I'm putting this in Personal, because this is for homework! And everyone's opinion is valued. (As long as it's not completely bogus.) And this has been quite an internal conflict for me, depicting between different kinds of "love." (Also, I feel that if this were put into Random, it wouldn't be taken seriously.)

 

I'm writing a paper for my English class about Peter's relationship with Wendy. (Note--this is NOT about Wendy's relationship with Peter. They're very different!)

 

I have to provide four different points of view, and I have some points of view in mind (as state in the poll above) and I have some evidence to back up each point of view, but I'd like a public opinion as well to help develop those view points. However, if you have a completely different view, please share! I'd like to hear what everyone says about this.

 

Feel free to point out specific scenes from either the novel, the play, or the movies (preferably the 2003 version with Jeremy Sumpter) to help support your opinion.

 

 

For example on some "evidence" that I've found for each view point:

-----------------

Peter Pan loves Wendy Darling (romantically)

• He plays "husband" while Wendy plays "mother" with the Lost Boys.
• Tinker Bell is jealous of Wendy
• The stories that Peter loves to listen from Wendy are all love stories (Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, etc.)

Peter Pan loves Wendy Darling (Maternally)

• Wendy is often referred to as "mother."
• When Peter came back to Neverland after picking up Wendy, John, and Michael, he told the Lost Boys that he found a "mother" for them.
• Wanted Wendy to come to Neverland to help nurture the Lost Boys.

Peter and Wendy are just Friends

• Peter doesn't care about developing real relationships. He's a selfish boy who only cares about himself.
• Peter simply just wants to have fun.
• Peter Pan, when played on stage, is often played by an adult woman, thus, taking away any form of loving relationship.

Peter has a crush on Wendy, but that not necessarily "love."

• Peter doesn't originally understand the concept of a "kiss," but when Wendy gives it to him (a real kiss), he accepts it, and kind of likes it.
• Peter doesn't comprehend the concept of "love" but he knows he likes Wendy's company.
• Peter doesn't fully understand feelings, but knows he is feeling something he doesn't understand.

Please help me out guys in any way you can! THANK YOU, THANK YOU! :)

Edited November 21, 201212 yr by wayfinder823

i kinda always thought he was link goku when it came to love, he doesn't really know (being clueless) but if she asked him out im sure he wouldn't say no

I'm putting this in Personal, because this is for homework! And everyone's opinion is valued. (As long as it's not completely bogus.) And this has been quite an internal conflict for me, depicting between different kinds of "love." (Also, I feel that if this were put into Random, it wouldn't be taken seriously.)

 

I'm writing a paper for my English class about Peter's relationship with Wendy. (Note--this is NOT about Wendy's relationship with Peter. They're very different!)

 

I have to provide four different points of view, and I have some points of view in mind (as state in the poll above) and I have some evidence to back up each point of view, but I'd like a public opinion as well to help develop those view points. However, if you have a completely different view, please share! I'd like to hear what everyone says about this.

 

Feel free to point out specific scenes from either the novel, the play, or the movies (preferably the 2003 version with Jeremy Sumpter) to help support your opinion.

 

 

For example on some "evidence" that I've found for each view point:

-----------------

Peter Pan loves Wendy Darling (romantically)

• He plays "husband" while Wendy plays "mother" with the Lost Boys.
• Tinker Bell is jealous of Wendy
• The stories that Peter loves to listen from Wendy are all love stories (Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, etc.)

• I think it's just a game, Peter Pan is the head of the lost boys, and Wendy is the only girl. It's their role in relation to their lost boys more than to each other represented there.
• That only shows that Wendy is getting more of Pan's attentions than Tinkerbell wants. Whether it is romantic or not, he does spend time with Wendy, which Tink does not like.
• Those are choices by Wendy. I don't believe they are requested, so she is telling love stories, he is independent of this.

Peter Pan loves Wendy Darling (Maternally)

• Wendy is often referred to as "mother."
• When Peter came back to Neverland after picking up Wendy, John, and Michael, he told the Lost Boys that he found a "mother" for them.
• Wanted Wendy to come to Neverland to help nurture the Lost Boys.

• As the only female, and the nurturing individual, this is a role she fills.
• This simply means he has found someone to fill this role, it says nothing about his views about the "mother"
• He wanted someone to fill that role

Peter and Wendy are just Friends

• Peter doesn't care about developing real relationships. He's a selfish boy who only cares about himself.
• Peter simply just wants to have fun.
• Peter Pan, when played on stage, is often played by an adult woman, thus, taking away any form of loving relationship.

• He does care about real relationships, he has a strong bond to the lost boys. He doesn't want serious relationships,only fun ones.
• See above
• But if it wasn't so in the novel, than this evidence is others' interpretations rather than evidence either way

Peter has a crush on Wendy, but that not necessarily "love."

• Peter doesn't originally understand the concept of a "kiss," but when Wendy gives it to him (a real kiss), he accepts it, and kind of likes it.
• Peter doesn't comprehend the concept of "love" but he knows he likes Wendy's company.
• Peter doesn't fully understand feelings, but knows he is feeling something he doesn't understand.

Please help me out guys in any way you can! THANK YOU, THANK YOU! :)

 

This is the one I think most accurate, Peter understands there's something he is supposed to and to some extent does like about girls, but he doesn't want to give up his freedom of childhood.

But if it wasn't so in the novel, than this evidence is others' interpretations rather than evidence either way

The novel and the play were both written by J.M. Barrie, and Barrie directed the first Peter Pan play around Christmas time in.... the early early 1900's. And yes, in that stage play, Peter Pan was played by an adult woman. And the 2003 movie version is based off the original novel and Barrie's screen-play, with P.J. Hogan's interpretations on some things.

The novel and the play were both written by J.M. Barrie, and Barrie directed the first Peter Pan play around Christmas time in.... the early early 1900's. And yes, in that stage play, Peter Pan was played by an adult woman. And the 2003 movie version is based off the original novel and Barrie's screen-play, with P.J. Hogan's interpretations on some things.

 

But how much control did Barrie have in casting? He wrote what happened, but it's possible he had nothing to do with choosing the role to be filled by a female.

But how much control did Barrie have in casting? He wrote what happened, but it's possible he had nothing to do with choosing the role to be filled by a female.

 

Actually, Barrie did do the casting, and he chose a woman to play Peter Pan. Reasons for picking so are speculated, but some believe it was for scheduling reasons. Since actors can be stuck in rehearsal for long hours, directors could not keep children out past curfew. Also by casting a woman, he could have other adult actors play the Lost Boys as well, according to height and keep them in rehearsal. Most Lost Boys were in fact, girls. Some speculate that cross-gendering roles was done for comedic effect, just like how Cinderella's ugly step sisters were often played by males.

 

The point of using this little fact of information to support the "friendship" view, is to say that the love chemistry (whether romantic or maternal) is simply not there, because they're the same gender. And a lot of people can argue that Peter was just having fun with Wendy and nothing more.

 

 

I'm really not trying to be mean or anything, I just have to back up all my evidence, and by responding to specific comments like this will help in my paper. No really, you're helping me out by saying stuff like that. Thanks!

 

Edited November 21, 201212 yr by wayfinder823

Actually, Barrie did do the casting, and he chose a woman to play Peter Pan. Reasons for picking so are speculated, but some believe it was for scheduling reasons. Since actors can be stuck in rehearsal for long hours, directors could not keep children out past curfew. Also by casting a woman, he could have other adult actors play the Lost Boys as well, according to height and keep them in rehearsal. Most Lost Boys were in fact, girls. Some speculate that cross-gendering roles was done for comedic effect, just like how Cinderella's ugly step sisters were often played by males.

 

The point of using this little fact of information to support the "friendship" view, is to say that the love chemistry (whether romantic or maternal) is simply not there, because they're the same gender. And a lot of people can argue that Peter was just having fun with Wendy and nothing more.

 

OK, then I rescind that counter-argument.

Yeaaa he totally loves her The way they act toward eachother seems like they are in love.

Yeaaa he totally loves her The way they act toward eachother seems like they are in love.

 

Could you be a little more specific?

Could you be a little more specific?

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a7bA6lo35X4

I think Peter has a crush on Wendy, but not necessarily love

 

He obviously likes Wendy, but further than that everything else was a game.

 

And I think the reason for choosing a woman for the play, was because there weren't enough young actors available in that age.

 

anyway that's my opinion

Peter went to Neverland so that he would never have to mature, both physically, mentally, and emotionally. Therefore he hasn't reached the age where he could have serious romantic feelings for someone (rather his technical age, not how long he has been around, he could be 300 years old for all we know). I feel that he either has a little crush but no serious feelings or views Wendy as a friend. I wouldn't say as a Maternal figure because of the way he constantly tries to impress her. He does so in a more flirty/show-off way than a "look what I can do mommy!" way.

 

I'm basing this all off of the Animated Disney film though, which is the version of Peter Pan I am most familiar with. I know there are other versions of the story that involve a more serious relationship.