Queer Reading of Peter Pan

Nichole Currier

Robin DeRosa

Critical Theory

8 December 2015

Peter Pan

            Peter Pan is a classic tale that has been retold through books, movies, and various stage productions. Focusing on a young boy who refuses to grow up and lives in the magical world of Neverland, Peter Pan is a story that never grows old. Just because the plot has stuck around for generations, however, does not mean the theories have all been figured out. While Peter Pan can seem like a simple story of coming to terms with adulthood on the outside, it poses much more meaning when seen through the lens of Queer Theory. When focusing on the fact that in nearly every stage production of this story Peter is played by a girl, one can see how this idea changed the entire meaning of numerous other parts of the story. Peter’s interactions with those in Neverland, as well as his interactions with Wendy, take on a whole new meaning than they previously had. Peter Pan refers heavily to the homosexuality between women.

            Shannon Keating points out in her paper Peter Pan, Queer Icon that in every Broadway musical rendition of this show, Peter has been played by a female. She goes on to discuss how “what has become a casting custom holds more value than simply that of tradition” (Keating). She discusses how this practice is hardly ever done in other shows, movies, or theater productions. Women being cast as boys “remains almost as infrequent a cultural occurrence in modern media as it was 50-plus years ago” (Keating). The fact that this is an occurrence that has come across not once, not two times, but every time Peter Pan has been performed is to be taken into consideration when analyzing other aspects of the story.

            When viewing Peter Pan as a boy with masculine features, many aspects of the book take on completely new meanings. Keating discusses how, in the world of Neverland, genders are split almost directly down the middle. Boys, such as the pirates and Lost Boys of the land, are constantly going on adventures and fighting with one another. The girls, however, such as the mermaids and Tiger Lily, do little more than admire Peter and the many things he accomplishes. Even Wendy is seen solely as a girlish, mother figure throughout the entire series. On the outside, it seems as though women are given no more thought or purpose than absolutely necessary. When viewing Peter as his female part in theatrical productions, however, these roles of other women take on a whole new meaning. “Women playing those Peter Pans, at least, present the possibility that not only can anyone be Peter—anyone can fall in love with him, too” (Keating). By having a girl play Peter Pan and continue with the flirtatious banter that is passed between the mermaids, Tiger Lily, and Wendy the message becomes clear that gender is not the defining factor in who falls for who in this series. While Peter may still hold some masculine qualities, the fact that he is played by a female is the defining point in what pushes this story towards a queer analysis.

            Peter is not the only character in the story that possess the body of a female and the traits of a male, though. Taking a look at Peter’s right hand side kick, one can see how many of these boyish traits are reflected in Tinker Bell, as well. While still curvy and flirtatious as many femme fatale characters are, Tinker Bell holds a strong will, a malicious mind set, and the quickest temper of anyone else in the story. These are traits that are often linked to men, while women are viewed as the nurturing, level headed, and obedient characters—such as Wendy. Tinker Bell goes against these stereotypes, however, and even goes so far as to push the binaries farther with who is allowed to fall in love with the female version of Peter Pan. Towards the end of the story, when pirates set to poison Peter without him knowing, Tinker Bell goes out of her way to warn him and even drinks the poison herself when he does not understand. Peter immediately breaks down crying, showing how much he cares for his small female friend and goes to great lengths to bring her back. The actions from both of these characters show the deep devotion they have for each other, a relationship deeper than that of many other characters in the story. The fact that they both also happen to be female in practically every theatrical production simply adds to the homosexual undertones that can be seen here.

            While Peter Pan may not seem like any other heterosexual story on the outside, it’s clear that there are numerous homosexual undertones in various aspects of this story. By casting Peter as a girl in theatrical productions, one can see the homosexual feelings that drive him towards nearly ever other female character in the show. His interactions with the mermaids, Tiger Lily, Wendy, and Tinker Bell take on a whole new meaning than they previously had. Even Tinker Bell herself shows these binary breaking traits by possessing the characteristics that are often reserved solely for male characters. All of these points can be taken into consideration to see just how far the homosexual undertones lie within this story. It is easy to see how Peter Pan refers heavily to the homosexuality between women.

Works Cited

Barrie, J. M., and Nora S. Unwin. Peter Pan. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1950. Print.

Keating, Shannon. "Peter Pan, Queer Icon." The Atlantic. Atlantic Media Company, 04 Dec. 2014. Web. 08 Dec. 2015. <http://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2014/12/peter-pan-queer-icon/383422/>.