James Matthew Barrie Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

James Matthew Barrie - Essay ExampleBarrie himself, in the novel titled by his mothers name, Margaret Ogilvy (1896), describes his mothers very careful waysShe begins the daylight by the fireside with the New Testament in her hands, an old volume with its loose pages beautifully refixed, and its covers sewn and resewn by her, so that you would say it can neer fall to pieces. It is mine now, and to me the black threads with which she stitched it are as part of the contents. Other books she read in the ordinary manner, but this one differently, her lips pathetic with each word as if she were reading aloud, and her face very solemn. The Testament lies open on her lap long after she has ceased to read, and the expression of her face has non changed. (Chapter 3)Books were indeed very common in the Barrie household and would surely sow the seeds of imagination in the young James that would do him very vigorous in his writing career. Margaret would read the classics in Robinson Crusoe and Arabian Nights, among many others, together with her children, thus giving them the desire to read and to allow their creativity fly. Yet, as any biography of the respected novelist and playwright will surely mention, an important moment in Barries youth was the tragic death of his older brother, David, in a senseless skate accident before the 14th birthday. David had been a favorite of the mother and from this accident she never fully recovered. The young James, barely seven at the time of the tragedy, make every loving attempt to console his mother, once even wearing Davids suit. Only then was he rewarded with the first intent glances of his mother toward him (Sarris, Page 1) This make event in Barries youth would turn into one of the most unforgettable images in his art, because in the eyes of his mother, comfort was found in the fact that her cold son would remain a boy forever, never to grow up and leave her (Wikipedia, Page 1).Barrie managed to complete his education at Dumfries Academy at the University of Edinburgh with an M.A. in 1882. He started professional work as a journalist for a local newspaper before moving to London in 1885, freelancing for national dailies and magazines. later on three years in London, Barrie produced his first novel, Better Dead (1888) - a funny whodunit about the imaginary deaths of the most famous celebrities at the time. Indeed, his bear fame would soon follow with a series of novels based on his hometown of Kirriemuir, beginning with Auld Licht Idylls (1888), A Window in Thrums (1889), and The Little Minister (1891). Soon after, with his work together with Charles Frohman, Barrie realized his ambitions of writing plays which in turn made his stature grow as one of Britains most popular writers. His penthouse would entertain a consecutive line of visitors including ministers, royalties, politicians, artists, celebrities, socialites and a list of whos who in society at that time. Already, he counted the most fa mous writers as his friends Arthur Conan Doyle, Robert Louis Stevenson, Thomas Hardy, H.G. Wells, Jerome K. Jerome, George Bernard Shaw. His influence was beginning to exert itself well that he even managed to form a cricket team of these literature giants called the Allahakbarries, a