isabel tell me what you love about peter pan (the book not just the character)
oh my godddd what don’t i love about peter pan (that’s easy the rampant racism and misogyny)
i love the way that peter pan takes this childish adventure and subverts it in this really scary way, so you’re realizing how violent and horrible and thoughtless children are at the same time as you’re thrilling in the violence and horror and thoughtlessness. i love the way that it’s essentially an allegory for growing up and sexual awakening and adulthood, and it’s so tragic in that sense, and so heartbreaking, and it perfectly captures the sense of loss there is in growing up. i love the language — it’s honest to god so beautiful and lyrical and it makes me tear up every time. (“on these magic shores children at play are for ever beaching their coracles. we too have been there; we can still hear the sound of the surf, though we shall land no more.” GODDAMNIT BARRIE WTF IS A CORACLE)
i love peter, and his cruelty and his arrogance and his deep, primal fear. i love wendy and her self-importance and her maternalism and her extreme childishness. i love love love love mrs. darling, for her mystery and secrecy and the way she seems to be every mother, sitting in front of a vanity and putting on makeup for a glamorous night out and leaving the nightlights behind, while still being a real character, with her innermost box and her unattainable kiss.
i love thinking of how things could be different in peter pan; ways that wendy could have stayed in neverland, ways peter could have come home with her, ways they could have ended up together - but in the end it DOESNT MATTER bc they will NEVER END UP TOGETHER bc LIFE DOESN’T WORK THAT WAY and we will always lose our innocence, no matter how hard we try to hold on.