Explore the theme of escapism in Peter Pan Essay

The content of escapism is prominent in lots s move oerrrens literature. Frances Hodgson-Burnetts The Secret Garden is, wish ray Pan, an example of Edwardian squirtrens literature. twain these novels are tales of escapism from literal flavor into an a nonher(prenominal) realiseledge domain. There are to a fault more recent examples of escapism in childrens literature. In the 1950s C. S. Lewis invented Narnia, and in until now more recent literature, desolate Potter leave outs his everyday flavour to go to school at Hogwarts. J. M.Barries jibe Pan, an early Edwardian novel, is one of the broad classics of British childrens literature and is, on the surface, a tale about a son who refused to grow up. There is however, an be plot concerning a girl who essential(prenominal) grow up. It is from this obligation that Barries Neverland acts as a nominate of escape. Throughout pricking Pan, on that point is little focus on the fe male characters. It is al just about as sumed that W closing curtainy leave behind grow up and become a Mother, as all daughters do.Although Neverland allows Wendy to escape from her rest home and from the domestic world she knows, she does not escape domesticity altogether. She almost becomes mother to the Lost Boys, and is tending(p) a number of domestic duties much(prenominal) as ironing stopcocks shadow. However, Wendys relationship with barb is not entirely conventional. She appears to be the c mislayst topic bastard has to a girlfriend, as he rejects the sexual advances of both Tinkerbell and Tiger Lily. However, Wendy alike appears to be acting as his mother, something ray has been deprived of his whole life.It is the childish zipper of Barries imagination filled with such a splendid jumble of pirates, redskins, fairies and mermaids that enthrals so galore(postnominal) children (Carpenter p172). Through this existenceipulation of other peoples minds and emotions, Barrie carries them off from the real world to a country of his protest invention (Carpenter p179). Barrie seems to be presenting his readers with a substitute(a) corporate trust, to act as a form of escape from the saviorian teachings of the mincing era.It has even been suggested that hammer Pan is in feature an alternative religion. Humphrey Carpenter suggests that in many respects rooster is Christ-like. Possibly the most frank example of this is when he takes Wendy and her brothers on a flight of fantasy to his testify nirvanaly land (Carpenter p182). The Lost Boys who abide there seem to represent the souls of the gone as peter asserts, They are the children who spillage out of their prams when the nurse is escorting the other way, therefore further increase Neverlands resemblance of heaven.The concept of escaping to heaven was extremely grand to Barrie. He missed his brother David at a two-year-old age and subsequently spent much of his life trying to become a living version of the boy who by dying remained ever young (Wallshli ger p120). To catch Peter and Hook as the Christ and Satan of Barries religion, the reader moldiness have faith in the novel. The theme of notion is interesting throughout Peter Pan as the reader is, like the near children, constantly being asked, Do you debate? In tack together to fly, the Darling children must have faith, and think winning wonderful thoughts, as Peters fairy dust is, in itself not enough. In turn the reader or audience must have faith and believe in the fact that a child mess fly. Similarly, in order to escape to Neverland, a reader must have faith that there is such a place somewhere agone the second star to the right and heterosexual person on until morning. The theme of belief is particularly important at the end of Barries story when the darling children lose their faith and no longer believe in Peter, and so cannot see him.though faith and belief are important in Peter Pan, the dream of escaping to other world se ems to be almost self-sufficient. Barrie implies there is little need to grow up or awaken from this dream as it is in fact already border by the Edwardian domesticity of the real world where wealth and relationships are important. Carpenter in fact goes further than this by take a firm stand that children must not grow up and claims that to visit Neverland requires an act of belief that children cannot keep abreast as they grow up (Carpenter p180).Peter himself seems to be of the opinion that it is only children, who can escape the drudgery of everyday life and claims, I want always to be a little boy, and to have enjoyment. Barries adventure story and his human race of such a magical champ seems to have achieved what so much childrens literature had previously tried to do. Peter represents the shift from the Victorian perception of the child as a moral mental picture to a craze for the child as a fun-loving playboy hero (Wallshli ger p111).Peter has no memory or emotion, an d so can live only for the flake and experiences ecstasies that other children can never know (Wallshli ger p117). Peter is an asexual child or else than a young man. Barrie himself was also some sexless, and it is doubtful whether his marriage was ever consummated. This insufficiency of sexuality and romantic relationship is delineated well on stage as Peter is often contend by an actress, and is therefore viewed as an androgynous common fig. some other interesting aspect of the casting of Peter Pan is that of Mr. Darling and Hook, who traditionally, are played by the same actor.This becomes particularly significant when considering the theme of masculinity in Peter Pan. There is much evidence of male competitiveness in the novel. The most obvious example of this is Peters three-fold with Hook, which appears to be an assertion of masculinity by Peter. It is particularly interesting that it is Peter and the confused boys who triumph over Hook who is a mature villain. This youthful triumph acts as another form of escape for a young reader. Traditionally in Victorian society adults were in control and would have power over children.In Barries Childrens fantasy, it is youth and sexual immaturity that enable Peter to triumph over his adult rivals. It has been suggested by many critics that Peter, The boy who wouldnt grow up, is a representation of Barrie himself. Barrie was a short man and despite a moustache bear a markedly boyish look until old age (Carpenter p173). He was in a physical respect, quite literally, a boy who couldnt grow up. This figure of a man in a childs body is doubtless the principle model for Peter, who is neither child nor adult (Carpenter p177).