Harry Potter Vs Peter Pan Essay

The elements of storytelling based on fantasy began in historic times as a way to explain the unknown. Literature has evolved since those times and many of the unknowns have now been explained through rational scientific methodologies. Stories based in fantasy, however, continue to be one of the most popular genres. Some of reasons for this include the human disposition to dream and wonder about worlds beyond our grasp. Stories based in fantasy both challenge and offer guidance to morals, ethics, and the basis of human nature. Fantasy also offers hope and escape from harsh realities. Two widely popular fantasy stories, the Harry Potter series and Peter Pan, contrast the characters between our primary world and a secondary world of magic, adventure, …show more content…
In Neverland, children can never grow old, a concept that is initially appealing. Barrie uses fantasy to captivate the imagination of children and teach them the value of growing older. For the Darling children, the initial excitement and danger of flying into the secondary world of Neverland is intoxicating. There are no rules and no parents to direct them to do chores, go to bed, go to school, or do homework. These are fantasies that every child experiences. The threat of Captain Hook in many ways seems like more of a game than a real danger. Unlike Harry Potter, the secondary world of Peter Pan is so far in fantasy that there is little to compare to the real world. Barrie uses this extreme to show how shallow this secondary world really is. When the Darling children realize that reality has more comfort and love than Neverland, they wish for home and their mother. The Lost Boys, when presented with the option of real world parents, also wish to grow up and return to the Darling house with Wendy. In Peter Pan, children are shown that the fantasy of a secondary world does not have the same warmth and depth as reality, even if it means never growing