Peter Pan: Chapter 4 Summary & Analysis

Wendy, John and Michael fly for many days and nights in the direction of Neverland. They don’t know where they are but they closely follow Peter, who steals food for them out of birds’ mouths. They fly easily, though when they happen to fall asleep they drop straight down. Peter saves them carelessly at the last minute, to show off. They are even a little afraid that he might forget about them and abandon them, and they wouldn’t know how to find their way. He often seems to forget them after going off on an adventure, and they have to remind him who they are.

Finally they approach the shores of Neverland. The sun is setting, and the sun’s rays are directing them to the darkening island. The children recognize the landscapes of their dreams, their huts, caves, and flamingoes. The sun is setting, and the island begins to seem very frightening and dangerous, as it does even at home when it is time to go to sleep. Peter becomes brightly alert in preparation for some violent adventure. He tells the children about the island’s crew of vicious pirates. They obey Captain Jas. Hook, a fearsome pirate with a hook for his right hand, which Peter chopped off once during a battle.

Tinker Bell tells Peter that the pirates have seen them, and they’ve pulled out a big gun called the Long Tom. If Tinker Bell continues to light their way, the pirates will fire directly at them, but she cannot put out her light except when she is asleep. Finally, the children decide to conceal her in John’s hat. But soon enough, the pirates fire at them anyway, and the blast blows them apart. Peter drifts out to sea, Wendy shoots up with Tinker Bell, and the two boys fly somewhere else entirely. Tink decides to play an awful trick on Wendy, and Wendy follows her helplessly.