Childhoods in Peter Pan: a postmodern enquiry into the construction of childhood beyond the eternal child

• Main Author: Ng, Sophia Sok Huei
• Other Authors: Jonathan Hui
• Format: Final Year Project
• Language: English
• Published: Nanyang Technological University 2023
• Subjects: Humanities::Language
• Online Access: https://hdl.handle.net/10356/169364
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

J.M. Barrie is best known for his creation of the eternal child Peter Pan, yet Peter is far from the only notable character in his story. This paper explores the construction of childhood by examining the characters of Peter, Wendy, and Captain Hook in Barrie's original tale alongside P.J. Hogan's 2003 film adaptation, suggesting that Peter Pan's celebrated status and persisting relevance can be credited to Barrie's portrayal of a plurality of childhoods and not merely the idealised image of childhood embodied by its perpetually young protagonist.