Peter Pan Lesson Plan

In the final battle, both Michael and John kill pirates. How does Wendy react? Is her reaction a parallel to the audience's reaction?

The last battle is described as very bloody. Wendy is horrified that Michael especially has committed murder; in this way, she doubtless reflects the reaction of the average reader.

However, this is a good moment to consider that this was originally a stage play. In this battle, children would have been completely pretending as they slew pirates. This takes away the tension somewhat, and might have allowed the audience to cheer along with them. It would very possibly have felt quite thrilling, even for young audiences.

What is symbolic...