James And The Giant Peach

Throughout this novel, the giant peach is an important motif, representing support and love as well as being a place where anyone can be whoever they want without judgment or discrimination. The peach creates an environment which enhances the overall themes of acceptance and friendship. At the start of the novel, James is living with his aunts where he is abused and isolated from other children. He dreams of a place where he can be happy “with lots of other children,” (56) for him to play with. In the peach, James finds himself in a new environment where he is allowed to laugh and have fun with his new friends. When James is in the peach, he is surrounded by those who care about him and support him. After they land in New York, James continues to live inside the “marvelous peach stone in the park,” (144) as he begins to build a loving community for himself in this new place. Staying in the peach gives James a sense of belonging and support that helps him find his place in the world.

The peach also represents acceptance. For the insects, the peach gives them the freedom to be themselves without preconceived ideas. Outside of the peach, they are each defined by how others see them: The Centipede is just a pest, the Old-Green-Grasshopper is not a musician, and Miss Spider is “probably the most terrifying of all,” (131). However, during this journey, they shed the assumptions people make and become their true selves, bringing out the overall theme of acceptance and openness. Just as James uses the peach stone as a home in New York, the insects all continue to visit him in the stone, a haven where they know they can be themselves without judgment or bias.

The peach also symbolizes a perfect home. It gives the group shelter, protection, nourishment, and is filled with loved ones. It offers everything needed to survive a journey across the world. During the entire story, the peach offers a physical representation of the support, love, and acceptance that is created within this group of unlikely friends, and which guides them for the rest of their lives. The peach becomes a home for each one of them and creates a general sense of warmth and comfort.