February 3, 2012: Mystery (Five Find-Outer) Series - What time is the Hilton's dinner?
Gah! Whatever it's called, I just want a good, big meal (while that pest of an Ern starves - or eats cheese and bread) and a snooze in my armchair and as many days without that toad of a boy (and his dawg) as possible!—Theophilius Goon |
February 3, 2012: Malory Towers - How warm CAN it get?
After reading this, I felt surprised. Britain must be mild! Where I live, Chennai, India has a maximum temperature of 50 C in July!!—Nonnimus |
January 29, 2012: St Clare's - So were the sixth form imbeciles or something?
"Yes, I agree! " (Hold on, I'm adding something as well) It is pretty strange that the sixth weren't there. Maybe the sixth did not attend meetings called by lower formers (they had more important things to do than listen to Mirabel! ) and so weren't expected to be there. Or maybe EB just missed that out. When you've written as many books as her, minor mistakes are natural.—Gillian |
January 29, 2012: St Clare's - Favourite character
I like Antoinette and Claudine, they're just awesome! So daring. I wish I had the pluck to do things like that. The perfect way to describe Claudine is that 'she does the most awful things for the best of reasons'! That's the best part about her. She does all those amazing things (jumping into a pool from a high gallery when you don't like swimming seems amazing to me) for good reasons. Go Claudine and Antoinette!—Gillian |
January 29, 2012: Malory Towers - Betty
You're right, Jeni, but it does seem rather odd when all the girls in the play are of North tower, all the heads of forms are from north tower, all the people good at games are in North tower. It's as if the other towers just don't exist! (I know Jeni posted almost five years ago, and I'm posting on an old,old topic, but hey, I think at least someone will read it.?)—Gillian |
January 29, 2012: Malory Towers - I feel so sorry for Jo...
Well, in the Pamela Cox sequels, Jo comes back to MT in the sixth form and she's much better and much nicer. In fact she pretends to be someone else and calls herself Alice and no one realizes at first that she's the same Jo. She becomes shy and rather timid and way different from the bumptious, spoilt kid she was earlier. Even Gwen comes back and guess what, even she's become nice. I kind of think that all those villains come back to MT later (when they are much nicer)!—Gillian |
January 28, 2012: Unlisted - Enid Blyton in general - Could Enid Blyton be called a feminist?
Was Enid a feminist? She fought against gender roles with the character of George in the Famous Five but one tomboy does not a supporter of equal rights in the home and the school make.—Alana Ryan-Behan |
January 28, 2012: Secret Seven - Based on real characters?
Erm. Um. What do you exactly mean, TheLadyDiablo? .—Aditya |
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Fatty says: The SS were the Nazi secret police, committing horrendous atrocities during the second world war. To wear SS badges in the 1940s might seem to be rather strange. |
January 28, 2012: Malory Towers - Angela or not?
I have the same problem! I thought new books were better but they're worse!—Aditya |
January 25, 2012: Mystery (Five Find-Outer) Series - Why the Find-Outers?
It's not always about Fatty, though. Often, its Bets who spots the vital clue. Everyone has their role and in this series, Enid Blyton has explored the more the merrier theme to the fullest!—Saky |
January 25, 2012: Mystery (Five Find-Outer) Series - Why the Find-Outers?
Its a good idea, but if Fatty was in trouble of caught by someone there wouldn't be anyone to help him other than Buster. And sometimes people don't understand animal language.—rapunzel |
January 22, 2012: St Clare's - What is the difference between Pat and Isabel?
I once spelled Isabel the French way, "Isabelle". Enid Blyton would have been shocked at the thought of anything but pure Irish blood in the twins!—Sir Nikolas Valentine |
January 21, 2012: St Clare's - What is the difference between Pat and Isabel?
Doesn't it say in one of the books that one twin has more freckles on her nose than the other? As it says - that's a help if they are together, but if you are only seeing one twin it would still be hard to tell them apart.—Ilsa |
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Fatty says: I'd avoid them both! |
January 21, 2012: St Clare's - What is the difference between Pat and Isabel?
They are the same except Isabel is more shy and timid and Pat normally speaks for her. Thats about all : ) In my opinion I like Pat better!—Willow |
January 19, 2012: Adventure Series - Jo-Jo in the Mountain of Adventure: a racist caricature?
I had "Mountain" on the brain. I was discussing the anti-gravity wings with someone.—Sir Nikolas Valentine |
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Fatty says: Easily done! |
January 19, 2012: Adventure Series - Jo-Jo in the Mountain of Adventure: a racist caricature?
Isn't Jo-Jo in the Island of Adventure? .—Saky |
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Fatty says: You are correct! I wondered if anyone would notice Sir Nik's mistake! |
January 18, 2012: Adventure Series - Jo-Jo in the Mountain of Adventure: a racist caricature?
Both Jo-Jo and the golliwogs are based on outdated and offensive racial stereotypes. Saying that there were sometimes good golliwogs or that Jo-Jo was "smarter" than his white henchmen doesn't excuse the offensive caricatures or the bigotry. Enid was being criticised even in the 1950s for her outdated and offensive attitudes towards race, gender and class. I think even the fondest Enidite such as Fatty would admit that there are things in her stories which make one cringe.—Sir Nikolas Valentine |
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Fatty says: Things make me cringe in many books, Sir Nik, but I don't necessarily want them updated. Nothing wrong with the golliwog either, in my opinion. What do others think? |
January 15, 2012: Adventure Series - Jo-Jo in the Mountain of Adventure: a racist caricature?
So, Sir Nikolas, are you saying that it's also unacceptable to portray negative *white* stereotypes in Enid's books? Better get rid of all the villains, then! In any case, Enid's books are not "modern children's literature'.—Nigel Rowe |
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Fatty says: Personally, I'd rather leave Enid's books as they are, maybe with an explanatory note explaining that as the books were written in earlier times, choice of language was different then. |
January 15, 2012: St Clare's - What is the difference between Pat and Isabel?
I had often thought that the difference was that Pat was more hot tempered and talked more often, then my opinion changed later on. When they had past a few forms, Pat was the sensible one. I really think they are VERY similar, just one or two differences. What do you think? .—Nanananana |
January 14, 2012: Adventure Series - Jo-Jo in the Mountain of Adventure: a racist caricature?
I disagree. The books were written in the 30s and 40s when this wasn't an offence.—Baabaablacksheep |
January 14, 2012: Adventure Series - Jo-Jo in the Mountain of Adventure: a racist caricature?
Sir Nikolas Valentine, you are right in your observations of Jo-Jo. In fact I make a note of them in my chapter, titled, "Stereotyping" in my book on Enid Blyton, titled, The Famous Five: A Personal Anecdotage, whereby I cite a quotation from Mystery Island (the American edition of Island Of Adventure) [1963] that said of Jo-Jo who "rolled his eyes in a peculiar way." In the 1994 Omnibus edition of Island Of Adventure, that sentence had been changed to, "his eyes darted from side to side."—Stephen Isabirye |
January 13, 2012: Unlisted - Enid Blyton in general - If Enid were alive today?
I agree J K Rowling is very good and I am a fan of the HP series, but I grew up reading The Famous Five, St Clare's, Malory Towers and the Chalet School by Elinor Brent-Dyer and these books were just as good back in the day. I am now in my late thirties and still think these books are excellent.—Emma |
January 8, 2012: Secret Series - Why isn't it in print?
What mystery? .—Aditya |
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Fatty says: It's a mystery! |
January 8, 2012: St Clare's - What if you could study at St Clare's?
Thanks Bets!—Saky |
January 6, 2012: St Clare's - The lazy big gals
It wasn't so much the girls being harsh as that it was an accepted practice, the norm. However I don't think it was a fair practice since smaller kids would have to do their own chores, and their homework, plus the errands for the higher formers. If everyone, including the older pupils, were responsible for their own chores, that would be discipline. Fagging is pretty much using young children as servants.—David |
