Article in the Daily Mail - Anthony Mealing and Mary Mouse

[littleguineapig]

I don't recall any Anti-Semitic stereotypes.

[littleguineapig]

I did think her portrayal of Zerelda in Malory Towers was a bit racially patronising though. But but she wasn't the only one in those days to be patronising towards Americans. I don't think she would be if she was from a later generation

[joanne_chan]

I think the common perception was (with no offense) that Americans were rather brash.

[Katharine]

I've just finished reading a book of stories for girls which was published in 1934. In there are a couple of characters who are American, and the general feeling is that they were loud and 'flash' and lacked the finesses of English gentlefolk. Although in the end they turn out to be quite decent after all. It would seem Enid wasn't the only person to be using a general stereotype.

[Lawrie]

In the Chalet School books written in the 1920s and 30s the American characters have loud voices and use strange slang, so there was definitely stereotyping going on, and in many childrens' books around that time and into the 1940s and 50s there is a feel that American culture - films, comics etc - are A Bad Thing, possibly even morally corrupting .

[Deej]

I think the common perception was (with no offense) that Americans were rather brash.

One book in the Famous Five series that gives me that impression is Five on Finniston Farm.

The American characters (Mr Henning and Junior) are portrayed as arrogant, rude, spoilt, lazy and rich.

[Daisy]

I think that's the book where Anne says something like "I like most Americans, but...." so a balance is kind of implied - the Hennings aren't necessarily typical Americans.

[Deej]

Yes it is. However, Anne is always quite fair minded.

I do get the impression that the Hennings are portrayed very stereotypically.

[Anita Bensoussane]

The Hennings are indeed portrayed stereotypically - and the same applies to American girl Zerelda Brass in Third Year at Malory Towers (she adores movie stars, wants to grow up fast and is obsessed with her appearance, loving make-up and fancy hair-dos.) Zerelda is likeable overall though, being friendly and slow to take offence, whereas the Hennings have no redeeming characteristics.

More positive (though still somewhat stereotyped) portrayals of Americans are to be found in The Queen Elizabeth Family, Five Have Plenty of Fun and The Boy Next Door, so there is a balance across the Blyton canon.

[Francis]

The Billy Bunter books contained one American schoolboy - Fisher T. Fish - who was very unpleasant lending money to other schoolboys at very high interest rates and counting his money in his study. He was also very mean and believed everybody could be bought as the world was driven by profit. There were many other schoolboys from different parts of the world and they were shown as very positive characters - an Indian boy, a Dutch South African, a Jewish boy, an Australian etc. They were all brave and generous. This suggests that there was a great deal of anti-Americanism in the early years of the twentieth century.

[Moonraker]

This suggests that there was a great deal of anti-Americanism in the early years of the twentieth century.

There still is in the 21st century!

[Francis]

Maybe it's something to do with the U.S.A. having power and influence - mind you the English are not
that popular in many parts. At least Enid did her best to sell England and the English way of life to the world.

[Moonraker]

Underdogs and losers usually summon up public support. People don't like success stories. Stephen Hendry was disliked as a champion player, since he lost his peak, he was loved. Great Britain has civilised much of the world, has liberated Europe in two world wars, and has lost popularity since. Rule Britannia!

[Francis]

Yes, it's quite a change since Enid's time that Germany is much more popular than England. Mind you Enid never really made a great deal over Germans as enemies in the Second Workd War. We have talked about her negative examples of Americans but the U.S.A. was not one of her main markets.

[Moonraker]

Yes, it's quite a change since Enid's time that Germany is much more popular than England.