Peter Pan Lesson Plan

For whom do the mermaids hold a special fascination? How does their reaction to this person echo other relationships?

Wendy, even before arriving in Neverland, has been fascinated by mermaids. We know this because it was one of the original temptations that Peter used to lure Wendy away from their home. However, the mermaids seem to scorn all of the children, including Wendy.

This echos Wendy's fascination with fairies. She hopes and expects to have a sort of communion with these feminine creatures of fantasy, but none of them share her admiration; they each only love Peter. This could be read two ways: either a misogynistic depiction of women as catty, petty, and vain, or...