Truth Is Stranger Than Fiction

Truth Is Stranger Than Fiction Professional success and personal failure of James M. Barrie In researching the many odd and bizarre happenings of our unique culture, it is certain that truth is often stranger than fiction. The first paragraph of James Barrie's classic story "Peter Pan" introduced its central theme: "All children except one, grow up. They soon know that they will grow up"‚Â ¦this is the beginning of the end." It sounds innocent enough, but a look at Barrie's life gives it a more sinister twist. Although J.M.Barrie wrote many plays and stories, it was said that "All of Barrie's life led up to the creation of Peter Pan," wrote James Merritt, one of his biographers.A pivotal point came in 1866 when James, (the ninth in a Scottish family of ten), was six years old: His brother David, the pride of the family, died in a skating accident. Barrie's mother was devastated. To comfort her, James began mimicking David's speech and imitating his mannerisms.James Matthew Barrie