A few weeks ago, the movie “Pan” came out in theaters. I didn’t see the film, though I do love the plot and characters of the classic children’s tale. I was only privy to what was depicted in the advertisements. Nevertheless, when I saw commercials for the movie, I was struck by the very fact of it — just another rendition of the Peter Pan narrative. In our lifetime, we’ve seen upward of five versions of J.M. Barrie’s original play.
From two animated Disney movies to multiple live-action films like Spielberg’s “Hook” with Robin Williams or “Peter Pan” featuring Jason Isaacs, Hollywood can’t seem to get enough of re-adapting and releasing this story to audiences old and new, in different ways. And I guess I want to know why.
Why have there been so many renditions of the story about the flying boy who never wanted to grow up? As a literature fanatic (and children’s literature especially), I appreciate the simplicity of Barrie’s writing and the intricacies of the world he created, which give significant worth to the work itself. And everyone can relate to the universal themes portrayed within the exciting and fun plot — the fear of growing up — which offers another explanation as to why the story’s impact has lasted for over 100 years, with its original publishing date in 1904.
I don’t think those are the only explanations though.
Is it possible that Peter Pan story’s continued presence in the film world speaks to a larger issue in our adolescent generation’s psyche — the fear of growing up and becoming real adults? Obviously high school and college-age students are not the target audience for “Pan,” having heard the story so many times that by now we could create our own live-action film about it. However, our generation, more than our parents’, experienced the influx of the Peter Pan narrative just by the very fact of over five films coming out and modifying this story in the last 20 years. In relating it to our generation, it’s almost as if college has become the new ‘Neverland’ where we find ourselves as Peter Pan, in constant fear of leaving — of having to grow up.
Could it be that having seen so many versions of the story, we’ve become ingrained to fear the adult world, similar to “Pan”? Have we made college into a Neverland of sorts? It seems like Barrie’s tale has shaped our generation’s perspectives on facing adulthood. It’s no secret that most people have a seriously hard time when contemplating graduating, finding a real job and having to leave behind the carefree environment we become so used to in four years.
Could this have originated with Barrie’s Peter Pan and our generations’ continued exposure to this story? Maybe I’m reading too much into it. Maybe because I’m at a point in my life where becoming an adult is a little too close for comfort that I can relate to Peter now more than ever before.
I think the fear of growing up is simply the fear of the unknown manifested in its most raw form — leaving behind what we know best, childhood. Nevertheless, if the myriad of Peter Pan renditions we’ve seen have given us anything, it’s a character that we can relate to and a story that’s just as unrealistic as the thought of avoiding growing up.
Unlike Peter, it’s something we all have to do.