He fled his pram as a child, and when he returned to his nursery, his mother had closed the window and no longer expected him to come home. Indeed, it is hinted that his primary trauma, what sent him to Never Land in the first place, was being abandoned by his mother. Part of Peter's arrested development, his desire to be a child forever, is also wrapped up in a Freudian conundrum in which he can only see the females in his life as potential mothers. There is even a suggestion that Wendy is falling in love with Peter, but he tells her he thinks of her more as a mother figure. This is a stereotypical depiction of the role of women in society. Darling and Wendy are portrayed as very maternal, and it is suggested that their role in life should be to nurture children. Peter represents the desire never to get older and never to mature as a person, but to remain immersed in one's imagination and sense of play. He makes decisions based on his desire to remain a child forever, even giving up Wendy and the companionship of the Lost Boys, so that he can stay young and continue to go on wild adventures. Peter Pan is the living and breathing manifestation of the desire to remain a child forever, without responsibility or cares. The main theme of the story is the conflict between wanting to remain a child, but knowing that one has to become an adult. "All children, except for one, grow up." This is the opening line of both the book and the play.
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