James And The Giant Peach

Up on the peach, unaware of the horror they are causing in the streets below, James tells Centipede to start biting through the strings. After the fourth seagull is released, the peach starts to slowly sink. Ladybug wonders whether they’ll get their pictures in the papers, and Centipede frets that he hasn’t had time to polish his boots, but neither can finish their thoughts because a passenger plane goes whizzing by, cutting all the strings holding the seagulls. As the peach plummets towards the ground, the insects turn to James in horror. Earthworm implores James to do something, but James says he can’t. He looks at his friends and says “I’m sorry! Good-by! Shut your eyes everyone! It won’t be long now” (126). Down below, people on the streets of New York City also turn to their friends to say good-bye, or pray, or scream, as the huge “bomb” hurtles towards them. James gasps goodbye one more time to his beloved friends and braces for impact. Squelch. The peach lands right on top of the Empire State building, impaling itself on the pinnacle.

As the people on the streets of New York City realize with relief that the mysterious object is not a bomb, speculation begins to swirl about what it could possibly be, the most common suggestion being something from “Outer Space.” Police and firemen charge up to the Empire State’s observation platform, which is just below the spike with the impaled peach. They call up to the travelers to “Come out and show yourselves” (130). Centipede, grinning widely, is the first to stick his head over the side of the peach. Several policemen faint and the others shout out in fear, trying to figure out what they are looking at. The top suggestion is a Dragon, followed by a Wampus, Gorgon, and other supernatural creatures, such as the “Snozzwanger” (according to the Chief of Police), or a Whangdoodle (the Head of the Fire Department’s suggestion). Centipede, loving the attention, tells them they have come from “thousands of miles away” (131), feeding the officer’s frenzied speculations about aliens.

Old-Green-Grasshopper and Miss Spider are the next to poke their huge, scary-looking heads over the side, at which point more officers faint. The Head of the Fire Department and the Chief of Police are certain they are about to be eaten by the “giant Scorpula” and the “vermicious kind,” who “eats fully-grown men for breakfast” (132). As they plan what to do next, with millions of people watching, the rest of the giant insects peek over the edge. All seven fantastical creatures look down, confused at the chaos they are causing. Suddenly, the pandemonium stops. James appears beside his friends, waving and smiling. He calls down to the officers that his friends are not dangerous and are the “nicest creatures in the world!” (134). James introduces each of the giant insects, using rhymes to present each one along with facts and embellishments about each insect’s special skills and talents. Policemen cheer when James tells them that Glow-worm can provide light, saving them electricity, and everyone is in awe when James shares that Silkworm’s silk was used for the Queen of England’s wedding dress. When James introduces Ladybug, his love for her comes across to the entranced people, “and here's my darling Ladybug, so beautiful, so kind, my greatest comfort since this trip began” (138). The crowd turns from a fearful mass to a dancing, cheering throng, calling for the officers to get the wonderful creatures down as quickly as possible.

The happy band of travelers are safely brought down and hailed as heroes by the people of New York. The Mayor of New York organizes a parade for James and his friends. The peach is loaded onto a truck and becomes part of the parade too, dripping sweet juice on the road. The crowds go “wild with excitement” (141) as the parade goes by. One little girl calls up to James, asking to try a small bite of the peach. James tells them to “eat all you want” (141), explaining that it won’t last long anyway. Soon children are swarming all over the peach, eating every piece of the juicy flesh, until all that is left is the clean and shiny brown peach stone.

The story ends with all the travelers living happily and successfully in New York City. Centipede is vice-president for an exclusive shoe and boot company; Earthworm’s beautiful soft skin gets him a job at a face cream company; Silkworm and Miss Spider make tightropes; Glow-worm lights up the torch held by the Statue of Liberty; and Old-Green-Grasshopper joins the New York Symphony Orchestra. Miss Ladybug marries the Head of the Fire Department and lives happily in love and no longer worries about her house burning down. The stone is set up in Central Park as a famous monument, and more importantly as James’s house. Hundreds of children visit James every week to hear about his adventures, which he eventually decides to write down in a book, called James and the Giant Peach.