Peter and the Starcatchers

Barry and Pearson interrogate the assumed differences between children and adults and explore the nature of growing up by placing younger and older characters in opposition to one another. The young protagonists, Peter and Molly, must defeat the ruthless adults Black Stache and Slank, who specifically resent the youth of their adversaries, frequently referring to Peter as “the boy” and Molly as “the girl,” language which emphasizes their status as children. The omniscient narrative voice underscores the opposition of age and youth: For instance, during the bargaining for the trunk scene in Chapter 68, the narration refers to “Slank and Peter—the man and the boy” (385). The dramatic stakes of the conflict over the starstuff parallels emotional tensions related to the expectation that adults should have more power than children.

While Molly’s insecurities stem from her awareness of her youth and inexperience, Peter’s fears are rarely rooted in his sense of himself as a young person. Instead, Peter worries failing his friends and missing out on opportunities for a better life—considerations which confer a degree of emotional maturity to the compassionate Peter. However, Peter does express age-based concerns once confronted with the significance of protecting the starstuff from the Others. As he and Molly make a plan to hide the trunk, Peter thinks, “What could two children do on a ship full of men?” (175). Barry and Pearson answer Peter’s question over the course of the novel: The children can outsmart the men, guided by their conviction and imagination. A common feature of contemporary children’s literature is the acknowledgement of the agency and sophisticated inner lives of children. The novel’s psychologically complex portrayal of Peter contrasts with Barrie’s Peter Pan, who instead refuses to grow up or acknowledge adult concerns.

Alf and Leonard Aster provide an alternative to the novel’s other adults. Though Alf expresses initial concern about the boys on board the Never Land, he soon develops a friendship with Peter over their mutual desire to experience joy and discover the contents of the mysterious trunk. When Peter describes how the trunk may give meaning to his difficult life as an orphan, Alf replies, “Little friend […] those words are truer of me than they are of you” (106). In this single sentence, Alf acknowledges both difference and similarity. Peter is his “little” friend—a child—yet Alf recognizes himself in Peter’s experience. Alf then defers to Peter’s plan, trusting the child’s intelligence on the basis of their mutual trust and understanding. However, when Peter and the children are in danger in Mr. Grin’s enclosure, Alf feels an adult responsibility for their wellbeing. Alf baits the giant crocodile, “trying to draw it away from the boys” (312). Leonard Aster, the other benevolent adult in the story, also expresses a sense of responsibility for what happens to Peter on Mollusk Island and trusts in Molly as Alf does Peter. Through these two adults, the authors explore how responsible relationships between caretakers and children should navigate power, discipline, and control.

Barry and Pearson suggest that childhood is not incompatible with maturity. At the end of the novel, Peter gains wisdom and experience, but also eternal youth. Similarly, Molly does not overcome all of her age-appropriate concerns about her abilities; though she displays bravery and intelligence, she acknowledges that there is still much she doesn’t know. The situations and characters demand that the children in the story take on adult problems, and Black Stache even explicitly demands that Peter “FIGHT ME LIKE A MAN!” (436). However, by portraying the children as the true heroes of the story, Barry and Pearson suggest that heir childlike ingenuity, flexibility, and resilience make victory possible.