Tuesday, February 7, 2012

Did You Know? Peter Pan

Monday's interview was with Peter Pan, so today's Did You Know? is about, you guessed it, Peter Pan and author J.M. Barrie.



Did You Know?
  • Peter Pan first appeared in a section of J.M. Barrie's novel, The Little White Bird in 1902?
  • Peter Pan's best known adventure debuted in London as a play entitled Peter Pan, or the Boy Who Wouldn't Grow Up in 1904?
  • Barrie adapted and expanded the play into a novel titled, Peter and Wendy in 1911?
  • Peter Pan is based in part on Barrie's brother, David, who died in a skating accident at 14? The tragic event inspired the idea of someone who would never grow up, and remain young in memory.
  • Barrie never pins down Peter's age, but does say that he has all of his baby teeth?
  • Barrie was ambidextrous? When he got writer's cramp, he would write with his left hand.
  • Barrie was good friends with Sir Arthur Conan Doyle? They played on the same cricket team, and co-wrote a libretto for the opera, Jane Annie.
  • In addition to Peter Pan, Barrie wrote a number of other plays and novels?
  • Barrie originally created Peter Pan to amuse George and Jack Llewelyn Davies? "Uncle Jim" as he was known to the children of the Llewelyn Davies family, told them stories in which their little brother, Peter, could fly.
  • When Barrie died, he left his copyright for Peter Pan to the Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children?

2 comments:

  1. What interesting facts! I must say I did not know much about the author of Peter Pan before reading this post. How great that he left the copyright to a childrens' hospital! Also- I have never read or heard of anything else by him. Thanks for sharing!

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  2. Jess--I was surprised to learn that he wrote so much, too. I also thought it was cool he was friends with Arthur Conan Doyle.

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