FACTS ABOUT PETER PAN

CAPTAIN HOOK WAS NOT ALWAYS IN THE STORY.

THE ORIGINAL VILLAIN OF THE STORY WAS PETER PAN

HIMSELF. HIS ROLE WAS LATER EXPANDED DUE TO

CHILDREN’S FASCINATION WITH PIRATES.

THE ACTOR WHO PLAYS MR. DARLING TRADITIONALLY

PLAYS THE ROLE OF CAPTAIN HOOK AS WELL,

EVEN IN THE DISNEY MOVIE. HOWEVER, BARRIE INITIALLY

INTENDED THE DOUBLE ROLE TO BE GIVEN TO MRS. DARLING

AND FOR CAPTAIN HOOK TO BE A FEMALE ROLE.

CONTRARY TO POPULAR BELIEF, NEVERLAND DOES NOT

ACTUALLY STOP THE PROCESS OF AGING. PETER LEADS A

CREW OF BOYS WHO REFUSE TO GROW UP. HOWEVER,

IT IS ONLY PETER THAT MANAGES TO ACHIEVE THIS GOAL.

STATED IN THE ORIGINAL NOVEL, THE BOYS DO NOT STOP

AGING ALTOGETHER, BUT SIMPLY AGE SLOWER. EVENTUALLY,

THEY ALL SHOW SIGNS OF GROWING UP.

PETER PAN IS BASED ON JM BARRIE’S OLDER BROTHER,

DAVID, WHO DIED IN AN ICE-SKATING ACCIDENT THE DAY

BEFORE HIS FOURTEENTH BIRTHDAY. IN THE MINDS OF

BARRIE AND HIS MOTHER, DAVID WAS IN FACT, A BOY

“WHO WOULD NEVER GROW UP.”

THERE HAVE BEEN A FEW DEBATES ABOUT HOW OLD

PETER PAN ACTUALLY IS. THE OLDEST HE EVER

APPEARS TO BE IS THIRTEEN YEARS OLD. HOWEVER,

THE NOVEL STATES THAT HE STILL HAS ALL OF HIS

BABY TEETH AND ACCORDING TO THE LITTLE WHITE BIRD,

HIS ORIGINAL APPEARANCE, HE IS ONLY SEVEN DAYS

OLD WHEN HIS ADVENTURES BEGIN!

WALT DISNEY PLAYED PETER PAN IN A SCHOOL PLAY

WHEN MOST PEOPLE THINK ABOUT PETER, THEY SEE A

HEROIC, FUN LOVING BOY. AND THEY’RE RIGHT. BUT DID

YOU KNOW THAT YOUR CHILDHOOD HERO IS ALSO A

PSYCHOTIC KILLER? HIS MOTIVE? IS FUN AND KEEPS HIM

FROM BOREDOM. IN BARRIE’S ORIGINAL STORY, PETER IS

CONSTANTLY LOOKING FOR ANOTHER VICTIM. THEY

MAINLY CONSIST OF PIRATES BUT ISN’T LIMITED TO HIS OWN.

WHEN THE LOST BOYS SHOWED SIGNS, ANY SIGNS OF

GROWING UP, PETER WOULD… DISPOSE OF THEM.

AFTER ALL, GROWING UP WAS AGAINST HIS RULES.

SOMETIMES, PETER EVEN SWITCHES SIDES AND BEGINS

FIGHTING AND SLAUGHTERING HIS OWN TO KEEP

THINGS INTERESTING.

CAPTAIN HOOK’S CONFLICT WITH THE CROCODILE WAS

INSPIRED BY CAPTAIN AHAB AND MOBY DICK.

ORIGINALLY PETER COULD FLY WITHOUT THE HELP OF

FAIRY DUST. UNFORTUNATELY, THAT LED CHILDREN TO

BELIEVE THAT IF THEY TRIED ENOUGH, THEY TOO COULD

TAKE TO THE SKIES. AFTER SEVERAL INJURY REPORTS,

JM BARRIE ADDED FAIRY DUST AS A NECESSITY FOR

FLYING.