View Full Version : Anyone read Enid Blyton Books as a Kid?
Mah'chew
05-15-2003, 07:05 PM
I wasn't allowed, again, she was a straight up racist and it was always Gypsies or Irishmen who were the bad guys. Passages in the Noddy books described viscious attacks on Toy Land at the hands of the black skinned, curly haired golliwogs and in her Famous Five works she would deride both Catholic and Jewish faiths in her works..
[ May 15, 2003, 08:07 PM: Message edited by: Mathius ]
How awkward ...
I grew up in England in the seventies and she was my favourite writer. I read The Magic Faraway Tree series. The Famous Five and The Mallory Towers books. some time back someone started a thread about golliwogs (I had one too as a child given to me by the Jamaican lady that lived across the street). The thread touched on a number of topics. I looked up Enid Blyton and found the other racist books she'd written. I don't recall ever seeing or reading any of those as a child.
Red D
05-16-2003, 02:11 AM
Read almost all (translated) Famous Five books as a child, really loved 'em, I never noticed any racism, but I guess as a child you're just to soaked up in the adventure to notice that.
Interesting though, do you think that such books can have an influence on one's thinking, even subliminal?
RD
matthew
05-16-2003, 02:43 AM
From Radio Netherlands web site
"David Rudd, from Bolton University in the UK, has done a PhD on Enid Blyton, and collated interviews with 500 children from different sorts of backgrounds. He says that Blyton was more a product of her times than racist and after reading all her books, he discovered in any case that "there are a lot more bad teddy bears in her books than golliwogs if truth be known.""
Where abouts in the UK did you grow up Kerri?
Interesting though, do you think that such books can have an influence on one's thinking, even subliminal?RDAs a child I was more interested in the adventures and fantasy . I didn't have as much knowledge of racism then as I do now so I'm not sure that I would have been too negatively impacted by her racist stories. I credit my parents for instilling self worth in me. Looking back at some of the books by Enid, I'd agree she was more a product of her time than a racist. What do you think?
Red D
05-16-2003, 08:28 AM
Originally posted by 6 23:
</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />Interesting though, do you think that such books can have an influence on one's thinking, even subliminal?RDAs a child I was more interested in the adventures and fantasy . I didn't have as much knowledge of racism then as I do now so I'm not sure that I would have been too negatively impacted by her racist stories. I credit my parents for instilling self worth in me. Looking back at some of the books by Enid, I'd agree she was more a product of her time than a racist. What do you think? </font>[/QUOTE]I agree, I was so into the adventure that I never perceived 'the bad gypsies' as a generalization. The adventure was all that mattered, and like you say it's indeed education that instills ideas and perceptions.
I work in a youth centre and during holidays we organise activities for all age groups, and I have never heard a 5 year old white kid call his little African friend 'blackie' or something like that. But in the age group 10-12 those things do happen, so it's bound to be education that flips the script.
RD
Martin Red
05-16-2003, 08:31 AM
Anyone remember the Comic Strip comic take off called
5 go mad in Dorset.
"lashing of ginger beer"
CLASSIC !
Jolyon
05-16-2003, 08:32 AM
Originally posted by matthew:
From Radio Netherlands web site
"he discovered in any case that "there are a lot more bad teddy bears in her books than golliwogs if truth be known.""Hahahahaha.
Originally posted by Red D:
Interesting though, do you think that such books can have an influence on one's thinking, even subliminal?
RD oh, sure it can...i'm not familiar with her works, but we all know grimm's "hansel and gretel", right? well, how many of you fear witches or folk that look like how witches were illustrated? how about being poor - did that frighten you? well, after reading "hansel and gretel", it sure as hell frightened me - hell, i thought only poor kids became wards of the state and orphans because their families couldn't afford them...i could go into books like "brer rabbit", but it'll make me upset...however, it sounds like the books you all are describing to me (for instance, we HAD to read these books and i could never understand them because i didn't talk like those "ignorant and stupid slaves")...
children are much influenced by what they read, ESPECIALLY when it's condoned by the authorities...the books are only dangerous when not explained properly...
Originally posted by Red D:
</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />Originally posted by 6 23:
</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />Interesting though, do you think that such books can have an influence on one's thinking, even subliminal?RDAs a child I was more interested in the adventures and fantasy . I didn't have as much knowledge of racism then as I do now so I'm not sure that I would have been too negatively impacted by her racist stories. I credit my parents for instilling self worth in me. Looking back at some of the books by Enid, I'd agree she was more a product of her time than a racist. What do you think? </font>[/QUOTE]I agree, I was so into the adventure that I never perceived 'the bad gypsies' as a generalization. The adventure was all that mattered, and like you say it's indeed education that instills ideas and perceptions.
I work in a youth centre and during holidays we organise activities for all age groups, and I have never heard a 5 year old white kid call his little African friend 'blackie' or something like that. But in the age group 10-12 those things do happen, so it's bound to be education that flips the script.
RD </font>[/QUOTE]You hit it on the head ... The more I've grown and learnt, the more I could look back and find things to pick apart from my youth. Ehhh .. I'll keep the pleasant memories pleasant. Golli really was just a doll to me. Here's what did impact me negatively. In college I decided to read up on Black American history through literature. Mid-way through several courses on slave narratives I had to ease up on the readings. Yes I was getting educated on the history of slavery but I was also finding myself very frustrated and angry and suspicious. It's not that I don't enjoy looking for meaning in subjects, it's just that ... Sometimes I can't work with certain reactions. I got to a point and said okay, how is this helping me grow, then moved onto different fare. Enid inspired imagination in me that's why I loved her books so much. That's the only way I look at it.
Interesting point you raise about not being explained properly. Do you think certain subjects like hidden racism in children's literature that is missed in explanation could still have a negative impact on a kid if they don't even conceive of or interpret or understand the racism?
Jolyon
05-16-2003, 09:02 AM
When I was at primary school, my school library still had copies of the 'Little Black Sambo' books.
Andrew Osborne
05-16-2003, 10:15 AM
Now here's a thread I never thought I'd see on DHP! I used to read a series I think was called The Five Find-Outers, or is that the Famous Five you guys mentioned? Blyton books were quite big in Canada, available in all the kids' sections of libraries and bookstores.
Growing up as a kid I read a lot of Judy Blume stories, and walking home from the bus stop we were bound to find a "dirty magazine". graemlins/tongueout.gif
Originally posted by matthew:
Where abouts in the UK did you grow up Kerri? [/QB]Just caught this ...
I'm not the famed mix master just his biggest fan. Chuckles ;)
In the 70s I grew up in Dundee (Glasgow right?) Derby, then Wimbledon and finally SE London - Lewisham.
Originally posted by Andrew Osborne:
Now here's a thread I never thought I'd see on DHP! I used to read a series I think was called The Five Find-Outers, or is that the Famous Five you guys mentioned? Blyton books were quite big in Canada, available in all the kids' sections of libraries and bookstores. Famous Five
Julian
Dick
Anne
George
and Timmy the Dog
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