"The Memory"

Passage from "Peter Pan"

Once a week Jane's nurse had her evening off; and then it was Wendy's part to put Jane to bed. That was the time for stories. It was Jane's invention to raise the sheet over her mother's head and her own, this making a tent, and in the awful darkness to whisper:

"What do we see now?"

"I don't think I see anything to-night," says Wendy, with a feeling that if Nana were here she would object to further conversation.

"Yes, you do," says Jane, "you see when you were a little girl."

"That is a long time ago, sweetheart," says Wendy. "Ah me, how time flies!"

"Does it fly," asks the artful child, "the way you flew when you were a little girl?"

"The way I flew? Do you know, Jane, I sometimes wonder whether I ever did really fly."

"Yes, you did."

"The dear old days when I could fly!"

"Why can't you fly now, mother?"

"Because I am grown up, dearest. When people grow up they forget the way."

"Why do they forget the way?"

"Because they are no longer gay and innocent and heartless. It is only the gay and innocent and heartless who can fly."

"What is gay and innocent and heartless? I do wish I were gay and innocent and heartless."

Or perhaps Wendy admits she does see something.

"I do believe," she says, "that it is this nursery."

"I do believe it is," says Jane. "Go on."

They are now embarked on the great adventure of the night when Peter flew in looking for his shadow.

Reading Comprehension Questions

1) The author most likely wrote the above passage to compare which of the following?

a. childhood kindness and adult cruelty

b. childhood innocence and adult skepticism

c. childhood foolishness and adult wisdom

d. childhood fears and adult bravery

2) Near the beginning of the above passage, Wendy had a “feeling that if Nana were here she would object to further conversation.” Based on the context, Nana would probably hold which opinion?

a. adults should not encourage childhood games

b. adults should try to remain children forever

c. adults should play with children as much as possible

d. adults should tell stories to spark a child’s imagination

3) In the above passage, Wendy says, “When people grow up they forget the way.” She is saying that adults do which of the following?

a. forget where they used to live

b. forget how to follow their imagination

c. forget the important events of their life

d. forget the people they used to know

4) Towards the end of the above passage, Wendy decides to do which of the following?

a. make Jane go to sleep like she should

b. explain to Jane that she will grow up someday

c. allow Jane to play when she leaves the room

d. join in the game Jane wants to play

5) The above passage is from a novel about Wendy as a young girl and her adventures with Peter Pan. Based on the context, the passage most likely appeared where in the novel?

a. at the beginning of the novel

b. in the author’s acknowledgments

c. at the climax of the novel

d. near the end of the novel

6) The above passage is a good example of a dialogue for which of the following reasons?

a. because one character is an adult, and one is a child

b. because the two characters are related to one another

c. because the two characters are having a conversation

d. because the characters both live in the same house

Answer Key

1) The author most likely wrote the above passage to compare which of the following?

a. childhood kindness and adult cruelty

b. childhood innocence and adult skepticism

c. childhood foolishness and adult wisdom

d. childhood fears and adult bravery

2) Near the beginning of the above passage, Wendy had a “feeling that if Nana were here she would object to further conversation.” Based on the context, Nana would probably hold which opinion?

a. adults should not encourage childhood games

b. adults should try to remain children forever

c. adults should play with children as much as possible

d. adults should tell stories to spark a child’s imagination

3) In the above passage, Wendy says, “When people grow up they forget the way.” She is saying that adults do which of the following?

a. forget where they used to live

b. forget how to follow their imagination

c. forget the important events of their life

d. forget the people they used to know

4) Towards the end of the above passage, Wendy decides to do which of the following?

a. make Jane go to sleep like she should

b. explain to Jane that she will grow up someday

c. allow Jane to play when she leaves the room

d. join in the game Jane wants to play

5) The above passage is from a novel about Wendy as a young girl and her adventures with Peter Pan. Based on the context, the passage most likely appeared where in the novel?

a. at the beginning of the novel

b. in the author’s acknowledgments

c. at the climax of the novel

d. near the end of the novel

6) The above passage is a good example of a dialogue for which of the following reasons?

a. because one character is an adult, and one is a child

b. because the two characters are related to one another

c. because the two characters are having a conversation

d. because the characters both live in the same house