피터팬(Peter Pan) 신화의 현대적 재생산

Children’s literature at the end of the nineteenth century reflects the growing disturbances and doubts as to the civilization built on the pillars of industrial progress and imperial expansion. The Empire and its ideals were questioned, and not surprisingly, childhood was celebrated as a state before growth and development. In this respect, it can be said that Peter Pan’s(1904) success exemplifies the beautification of childhood as a cultural phenomenon in a most intensified form. J. M. Barrie re-wrote the story of Peter Pan in a novel form and the novel Peter and Wendy(1911) should be read as a reaction to and an intervention in the mystification of the child. Barrie demystifies Peter Pan by showing it is the story-telling that confers Peter Pan with eternal childhood and in disclosing what loss that boon entails. Peter and Wendy focuses not on the eternal boy himself, but on the process by which Peter Pan is made into a myth. Peter Pan myth has been recreated throughout the twentieth century. Herbert Brenon’s silent film Peter Pan was the first movie reproduction. Disney’s animation was produced in 1953 and Steven Spielberg’s Hook(1991), Disney’s Return to Neverland(2002), P. J. Hogan’s Peter Pan(2003), Marc Forster’s Finding Neverland(2004), etc, followed it. These films re-create the Peter Pan myth and contribute to keeping it alive. Disney’s Peter Pan(1953) detaches Peter Pan story from the historical context in which it was created and turns it into something ‘universal’. Disney strengthens Wendy’s role as ‘mother’ and changes Barrie’s Neverland into a land of flirtation and jealousy, which makes it easy for Wendy to reconcile herself to the world of Mr Darling. It argues for the necessity of outgrowing childish joy and growing up into the adult world. Hogan’s Peter Pan transforms the story of the eternal boy into a romantic juvenile love story, the Neverland into a space which can be reached with technology. The aura of childhood and magic disappears and is replaced with budding love and science. But still, Peter Pan is celebrated as an eternal child. As far as modern reproductions contribute to keeping Peter Pan myth alive, they belie Barrie’s Peter and Wendy. Peter Pan movies have intensified the mystification of Peter Pan and their glorification of the child innocence has led to eliminating Barrie’s critical insight into the myth itself and justifying conservative adult values including heterosexual love.

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