Byatt's character, Tom Wellwood, in his novel The Children's Book resents fairy tales, particularly Peter Pan. Tom's resentment is the result of a tormented inner self and belonging to a mother who uses her children to create characters, characters that Tom, specifically, will never live up to. Unlike Peter Pan, Tom will make that inevitable progression from childhood to adulthood. In this process, assumptions will be questioned, secrets will be revealed, and shocking and damaging realizations will come to light. The novel's main adult characters treat childhood as a fairy tale, a temporary oasis away from the difficulties and unfortunate realizations that accompany adulthood. Because of the adult characters' idealistic notions towards childhood, they do not realize how much damage they are creating by manipulating and using their children for artistic means. For example, Olive Wellwood does not realize that she is creating a very destructive path for her favorite son, Tom, by constructing his identity for him and then unapologetically revealing it to the public. Creating a story that hinges on the growth of the young main characters and (in many cases) their eventual downfall, Byatt depicts childhood as both a time of freedom and vulnerable fragility. Byatt develops the theme of the complicated nature of childhood by creating a sense of opportunity for his young characters and then polluting it with forebodings based on the actions and feelings of the adult characters. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Many of the characters Byatt presents in The Children's Book are Fabians and artists. These characters are not as conservative as other characters in the novel (e.g., Basil Wellwood) and are not as strict in terms of parenting style. Olive Wellwood, a fairy tale writer, and her husband, Humphrey Wellwood, allow and encourage their many children to run around in the woods, use their imaginations to play make-believe games, and dress up to participate in the midsummer festivities. Furthermore, during the midsummer party hosted by Olive and Humphrey Wellwood, the children received some time and attention from their artist and socialist guests: All, old and young, are now gathered together... As it happens in these meetings, where those whose lives are shaped fortunately or unfortunately, are surrounded by those whose lives are almost entirely future, the elders have begun to ask the young people what they intend to do with their lives and to plan the future for them. (Byatt 72) As Byatt states, the children who attend the midsummer feast have lives that are “almost entirely to come” while adults have lives that are already formed. This comment reinforces the theme that childhood is a time of opportunity (where the possibilities of the future are free, open and possibly infinite) and, also, a very permeable time in which older adults have a great impact as they “project the future ”. The idea of ​​childhood as a time of opportunity broadens and becomes less exclusive when the “forward-thinking” party guests go so far as to ask both boys and girls what they would like to do when they become adults (Byatt 72). Most of the children have an idea of ​​what they would like to do when they grow up: Julian would like to work in museums, Geraint would like to have “a comfortable life,” and Dorothy would like to be a doctor (Byatt 72). . While children express their wishes for their future (to ensure childhood is a time characterized by freedom of choice and exploration), adults add their own opinions to influence ideas and.