Introduction

The author of the book

James M. Barrie (1860~1937)

James M. Barrie was born on May 9, 1860, in Kirriemuir, Scotland. He was the youngest child in a family with nine children. His career as playwright was successful, but his personal life was unfortunate. His mother was prejudiced in favor of his elder brother. After the accidental death of that brother, he became more and more estranged from his mother. In addition, his married life to Marry Guge, an actress, also had many problems.

Having been very interested in drama and criticism since his youth, after graduating from college, Barrie settled in London, where he worked as a newspaper reporter. Then he met Arthur Llewellyn Davids, who had five sons. The heroes of Barrie’s Peter Pan story were, of course, modeled after his five sons.

Although he used to write novels and dramas for adults, he published The Little White Bird (1902), in which the Peter Pan story was included. Later, he rewrote it as the juvenile drama Peter Pan that was put on the stage in 1904. Afterwards, Peter Pan was rewritten as the juvenile novels Peter Pan in Kensington Garden (1906) and Peter and Wendy (1911).

Peter Pan

James M. Barrie opens the fairy tale by describing Wendy’s home as one of happiness. At home, living together with Wendy are her kind mother, dignified father, her younger brothers John and Michael, and her obedient nurse- dog Nana. One night, while both her mother and father were at a party, Wendy met the visitor, Peter Pan, who was a child. He was looking for a shadow. Wendy sewed the shadow for Peter Pan. In return, Wendy was invited to visit the country of dreams and hope, Neverland, where Peter Pan lived.

On December 27, 1902, when the fairy tale was first performed in a theater in London, nobody believed it would succeed because of the complexpersonalities and the composition of thestory. More importantly, Barrie had created an exceptional theme for British society considering the time he lived in. The theme concerned how a shrewd child could maintain an interesting life in an adventurous world without the protection of his parents.

A doctor coined the expression “Peter Pan explain this social phenomenon. Then, adults see ed very enthusiastic for the story as they seemed to be wishing for eternal youth more than children, who loved Peter Pan for its magical fantasy.