Browsing by Author "Vehviläinen, Anni"

My thesis analyses the themes of “in-between” and death in James Matthew Barrie's Peter Pan, its novel adaptation Peter & Wendy and Jukka Linkola's 1984 musical adaptation Peter Pan, Poika, joka ei halunnut kasvaa suureksi Directed by Heikki Kunnunen, Jorma Uotinen and Ralf Forsström. The latter selected because it is one of the rare adaptations which does not shy away from the themes of between and death which it conveys in a simplified manner suitable to viewers of a musical theater performance designed for children. Although the theme of between, or liminal spaces, and how they relate to Peter Pan has been researched before, they have not yet been looked at as a unifying theme. The purpose of this thesis is to show how Barrie approaches the theme of death in his writing and how he uses the concept of between as a tool for storytelling and symbolism. The thesis examines “between" as the space between different concepts and opposites, including the space between reality and fiction, where Neverland is located, between the reader and the story, and between life and death. In some cases, the between is a goal that the characters can reach only by finding the balance between their prescribed and true identities, as discussed especially in connection with Captain Hook and George Darling. In the fictional universe of Peter Pan, death is divided into two categories, the temporary death of pretend play, which is examined in a macabrely humorous way through the child characters' games, and true, permanent death, whose inevitability is examined by showing how Peter Pan and Captain Hook face it in their own ways. The thesis demonstrates that the core meanings of Peter Pan's story are facing death and accepting uncertainty. The topic of death is handled humorously as a rambunctious game, but also encouragingly as 'an awfully big adventure', which can be faced without fear. Similarly, the between does not always have to be a negative concept, because it too can be seen as a transitional space full of potential. By examining these liminal spaces and treatment of death, we can more fully appreciate the artistry and deep message of Barrie’s classic work.