Darker Elements in Peter Pan Essay -- Literature Analysis

â€Å"To die will be an awfully big adventure,† seems like a quote that would be found in anything but a children’s story. However, it is spoken by innocent Peter, in James Barrie’s Peter Pan. This simplistic tale of a boy who longs to remain young and his countless adventures has fascinated many children over the years, while intriguing many adults. At a glance, this story is merely an entertaining tale that entrances its young audience with magic and adventure, but below the surface, it is filled with a completely deeper meaning. The other meaning contains darker elements that are often missed by the children reading it, including the pirates, Tinker Bell, and the ever constant element of death. At the age when children read Peter Pan, they don’t think that there is anything more than what is written. However, as the reader grows older and wiser, they are able to see elements of some literature, like Peter Pan, that they were not able to comprehend previously. For example, many of the male figures in Peter Pan like the pirates are clearly pedophiles. They spend their time chasing afte...