Why Enid Blyton? What do people like about her books?

[Francis]

For me they are associated with the happiest memories of my childhood
and sharing the reading of them with my sister. As children they represented
the life we wanted to live free from the restrictions imposed by adults. The
characters of the children were such that we wished we knew them and were
our best friends. We felt thrilled by their adventures but felt safe at the same
time. Julian and Timmy would look after us - Kiki or Jack and Philip would come
to our rescue. We loved their picnics even more than the picnics we had with our
family. The interest in nature stimulated our own - armed with observer books we
ventured forth into the woods and fields. Reading them now brings all those
memories and feelings back again.

[pete9012S]

+1

[Anita Bensoussane]

I've merged this thread with an old thread on the same topic. I agree that it's difficult to pinpoint exactly what it is that makes Enid Blyton so special, Chrissie - perhaps because it's a mixture of things, and she does all those things so well. Further to what I said earlier, she puts a great deal of herself into her stories, even intruding on the narrative to say things like "Run, Barney, run, Roger and Snubby. Run for your very lives!" (The Ring O' Bells Mystery) or "Oh, dear - I do hope I never hear his [Mr. Pink-Whistle's] voice booming out because I've done something wrong. I would be so ashamed, wouldn't you?" ('Mr. Pink-Whistle Has Some Fun!') By addressing the characters in that way, and appealing to her readers, she draws children into her world and makes them feel part of it. I know I always felt very much on the side of the good and honourable characters, and on the author's side too. Readers sense Enid Blyton's spontaneity and zest for life, while her values, beliefs and interests are constantly reiterated. When I read the books as a child, I felt I was also getting to know the strong personality behind them. Children reading the stories in the 1920s-1950s would have experienced that feeling even more strongly since many of them would have read Sunny Stories or Enid Blyton's Magazine fortnightly and would have come to "know" Enid through her letters, her news-pages and the clubs she ran.

[Francis]

I also think that Enid grew up reading to children the stories that she
imagined so that she understand what they liked, what involved them
and what inspired them. She valued children's feedback all her life - what
other author did so to the same extent?

[poddys]

Having read more about her life, I think Enid may have just been very successful at putting a vivid imagination to work, and used the stories as a way to escape from the problems with her married life. Whereas many of us might just dream and imagine things, Enid put everything down on paper, and with spending most of her days writing stories, she must have been practically living them.

[Eddie Muir]

She valued children's feedback all her life - what other author did so to the same extent?

A very valid point, Francis. I can't think of any other children's writer who was or is so in touch with the views of her or his readers.

[Enikyoga]

Yes, we all praise Blyton for her unique writing style, but there are other good authors who have a great writing style, too.

I'm almost 57 now and am re-reading Blyton's suspenseful series and stand alone books since 1965 (with a few years in my early to late twenties when I was too busy to read much due to my job training).
One might expect that their spell would wear off at some point, but they seem to get better and better even.
Why is this? Can anybody explain?

Was this ever discussed in this group before?
Since March I have read many threads on EBS, but am still trying to figure out what it is that gets people our age and older to re-read these wonderful books over and over again.
Is it this feeling of nostalgia?

The Blyton Phenomenon is very unique in literary history since it transcends many generations. I strongly believe that her unsual charisma at writing and making it simple in that many children as well as adults could relate to what she was writing as well as the fact that most of her writings were very relevant to what the children were undergoing in their private lives made and still makes her writings very compelling and relevant. It was in the course of researching for my book, The Famous Five: A Personal Anecdotage, that my admiration for Enid Blyton grew when in a way I discovered through my re-reading of her books that she may have been one of the earlier pioneers of the later student power movement as demonstrated in The Naughtiest Girl series, the current environmental movement as demonstrated in Five On Kirrin Island Again as well as her Nature Lover's Books, the later and current feminist movement as demonstrated by George in The Famous Five series and the list goes on. The dynamism behind the relevance of her writings can be found in the labyrinth of threads in this forum as well as the Blyton Yahoo Group archives, which I initially consulted in my research, even prior to this forum. Then there is also the Enid blyton.Net which also contains tons of information about Enid Blyton and her writings.
Stephen I.

[Wayne Pyer]

I think you summed it up perfectly Francis. Beautifully put.

[MJE]

     I'm scratching my head wondering how "Five on Kirrin Island Again" is a precursor to the modern environmental movement. (Here and on another thread, I seem to be doing a bit of head-scratching at the moment.)
     But I think I have an idea about one of the big secrets of Enid Blyton's success. I've commented on it before (in some detail), although I don't recall now whether it was on the Blyton Yahoo group, here, or even both places.
     It really comes down to the happy endings - maybe impossibly happy ones, in some cases, where *everything* comes right, and even extra things are heaped on, to a degree that has been criticized by some commentators, who find it excessive, and unrealistic.
     Of course it's unrealistic, if you look at the real world - which is a pretty dark place, if you look at it dispassionately. People are simply *longing* for an ideal life, a kind of paradise, even though it's never going to happen. Children may be more open in admitting it, and perhaps the promise of some religions is the only form of this longing that many adults will admit to.
     Enid Blyton delivers it in spades: children in danger escape, solve the crime, criminals are caught. Sometimes the children get a generous reward, or at least praise from all the admiring adults around them; missing family members come back after years of being lost; apparently incurably sick people are cured; lonely, unwanted children get adopted by the family that has cared for them through the story - whatever applies to the situation in the individual story. It's all there, and readers love it, and it makes them feel good.
     I'm surprised this isn't pointed out more often, because I think it's one of the big ingredients in Enid Blyton's success. Of course it's not the only thing: big factors are also the likeability of her main characters, the sense of companionship between them as they hike, bicycle-ride, or caravan together, or fly off to strange countries, and ultimately face dangerous situations together and help each other; and the plotting is (usually) good (maybe not quite always), and the climaxes are sometimes quite exciting even at an adult level, and the prose is readable and doesn't get in the way, but simply allows you to follow the story. And the settings are often quite beautiful and idyllic, which adds to the attraction - and maybe they are even considered a bit "retro" now, and that may attract older "nostalgia" readers revisiting their childhood. (I assume there was nothing old-fashioned about anything in the stories at the time they were written and first read by children.)
     All these things are important, too - but those things are often pointed out, so seem to be widely known as part of Enid Blyton's secret; but I do think the happy-ending syndrome, although less often credited, and often criticized, is a big part of her success, too.

Regards, Michael.

[Chrissie777]

   
     Enid Blyton delivers it in spades: children in danger escape, solve the crime, criminals are caught. Sometimes the children get a generous reward, or at least praise from all the admiring adults around them; missing family members come back after years of being lost; apparently incurably sick people are cured; lonely, unwanted children get adopted by the family that has cared for them through the story - whatever applies to the situation in the individual story. It's all there, and readers love it, and it makes them feel good.
     I'm surprised this isn't pointed out more often, because I think it's one of the big ingredients in Enid Blyton's success. Of course it's not the only thing: big factors are also the likeability of her main characters, the sense of companionship between them as they hike, bicycle-ride, or caravan together, or fly off to strange countries, and ultimately face dangerous situations together and help each other; and the plotting is (usually) good (maybe not quite always), and the climaxes are sometimes quite exciting even at an adult level, and the prose is readable and doesn't get in the way, but simply allows you to follow the story. And the settings are often quite beautiful and idyllic, which adds to the attraction - and maybe they are even considered a bit "retro" now, and that may attract older "nostalgia" readers revisiting their childhood.
     All these things are important, too - but those things are often pointed out, so seem to be widely known as part of Enid Blyton's secret; but I do think the happy-ending syndrome, although less often credited, and often criticized, is a big part of her success, too.

Hi Michael and all others,

Thanks for your insightful posts.
For me, too, it was the happy endings and the beautiful British landscapes plus the way the kids treated each other. While reading EB, I always forgot it's only a book, I felt like part of the group of children described in the book, something that also happens to me when I watch a very compelling movie.
I think I have enough good points now to list to my daughter-in-law (who never heard of EB) and hope to convince her to give Blyton adventures a try.

[Chrissie777]

I've merged this thread with an old thread on the same topic. I agree that it's difficult to pinpoint exactly what it is that makes Enid Blyton so special, Chrissie - perhaps because it's a mixture of things, and she does all those things so well.

Thank you, Anita, I couldn't imagine that there was not already another thread on this topic, but I simply couldn't find one.

[Enikyoga]

     I'm scratching my head wondering how "Five on Kirrin Island Again" is a precursor to the modern environmental movement. Regards, Michael.

It is in Five On Kirrin Island Again that Uncle Quentin reveals his scientific blueprint to her daughter, George, while in captivity on their own island, Kirrin Island, about his intentions of ridding the world of oil, coal and coke, the leading pollutants of the environment. Therefore in retrospect, Enid Blyton was one of the earlier precursors to the modern environmental movement way back in 1947 (when Five On Kirrin Island Again was first published) since nowadays, coal, coke and oil have been identified as the key contributors to the current climate change. I even sent a message to the former US Vice-President, Al Gore (http://www.algore.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;), a current leading environmental activist, by reminding him that before he was born (in 1948), Enid Blyton had advocated the same aspects i.e. of ridding the world of its key pollutants i.e. oil and oil. It is imperative to note that Al Gore had won his Nobel Peace Prize by advocating the same principles Uncle Quentin puts forward in Five On Kirrin Island Again. I even suggested that as a result of this "coincidence," Al Gore's grandchildren ought to interest themselves in Enid Blyton's books. I got a reply from one of Al Gore's assistants suggesting I attend one of the events Al Gore was holding near my neighborhood....
Stephen I.

[Chrissie777]

I got a reply from one of Al Gore's assistants suggesting I attend one of the events Al Gore was holding near my neighborhood....
Stephen I.

Stephen, it's great that he answered you. Something to keep and show to your children and grandchildren.

[Chrissie777]

Enid Blyton was one of the earlier precursors to the modern environmental movement way back in 1947 (when Five On Kirrin Island Again was first published) since nowadays, coal, coke and oil have been identified as the key contributors to the current climate change. I even sent a message to the former US Vice-President, Al Gore (http://www.algore.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;), a current leading environmental activist, by reminding him that before he was born (in 1948), Enid Blyton had advocated the same aspects i.e. of ridding the world of its key pollutants i.e. oil and oil.
Stephen I.

Another early environmentalist was Anne LaBastille who worried about the black rain way back in the early seventies.
Check out her fascinating autobiographies (the black rain is topic ofthe second book):

http://www.amazon.com/Woodswoman-Living ... =books&ie=" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://www.amazon.com/Woodswoman-II-Bey ... qid=134521" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Probably the most interesting autobiographies I ever read.

[MJE]

It is in Five On Kirrin Island Again that Uncle Quentin reveals his scientific blueprint to her daughter, George, while in captivity on their own island, Kirrin Island, about his intentions of ridding the world of oil, coal and coke, the leading pollutants of the environment.

     Oh, okay, Stephen - I think I see what you meant by that now. But it was so non-prominent in the book that I needed to be reminded. I don't recall exactly what Uncle Quentin said about his scientific work in that book, but it was only a sentence or two in passing, wasn't it? Something about a new source of energy? Did he also specifically mention reducing pollution - or is that just retrospective reading of meaning into the book resulting from *current* concerns about pollution?
     I dare say, if you look hard enough, you can probably find references in Blyton to environmentalism - but I suspect you would have to dig hard, and interpret things pretty liberally. But if you are prepared to do that, I dare say you could probably find support in *any* book for *any* cause you like - which makes it all a bit dubious, to my mind. If you can interpret any text to support any idea you choose to make it support, it just makes it all a bit too vague and post-modern for me, and it seems to me that if a book can support any idea at all that you like, then it probably doesn't really support any of them - except those the author may make it very plain that they support, with some level of supporting detail.

Therefore in retrospect, Enid Blyton was one of the earlier precursors to the modern environmental movement way back in 1947 (when Five On Kirrin Island Again was first published) since nowadays, coal, coke and oil have been identified as the key contributors to the current climate change.

     Well... maybe. But I do think it's drawing a long bow, rather. I'm sure it would be possible to find fictional works that support such ideas much more strongly, consistently, and clearly. I grant you've found some links there - but I don't think they can be all that strong if I honestly couldn't think of them until you spelled it out.

I even sent a message to the former US Vice-President, Al Gore (http://www.algore.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;), a current leading environmental activist, by reminding him that before he was born (in 1948), Enid Blyton had advocated the same aspects i.e. of ridding the world of its key pollutants i.e. oil and oil.

     I'm not really sure that many politicians or activists would be very impressed by quoting from Enid Blyton, even assuming they know who she was.

It is imperative to note that Al Gore had won his Nobel Peace Prize by advocating the same principles Uncle Quentin puts forward in Five On Kirrin Island Again.

     But what *does* Uncle Quentin advocate, beyond vague references to finding new (unspecified - possibly nuclear? - fission? - fusion?) forms of energy which he would offer the world free? If there's more than that, I don't seem to recall it.

I even suggested that as a result of this "coincidence," Al Gore's grandchildren ought to interest themselves in Enid Blyton's books.

     Well, I'm sure Al Gore's grandchildren will thank you for pointing them towards a great read, if they follow the recommendation; but if they approach the books looking for support for an environmental philosophy, I honestly don't think they'll find all that much, and will come away disappointed.

Regards, Michael.