March 10, 2010: Famous Five - Anne - Sensible or Stupid?
Ah, I thought George was a terrible character but looking at this topic, Anne could probably give her a run for her money. I don't like Anne much to be honest but she's a nicer character than George. . .—Alicia |
March 10, 2010: Famous Five - Anne - Sensible or Stupid?
You mean Character, Daisy. Anne's not too bad. I don't like George. Too annoying. Actually, I prefer Bets!—Farrell |
March 6, 2010: Famous Five - Anne - Sensible or Stupid?
I think Anne is very stupid. She is so boring and I don't like her. Most girls are not like that. I'm not. I'm more adventuresrous. And Anne is such a cry baby. I like George the best. Why did EB have to make such a stupid Charester.—Daisy Dakin |
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Fatty says: Charester? Maybe it's a good thing Anne didn't try typing! |
March 5, 2010: Famous Five - George's feelings
I agree too with the last line! Some books should just read for fun. I don't care what George's feelings are. Only Blyton knew. I like to read the books and that's all that matters! And also many girls who act like that as little grown up and became "girlier" - what ever that is. I know one person who was more like a boy as a little girl.—Josefine |
March 4, 2010: Famous Five - George's feelings
George was very much a tomboy - if she was such a tomboy that she thought, even as an adult, that she had been born into the wrong body, then she may have been transgendered (although not transsexual!) The line between being 'just' a tomboy and being transgendered (feeling like you ARE a boy) is grey. In response to the "of course George wasn't gay!" comments above: How do you know that? We never learn anything at all about George's sexuality (or the sexuality of her cousins, for that matter). I think there is a fair chance that George might be gay, rather than straight. The Famous Five is book about children, written for children. The sexual orientation of any of the children in it is never mentioned, and it doesn't seem to matter - the children (tomboys or not) as are all still just children, having fun.—Kiwiboots |
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Bets says: Agree with your last line! |
March 3, 2010: Adventure Series - What do you think of the Adventure series?
Hi, I loved the TV version of the Castle of Adventure as a child. Does anyone know how somebody could get hold of it nowadays?—Nick |
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Fatty says: I found a copy in 10 seconds. Now there's a challenge for you! ;-) |
March 1, 2010: Famous Five - A curious trend with the ages of 'companions'
Imogen [ Blyton's daughter ] thought EB was emotionally stuck at age 12 -13 which would've made it very difficult for her to write ' by blank-screen instinct ' for an older age group. So really, it seems she wasn't up to the task and it didn't matter anyway - keeping everything preteen was a very successful strategy.—rogoz |
March 1, 2010: Famous Five - A curious trend with the ages of 'companions'
I imagine there might be several reasons for what you describe. I think that originally Blyton planned a far smaller series (which would have allowed for the four children to age "naturally") but when she ended up writing more books she may have ended up with a problem about what to do with ages especially as the ages of her readers was pretty much stable and she was a children's book writer not an adult book writer. (I think there wasn't the concept of "teenage fiction" that dealt with issues around relationships, etc back then). I think the "age freeze" or slight regression of the four was essential to maintain their characters as young teenagers. George's "I want to be a boy" characteristic would be difficult to maintain with a 16 year old young woman for example.—Lisa |
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Fatty says: Yes, six books was the original intension. |
February 27, 2010: Mystery (Five Find-Outer) Series - Age
Well in the first book, Larry was Thirteen, Daisy was Twelve, and so was Pip and Fatty. Bets was Eight, what a little baby.—Sarah |
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Fatty says: A pretty big baby at eight, I would have thought! |
February 27, 2010: Mystery (Five Find-Outer) Series - Favourite Character
My Fave person is Daisy. I like her because she is brave and has good ideas. My second fave is Fatty Though he does sound unfit. I don't like Pip because he is rude to loads of people.—Sarah |
February 27, 2010: Malory Towers - The swimming pool by the ocean
I love the swimming pool. I think it is the best thing about Malory Towers.—Daisy |
February 27, 2010: Secret Seven - Which do you dislike the most?
I dislike Susie the most she is so annoying. I like Janet the best.—Daisy |
February 24, 2010: Mystery (Five Find-Outer) Series - What will you do if you have the brain like Fatty's?
Definitely not university Fatty. I'm much too lazy to do university work xD. It takes me half an hour to finish a page full of quadratic equations!—Alicia |
February 23, 2010: Mystery (Five Find-Outer) Series - What will you do if you have the brain like Fatty's?
I agree, if I have a the brains like dear old Fatty, then I would have graduated by now! Well we can all dream can we?—BelleRose |
February 22, 2010: Malory Towers - I feel so sorry for Jo...
All of you are indeed heartless. . . But I think there is hope for Jo. I think she does realise how spoilt and irritating she is at the end of the book. And I think she also realised how embarassing her dad was.—Alicia |
February 22, 2010: Mystery (Five Find-Outer) Series - What will you do if you have the brain like Fatty's?
Ah, Fatty, maybe she does have a brain like yours. Or maybe we just found a female version of you. Well, given the fact that I'm almost 14 there is no way the police would let me asist them. Not that I'd be any good at it anyway. And my brain isn't even half as good as Fatty's. . . But if I had a brain like his I'd probably have graduated high school by now.—Alicia |
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Fatty says: University, at least! |
February 21, 2010: Malory Towers - I feel so sorry for Jo...
Well I would blame it on her dad. She has been spoiled.—Jenny Burnett |
February 21, 2010: Mystery (Five Find-Outer) Series - What will you do if you have the brain like Fatty's?
No I Don't Agree. I have a brain like Fatty's.—Jenny Burnett |
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Fatty says: Yeah, right! |
February 18, 2010: Adventure Series - What is your favourite book?
I consider Island, Castle and Valley to be equally great. Not quite as good are Sea and Mountain. Enid obviously planned to end the series with Ship, and in my eyes that would have been better. Circus and River are too exotic and unbelievable for me. Also, the kids have become a little too cool, Jack's performance in Circus being the best example for that kind of adventure as routine! However, Island, Castle and Valley are simply masterpieces of - not only children's - literature. Valley differs from the other books in that the actual adventure virtually "takes off" very early. The tremendous landscape, the seemingly hopeless situation and Philipp's dramatic escape make it an extremely thrilling read. In both Island and Castle, Enid has a completely different approach. Both stories start with a perfect setting: summer, hols, nice landscapes, plenty of fun (and food!). Then slowly the children begin to realize that "something queer is going on". I find this most scary in Castle, Jack's overnight stay being one of the most suspensful stories I have ever read. Masterpieces of literature, without any doubt!—Ben Richter |
February 14, 2010: Famous Five - George's feelings
Georgina's parents certainly gave her the best paid education available at Gaylands where she could take her Dog and be with cousin Anne. A small point about the writing is that all adults, including Georgina's parents, are deliberately kept in the background - the novels weren't about them after all.—rogoz |
February 14, 2010: Famous Five - George's feelings
Because people didn't think much of gays in the fifties, I guess Blyton made George just a tomboy, in case of any suspicion that she had made her characters gay and then the Famous Five, if George were gay, that is, certainly not suitable for children. Just a wild guess. :). But I seriously think all people are equal, so personally, I don't care if someone's gay or not, but in the fifties they had different views.—lul |
February 14, 2010: Famous Five - Hard to find red cover original Blytons
Hello Fatty, This is my first posting on your site. Re Famous Five, Dominic W. asks "Is it possible to pick up original dust covers for them?" Well, when I went to the PBFA Illustrated, Children's and Crime and Detective Fiction bookfair at Bath last October, there was indeed a bookseller there who had a quantity of unused and unfolded vintage Famous Five dust jackets for sale at £7 each. I myself bought two of them ('Five Run Away Together' and 'Five on Kirrin Island Again') for my red cover ex charity shop Hodder and Stoughton originals. I'd be happy to pass on the address if required - but that's probably not allowed. However I do assure you that I am not in any way involved with the dealer.—Mike Martin |
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Bets says: I have forwarded your email address to Dominic, so you can be contacted at Dominic's convenience. :-) |
February 11, 2010: Famous Five - George's feelings
I think (and some other people too) that if you lose a parent the same sex as you, ie, you lose your mother and you're a girl, when you're 0-5, then you might grow up without a female role model. There are certainly a few cases I can think of. And George's parents don't really take any interest in her. Being Christian has nothing to do with being gay, although it's still illegal (I think) in some places.—lul |
February 10, 2010: Famous Five - George's feelings
In Five go down to the Sea, the four pile into Tremannon Church for a service - the only attendance mentioned in 21 books. This makes them 'Christians' by default but I don't imagine they carried the Bible in their backpacks and there aren't 'Bible readings' after tea or anything.—rogoz |
February 9, 2010: Adventure Series - Pineapple and milk doesn't cause reactions
I come to the Adventure series page to post a response to a topic -- and this is the topic with the longest string of messages! Ooh, you all make pineapples and milk seem so delicious -- I've never tried them before. Sorry you live in an orphanage, April June. And Alicia -- is pineapples and milk really that tasty?—Amy Elizabeth |
