# The Children Are Carried Off explained — Peter and Wendy

> Chapter companion for Peter and Wendy by J. M. Barrie.

## What happens

Hook launches a surprise attack on the Piccaninny tribe, massacring many of them, then tricks the Lost Boys by having Smee beat the tom-tom to simulate an Indian victory, leading the children to believe it is safe to come up from their underground home.

## Themes in this chapter

### The Nature of Evil and Villainy

Hook's ruthless tactics and delight in deception illustrate a calculated, almost gleeful evil, while his hatred of Peter's 'cockiness' reveals a personal, obsessive dimension to his villainy.

## Character check-ins

### Captain Hook

Leads the treacherous surprise attack on the Piccaninny tribe and orchestrates the deception with the tom-tom to capture the children.

### Smee

Beats the tom-tom under Hook's orders, understanding the wickedness of the deception.

### Peter Pan

Mistakenly interprets the tom-tom as a sign of Indian victory, leading the children into the trap.

### Tiger Lily

Leads a small remnant of the Piccaninny tribe in cutting a way through the pirates after the massacre.

## Key lines

> It was not his courage, it was not his engaging appearance, it was not—. There is no beating about the bush, for we know quite well what it was, and have got to tell. It was Peter’s cockiness.

Hook's hatred of Peter is driven not by Peter's bravery or charm, but by his irritating self-confidence.

_Explains the personal motive behind Hook's vendetta against Peter._

> Thus terrible as the sudden appearance of the pirates must have been to them, they remained stationary for a moment, not a muscle moving; as if the foe had come by invitation.

The Piccaninny warriors, bound by tradition, froze in place when the pirates appeared, as if welcoming the attack.

_Highlights the cultural constraint that led to the tribe's downfall._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/peter_and_wendy_se/chapters/xii-the-children-are-carried-off
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/peter_and_wendy_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/peter_and_wendy_se/chapters