1. Discuss the character of Peter Pan. What do you like about him? What are his weaknesses? Why does he inspire such devotion in the other characters? Was his decision to stay in the Neverland a good one?
2. What does Wendy want from Peter, the lost boys, and Neverland? In what ways is Wendy different than or similar to the other characters? How does Wendy compare to the other female characters in other books you have read, particularly those written more recently than Peter Pan?
3. Although John and Michael are Wendy's brothers - and are also visitors to Neverland - they are not given as large a role as Wendy. Why do you think they were included in the story? How does their presence on the island affect Wendy? Is their status different than that of the other lost boys?
4. Where do Tinker Bell's loyalties lie? What is her relationship to the children? Is she a good character or bad?
5. Why is Captain Hook the head of the band of pirates? Does he make a good leader? Why does he so dislike Peter Pan? Do you feel any sympathy for Captain Hook?
6. Talk about the Darling family and how it is structured. What attitude do Mr. and Mrs. Darling have toward their children? What place does Nana occupy in the family and why? In what ways are the Darlings different than - and similar to - other families?
7. What sort of place is Neverland? How does one get there? How dangerous do you think it really is?
8. Peter Pan refuses to grow up, yet he and Wendy spend a great deal of time pretending to be adults. What appeal do you think each of them finds in this sort of game? What do you think is meant by "growing up" in this story?
9. Why does Wendy retell her story to Jane?
10. What does Wendy gain by her voyage to Never Land? Does she learn anything about herself in her trip?
11. What decision does Wendy make about Jane going to Never Land? Is it the right decision? Why?
12. Do any of the other characters change or learn?
13. Why does Peter Pan always forget?
14. Is Never Land like the real world in any way? How do parts of that place reflect parts of our own world?
15. What is the moral of the story? What does the author think about playing and about growing up?
16. What does the story say about the relationship between children and their parents?
17. What are the influences that pull us to maturity? What are the influences that keep us children?
18. What is the difference between being a child and being an adult?
19. Why is it necessary for children to be given the chance to make decisions and do things on their own? Why do parents worry about children having these opportunities?
20. Eventually, you have to become an adult. You can't grow up without going through a period of searching for and trying out roles and identities. How do these attempts at trying out other roles help people to mature?
21. Did you know that animals play? Have you seen them play? Why do you think they play? How is animal play similar or different from the ways that humans play?
22. Why do people play?
23. Does play only have to do with having fun?
24. What about the child who plays with a doll and tells the doll that she is bad for not eating all the food on her plate?
25. Why do children act out different identities when they play? What purposes does it serve to act out roles?
26. Neverland is the place where children try out roles and identities independently of their parents. Do we have times in our lives when we have our own kinds of Neverland?
27. Why do we dream?
28. Identify the different settings in the novel. What are the main events in each location?
29.What does each setting represent in a symbolic sense?
30. Is the world of London all good or all bad?
31. Why do events in that world only take place in the evening or in darkness?
32. What's the relationship between the darkness, dreaming, and play?
33.
1. There are several video versions of Peter Pan. Watch one or more of these and compare them, either to the book or to each other. How do the story line and the the characters change? Which version do you like best?
2. Visit your local library and find information about pirates. Where and when did they roam? Who are some of the more famous pirates? Are there still pirates today?
3. Draw a map of Neverland as you think it would be. Who lives there? What geographic features does it contain?
4. Choose your favorite scene from Peter Pan to act out.
5. The author devotes an entire chapter of the book to the adventure in the mermaid's lagoon. Choose an adventure from your own life and write a short story about it.
6. Tiger Lilly and her Indian tribe live off the land. Would you be able to do the same? Research your area: edible plants that grow in the wild, geographic features that would make for a good place to live, raw materials that could be used for shelter or clothing. Perhaps you could even go camping overnight, to see what it would be like to depend entirely on the land.
7. The lost boys and the pirates all have interesting names, some of which are based on their characteristics. Make up a few names for yourself and your friends. Don't forget to think of physical characteristics, common activities, and repeated phrases.
8.
Sketch or draw the main settings in the play. Explain why each place is important.
