Close reading_ Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens by #VO THUY TRANG#

Instructions

thuytran002 — 2025-01-25 15:18:51 UTC

Let’s split the class into two “groups”, but you can just post individually. Don’t worry, I will not ask you to unmute and speak up, so try to be as specific as possible

Those whose birth month is an odd number ~ please do close reading of passage 1: Peter’s first return to his mother.

Those whose birth month is an even number ~ please do close reading of passage 2: Peter’s second return to his mother.

Through the comparative analysis of the two passages, I hope we can, as a class, explore Barrie’s intentional portrayal of loss of childhood and innocence.

Passage 2

thuytran002 — 2025-01-25 15:19:13 UTC

But, mind you, though Peter was so slow in going back to his mother, he was quite decided to go back. The best proof of this was his caution with the fairies. They were most anxious that he should remain in the Gardens to play to them, … So when at last he said to them bravely, 'I wish now to go back to mother for ever and always,' they had to tickle his shoulders and let him go.

He went in a hurry in the end, because he had dreamt that his mother was crying, and he knew what was the great thing she cried for, and that a hug from her splendid Peter would quickly make her to smile. Oh! he felt sure of it, and so eager was he to be nestling in her arms that this time he flew straight to the window, which was always to be open for him.

But the window was closed, and there were iron bars on it, and peering inside he saw his mother sleeping peacefully with her arm around another little boy.

Peter called, 'Mother! mother!' but she heard him not; in vain he beat his little limbs against the iron bars. He had to fly back, sobbing, to the Gardens, and he never saw his dear again. What a glorious boy he had meant to be to her! Ah, Peter! we who have made the great mistake, how differently we should all act at the second chance. But Solomon was right—there is no second chance, not for most of us. When we reach the window it is Lock-out Time. The iron bars are up for life.

Passage 1

thuytran002 — 2025-01-25 15:20:16 UTC

…he sat there in two minds. Sometimes he looked longingly at his mother, and sometimes he looked longingly at the window. Certainly it would be pleasant to be her boy again, but on the other hand, what times those had been in the Gardens! Was he so sure that he should enjoy wearing clothes again? He popped off the bed and opened some drawers to have a look at his old garments. They were still there, but he could not remember how you put them on. The socks, for instance, were they worn on the hands or on the feet? He was about to try one of them on his hand, when he had a great adventure. Perhaps the drawer had creaked; at any rate, his mother woke up, for he heard her say 'Peter,' as if it was the most lovely word in the language. He remained sitting on the floor and held his breath, wondering how she knew that he had come back. If she said 'Peter' again, he meant to cry 'Mother' and run to her. But she spoke no more, she made little moans only, and when he next peeped at her she was once more asleep, with tears on her face.

It made Peter very miserable, and what do you think was the first thing he did? Sitting on the rail at the foot of the bed, he played a beautiful lullaby to his mother on his pipe. He had made it up himself out of the way she said 'Peter,' and he never stopped playing until she looked happy.

Prompting question for passage 1

thuytran002 — 2025-01-25 15:27:40 UTC

What does the open window symbolize? How does it relate to Peter’s freedom and his relationship with his mother?

Prompting question for passage 2

thuytran002 — 2025-01-25 15:30:39 UTC

What does the barricaded window symbolize? How does this passage deal with the theme of loss, innocence, and growing up?