Hook, between the lines

[Shurtugal]

the other day when i was reading Peter Pan, (for the forth time :D) i once again came across the paragraph that always stumped me with curiosity.

Hook was not his ture name. To reveal who he really was would even at this date set the country in a blaze;But as those who read between the lives must already have guessed, he head been at a famous public school; and its traditions still clung to him like garments, with which indeed they are largely concerned. Thus it was offensive to him even now to a board a ship in the same dress in which he grappled her; and he still adhered in his walk to the school's distinguished slouch. But above all he retained the passon for good form.

Who is he then? i have never been able to guess, i've reread some parts trying to read "between the lines" but have never succeded in guessing who he is. do you guys have a clue suggestions.

Who is James Hook!?

[JBI]

He is Wendy's father. The story is really about Peter's feud with Wendy's father, he being one of those "boyfriends you father is sure to hate" and she being one of those people who likes him especially for it, until she can come to terms with her femininity and age, and break away from him. He, not growing up, is a display of the fact that he is the immature one, and the "evil Hook" was right about him, and wins in the end, with Wendy's return home, her growing up, and her respectable marriage later on in life.

Peter Pan in a sense is a forerunner for the Greaser motif, a runaway boy who vows never to grow up, never to accept responsibility, and comes along almost dragging Wendy down with him. Hook is his contrast - authority, someone who has grown up, and accepted responsibility.

[kasie]

He is Wendy's father. ....

I believe Peter Pan was originally written as a play. The parts of Mr Darling and Captain Hook were played by the same actor, as they have been in all subsequent productions, underlining the interpretation given by JBI.

The school referred to sounds like Eton (an English Public School, reknowned for turning out Men of Destiny, for the information of non-UK Forumites) and the description of the man could refer to a well known public figure of the time, maybe a politician, but I'm afraid the allusion escapes me.

[Shurtugal]

JBI, But how is it so when Mr. Darling is still on the main land while Hook is in neverland? I mean I know that a lot of Peter PAn is alegoric, but all the Characters in the book where there own character, never (at least to me) playing another role. I like the theory though. Maybe, infact, Hook is a representation of all fathers. It's about Peter's fued with fathers. Because they are responsible enough to take the role as one. That also corrisponds to when Peter finally asked Wendy if he being a father was all make believe because that would make him feel so terrible old. Peter there is showing not only is he not responsible enough to take that role, he doesn't what to take it.

[gingerbooklady]

There have been some pirates known as gentleman pirates-- ones with good family and educational backgrounds as well. However, I think that rather than worry over any specific identity, Hook is more of a general idea.

I think that Good form is something to give attention to.
In other parts of the novel, Hook also dwells on good form. If I recall correctly, Hook worries about it excessively and believes that accidental good form is the best form of all-- and the just sort of good form that he dreads the most to see in his enemey.

I read Peter Pan as a book very much concerned about identity-- and the choices one makes in forming identity. Growing up as a member of a good family of a certain social class (middle class) in London during that time, a boy and a girl only had so many choices as to what he or she could become. Sometimes the best choice at least seemed like the choice to do none of the above-- if there is a choice between stock broker and laywer and either fills one with dread (after all pirate is not really a legitimate choice), then perhaps the best choice is to choose to avoid that choice by not growing up.

[LilyPan]

If you think about it, James Hook is a resemblance of many identities as gingerbooklady pointed out. Meaning that James Hook was a resemblance of Mr. Darling in J.M. Barrie's imagination. James Hook is also the resemblance of J.M. Barrie himself. Remember that J.M. Barrie lost his brother. His mother didn't even acknowledge him once his brother died and one day he dressed up as his brother and his mother actually looked at him. According to a bio I read about him, that was the last day that J.M. Barrie was a boy. After that moment he was a man and grew up. Facing the harshness of reality and sadness that comes with it. James Hook...James M. Barrie. Coincidences..I don't believe in but its all just a theory. I hope that helps! :)

[Shurtugal]

hmmm...Lilypan, i'm not sure what you mean.

[LilyPan]

well what are you confused about? it really is hard to explain but if you let me know what you dont understand then maybe i can try and break it down.

[Shurtugal]

oh, i get it now... i think.. my mind is kind of wondering about aimlessly.

[LilyPan]

are you sure? because i can try and explain it again.

[Shurtugal]

if you want, maybe it'll salitify it better! :D

[LilyPan]

hmm I'll try. basically i was saying that J.M. Barrie made captain hook to be the imaginations "father" the person who believes in reality, like mr. darling. he can also be portrayed as James Barrie himself. JAMES hook...JAMES barrie...after J.M. Barrie's brother died the child within him went away to neverland and he became the adult J.M. Barrie. So Capt. Hook could be the one person the author did not want to be...

i hope that makes more sense.

[Shurtugal]

OH!!!!!!! i get it. i see what you mean. yes, that would make sense.

[LilyPan]

well im glad it makes sense now lol and im not of course positive if that's who Hook is but it's a theory.

[Shurtugal]

which is better then nothing.

[LilyPan]

very true

[Shelly Draven]

He is Wendy's father. The story is really about Peter's feud with Wendy's father, he being one of those "boyfriends you father is sure to hate" and she being one of those people who likes him especially for it, until she can come to terms with her femininity and age, and break away from him.

This is a common theory, but actually Hook was supposed to be played by MRS. DARLING, until a last minute change rested the weight on Mr. Gerald du Maurier, Sylvia Llywelyn Davies' brother. Considering this, the parallel between one character and the other could hardly have the thought behind the characters, tho it may have been a deciding factor in the change in casting.

[Shelly Draven]

The school referred to sounds like Eton (an English Public School, reknowned for turning out Men of Destiny, for the information of non-UK Forumites) and the description of the man could refer to a well known public figure of the time, maybe a politician, but I'm afraid the allusion escapes me.

Sorry, had to add one more thing, Eton is the school referred to, Hooks last words in the play were originally, "Floreat Etona", the motto for Eton. The theory of Eton was later confirmed in a speech by Barrie.

[BalletBrien]

What about Peter Pan, James Hook and Mr Darling representing the paradox (or will be call it a tripadox?) in J.M. Barrie? The author probably wasn't a very "regular" guy for his time and for his community. His mum would love him to be a Mr Darling, but wasn't there a trace of Captain Cook in him? Would it be wrong to say all men are Peter Pans to different degrees? Those Peter Pans are required to grow up. The choices they make as they grow up brings them closer to turning into either a Mr Darling, or a Captain Cook. Wendies need to grow up, too. For this to happen, they need to encounter Captain Hooks. Only then they can mature to make judgements about what is good, what is better:)) J.M. Barrie's Wendy chooses to go back to dad's home representing "Order" and "Conservatism". If she had chosen Captain Hook, the book would have been a scandal in its time! Yet, do we not sense J.M. Barrie is pointing to the fact that Wendy will always remember her adventure in Never Never land as the most exciting part of her life?

[LilyPan]

The author probably wasn't a very "regular" guy for his time and for his community. His mum would love him to be a Mr Darling, but wasn't there a trace of Captain Cook in him? Would it be wrong to say all men are Peter Pans to different degrees? Those Peter Pans are required to grow up. The choices they make as they grow up brings them closer to turning into either a Mr Darling, or a Captain Cook. Wendies need to grow up, too. For this to happen, they need to encounter Captain Hooks. Only then they can mature to make judgements about what is good, what is better:))

This is a very valid point and I am so glad you mentioned this. This is life and we are all the same when growing up. We just change when we make certain choices and discover new things.

[MissKathryn]

JBI, But how is it so when Mr. Darling is still on the main land while Hook is in neverland? I mean I know that a lot of Peter PAn is alegoric, but all the Characters in the book where there own character, never (at least to me) playing another role. I like the theory though. Maybe, infact, Hook is a representation of all fathers. It's about Peter's fued with fathers. Because they are responsible enough to take the role as one. That also corrisponds to when Peter finally asked Wendy if he being a father was all make believe because that would make him feel so terrible old. Peter there is showing not only is he not responsible enough to take that role, he doesn't what to take it.Ok so what I got from the whole hook being her father this is this: When they all first are talking about Neverland you know how they each have a different version of it? Well this could just be peters version with the part of him hating her father. Because Neerland is really a dreamland that they can actually go to. If that makes since. So in peters "dream" version hook is her father while he is also really on the mainland

[nexie]

:wave:

as far as im aware Hook in Peter Pan is Long John Silver from R L Stevensons treasure island

[kelby_lake]

I'm pretty sure that at least on one level it's supposed to be an allegory. Hook represents Wendy's father and his hatred of Peter Pan is a dislike/distrust of a potential boyfriend who's a bit of a waster (maybe even first boyfriend). Wendy is still a child, hence the childlike representations of the situation, but she is also on the cusp of adulthood, hence her testing and roleplaying the role of mother. Peter is immature and unable to grow up and when Wendy is older, the right age, she marries sensibly.

Mr Darling and Captain Hook are pretty much always doubled in stage and film versions- I'm not sure if it's the same in the book but in a recent musical production, Hook has the same reaction to taking the medicine as Mr Darling does.

Doubling Hook with Mrs Darling seems like a clumsier version of the same allegory, which makes much more sense when Mr Darling doubles up as Hook.

[happy-thump]

This question has been bugging me for a while too.

Capt. Hook did go to Eton. J.M. Barrie added more to the character in his speech at Eton "Captain Hook at Eton". This can be found in the book "M'Connachie and J.M.B.: Speeches".

What if he's the personification of adults? Hook's question to Peter in the final battle is; "Pan, who and what art thou?", Peter replies, "I'm youth, I'm joy. I'm a little bird that has broken out of the egg." If Peter Pan represents youth and joy, then Hook could be his opposite, representing adulthood and work (or something like this). Of course, right after that, the narrator says, "This, of course, was nonsense,". (All quotes in chapter 16).

[Jackson Richardson]

Other fictional Old Etonians (listed on their website) include James Bond, Bertie Wooster and Tarzan.

http://www.etoncollege.com/FictionalOEs.aspx