Peter Growing up

[Jewels83]

One thing i just realized, is the fact that Peter was actually growing up. There were many "pretend games"; the lost boys, wendy and Peter would play in the house under the ground such as the no-adventures-pretend game where they pretended to be idle and were hanging around the house seeking no adventure or foe. I also remember Peter telling wendy something about him never growing up and she replying "i think this is your greatest pretend"..He has been growing up all along, but never wanted to beleive it.

[TheLostGirl]

You are correct Peter Pan in fact is growing up. However, my explanation for this is...
When, a person is in Neverland they stop growing up.
But, once they leave the island the continue to grow again.
Therefore, with Peters trips to the mainland for that small portion of the time he continues to grow.
I think the reson Wendy said that was because she thinks Peter is growing up in the sence of mentaly as she is. But realy he is not growing up in that way she just didnt want to believe it.
You can see this when after many years Peter returns and looks the same but Wendy is very old.

[Dr. Pan]

It seems to me that they all have grown while at Never Land. Peter tells us that he ran away the day he was born. The Lost Boys all fell out of the prams or carriages, so were infants themselves when they were transported to this magic island. Although no ones age is ever stated, I'm sure we are are sure they are past the toddler stage. So do you age and then stop where you want to or maybe when Peter wants you to.

We know that Peter doesn't seem to age past the time we meet him, since he is the same when he comes back for Jane, and then Margeret (Wendy's granddaughter). How old is Peter? Noone knows, we are told he still has all his baby teeth, which would make him 8 or 9, but he is taller than John who is closer to 10. I believe Peter doesn't age because of his early association with fairies. We are told Peter doesn't age because he has no long term memory and therefore is never disillusioned. It is the discovery of the unfairness and limitations of the world that age us not time (Barrie suggests).

I suspect the boys actually do age but don't realize it. Do any of us feel ourselves growing older? Wouldn't the boys beleive they were the same. Maybe Peter sends them away when they get older than he is and replaces them with new boys. Maybe that is partially why the boys can leave and Peter really can't.

[PiratesLife4Me]

When, a person is in Neverland they stop growing up.
But, once they leave the island the continue to grow again.
Therefore, with Peters trips to the mainland for that small portion of the time he continues to grow.


I always curious about this and decided to re-read the book. I came to the following line in the book...


"All wanted blood except the boys, who liked it as a rule, but to-night were out to greet their captain. The boys on the island vary, of course, in numbers, according as they get killed and so on; and when they seem to be growing up, which is against the rules, Peter thins them out; but at this time there were six of them, counting the twins as two."

From this line I'm under the impression that there is growth going on in Neverland. But is it as you say, they grow when they leave Neverland or is their growth a state of mind? That if they will it or want it it will happen. Just a curious thought. Discuss :cool:

[peterpans]

peter i think stays at about 14, which is about the age that barrie's brother died, i think peter is partly a manifistaton on him which woyuld explain y he doesnt grow up. in addition the lost boys are there not by choice, so if the decide to grow up they can. peter on the other hand is there by choice, so he cannot grow up.

[Glitterdust]

I always curious about this and decided to re-read the book. I came to the following line in the book...


"All wanted blood except the boys, who liked it as a rule, but to-night were out to greet their captain. The boys on the island vary, of course, in numbers, according as they get killed and so on; and when they seem to be growing up, which is against the rules, Peter thins them out; but at this time there were six of them, counting the twins as two."

I was going to mention this quote form the book - I think the lost boys, Wendy etc. are real children...so when they are in Neverland they still grow. Peter I think has actually become something entirely different. He is the life of Neverland (when he leaves Neverland falls into winter, and when he returns it's spring again), so he can't really grow older because he's a sort of personification of neverland and all it represents..

I think. I hope that made sense.

[Nightshade]

Ummm its been years since I read the book but I seem to remeber that peter wasnt always in Neverland, before that he lived with the fairies until he and tinkerbell came to neverland.