Peter Pan
About
Penguin Classics edition.
A classic and original story of "the boy who would not grow up".
Read one section at a time, then discuss the questions to review understanding. These questions are a starting place for conversation, not a complete test of the chapter.
Chapter 1
Comprehension questions
When describing Wendy’s mother, it talks about a kiss that Wendy will never get. What does the author mean by this?
Page 5 — It’s a foreshadow of the interchange that Wendy and Peter will have about a thimble and a kiss.
5
What was Mr. Darling’s career?
Page 6 — Traded stocks and shares
6
How did Mrs. Darling “tidy up her children’s minds?”
Page 8 & 10 — Listen to them while they slept and tried to talk to them
8 & 10
Why was Mrs. Darling so concerned about the leaves in the nursery?
Page 11 — She didn’t know how they got there, they weren’t from England
11
Who was the first person to see Peter Pan in the Darling family?
Page 12 — Darling
12
Chapter 2
Comprehension questions
What does “mea culpa, mea culpa” mean?
Page 15, 228 (explanatory notes) — It’s my fault, it’s my fault
15, 228 (explanatory notes)
What is a word you would use to describe Mr. Darling’s behavior after Wendy fetched his medicine, when he said he would take his medicine to show Michael how “to be a man”?
Page 19 — Childish, immature, cowardly
19
Why was Mrs. Darling nervous to have Nana outside while they were away at their party?
Page 21 — She barking her DANGER bark and was worried about the boy
21
Why were Mr. and Mrs. Darling upset and recalling the memories of “the Friday night”?
Page 21 — their children were gone and they didn’t know if they’d see them again.
21
Chapter 3
Comprehension questions
Why did Peter come into the nursery the night the Darlings left for the party?
Page 23 — Did retrieve his shadow
23
After Wendy sewed on Peter’s shadow why did she go hide under her covers?
Page 26 — Peter took the credit for Wendy’s cleverness of sewing on his shadow
26
Why did Peter give Wendy an acorn, when he “kissed” her after her offer to kiss him?
Page 26 — He thought a kiss was giving something small away to someone because Wendy gave him a thimble instead of a kiss
26
How did the Lost Boys come to be?
Page 29 — As babies, they fell out of their perambulators (baby carriages)
29
Why did Peter want Wendy, John and Michael to go to Neverland with him?
Page 30 — So Wendy could tell stories to the Lost Boys and himself
30
Chapter 4
Comprehension questions
When the children were flying with Peter to Neverland, how did he feed them?
Page 37 — Take food away from birds that had food suitable for humans in their mouths
37
Why did Wendy urge her brothers to be nice to Peter as they flew to Neverland?
Page 38 — She didn’t want Peter to leave them, she didn’t know the way home, they couldn’t pick up food as well, they bumped into things and Peter helped them out
38
On page 40, how is the sun a good example of personification?
Page 40 — The sun was wanting them to reach Neverland before leaving them for the night; protecting; guiding with it’s rays; being a friend
40
When they were on their tip toes in the air and looking down into Neverland, why were they familiar with the things they were seeing?
Page 40 — They had pretended all of those things
40
When Peter Pan spoke of Captain Hook, why were the children so afraid?
Page 43 & 228 — Hook was Blackbeard’s first officer and he was the only man Long John Silver (Barbecue) in Treasure Island was scared of
43 & 228
Chapter 5
Comprehension questions
What happens to Neverland when Peter is away?
Page 47 — It goes to sleep, things are quiet
47
What are the four main groups that inhabit Neverland?
Page 47 — Pirates, redskins, beasts, Lost Boys
47
Name three of the Lost Boys and one characteristic of each.
Page 48 — Tootles-kind, melancholy, humblest of them all; Nibs-happy debonair; Slightly-whistles and most conceited; Curly-he’s a pickle and always in trouble; Twins-apologetic, vague and hard to describe since Peter didn’t know what twins were
48
Describe Mr. Smee.
Page 49 — Genial, stabbed without offence, nonconformist
49
Who is the leader of the redskins or Piccaninny tribe?
Page 50,52 — Princess Tiger Lilly
50,52
How does Hook know when the crocodile he fears is near?
Page 54 — It swallowed a clock and it makes a ticking sound
54
How did the pirates discover the home of the Lost Boys?
Page 54 — They sat on the hidden chimney and felt heat
54
How did the Lost Boys defeat the pack of wolves running toward them?
Page 55 — Looked between their legs and flatulated
55
Chapter 6
Comprehension questions
What saved Wendy when Tootles his her with the arrow?
Page 59 — The button on the chain she put around her neck
59
Why did Slightly leave and pretend to come back as a doctor when Peter told him to fetch a doctor?
Page 61 — Peter believed make believe was true and if they broke down in their make believe he would rap them on their knuckles
61
When Peter wanted to build Wendy a house and she was lying on the ground with her eyes closed, how do you know she wasn’t still injured?
Page 62 — She answered Peter in song, the kind of house she would like
62
How did Wendy feel about being the Lost Boys mother?
Page 65 — Delighted How do you know? She was shining when they asked
65
Chapter 7
Comprehension questions
Describe 3 things about the tree house Wendy and her brothers stayed in with Peter and the Lost Boys.
Page 68 — It had one large room; the colorful mushrooms used as stools; the Never tree grew every morning in the middle of the floor: they’d put a door on top to make a table and sawed it off after tea time to make room to play; bed tilted by the wall in the day and let down at 6:30: all of the boys slept in it except Michael and was tight they had to give a signal to turn over; enormous fireplace; had a private apartment for Tinker Bell
68
What did Wendy do to make sure her brothers wouldn’t forget their mother and father back home when they were living in Neverland?
Page 70 — Give them tests/examinations about them
70
Chapter 8
Comprehension questions
Why did the mermaids treat Peter differently than Wendy and the boys?
Page 73 — They liked him
73
After Hook swam aboard in the Mermaid’s Lagoon, why was he melancholy?
Page 77 — He found out Peter and the boys have a mother (Wendy)
77
When Hook was trying to guess who the voice was, what game did he play with it to figure it out?
Page 80 — 20 questions
80
Why did Hook withdraw in the fight with Peter on the rock?
Page 82 — The crocodile was after him
82
What made Peter become resolute in surviving his wounds and not drowning on the rock?
Page 84 — He realized that dying would be an adventure in itself and he was ready to face that adventure
84
Chapter 9
Comprehension questions
Who tried to save Peter when he was wounded and trapped on the rock?
Page 86 — The Never bird
86
When they couldn’t understand each other’s language, how did Peter and the Never bird treat each other?
Page 84 — With insults, calling names, bad manners
84
After Peter was in the nest, why was the Never bird watching him closely?
Page 86 — To see what Peter would do with her eggs
86
What did Peter do with the Never bird’s eggs?
Page 87 — Put them in Starkey’s hat and used it for a boat to float upon the water
87
Chapter 10
Comprehension questions
Why did the redskins call Peter the Great White Father?
Page 88 — He saved Tiger Lilly from the pirates
88
How did Tiger Lilly, Wendy and Tinkerbell feel about Peter?
Page 94 — They loved him
94
Give me two examples in which the author prepares the reader for the terrible events that are coming up in the story?
Page 89;93 — The author called the evening the Night of Nights; Wendy snapping, but wouldn’t have if she knew what was to happen before the night was out; none of them knew, perhaps it best not to know; their ignorance gave them one more glad hour; it was to be their last hour on the island; Peter stayed and sat on the stool and listened to the story;
89;93
Why does this author give us hints that something terrible is going to happen in the story?
Page 89;93 — To help us anticipate it; to build our excitement for the story
89;93
Chapter 11
Comprehension questions
What was Wendy’s story about in this chapter?
Page 96 — Wendy, Peter and John going to Neverland
96
What made Peter upset about his own mother?
Page 98 — He thought she would always leave the window open for him, but when he finally went home, it was barred and another little boy was sleeping in his bed
98
How did the Lost Boys react when Wendy, John and Michael said they wanted to go home?
Page 99 — Advanced upon her threateningly, wanted to keep her prisoner
99
How did Tinkerbell feel about Wendy going back home?
Page 99 — Happy, but she didn’t want to take her
99
Chapter 12
Comprehension questions
What time of day did Hook attack the redskins?
Page 104 — Just before dawn; when the sky was grey
104
What strategy did Captain Hook use to win the battle?
Page 105 — He used the element of surprise
105
Who did Hook want to destroy?
Page 105 — Peter Pan
105
Why did Hook have such a hatred for Peter?
Page 106 — Peter’s cockiness
106
Chapter 13
Comprehension questions
What was Slightly’s secret Hook discovered that betrayed Peter?
Page 109 — No boy so big could use a tree wherein an average man could fit, so there was a hide out in a tree under the ground
109
What made Hook decide to stay and capture Peter, his enemy?
Page 111 — Peter’s impertinent appearance as he slept; Peter’s personification of cockiness
111
Who drank the poison Hook put in Peter’s medicine cup?
Page 113 — Tink
113
Why did Tink drink the poison?
Page 113 — To save Peter; she loved him
113
Chapter 14
Comprehension questions
Hook was haunted by the action of “good form” from his school days. What was it?
Page 117&231 — behaving properly
117&231
Where on Hook’s ship were the children kept prisoner?
Page 119 — In the hold
119
When Wendy was brought on deck from the hold and Hook spoke “as if he spoke in syrup”, how would his voice have sounded?
Page 120 — Heavy, smooth, sweet
120
What stopped Hook immediately, when he was ready to make Wendy watch the boys walk the plank?
Page 122 — The tick-tock of the crocodile
122
Who was really making the ticking sound?
Page 122 — Peter
122
Chapter 15
Comprehension questions
Why was Slightly counting during this chapter?
Page 126 — He was counting the number of people that died after Peter came aboard the ship and went through the process of saving the children
126
Who is the “doodle-doo” on the ship killing people?
Page 127 — Peter
127
Who did Hook send in to fight the doodle-doo?
Page 127 — The children
127
How did Peter at last defeat Hook?
Page 132 — Pushed him off the ship to the crocodile
132
Chapter 16
Comprehension questions
What was the setting of the beginning of this chapter?
Page 134 — The children were aboard the pirate ship, wearing pirate clothes, acting like sailors
134
Where was the ship sailing?
Page 134 — to the mainland; take the children home
134
Why did Peter and Tink fly into the room while Mrs. Darling was playing the piano and Mr. Darling was falling asleep in the kennel?
Page 139 — To bar the window to prevent Wendy from returning home
139
How did the children finally convince Mrs. Darling they were really back home again and not a dream?
Page 141 — They ran into her arms
141
Chapter 17
Comprehension questions
Why did Mr. Darling treat the Lost Boys unfavorably when they wanted to come live with the Darlings?
Page 143 — He felt they only asked for Mrs. Darling’s consent and not his
143
How often did Mrs. Darling allow Wendy to go to Neverland?
Page 145 — For a week every year and do his spring cleaning
145
What happened to Peter’s spring cleaning when Wendy grew up?
Page 153 — Her daughter Jane would go and Jane’s daughter Margaret would go, etc.
153
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