Peter Pan

Book

Peter Pan (originally titled Peter and Wendy) by J. M. Barrie was originally published in 1911 and was the successor to the much  acclaimed play Peter Pan, the Boy Who Wouldn’t Grow Up from 1904, also by J. M. Barrie. Since its publication, it has never been out of print and has been adapted hundreds of times throughout different forms of media to include plays, TV shows, movies, board games, spinoff books, theme park attractions, and a peanut butter brand.  

Before Peter Pan was introduced in his own novel in 1911, he first appeared in the 1902 story called the Little White Bird in a section of the book called Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens. Audiences loved the character of Peter Pan so much that it inspired Barrie to write the play as well as for publishers to publish the chapter of Peter Pan in Kensington Garden on its own as a short story. Most individuals though will be familiar with the original novel or at least aspects of it.  

Peter Pan follows a girl named Wendy Darling, who is on the cusp of growing up much to her dismay. One night a little boy flies into the nursery room in search of his shadow. When Wendy presents the shadow to him and helps him sew it back on, he repays her and her brothers by teaching them to fly and taking them to the far-off island of Neverland. It is here, surrounded by a vast tropical wilderness, mermaids, fairies, pirates and lost boys, that Wendy realizes that it might not be so terrible to grow up after all, especially when confronted with the obstinance of the ever-youthful Peter Pan who is the embodiment of unadulterated childhood, complete with all of its ups and downs.  

Movie 

As stated previously, there are many adaptations of Peter Pan, however, the one that we will be recommending today is the 2003 adaptation of Peter Pan by Universal Pictures. This adaptation is mostly faithful to the plot of the book, specifically when it comes to the theme of growing up. This particular adaptation leans wonderfully into the sincerity of the story rather than focusing solely on the whimsical adventures that Peter Pan and the Lost Boys get up to whilst Wendy and her brothers are on the island. Not only is the storytelling particularly well done, the acting and set design create a particularly rich environment for the story. It is a perfect cozy movie to watch with the family, full of both adventure and heartfelt sincerity when it comes to the characters and situations that they find themselves in. Other adaptations that might be suitable depending on the age of the audience would be Disney’s 1953 Peter Pan or the 1954 musical stage adaptation of Peter Pan, starring Mary Martin.  

Rating 

Surprisingly enough Peter Pan is a shockingly dark novel in comparison to its most popular 1953 Disney film adaptation or the 2003 adaptation. Throughout the story, Peter is shown to be callously violent particularly when it comes to the pirates which he fights merely for fun. Peter is depicted as having a very short memory, forgetting his enemies almost as quickly as he kills them, treating the entire act of battle more as a whimsical pastime than any serious danger. He has completely forgotten that he is the one responsible for cutting off Captain Hook's hand and feeding it to the crocodile, who now endlessly pursues Captain Hook, hoping to devour the rest of him. It is also stated after Peter has killed Hook that he almost instantly forgets that he ever existed at all. This is contrasted with Captain Hook's almost single-minded hatred for Peter. There was also a line that indicates that Peter kills his own Lost Boys when they begin to grow up, as it is stated he is the only one who has actually stopped growing up and is forever a child. Although this is never actually seen to happen in the book, it is indicated that Peter “thins them out” as they get too old.  

Peter is also grievously wounded during a confrontation with Captain Hook at the mermaid lagoon where he is gouged by Hook,s… well… hook, and believes he will drown on the rock because he does not have the strength to fly away. 

With these aspects in mind, I would rate the book of Peter Pan somewhere between PG and PG-13. Many children will most likely not be old enough to understand some of the implications of the story as they read, however, older children are more likely to understand the dark implications that the story presents to them. The movie will be receiving a PG rating as this is the rating originally given it. Also, it should be noted that this movie removes some of the darker more callous aspects of Peter's character, instead adopting a more traditional fun-loving Peter that many today are familiar with.  

Movie Night Treat

*Deviled Ships*

Deviled Ships are a wonderful treat to start learning how to cook with boiling water. It is a perfect snack to introduce slightly more mature children into the kitchen and show them how to begin cooking on the stove top. Deviled eggs are an incredibly popular dish throughout the United States and are perfect as a swash buckling snack with the simple addition of a cheese sail and a  small paper pirate flag.  

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Ingredients

• Eggs 

• Water 

• Mayonnaise of your choosing  

• Mustard of your choosing  

• Pickle relish or preferred relish  

• Sliced cheese of your choosing 

• Tooth Pics  

• A pot large enough to fit your desired amount of eggs plus enough room for water to reach a gentle boil.  

• A bowl large enough to fit eggs 

• Ice 

1) Place eggs in a pot and fill with water till the eggs are covered by half an inch to an inch of water. Set the water on the stove top and bring to a gentle boil. Once the water begins to boil, turn the heat off and put a lid on top of the pot, letting the eggs remain in the hot water for 10 minutes. 

2) Once the eggs have been in the bath for the allotted amount of time, add ice and water to a fresh bowl. Carefully with tongs remove the eggs from the boiling water and place them into the ice bath.  

3) Let the eggs sit in the ice bath for a few minutes before removing the eggs from the water and taking off the shell. To remove the shell gently crack the egg on a hard surface all the way around and begin to pick off the pieces of the shell. Sometimes this is extremely easy and the shell comes off in large smooth chunks. Other times, it can be extremely difficult coming off in small chunks and breaking the skin of the egg underneath. If this happens, know that you did nothing wrong. It is simply the gamble of boiling eggs.  

4) Once the shells have been removed, cut the eggs in half, long ways and move the yellow yolks into a bowl. Place the whites of the eggs aside; these will be our “ships” once the yolk mix is made. 

5) In the bowl with the yolks, gradually mix your mayonnaise, mustard and relish to taste and consistency. The taste will vary depending on how you like to make it. I prefer my deviled eggs made with slightly more relish. The consistency should not be overly runny and similar to cake frosting. 

6) Once the mix is made, fill the white of the egg’s cavity with the yellow mixture. This can be done with a spoon or a piping bag. If with a piping bag, simply take a small Ziploc bag and fill it  half of the way full with your yolk  mixture. Cut a small hole in one of the corners of the bag and squeeze the bag with the back firmly twisted and pinched off so as to prevent the yolk mixture from coming out the back.  

7) Cut a slice of cheese into a square  piece approximately 1 inch by 2 inches, and thread both ends through a skewer 9or tooth pick to create a ship's sail. 

8) It may also be fun to add a small paper flag on the top - whatever Jolly Roger you find most enjoyable. 

Enjoy the movie!