possible and Peter would be alone.
So is Wendy the hero?

Is this the movie Hook? Robin Williams is Peter.

Wendy is the grandmother, I think. Peter has left Neverland and forgoten it, married Wendy’s grand-daughter and is so wrapped up in business that he pays more attention to his cell phone calls than his little boy and girl. He has to go back to Neverland because Captain Hook has taken over in his absence and also has kidnapped his children.

Wendy has been running a foundling home for lost boys, but I think Hook was after them.

I liked that movie, except the lost boys sequences on Neverland were a bit overdone.

In the end, Peter realizes he had lost his sense of childhood and that caused him to be separated from his children. It’s basically the same thing the father in the book needed to learn.

I asked my mother to go see this movie with me when she was around 70. She didn’t like to go to the movies, but really enjoyed it. I was surprised she likely it so much.

 

[colliric]

Tinkerbelle drinks poison to save Peter Pan. When Peter sees she is dying, he encourages everyone to believe in her and rouses everyone to have faith like a child who believes blindly in order to save her .

In the original Barrie stageplay, this scene was actually the heart of the story. It is really a story about having belief/faith “in faries”(other meanings in the story are secondary to this main point). Peter(played by a girl) would turn to the audience for help in reviving Tinkerbell(famously played by a Spotlight Operator!) and would lead the audience in standing and saying “I do believe in faries” and clapping her back to life. It’s a beautiful moment in the stage version that’s difficult to capture the feeling of in other versions of the story.

One of the main characters in the story was played by a lighting technician, must have been a great stage “Special Effect” back in it’s time.

 

[empther]

Quote:
Originally Posted by empther View Post
Interesting to speculate on the feminist elements of the Wendy character.

Who is the hero of the story?

All right. Peter Pan fights the pirates etc.
But in one version of the play at least,
Peter visits London again many years later, Wendy has grown up, and her daughter or son flies off with Peter to Neverland to continue whatever it is that a visit to Neverland means.
Without Wendy, this wouldn’t have been possible and Peter would be alone.
So is Wendy the hero?

Is this the movie Hook? Robin Williams is Peter.

No. I didn’t see Hook. I was referring to the original 1954 Broadway play which was put on television starring Mary Martin as Peter.
This play was later brought to life as broadway plays starring Sandy Duncan, and more recently former Olympic gymnast Cathy Rigby who many people say did the best job ever. Rigby was around 50 at the time but she was in great physical shape, even had biceps!, and very convincingly played a boy.
After Broadway Rigby and her husband built their own playhouse in California and presented the play there many times. You can buy the video of this performance.
amazon.com/Peter-Pan-Cathy-Rigby/dp/B00004U8GV
It’s a really great video for your kids. Cathy Rigby did an outstanding job.

 

[Mary_Gail_36]

Yes, I believe the book actually says fairies are born when babies laugh for the first time, or British lore says that.

The Disney Company has it a bit twisted if the stories are now saying Wendy’s first laugh brought Tink to her home. Tinkerbelle arrives at Wendy’s home long after she is a baby and comes to get Peter after he is delayed when looking for his shadow. But maybe I am missing something. Is that backwards? Peter comes to find Tink?

I am a big fan of Disneyland and been a lifelong fan of Disney movies and shorts up until the last few years. Now they seem to take some classic tales, revise, spin them off, and even recreate them so that they are somewhat unrecognizable at times. Walt Disney once said, “There is more treasure in books than all the pirate booty on Treasure Island.” I don’t think he meant milk it for all its worth and it seems like that has happened.

In any case, anything having to do with Peter Pan is an opportunity to read the book to a child and bring them into the wonder and greatness of the original story.

I’m sorry, I forgot a word. Wendy’s first laugh brought Tinkebelle into existence.

The current films all seem to be prequels from before Tinkerbelle ever met up with Peter Pan.