Trish Wooldridge & Christy Tohara

One of my favorite stories growing up was Peter Pan. I remember thumbing through the kids books at my Grandma Wanden's house in search of the fairy-tale each time I went to visit her. Although graphics and color always attract a child to a book, I think it was more than that for me. Sure, the pictures were intriguing, but it was the story that held my interest… the story of adventure on a make-believe island with a peculiar boy and his faerie friend.

Peter Pan is still a magical tale even now. When the movie came out-in 2001 I think- I was excited to see it. It follows the real tale a little better than the Disney version even though it does make some creative alterations. But it was when I watched this show that my analytical eye went to work. I started to see how things connect, at least in my investigative perception, and noted symbolism that I hadn't realized was there before. It made me delve into research about the tale- to see what others thought about it. It wasn't until I had a discussion with my sister-in-law, Omi, when I thought that maybe I was making some sense with what I saw.

A thing that stood out was the connection Peter Pan had to Neverland. When he was gone, the world went into a sort of hibernation. When he was sad or tormented, the weather changed into billowing black clouds and storm. The author, Barrie, states that the although Never Land appears different to every child, the island 'wakes up' when Peter returns from his trip to London. So that made me think- how was Peter and Neverland connected like that? After all, he was just like the Lost Boys… he came there from the normal world like everyone else. The only thing different between he and his little followers was that Tinkerbell befriended him and the others believed he was their leader.

Researchers believe that the Peter Pan tale is a Totenkindergeschichte which is a German term for “tales of the death of children.” In the classic Peter and Wendy, Barrie states that the Peter Pan tale Mrs. Darling heard as a child was that when children died, Peter would accompany them part of the way to their destination so that they wouldn't be scared. Why would Peter Pan be a tale of death? Is Neverland where Lost Souls go to rather than Lost Boys? Did those souls follow Peter to Neverland rather than continue on to Heaven? If this is so, then is Neverland a sort of limbo?

Peter Pan is the epitome of being a kid- goofing off and laughing in the face of danger. He battles Captain Hook who is the very essence of adulthood. Of course kids these days want to be an adult because they think it's fun. But when they reach a certain age, the come to the realization that it was great fun being a kid and often want to return to the 'easier days'. Peter, on the brink of change himself, is constantly in combat with the roguish captain- battling age.

There are many more things in Peter Pan that raise an eyebrow but this is what makes it a great story. Aside from all the hidden messages, the great adventure of going to an imaginative world to see mermaids, Indians and pirates can't go wrong. It's Faeries, Ariel and Captain Jack Sparrow all wrapped in one-- how could this not be good?