Peter Pan

Use these questions or activities to help gauge students’ familiarity with and spark their interest in the context of the work, giving them an entry point into the text itself.

Short Answer

What do you know about the character of Peter Pan (from stories, movies, or games)? What traits or images come to mind with the characters of Peter Pan and Captain Hook? Why do some literary characters seem to have a lasting impact on culture?

Teaching Suggestion: It may be beneficial to begin with a discussion of archetypal or iconic characters in popular culture and literature history to collectively brainstorm traits that seem to promote a character’s lasting impact. You might also want to initiate instruction on the influence of the writer’s experiences on Peter Pan. J.M. Barrie’s work is heavily influenced by his family life, childhood, and his acquaintance with the Davies family. Consider discussing Barrie’s background, his history with the Davies family, and the tragedy that shaped Peter Pan with these questions: What year was Peter Pan first seen on stage? What inspired J.M. Barrie to write Peter Pan? Which of the Davies was believed to have influenced Barrie more than the others? Why is Kensington Gardens important to Peter Pan and Barrie? 

• This article – Recounts the story of J.M. Barrie and his inspiration for Peter Pan (Teacher-appropriate, not student-facing)
• This article – Provides imagery to depict the inspiration for Peter Pan and the resulting changes brought by the fame of Barrie’s literary work

Short Activity

Conduct research with scholarly resources that help to answer the following questions. Make note of any relevant information.

• What inspired J.M. Barrie to write Peter Pan? 
• What literary works may have influenced Barrie’s Peter Pan?
• What influence did Barrie’s acquaintance with psychologists have on his work?
• How does Peter Pan represent the prevailing attitudes of the British Empire at the time it was written? 
• How is colonization represented in Peter Pan?
• In what ways is Peter Pan considered dated or inappropriate by today’s standards? 
• What allusions does Peter Pan make to the purpose of sleep? 
• What is “theory of mind” and what does it mean in relation to child development? What is the connection between "theory of mind” and Peter Pan?

Teaching Suggestion: Peter Pan is a well-known and influential work that is both controversial and inspirational. Consider discussing the messages in Peter Pan that are not accepted by modern cultures in areas such as gender roles, colonization, and attitudes toward Indigenous people. Depending on your group of readers, it may also be beneficial to discuss the ways in which Barrie was ahead of his time in understanding complex ideas about child psychology and the brain. You can use some or all of the questions listed to guide your students’ research topics as you see fit.

• This article describes the social and historical context of Peter Pan when it was written.
• This article describes the influence of Peter Pan on memory and consciousness.

Personal Connection Prompt

This prompt can be used for in-class discussion, exploratory free-writing, or reflection homework before reading the novel.

What people or places influence your imagination?  What do you imagine today and how is it different from your younger years? What role do you think imagination plays in your day-to-day life? Do you think imagination can be valuable? Why or why not?

Teaching Suggestion: Neverland is an imagined place where fantastic things can happen for the characters. Peter Pan can imagine eating food that does not exist; he can fly; there are pirates and mermaids in Neverland. Consider discussing the role imagination plays in everyday life and whether it is more or less prevalent as people grow older.

Differentiation Suggestion: Students who require an additional challenge might research the development of imagination as people age. They can also explore and formulate a conclusion on the effect modern technology has on imagination. Consider allowing students to share their findings with the class.