May 18, 2024 8:03:49 AM

Summation of Peter Pan and Taylor Swift & Prequel to Racism [Part 5]

We discussed Peter Pan and misogyny which, through today’s lens I found especially problematic.

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It helped slightly to put the text in the context of the time period it is written. But the fundamental thing that salvaged the story, making the misogyny less flagrant than I originally thought, was knowing what the author was actually trying to do.

Before we get into that, let’s talk about what people think (incorrectly) the author’s purpose was: Youth and manhood. I use MAN, rather than adulthood here intentionally, because the author wasn’t really speaking on a reluctance to age at all.

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He was trying to write a subversive text showing a different way for men to grow up than was happening at the time.

From the mid 1800s to the 1910-15s, Britain was prepping boys to grow into soldiers. Quite literally training them to become self-reliant and aggressive in order to join the imperialist army that was taking over the majority of the world. To enable young, soft boys to become dominating invaders they had to forgo the gentle touch and empathetic manner of their mothers, nurses, and teachers (women). Boarding schools, which had been almost solely based on religion prior to this, transitioned to more militaristic institutions. Physical development and strict discipline (including corporal punishment) became the norm. These boarding schools were the backbone of the empire caring for children when their parents were away fostering diplomacy (upper class) or fighting (lower class). The schools also served the purpose of severing ties to women (my assessment) and preparing children for a more business-centric economy emphasizing hard science/math skills (vs. soft skills of social and language arts) that could be used for careers such as lawyer, engineer, or military officer. The author’s true intention-to rebel against this line of thinking and venerate mothers.

[Post here:]

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Taylor Swift’s intention in using Peter Pan repeatedly in her work is in alignment with the author, both Barrie (the author of Peter Pan). Both write about reluctance to grow up, not because they necessarily love childhood and want to stay young forever, but to avoid the social expectations that come with adulthood. For Barrie, it’s not separating from his beloved mother or edification into military readiness that he dreads, as Peter Pan is an orphan constantly battling throughout the story. Barrie’s Peter Pan is averse to loving women in a romantic way. Similarly, Taylor Swift loves her birthdays. And she has embraced swearing and drinking, acts that prove she is no longer a child. Her concerns about aging are two-fold: She doesn’t want to be rejected as a music star in this patriarchal society that throws women away once they are past their prime (subjective and based primarily on impossible beauty standards).

Secondarily, but adjacent to the first anxiety, Taylor, like Peter Pan, is afraid of the societal expectations of marrying (a man) and having babies.

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No matter the sexualities of Barrie, Peter Pan/Hook, and Taylor Swift, there is queerness expressed in these narratives. Breaking from social norms IS queer, even apart from any homosexuality that may or may not be part of it. We’ll delve into this in greater detail after we discuss a recurring theme in Barrie’s work and Taylor’s life~ racism. I wanted to do this part justice, so rather than posting the final segment in its entirety and risking people only reading a portion, or skimming it–it’s going to be a series w/in the series!