Peter Pan: Chapter 7 Summary & Analysis

The next day, Peter measures Michael, John, and Wendy and makes tree holes to fit their figures. The underground home is one large room. There is a tree growing in the middle that serves as a table, though it has to be cut to size every day; there is also a fireplace, a bed, and a little hole in the wall for Tinker Bell, which is very beautifully decorated. Wendy works hard cooking the boys’ meals, though these are sometimes only make-believe meals - as Peter wishes. Wendy also spends a lot of time fixing the boys’ clothes. She complains about all the work, but she takes a lot of pleasure in it. In her imaginary Neverland she had a pet wolf, but in the real Neverland she has a real one, and he keeps her company.

Wendy does not think too much about her parents, because she is sure they will always keep the window open for her and her brothers if they decide to return. But she is worried that John and Michael seem to be forgetting them, so she gives the boys quizzes on their old home to try to stir their memories. All the boys take the quizzes except for Peter, who can’t read or write.

For a little while, Peter becomes very absorbed in a new game. It “consisted in pretending not to have adventures,” and in doing ordinary everyday things that all children do, like going on walks or just sitting around. All the while, though, he sometimes leaves to go on mysterious, violent adventures. He often does not remember them, though, and he sometimes makes up adventures that did not really happen. The narrator wants to describe one, but he is not sure which to choose, and begins to list several.

Once, in the middle of a battle with the tribe, the boys all decide to be indians, and the indians all decide to be boys. After switching sides, they continue the battle. There is also the story of Wendy and the cake: Wendy never lets the boys eat the overly rich cake, no matter how many times the pirates tempt them with it, and finally it just gets hard and old. There is also the story in which a Never bird saves Peter Pan from drowning in the lagoon, or the story of Tink’s attempt to get rid of Wendy, or Peter’s attempt to battle with some disinterested lions. The narrator tosses a coin to choose among them, and begins to tell the story of the Never bird and the lagoon.