The Enid Blyton Society

I'm sitting here wondering whether to wade in and have and argument with a complete stranger on Facebook.

Whilst scrolling through Facebook this morning I came across a post about it being Enid's birthday which a friend of mine had liked and commented on. Her comment was in reply to someone else who had written that Enid was a horrible person who hated children. It also mentioned Imogen's book, nude tennis and that Enid had cheated on her husband. My friend had commented that she'd also heard that, apart from the nude tennis, but fortunately has added that see loved the books as a child.

I want to point out that Enid's husband also had an affair and had a drink problem, and that she raised lots of money for children's charities. I also want to know where the evidence is that she 'hated children'. Finally, I can't remember if there has ever been an concrete evidence that Enid played tennis in the nude, but even if she did - SO WHAT, surely if she was in the privacy of her own home (or garden) it isn't anyone else's business?

I think it would be best if I ignored it, but it makes me very sad whenever I read something like that.

I know exactly how you feel, Katharine, people who think they know but actually know nothing at all!!!

You could wade in, but then you may get into an arguement, which will then spoil the rest of your day. But I know you feel you want to defend Enid. I think with hindsight if you don't want to get into a deep discussion, to leave well alone.

It is disappointing when you come across someone who is determined to disparage Enid Blyton. We could all go through a person's life and pick out the negative bits to make him/her look bad, though in most cases the person would surely have done plenty of positive stuff too!

As for Enid Blyton, she had an abundance of favourable points! Through her books, talks and letters she enhanced children's imaginations and instilled in them a love of language - not to mention an understanding and appreciation of nature and a general zest for life. She reached out to her readers with great warmth, teaching youngsters that they should do their bit for society and showing them that they could make a difference through their actions, however small. She encouraged them to be brave, creative, industrious, honest, thoughtful and fair, and to have a go at things even when they seemed hard.

In fact, Enid Blyton is still doing all of the above! The best of her is preserved in her books, which are as popular as ever and continue to delight and influence children around the world. I doubt her work would have had such lasting impact if her main attributes were that she was "a horrible person who hated children".

If I were to reply on Facebook, I'd simply emphasise Enid Blyton's positive points.

A balanced post from Anita.

I would think that's exactly what the person with those views would want Katharine.
Sadly,your reasoned ,polite, logical response would be very unlikely to make the person have a change of heart or see reason.

We've seen the same behaviour and attitudes from a very small minority even here on the forums over the years.
Those posters never softened or relented despite many many reasonable attempts to discuss matters in an adult manner with them.

Enid Blyton is my favourite childhood author. Yes,I accept that she was not perfect and wrote books in a different pc climate to the one that exists today.
She also had a traumatic,emotional time growing up herself in her own youth with the changes that happened in her own family.

She was a tireless worker who responded to countless letters from her adoring fanbase.She set up numerous charities to help the disadvantaged of her day and multitudes of her books continue to enthrall and entertain millions even today.

On this site you are amongst reasonable,friendly people who are here for their love and respect of Enid Blyton and see the whole larger picture of her character in context.

Outside in the wider world however are ones who would take delight in upsetting those who like the author and would seem to get happiness from doing so.

It's your choice of course,but I would stay away from interacting and engaging with such negative ones.

Sorry for rambling on!

Best Wishes

Pete

Yes you are quite right Julie, but it is very annoying. I've just seen someone else has added a comment about Noddy being about the class system - I've never heard that Noddy books before, and that all her stories were full of innuendos!

Where on earth do people get hold of these ideas? I've read books from pretty much all Enid's different styles, with the main exceptions of the Bom books and the circus books. The only ones that I think had any kind of 'adult' content are the Barney books where I felt that Diana had a soft spot for Barney, but as they were teenagers I don't think that was inappropriate, and then there was the relationship between Bill Smugs and Mrs. Mannering, but that was conveyed in phrases such as Bill being 'very fond' of Mrs. Mannering - hardly racy!

Very well put Anita - maybe I should paste the above as a Facebook reply (don't worry, I won't).

I think the people posting on Facebook aren't doing it with any bad intentions, they are just quoting vague comments they've probably picked up from the media. I got the impression that the person who mentioned Imogen's book hadn't actually read it, but had just heard about it.

Pete, I'm not going to bother to reply on Facebook. If I'd known the person myself I might have posted something, but as it is a 'friend of a friend' I think it's best to leave it. I think mostly there are two kinds of people when it comes to writing negative comments about Enid, those who just like to find fault and/or make controversial statements, and those that sadly believe anything they read without finding out more behind a headline.

As has been discussed before, most people have good and bad in them, and a lot of Enid's 'bad' elements have to considered in context of her own upbringing and the accepted behaviour of that period of time.

I think instead of reading any more Facebook posts, I'd make better use of my time by reading Tales After Tea which my mother spotted in a shop yesterday and very kindly bought for me, and dig out the bottle of ginger beer I got for Christmas and raise a glass to Enid's 120th birthday.

Interesting posts.

pete9012S wrote:I would think that's exactly what the person with those views would want Katharine.
Sadly,your reasoned ,polite, logical response would be very unlikely to make the person have a change of heart or see reason...

...On this site you are amongst reasonable,friendly people who are here for their love and respect of Enid Blyton and see the whole larger picture of her character in context.

Outside in the wider world however are ones who would take delight in upsetting those who like the author and would seem to get happiness from doing so.

Katharine wrote:I think mostly there are two kinds of people when it comes to writing negative comments about Enid, those who just like to find fault and/or make controversial statements, and those that sadly believe anything they read without finding out more behind a headline.

Yes, people who have merely picked up comments from the newspapers may be willing to listen but I agree that there are others who simply enjoy making controversial statements and don't want to rethink things because it would spoil their fun!

Katharine wrote:I've just seen someone else has added a comment about Noddy being about the class system - I've never heard that Noddy books before, and that all her stories were full of innuendos!

Tosh! I remember reading similar things about Captain Pugwash in newspaper articles but they were untrue.

Enjoy Tales After Tea, Katharine (it's a great collection of stories) - and the ginger beer! Happy 120th Birthday, Enid Blyton!

I can tell you where they get their ideas from, Katharine. They are quoting everything from the Secret Lives programme that was on Channel four quite a few years ago. It was a series of programmes where they attacked a different celebrity in each programme.

I never bother with the mostly untrue things people say about Enid, these people haven't read a fraction of her work or know anything about her life other than the rubbish they've seen on TV or in the press. Happy 120th Birthday Enid. I shall start The Mystery of the Vanished Prince to celebrate.

Remembering Enid on the 120th anniversary of her birth for all the pleasure her books have given me in more than 60 years.

I heartily endorse those sentiments Eddie. May her influence continue to be a force for good.

There are two sorts of people in this world (apart from true Blyton fans, I mean!) - those whose eyes glass over with nostalgia because they still think Enid Blyton is wonderful because their childhood was made better by her stories, and those who read The Sun.

If people want to believe all sorts of dirty stuff about someone - a film star, pop star - or even better, a children's author, who is meant to be above such human traits as affairs or being rude or nasty or hating children or wanting to play nude tennis - then people will believe it, and elaborate on it too.

In my view, it's Enid's childhood, sad upbringing, problems with Hugh - yes - even her affair - that shaped who she was. If she wanted to play nude tennis, then that was her own private business. In fact, for me, its little stories like that which make her more human. The 1920's and 30's were times when people did start to break with tradition - and nude tennis parties do indeed seem to fit rather well with the era - whether they were real or not! Enid was human - she had her 'faults' and her quirks like anyone else. Those who point fingers will usually have even greater quirks and kinks. No one is perfect!

As for hating children...I have always looked upon that assumption with my tongue firmly in my cheek. I think it was once suggested she hated children and so she always put them into dangerous situations - tied up by baddies, abandoned on remote islands, orphaned and beaten, etc...but I have always found that assumption to be amusing rather than damaging. Surely whoever suggested that was just being daft?!

Enid wrote great books - and that is actually all that matters in the end. Her books have survived her by 50 years and are still popular despite all the mud that has been flung between then and now.

Some great thoughts being posted about Enid here.

But, we must remember we are the loony minority who love and endorse Enid Blyton's work and closed mindedly avoid modern classics by the likes of Bruno Vincent (whom Enid would have loved and praised lavishly)....

When I was younger I may well have responded to the facebook post that Katharine mentions but I certainly wouldn't now. What's the point? These people have their own blinkered view based on some heresay written in a badly researched article or aired on a TV programme that deliberately sets out to besmirch her name.
Enid's books have given me great enjoyment for nearly sixty years and they are still selling in huge quantities today. This society exists because of her. Long live Enid.

John Pickup wrote:When I was younger I may well have responded to the facebook post that Katharine mentions but I certainly wouldn't now. What's the point?

Possibly to defend Enid's reputation and correct the poster's comments. However, it is possible you could get attacked back in return! I would probably copy and paste Anita's post - very well put, Anita.