Becoming an Adult_1. Goodbye Peter Pan and Kanga

Prelude

 

https://youtu.be/PJ0fBbutkgA?si=pmaa9e_P-mxPFGKG

Sing along and fill in the blanks.

 

                                                                                                    .

I’m a Toys R Us Kid.

They got a million toys at Toys T Us,

that I can play with.

                                                                                                    .

I’m a Toys R Us Kid.

They got the best for so much less, you really flip your lid.

From bikes to trains to video games.

It’s the biggest toy store, there is.

Geeee..whiz!

                                                                                                    , but maybe if I did,

I couldn’t be a Toys R Us Kid.

More games, more toys. Oh, Boy!

I want to be a Toys R Us Kid.

 

 

Wasn’t that fun? Let’s check out the answer. That’s right. It’s :

“I don’t want to grow up.”

Etude

  The first step in becoming an adult is consciously deciding to become an adult. Unfortunately, that thought does not come up naturally as we age. If the impulse to grow up was simply given with the progression of time, we would not have the rite of passage, especially for becoming an adult. In the Australian Aboriginal culture, adolescent boys undergo a ritual called Walkabout. This rite of passage requires the boy to live in the wilderness for up to six months, testing his survival skills and transiting him into manhood. It represents both a spiritual journey and a self-sufficient survival experience, marking the transition from boyhood to adulthood.

 

  For me, the most famous, or rather infamous, character representing this refusal to shed childhood is Peter Pan.

Peter is an exaggerated stereotype of a boastful and careless boy. He claims greatness, even when such claims are questionable (such as congratulating himself when Wendy re-attaches his shadow). In the play and book, Peter symbolises the selfishness of childhood, and is portrayed as being forgetful and self-centred.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Pan 

  Can you think of any character or person who doesn’t want to grow up? Write a brief description of him/her.

Portrait/Picture	Description

 

  Are there any similarities between the two characters (Peter Pan and your character of choice)? Perhaps that might provide a clue as to why some people refuse to become responsible, real adults.

 

  If you’d recall, there’s a joey in the Winnie the Pooh series. Roo is much more lovable that Peter Pan; Roo doesn’t kill or kidnap anyone, even though Roo shares Peter Pan’s adventurous spirit. Both characters play around with similar types of companions; Roo has Tigger to play with. Peter Pan has his Lost Boys. Both Tigger and the Lost Boys enjoy a good romp and never usurp the leadership role taken on by Roo and Peter Pan respectively. So, perhaps not wanting to grow up has to something to do with having convenient friends. They are your toys, with no prospect of being rivals.

  Another striking similarity between the two is that they both have mothers who dote upon them and never force them to cut ties to their childhood fantasies. Peter has Wendy and her descendants; Roo has Kanga. It’s not that Wendy or Kanga are mean creatures to be avoided at all costs. No one can deny their appeal. Perhaps it’s because they are so good that people don’t want to leave them. Childhood, even with its occasional dangers and threats, is perfectly bearable when you have a loving mother to return to. Perhaps part of being an adult means sacrificing what you hold dear, which is precisely why some become frozen with fear.

 

I hate to be the bringer of bad news, but the fact of the matter is, that in order to grow up and become someone bigger and better, you have to give up something precious. So, before you explore your options and decide what it means to be an adult, you should make your burned offering here as you declare your decision to become a full-fledged adult.

 

< A Personal Statement of Intent >

I hereby resolve to be a full-fledged adult, taking on all the rights and privileges entitled as well as all the duties that ensue. In making this personal proclamation, I offer the following as my personal sacrifice: my emotional attachments to ... (You fill in the rest. Tell me what you are willing to give up to be an adult.)

 

Fine

Go the Distance, Hercules(1997)

https://youtu.be/62qtrR2eCu4?si=LdptCbV1nU6ImLjT