Argumentative Essay Example about Peter Pan

J.

M. Barrie’s original book, Peter Pan, and Disney’s film version of the book are drastically different. Even though the movie is retelling the same story, they are each interpreted in a different way. Both the book and the movie perpetuate the second-class status of the Indians, as well as demonstrate heroic masculinity through Peter Pan. However, both of these characteristics were exaggerated in the movie by celebrating Peter Pan’s heroic dominance over the Indians, perpetuating negative racial stereotype.

Both the movie and the book conveyed the idea that Indians were inferior to the Whites and the Indians were treated unequally.Film watchers saw the relationship between the Indians and the Whites were always conflicting. The Lost Boys were “hunting” the Indians. At last they were caught by the Indians and were told they would be killed if Tiger Lily was not returned.

This showed the mistrust between the Indians and the Lost Boys as they assumed the Lost Boys had captured their princess. The Lost Boys used “hunt”, as if they were to hunt animals, not people. This shows the movie did not treat Indians and the Whites equally. For instance, the light was always brighter when the camera aimed at the Whites but it turned darker when the camera aimed at the Indians.

Another was the film used low angle to the Indians but used mostly high angle to Peter Pan and the Lost Boys. These showed the film wanted to debase the Indians using darker light and low angle and highlight Peter Pan as a hero using brighter light and high angle. In the book, one also could sense the author looked down upon the Indians. The author wrote that “the Indians began looking for the pirates, and the wild animals started looking for Indians” (Peter Pan 42). He emphasized the stereotype that Indians were a group that only knew to fight.

He also mentioned that the wild animals started looking for the Indians. Why would the wild animals be looking for Indians instead of the Whites? The Indians were considered inferior to the Whites. Although Captain Hook was evil, he was a white man and the animals knew he should not be eaten so the animals did not look for him and his pirates. The Indian’s low social status in society resulted in their negative images in the movie. Before the 60’s, the white men considered Indians to be inferior and they were doomed to be conquered or enslaved.In most cases, Europeans considered the native people of North and South America to be less than human.

They were ‘godless heathens’ to Europeans who were searching for a new Christian Eden, and thought to be vicious animals by those who wanted the riches of the land for themselves” (Benshoff 96). They treated the Indians as part of the natural environment, such as the forest or wild animals. Indians were regarded as obstacles to society’s progress. In addition, they were also regarded as cruel killers because they killed many Whites during their many wars.However, one sees differences in the race issue between the book and the movie. In the book, Indians got along well with Peter Pan and his friends.

For example, when the Lost Boys thought the Indians had won the battle against the pirates, they went to celebrate with them. However, in the movie, at first they were completely against each other and it was only because Peter Pan saved Tiger Lily did they eventually came to peace. For this scene, the camera zoom in to Peter Pan’ face, it want to tell audiences what a hero should be like, the Whites.However, when the camera aimed at the Indians, it zooms out and we could see more around them, such as sunset and plants. The Indians is just a little part of the scene. The book reflected some believes that the Indians were inferior, but it did address the conflict between the Whites and the Indians.

Another difference is the representation of the Native Americans. In the book, the author did not directly address the race issue. There were only a few sentences where one can sense the author’s negative attitude towards Native Americans.In the movie, film viewers saw the race issue is much more obvious. It portrayed strong feelings that Indians were in a lower position than white men.

I considered this is because in the book, the author focused more on Peter Pan and the Indians were not important. But the movie used Indians to build the heroic image of Peter Pan. Disney’s film presented the race stereotype between the Whites and the Indians to the public, even to children. People used Disney films as a media to convey a stereotype, which was the Indians were savage and aggressive while the Whites were superior to them.The bloodthirsty savage view constructed Native Americans as violent, aggressive, and demonic, bent on destroying innocent white settlers, including women and children” (Benshoff 98).

A specific example was “in many classical Hollywood films the real-life Native American leader Geronimo is depicted as a bloodthirsty savage bent on destroying white civilization” (Benshoff 102) The Disney’s film used Indians’ characteristics as second-class in the society and less powerful than white men to highlight the masculinity of Peter Pan.It deliberately contrasted the Indians’ negative actions and Peter Pan’s heroism to highlight his masculinity over them. For example, in the movie after the Lost Boys were caught by the chieftain, they were told they would be killed if Tiger Lily did not return before the sunset. The chieftain did not know who caught Tiger Lily, but his logic was simply if his daughter died, the white men must be killed. On the other hand, Peter bravely saved Tiger Lily’s life without expecting a reward. The movie put the brutality of the chieftain with the bravely of Peter to demonstrate his masculinity.

Masculinity both in the original book and Disney’s film Peter Pan was demonstrated through Peter Pan. In addition, Peter Pan was portrayed lively and brave. In the original book, one account reflected that he had a spirit of sacrifice. Once Hook discovered Peter Pan was imitating his voice to save the princess, Hook began to fight Peter Pan and Wendy. After the fight, Peter was injured and Wendy was weak. At this moment, something brushed Peter’s leg, it was the tail of a kite.

So Peter grabbed it and wrapped it around Wendy, to let her fly away and he stayed there injured.This story showed Peter Pan’s masculinity. At this critical moment in his life, he chose to save Wendy instead of himself. No matter what the situation was, he always chose to save Wendy over himself. This reflected the belief during that time that masculinity means women always come first.

Traced back to 1912, the Titanic case still can embody masculinity. According to statistics, 74% of the female passengers survived, while 80% of male passengers had been killed. These brave men lose their lives to save more women and children.That was an impressed example of masculinity that time.

In both the movie and the book, Peter Pan, was portrayed as very strong and masculine by being a fair fighter. When Peter Pan had a fight with Hook, he discovered Hook had disadvantaged that because he only had one hand. To be fair, he allowed Hook some advantages while fighting. For instance, when Hook dropped his sword, Peter asked him to grab his weapon so that it was fair. Peter had the chance to kill Hook when he dropped the sword, but he did not because it was not fair for Hook.

Another example from the movie where Peter Pan demonstrated heroic masculine was when he saved Wendy. He saved her when Tink asked the lost boys to shoot her. Wendy was shot when flying and lost balance. There was a low angle to portray this frame to show Peter bravely catching as she fell down. However, in the book, Wendy got shot and woke herself. Why was Wendy saved by Peter in the movie and not the book? It was because Disney wanted to show Peter Pan’s masculinity.

Whenever Wendy was in trouble, there was always the hero Peter Pan to save her.Both the book and movies reflected the stereotype that Indians were second-class in the society. They were savage and inferior to the Whites. These traits of Indians were highlighting a white hero, Peter Pan. He demonstrated his masculinity when he saved Tiger Lily and brought her back to the Indians as well as saving Wendy whenever she is in dangerous.

Both the author and Disney’s film were conveying to audience a message of how a white hero should act, which is to fight fair and be masculine at the same time.