The Man Who Never Grew Up

In America, everyone has heard of the story of Peter Pan. Silently flying off to Neverland one night with a strange boy named Peter Pan, Wendy and her brothers arrive and have many adventures, bravely battling pirates and Indians. Returning home, Wendy and her brothers grow up, while Peter Pan, who stays in Neverland remains a boy forever. This incredible story was written by a man named James Mathew Barrie. As he drew inspiration from many of the people he interacted with, J.M. Barrie formed the great story of the boy who wouldn’t grow up. Some of his most interesting times were his childhood, his time with the Davies, and the making of Peter Pan. This is his story.

In year 1860, James Mathew Barrie was born in a small weaving town called Kirriemuir. Although his family didn’t have much, they were not exactly poor. His father was a successful weaver, while his mother stayed at home with the eight kids. Leaving home at age eight, J.M. Barrie went to Glasgow academy and was looked after by his older brother and sister, who worked at the school. Easily passing exams with flying colors, he then attended Humphreys academy at age thirteen. When he was sixteen he wrote his first play, and started a drama club, which caused much trouble, because not all of the plays had up standing morals, and was looked down upon by the clergyman on the school governing board. After graduating he immediately started writing plays and became a well-known and well respected author in a city which was, much larger than where he grew up.

When he was thirty-one J.M. Barrie fell in love with the pretty young actress, Mary Ansell, who starred in one of his plays, and they got married. In 1897 an extraordinary thing happened--he met the Davies family. Meeting Mrs. Silvia Davies at a dinner party, Barrie was instantly charmed by her beauty and how she would hide sweets in her silk reticule and say, “They are for Peter.” It was not until almost a year later that he met the Davies again. Daily walking in the park, J.M. Barrie often noticed the two little boys wearing red berets, as they walked with the nurse, who was pushing a baby. On one sunny morning, he started talking to the boys because they wanted to play with his dog, Porthos, and he learned that they were part of the Davies family. They were George and Jack Davies. Immediately, J.M. Barrie and the Davies boys became completely inseparable as they met at the park day after day, and J.M. Barrie would often go home with them and play make believe and tell stories until their bedtime, not coming home to his wife until late evening.

Where did Peter Pan Start? He started with the Davies. Telling stories to the Davies boys one day, Barrie told the tale of the boy who wouldn’t grow up, and he named him Peter after Peter Davies, who was listening intently to every word he said. As he wrote the play The Little White Bird, Barrie added in the character of Peter as a small part, but he was so intrigued by the character he decided to write a new play about him. In 1904 Barrie sat in his little cottage home as he wrote continually. Finally finishing his play Peter and Wendy, he took it to be published. At first he had no luck getting it published until his friend, Charles Frohman, who was delighted by the story, agreed to put it into production. It was an instant hit because the charming quality of the play, and people were clambering from everywhere to see the play, which was now named Peter Pan.

After leading a successful life, J. M. Barrie died at age seventy seven of pneumonia. From the time of his childhood, through his relationship with the Davies through the writing of Peter Pan, and even until his death, he was said to be quite childish and even playfully devilish at times, just like the boy he wrote about. One of the most significant things about J.M. Barrie, who loved to write stories until his death, is that he hardly ever noticed his fame and popularity. At a very old age he still loved telling stories and playing make believe, quite like a man who never grew up.

Who Are You?

Who are you? This familiar question asked by the caterpillar of Wonderland is one that is appropriate to the adventures of the man who wrote the famous classic Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, a man who is far less known than the tale he created, though just as intriguing. Although he is most widely known as the writer, Lewis Carroll, this man, born Charles Dodgson, was also a mathematician, inventor, and teacher. Avidly creating and inventing since he was young, Charles’ early works show his prowess in clever rhymes, interesting riddles, and crazy new words such as “chortle”—a blend of “chuckle” and “snort.” Enjoying the company of children, Charles befriended three young sisters, which would lead to the writing of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland.

On January 27, 1832, in a small parsonage of Daresbury in Cheshire, Charles Dodgson, the man today known as Lewis Carroll, breathed his first breath. The third of eleven children, Charles was taught at home until he was eleven and enjoyed a happy, peaceful childhood with his family, although he was always very shy because of a stammer with which he was born. Charles loved to create from the very beginning. When he was thirteen, he wrote a poem called “The Fairy.”

The Fairy

I have a fairy by my side

Which says I must not sleep.

When once in pain I loudly cried
It said “You must not weep.”

If, full of mirth, I smile and grin

It says “You must not laugh;”

When once I wished to drink some gin

It said “You must not quaff.”

When once a meal I wished to taste

It said “You must not bite”;

When to the wars I went with haste

It said “You must not fight.”

“What may I do?” at length I cried,

Tired of the painful task.

The fairy quietly replied,

And said “You must not ask.

Naturally quick-witted and clever, Charles’ talent for humor paired seamlessly with logic is evident even in his first works.

It was while Charles was teaching at Christ College that he met the little girl who would spark the ideas for the story that he would one day become famous for--Alice in Wonderland. Because of his stammer, Charles was often shy among adults and preferred the company of children. Some of his closest friends were three young girls— Edith, Alice, and Ina Liddell, who were the daughters of the dean of Christ College, where Charles lectured math for many years. Whether they rowing on the pond, or Charles was telling the children a fantastical tale, or photographing the children, they always had a wonderful time. The children adored him. Peacefully rowing one golden afternoon with his good friend Robinson Duckworth and the Liddell sisters, Charles told them an enchanting story in which the main character’s name was Alice. Delighted by the story, Alice Liddell begged him to write it down. When she was older, Alice recalled that it must have been even better than usual, for Charles had made up many stories for them before, but it had never been enthralling so much as to spur a proposal for him to write it down. Alice pleaded. She begged. Charles finally agreed. Charles would write the tale for his little friend, Alice Liddell, Alice’s Adventures Underground.

Even after he began writing the Alice story down, never did Charles suspect that Alice’s Adventures Underground would be published. Hardly a year and a half later, he presented the hand-written green leather-bound book to Alice as a Christmas present, with a note inside reading, “A Christmas gift to a dear child in memory of a summer day.” After showing the book to the fairytale writer, George McDonald and his family, who were good friends of Charles’ they encouraged him strongly to publish “Alice’s Adventures Underground.” They soon persuaded Charles. Searching fervently for an illustrator, Charles decided that John Tenniel, the well-known cartoon artist, was the best fit. It was exactly three years to the day of the golden afternoon when Charles had told the tale to Alice and her sisters, that the book was published, although Charles had nearly doubled its length, added all of John’s Tenniel’s drawings, and changed the title to Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland.

From this short tale, told on a child’s whim, was born a story known around the world, published in in over fifty languages, illustrated by over two-hundred artists, and adapted into two major motion pictures. Clearly seen in Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland are many aspects of Charles Dodgson, his childhood, his love and exceptional talent for inventing and storytelling, his teaching in math, and-- most importantly, his special fondness for children. It is always an adventure when people can read a work and see much of the writer inside the pages. So Charles Dodgson, who are you?