Peter and Wendy
by Sir James Matthew Barrie
Making Connections
Quick Answers:
1. The plot of a story is made up of a problem, important events and a solution.
The plot is like a roller coaster ride. It goes up as the suspense increases and then after a solution is found, it comes down as the suspense decreases. Follow the instructions given in each box on the graphic organizer on the next page.
a. What was the problem?
i) Peter lost his shadow. [✓]
ii) Peter had a short name. [ ]
iii) Peter had a strange address. [ ]
b. Put the important events in the correct order.
i) Wendy woke up. [4]
ii) Tinker Bell found Peter's shadow. [1]
iii) Peter bowed to Wendy. [5]
iv) Peter sat down on the floor and cried. [3]
v) Peter tried to stick his shadow on with soap. [2]
c. What was the solution?
i) The shadow stuck to Peter on its own. [ ]
ii) Peter attached the shadow himself. [ ]
iii) Wendy sewed on the shadow. [✓]
Reference to context:
2. "There was another light in the room now, a thousand times brighter than the night-lights, going in and out of all the drawers in the nursery, looking for Peter's shadow..."
a) Was it day or night at this time in the story? How do you know?
= It was night because the first line of the story says that "The night lights of the beds of the three children went out one by one."
b) What was this bright light?
= This bright light was actually a fairy.
c) Where was Peter's shadow found?
= Peter's shadow was found in the chest of the drawers.
3. "How clever I am,' he crowed. 'Oh cleverness of me!'
a) Who thought that he was clever?
= Peter thought that he was clever.
b) What had this person forgotten?
= This person forgot that Wendy was the one who attached his shadow.
c) What was the person doing as he is said these words?
= The person was jumping happily when he said these words.
Read reflect and write:
4. Give a description of Tinkerbell?
= Tinkerbell, a fairy, seems like a light, thousand times brighter than the night light. But it was only visible when it comes to rest of a second. She is no longer than a hand but is still growing and wears leaf gown. She also leaves behind fairy dust wherever she goes.
5. Why did Wendy cover her face with the blankets at the end of the story?
= Wendy covered her face with the blankets at the end of the story because she was angry on Peter as he simply forgot about her important role in sticking Peter's shadow with him. Above that, when she insisted Peter said that she only helped a little.
6. What do you think of Peter's behaviour after he got his shadow back? If you were in his place, what would you have done?
= Peter was very selfish after he got back his shadow. He did not care for the support of Wendy nor did he cared for the efforts of Tinkerbell put in finding his shadow. He accidentally closed the drawer when she was inside one.
If I were in his place, I would have not misbehaved like this. Rather I would have thanked them and befriend them for helping me that way.
About the Author:
Sir James Matthew Barrie (1860-1937) was a Scottish novelist and playwright (writer of scripts for play). Barrie started writing stories like Peter Pan, or The Boy Who Wouldn't Grow Up while making up stories about adventures with pirates and sailing to different islands to entertain children.