Peter Pan: "When Wendy Grew Up" - Study Guide
This guide focuses on the chapter “When Wendy Grew Up” and its connection to broader themes in J.M. Barrie’s Peter Pan.
Themes / Big Ideas
- The Loss of Innocence & the Transition to Adulthood: This chapter is centrally about Wendy’s acceptance of growing up and what that means – losing the ability to fly, embracing responsibility, and letting go of childhood fantasies. It explores the bittersweet nature of this transition.
- The Power of Belief: The boys’ ability to fly is directly tied to their belief. As they grow up and lose that belief, they physically lose the power of flight. This highlights the importance of imagination and a childlike spirit.
- The Role of Motherhood & Family: The chapter examines different conceptions of motherhood – Mrs. Darling’s nurturing role, Wendy's evolving maternal instincts, and Peter’s yearning for a mother figure. It questions what it truly means to be a mother.
- The Nature of Memory & Time: Peter’s inability to remember past events and his distorted sense of time contrast sharply with Wendy's longing for the past. This emphasizes the subjective nature of experience and how time impacts our perceptions.
- The Cycle of Childhood: The ending establishes a cyclical pattern where Peter continues to seek mothers and inspire new generations of children. This suggests that the spirit of childhood is eternal, even as individuals grow up.
Vocabulary List
| Word | Part of Speech | Definition |
|---|---|---|
| grudging | adjective | unwilling and reluctant; given or done with hesitation. |
| cypher | noun | a person of no importance; someone insignificant. |
| unfavourable | adjective | not favorable or positive; negative. |
| repulsed | verb | to cause disgust or aversion; reject forcefully. |
| craftily | adverb | in a clever or cunning way; slyly. |
| passionately | adverb | with strong feeling or intense emotion. |
| tartly | adverb | in a sharp, brief, and somewhat unfriendly way. |
| plaintive | adjective | expressing sorrow or melancholy; mournful. |
| ratify | verb | to formally approve or confirm something. |
| forlornly | adverb | in a sad and abandoned or hopeless way. |
| diffidently | adverb | in a hesitant and lacking confidence manner. |
Quotes to Look For
- “I don’t want to go to school and learn solemn things,” he told her passionately. “I don’t want to be a man. O Wendy’s mother, if I was to wake up and feel there was a beard!” – This quote encapsulates Peter’s fear of growing up and losing his childlike freedom.
- “I don’t think he is a cypher,” Tootles cried instantly. “Do you think he is a cypher, Curly?” – This highlights the boys’ loyalty and their need to validate Mr. Darling's importance, despite his initial aloofness.
- “We’ll fit in, sir,” they assured him. – Demonstrates the boys' eagerness to belong and their willingness to adapt, even if it means pretending.
- “I shall have such fun,” said Peter, with eye on Wendy. – Reveals Peter’s self-centeredness and his reliance on Wendy for emotional connection.
- “I don’t want to go to school and learn solemn things,” he told her passionately. “I don’t want to be a man. O Wendy’s mother, if I was to wake up and feel there was a beard!” – This quote encapsulates Peter’s fear of growing up and losing his childlike freedom.
- “I am old, Peter. I am ever so much more than twenty. I grew up long ago.” – This is the pivotal moment of realization for Peter, and a sad acknowledgement from Wendy.
- “She is my mother,” Peter explained; and Jane descended and stood by his side, with the look in her face that he liked to see on ladies when they gazed at him. – This signifies the continuation of the cycle and Peter’s ongoing search for a mother figure.
- “You see you can’t fly,” said Jane. – A blunt reminder of the consequences of growing up, delivered by a new generation.