Nestor Henrriquez
Yun-Hao Chao
Writing 10 Section 7
February 13, 2012
Peter Pan Analysis
Fairytales play an important role in almost every generation by introducing
inspiring characters that go through life changing experiences in which moral lessons are
learned. Peter pan is an original novel by J.M. Barrie, and has been adapted into many
different versions including Walt Disney’s Peter Pan. Walt Disney’s version does a great
way of illustrating a fairytale with inspiring characters, a wonderful imagination, and a
wonderful way of portraying different types of symbolism throughout the film.
The psychological and symbolic characters in Walt Disney’s Peter Pan gives a
sense of what the original author, J.M. Barrie, was trying to portray to the audience. The
character Peter Pan presents the ideal of eternal youth, and how when a child is born they
are not afraid to do as they please (Hallman 66). When a child is born they are un aware
if what is wrong and what is right and what can potential harm them, this is the mentality
Peter Pan holds in which is not scared to do anything at all. Peter Pan demonstrates that
he is an out of control child who does what he wants because of the lack of parental
guidance and discipline. He is very biased against adults and sides with children and the
idea that parents are needed around. Peter Pan’s home also holds a symbolic meaning, the
meaning of a mother. He live in a tree, which symbolizes life, and the only thing that can
give life, is a woman, which would make her a mother (Hallman 66). This tree is Peter
Pan’s home because even though he does not have motherly presences, the tree acts as his
home, as a place where he can hide from Captain hook. When we think of a mother we
think of someone who could keep us safe and shield us away from the harm other people
can conflict on us. Other symbolism that occurs in the film is the lost boys also live in the
tree; the lost boys represent the abandonment that some children have to go through
because of non-caring parents.
Another pair of symbolic characters is the Darling Parents, Wendy’s parents. In
the beginning of the film parents are shown getting ready for a party. The dialogue that
goes on between the parents centers on a party they are attending and having a good
image at the office for the Father. Later the father is seen being frustrated because of the
children messing with the attire he was going to wear. Also it is shown that the parents
have a dog as nanny to serve the children and help them around because the Parents don’t
have time for the children (Disney). The fact that the nurse is a dog is also a different
type of symbolism.
Wendy, John, and Michael are key characters in the film and play a big role in the
symbolism illustrated throughout the film. Wendy is the oldest of the siblings and she is
use to mothering her two younger brothers because of the lack of love her parents show.
She is portrayed similar to a maid along side Nana, the dog, which can be seen a sexism.
This sexist idea in the film is showing younger children that women are supposes to do
all the work around the house, which is still an idea that many cultures believe and don’t
see as sexist. John and Wendy portray the role of mother and father once they get to
Neverland and they treat Michael as their child or baby. Michael becomes very attached
to the wild and undisciplined Lost Boys, to the point where he wants to become one of
them. Wendy tries to discipline the children and teach them they must be respectful if
they wish to get anywhere in life.
Nana, who is the dog maid, is shown to do much of the work and help around the
house. The fact that a dog represents a maid is very degrading. It shows and teaches
children that maids can be nothing more than dogs; it compares a human being to an
animal only because of their social class. The Darling’s family is a very wealthy family
by the way they dress and it shows the difference in classes, how a maid to them is seen a
dog. Also at one point nana gets push around by the father even though she had done
nothing wrong. In return Nana does nothing more but keep working. From watching the
film it is very degrading and teaching children that maids and housekeepers are worth
nothing more than a dog is worth. Even though nana is more affectionate towards the
children and cares more about them than the parents do. In one seen Nana is seen pouring
medicine for the children, after watching the film a couple times it could be inferred that
the medicine was to put the children to sleep and not because they were sick. In my
opinion this is a horrible way to raise kids, using medicine to put them to sleep. This
makes the parents look worse than they already do in the beginning of the film. Before
the parents leave the Father ends up tying up Nana and telling her “Sooner or later Nana,
people have to grow up” (Disney), this illustrates what the Father’s personality is like, in
which children shouldn’t be babied always but instead to grow up sooner.
A symbolic location in Peter Pan is Neverland. Neverland is said to be a floating
land and is illustrated as a star in the night sky. Neverland is full of symbolism because it
is a place were the unconscious mind runs free (Hallman 67). A vast ocean surrounds
Neverland. An ocean is very symbolic because it represents unconscious, which shows
that when one is asleep they allow for their imagination to expand. This is the
fundamental idea of Neverland where everything is bazar and this small floating island in
the sky had different terrains. Also Neverland has a specific place in which Wendy and
Peter Pan go to, the cave in which they inhabit is suppose to portray a womb in which
they play the roles of mother and father and deciding whether they will stay in Neverland
or not.
The last thing that is very symbolic in the film is the crocodile and the fact it has
to do with time. Captain Hook is chased by this ticking crocodile and is always running
away. Time is very symbolic especially in a land where youth is forever. The ticking time
is symbolic because it shows Captain Hooks time in the world is soon coming to an end
and the fact that is chasing Hook is very symbolic in which humans will have to face
death at some point. (Hallman 68)
Peter Pan is a great fairytale in that it teaches young children fundamental ideas of
growing up and having to face reality at one point of another. For Wendy and her
brothers they had to face it on their own and learn that being a child doesn’t last forever.
The different characters and locations showed deeper meanings such as the crocodile and
the symbolic meaning of Peter Pan’s home. Neverland was illustrated to be how children
view the world and how our unconsciousness would run wild and free when it has too.
Works Cited
Hallman, Ralph J. "The Archetypes in Peter Pan - HALLMAN - 2006 - Journal of
Analytical Psychology." Wiley Online Library. Wiley Online Library, 27 Oct.
2006. Web. 10 Feb. 2012. <http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.14655922.1969.00065.x/pdf>.
"Walt Disney's Peter Pan". Dir. Clyde Geronimi, Wilfred Jackson, and Hamilton
Luske. Prod. Walt Disney. Perf. Bobby Driscoll, Kathryn Beaumont, Hans
Conried, Paul Collins, Tommy Luske. RKO Pictures, 1953. Videocassette.