In class we have been discussing Peter Pan and other books. Every book that we have read has had some impact in our childhood. Last Tuesday we went behind the book and looked at the author. When I heard the story about the real J.M. Barrie I was disturbed. Any person who loved children that much must have been weird. No one knows what he did with those children or with any children, but it is eerie hearing how much he loved the kids. How could someone so weird write a story that impacted our childhood? Then I thought for a second and realized all great authors are somewhat twisted.

I went in thinking Barrie was the same charming man that was depicted in Finding Neverland, only to be let down. Barrie is by far the weirdest but all great authors have some quirk. Pullman was raised by religious parents, Rowling worked in a coffee shop before striking it rich, and we all have heard weird stories bout the person who wrote Alice in Wonderland. Everyone of them needed their history for them to write down their feelings. If Pullman didn't have his history he would have never wrote the Golden Compass. In the beginning it hurt me that Barrie was a strange man but now I realize it doesn't matter what they did. What matters is what they wrote. Some of the best things have been created by crazy people. Through chaos comes clarity. Artists are twisted but they are amazing. Van Gough cut his ear off and was depressed for most of his life. Most people forget about that. I would like to forget about what Barrie did and just concentrate on his work. He wrote Peter Pan, it's about a child who doesn't want to grow up. Written by a man who probably didn't want to either.