Why am I so obsessed with this???

[maderr]

I'm trying to figure out why all the miscellany comments I've come across on this story have referred to it as a "charming tale," and the like. It's rather brutal and miserable, imho.

I mean first there's John, Michael and the Lost Boys. They all want a mother (or their mother back), leave Never Land to find said mother (and I assume happiness?), and for all their efforts realize shortly after they start their new lives that they made a huge mistake - and for the rest of their lives are basically miserable.

Then there's Wendy. She likes being their mother, she loves Peter, and yet she's dragged down by him b/c he never really returns it. And not only does he neglect her, the 'curse' of Peter Pan passes down from Mother to daughter. I can see the symbolism in all of this but really the blasted book is as miserable as that one by Thomas Hardy I loathe and despise - Tess of the D'urbervilles. *hiss* I hate that book.

Then Peter Pan himself, who's just an ungrateful, selfish, mean brat. I can't even feel sorry for him - I don't think you're supposed to anyway. That's what bugs me the most, you're supposed to be happy for Peter and feel pity for the rest of them because they were dumb enough to grow up. He's just like those kids in Lord of the Flies. Left alone kids are wild and cruel - yet we're supposed to be happy for/about Pan because he encouraged and thrived on this behavior? I guess so, seeing as Wendy told her daughter that you're only able to fly if you're "gay and innocent and heartless." Which makes sense - children are cruel they say. What confounds me is why we're supposed to be happy about that.

And there was definitely something between Hook and Pan - at least on Hook's side. Personally I think the author got lazy with him. The part where Hook's "heart broke" made no sense to me. Personally I think the story of Hook would be about 1000 times more fascinating than the one I just read. I mean you are given the impression he came from rather a fine background (is going to Eton a big thing?), and he's definitely the western equivalent of Angsty Bishounen Villian. The forget-me-not blue eyes that turn red when he's angry? That still makes me laugh. Other things too...a lot was left unsaid about him and Pan. I'm still not sure of all that, besides the obvious young vs. old thing.

I need to get a new hobby. I have no honest idea why this story is suddenly so interesting to me. Actually I do know - it's why I hated Tess. The whole point of the book isn't to prove a point about life, or even to say why the author might dislike it. It's meant to instruct the reader just how miserable and tragic and despressing life is. By the time you're done it's like "well fuck it. may as well die." My reaction wasn't that extreme, but it leaves you in a foul mood. Which isn't the point of stories, at least that's my opinion. And using the example of Tragedies is no good, b/c I've yet to read one that leaves me in a foul mood. Maybe I'm just weird, but I generally feel a contented sort of pleased, like "this how it had to/should be. they're happy, that's fine." (at least when tragedy is done correctly, and not done just for the sake of avoiding a "cliche happy ending") Am I strange? Peter Pan wasn't like that, the end of this one I was more like "what the fuck is the point if everyone hates their damned existence?" No one in that story learned anything except that life sucks once you grow up." And this is a children's story how?

Okay, I'm done lecturing. Things like this just really bug me.

Comments

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[maderr.livejournal.com]

Yeah - and I notice that Piggy sticks out in the minds of everyone that's read Flies. *shudders*

Heh - thanks. That's what I was thinking but I wasn't sure.