本文着重分析《彼得潘》主要人物以及他们所代表的含义,因为笔者相信巴里先生是通过这些人物的塑造来体现他一生追求童真对美好的无忧无虑的童年的回忆的主旨。并且,笔者也将通过人物的简要分析是读者们更深层次的理解故事的主旨。
When moved to London, Barrie lived near Kensington Park where he made most of his works. One day, Barrie brushed a new ideal when he saw there were four very cute little boys playing on the grass. They built the castle with branches, the springs and streams as rivers and lakes, waving tree branches and small props, playing the princes and demons in the fairy tales. Barrie impressed by their game and was invited to play with them. Endless inspiration as spring-like murmur, Barry described the four children into a life-like fairy tale characters, among them, the most active and most rebellious boy Peter becoming the main character Peter Pan. And the name”Wendy” ”John” ”Michael” were from others. Actually, another boy s encounter was the real reason why Barrie wanted to write this story. The boy s name was Peter, either, who was the only child of Barrie s neighbor Davis. “The death of his father in his thirteen was a huge strike to the little boy. He had to shoulder the hit and face the crucial reality quite early, also, the distrust to adults by his father s death ruined his childhood. Thus he unwillingly became an adult earlier than of the same age.”[4] Barrie witnessed the whole thing feeling sad about the little boy, which drove him to create Peter Pan, the never grow up boy.
2 Image analysis of main characters
2.1 Peter Pan—the symbol of “eternal childhood”
”All children, except one, grow up.” [1] The story begins with this sentence, and from this we can see it laid the value of classic fairy tales. Therefore, Peter Pan becomes the symbol of “eternal childhood”. This is not telling readers to resist the natural pattern of growth, on the contrary, is to praise the precious memories in childhood, which is the most beautiful music of life. Children are the angels to bring happiness and hope to the world.
At end of the story, after Wendy brought his brothers and the Lost Boys back to the Darling s family, “It is sad to have to say that the power to fly gradually left them.”[5] “Want of practice, they called it; but what it really meant was that they no longer believed Peter Pan.”[6] “When people grow up they forget the way to fly. Because they are no longer gay and innocent and heartless. It is only the gay and innocent and heartless who can fly.”[7] “Flying is a symbol. Believing in fairy tales,