Peter Pan Through the Ages

All children grow up. Except for one. That is the concept behind Peter Pan, a character created by Scottish novelist J. M. Barrie. The character has become one of the most memoralble and celebrated characters in all of literature.

Peter Pan became Barrie's claim to literary fame. Statues of the boy appear in gardens and parks across the world, from London to Perth. As with all classics, there have been many appearances, adaptations, and even reimaginings of the story throughout the years. It is a testament that the character will never die, or rather, never grow up.

Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens (1906)

Most are unfamiliar with this work. This is chronologically the first appearance by the titular character. The short work first appeared in a Barrie's 1902 work The Little White Bird. The short story appeared as a few chapters in that work, later published under the above title in 1906. The tale features Peter as a seven-day-old infant who escapes from his parents, fearing the grown-up life. He makes friends with fairies, and they live together in Kensington Gardens.

The tale features the Pan character, but is far removed from a Neverland adventure. Barrie would later revisit the character and give the world his timeless classic.

Peter and Wendy (1904, 1911)

This work actually has two production dates. Most are unaware this familiar story debuted not as a novel, but as a play. Barrie adapted the stage production into a novel, which made publication in 1911. Most versions purchased in bookstores today are the novel form. The story remains essentially unchanged, since the author himself made the adaptation.

The story follows the adventures of three children, the Darlings: Wendy, John, and Michael, as they follow Peter Pan to Neverland (actual name Neverneverland). All of them meet the Lost Boys, fairies, mermaids, Indians, and pirates. Peter has a dramatic showdown with pirate Captain Hook, who is eaten by a crocodile. In the end, the Darlings return home with all the Lost Boys, leaving Peter alone in Neverland.

Some have described the story as coming-of-age, but perhaps should best be remembered as a celebration of youth, with Peter representing the spirit of eternal childhood. Even after the Darlings return, having chosen to grow up normally, their memories remain. Peter remains the same child, Neverland the same magical world. Life goes on, but youth lives on in the minds of the aging.

Barrie gave the rights to his work to the children's hospital at Great Ormond Street. The Hospital continues to hold the rights today, which often leads to copyright disputes in some regions of the world. Sometimes, reprints, illustrations, and adaptations have to fight legal battle to make publication, but in most parts of the world, the copyright laws have lapsed into public domain.

Broadway musicals (1924, 1950, 1954)

Barrie's work gained public notoriety quickly. Adapted for stage in its first incarnation, several companies opted for performance of the work across Great Britain with the early years of its release. The novel reached even more audiences. With such a popular work, it's no surprise the work would become adapted for Broadway.

Several musicals emerged from Barrie's success, the first three becoming the most notable. 1924 saw the first appearance of the character and story on Broadway. The musical only contained two musical numbers and a limited cast. A lackluster piece by most standards, this version only demonstrated that the work can indeed be done well in that format.

The 1950 musical, made responsible in no small part by Leonard Bernstein, expanded the concept further. Still a minor production, with five songs this time, this version remains notable in the performance of Borlis Karloff as both Mr. Darling and Captain Hook.

But the 1954 adaptation would rise above them all. The production took the Great Ormond Street Hospital's authorization, and turned a straight adaptation into a dramatic Broadway production. This is the version most musical buffs point to. It served as the vessel to propel Mary Martin and others to fame. Yes, a woman played Peter Pan. Why? The dramatic range of the musical demands a higher voice.

As it continued on Broadway, this musical would later feature such talent as Sandy Duncan and Cathy Rigby in the titular role.

Walt Disney's Peter Pan (1953)

With the success of his animated films under his belt, Disney turned his attention to Barrie's work. The work became successful and memorable, but not without certain changes from the source material.

In Barrie's work, Peter is a rather small boy who still has all his first teeth. Disney depicted him as a lanky teenager. Peter also wears clothes made from forest leaves; Disney gave him a green tunic, complete with tights, perhaps to make animating easier. Barrie also had all the Lost Boys come home with Wendy, John, and Michael.

Despite the changes, the film remains a childhood favorite, and is widely regarded as one of the greatest works Disney ever produced. Disney's film contains a fair bit of music as well, perhaps the most notable being "You Can Fly."

Hook (1991)

After various smaller adaptations in animation, stage, and even film, Peter Pan and his adventures returned to the big screen. Steven Spielberg directed this film. Though not successful with the critics of its time, Hook was a financial success and went on to be one of the best-loved movies of the early 90's.

The film featured an all-star cast. Robin Williams played Peter Pan. Dustin Hoffman played the titular character, and Julia Roberts portrayed the fairy Tinker Bell. The story, compared to Barrie's original, was a bit unexpected. Peter Pan left Neverland years ago, grew up, married, had a family, and became a successful businessman.

James Hook returns, captures Peter's children, and demands Peter confront him again. Having forgotten his past completely, Peter must find a way to return to Neverland and set everything right. Tinker Bell, an elderly Wendy, and even Captain Hook himself help Peter regain his memories and become the Pan again.

The film explores Peter's backstory a bit more than other adaptations. In some ways, the film follows the source material more than others, including the mention of the Wendy House, how Lost Boys get to Neverland, and the origin of fairies. It's the epitome of the "same, but different" concept.

John Williams supplied the music for the film, adding to his list of best-remembered musical scores, along with Superman, Indiana Jones, and E. T.

Peter Pan (2003)

It would be twelve years before audiences could see Peter Pan in theaters again. While many fans longed for a sequel, prequel, or follow-up to Spielberg's Hook, such a film would never materialize. Fans would have to make due with P. J. Hogan's vision in 2003.

Unlike Hook, this film acieved moderate success with both viewers and critics. Unfortunately, Lord of the Rings: Return of the King overshadowed its success. The film featured child actors in the roles, including Jeremy Sumpter, who played Peter Pan with a decidedly American accent.

The film follows the source material closely, straying only occasionally. Peter wears a suit made of leaves, and Neverland reflects his mood, becoming bright and sunny when he's happy or dark and clammy when he's distraught. The romantic connection between Peter and Wendy, which Barrie hints toward, appears much more pronounced here. In fact, a kiss from Wendy empowers Peter during the legendary confrontation with Hook, leading John to remark, "That was no thimble."

The legendary duel with Hook features the film most glaring change, but one that adds a twist to the plot. Hook grabs Tinker Bell, sprinkles himself with fairy dust, and begins to fly himself. This makes the duel longer, and makes us question whether Hook hunts Peter just for the ability to fly. Finally defeated, Hook plunges into the mouth of the crocodile.

Hogan's vision secured the approval of the Ormond Street Hospital, and debuted only one year from celebrating Peter's debut on stage.

Peter and the Starcatchers (2004)

While Barrie's work was breaking onto stage, Broadway, and the big screen, several books were hitting the shelves, many without the authorization of Ormond Street. Most passed into obscurity, but a series of novels by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson would break the mold.

Starcatchers retells the story. Peter is just one of a few orphans given to work on a ship named the Never Land. The ship takes on two passengers, a young girl and her nanny, and a mysterious chest. On a midnight missive, Peter sneaks into the hold to find the chest hovering off the ground and several supplies hovering with it.

After escaping from the pirate Black Stache, Peter and the girl Molly wind up on Mollusk Island. Eventually, everyone else shows up, the hunt for the chest ensues, and Peter learns to fly.

The novel retells the story, but keeps a lot of the elements in place. Mollusk Island will become Neverland. Black Stache loses a hand when Peter slices it off and feeds it to Mr. Grin, the crocodile. The book's success led to a sequel, Peter and the Shadow Thieves, then another sequel, Peter and the Secret of Rundoon. Though the third in the series was mentioned as the last book, the authors announced another book, Peter and the Sword of Mercy, for release in 2009.

Capt. Hook: The Adventures of a Notorious Youth (2005)

Not a widely recognized release, this children's illustrated novel is notable in that it was written by one of Hook's co-writers, J. V. Hart.

The story is a prequel to the original work, set in the youth of Pan's nemesis. Not overly complex, the novel simply tells the origin of James Hook, before he was the Hook, and portrays the character in a more sympathetic light. At the end of the story, the reader understands why Hook became the menacing pirate.

Peter Pan in Scarlet (2006)

There were several spin-offs, several sequels, several minor releases, several appearances on Broadway, but for Peter Pan, 2006 would be an infamous year. Several novels made publication, a few to fame, most to obscurity, but there is one and only one authorized sequel to J. M. Barrie's work.

In 2004, the Great Ormond Street Hospital held a contest. Each contest submitted a sample chapter plus a plot outline. From the many submissions, Geraldine McCaughren's idea was chosen. The Hospital granted her its authorization to produce Peter's sequel.

The novel follows the events of the original work, set in the 1920's, after World War I, during the reign of George V. The characters, now grown, return to Neverland as a series of nightmares begin to enter the real world. They suspect the fabric separating Neverland from the real world has worn holes in itself.

They find Neverland changed, but Peter is still there, now styling himself the One-and-Only-Child. A mysterious circusmaster named Ravello appears on the island and later becomes a guide of sorts to them. They all seek a treasure, supposedly hid by the late Captain Hook, only to discover their worst fears realized.

The book ends with the children returning home again, leaving Peter on the island. The book contains only small changes from the source material. In this novel, no one can fly without a shadow, but in Barrie's original story, Peter manages to fly as he hunts to reclaim his shadow. Also, the original book contains an epilogue where Peter returns to the Darling home to find Wendy grown, but arranges to take her daughter Jane to Neverland. Scarlet contains no reference of any such event. Thus, the novel likely takes place before the events of that epilogue.

Five special edition copies were printed for exclusive release, one sent to Her Majesty the Queen herself. A film adaptation of the novel has been planned and is scheduled for a 2009 release.

Conclusion

Time can make a great story of a bad story. Time can also make a great story into a legend. In the Peter Pan myth, the continual cycle of adaptations, re-releases, spin-offs, and such only testify to the work's strength. Peter Pan resonates with the spirit of youth inside us all.

The Pan has grown up only once, in Spielberg's Hook, but even then the message of youth and childhood, innocence lost, remains very strong. Throughout the years, Peter has come and gone for all of us. In the future, our children and grandchildren will read of his exploits. Who knows what novels, films, and re-imagined works will emerge by then? Peter Pan will still be a boy, the Wonderful Boy, the boy-who-never-grew-up.