Plastic in Enid Blyton Books?

[pete9012S]

Not many of Enid Blyton's books mention the word 'plastic'
I think there are maybe less than a dozen references.
How many can we find?

[pete9012S]

1. Kirrin Island Again 1947:

The four children and Timmy went to where the tower rose up from the castle yard. They ran their hands over the smooth, shining sections, which were fitted together hi curving rows. " What's this stuff it's built of? " said Dick. " Some kind of new plastic material, I should think," said Julian. "Very light and strong, and easily put together." " I should be afraid it would blow down in a gale," said George.

[Anita Bensoussane]

Does it have to be the word 'plastic', or just the material? The fake teeth worn by Fatty in The Mystery of the Secret Room (and several other Find-Outers books) are made from a kind of plastic called celluloid, as are Mam'zelle's trick teeth in In the Fifth at Malory Towers. However, I'm not sure whether Enid Blyton ever uses the word 'plastic' to describe them:


The Mystery of the Secret Room

They were not solid teeth, but were made of white celluloid, with pink celluloid above to make them look as if they grew from the gum.

In the Fifth at Malory Towers

Mam'zelle read the description over again. "These trick teeth are cleverly made of celluloid, and are shaped to fit neatly over the wearer's own teeth..."

[pete9012S]

Well spotted Anita. I wondered if anyone would mention Fatty's plastic teeth.

Yes, any mention of plastic in any context is fine.

We're on a roll, we have four now including this this reference too in Holly Lane 1953:

Fatty raced down to his shed. He put on a red wig, inserted some false plastic teeth in front of his own and dressed himself in an old suit, with a butcher-boy’s blue-and-white apron in front. Then he jumped on his bicycle and rode off down to Goon’s house. He stood whistling on the pavement opposite, apparently reading a comic with great interest —but all the time he was watching for Goon to come out

[Hannah]

Fatty's teeth are probably mentioned some more times. I think Larry uses them when they trick Pippin.

[pete9012S]

Yes, that is right, thank you Hannah.

Here's another:





Any more obscure references?

[Katharine]

Not that I can think of, but I will now start looking out for references to plastic, and hand me down clothes whenever I read an Enid Blyton story.