The Enid Blyton Society

An interesting topic, and one I'd never considered before. I think I only read The Rockingdown Mystery as a child, and it was one of my favourite books. I never considered the practicalities of Barney's lifestyle, he just seemed a romantic figure to me.

I guess this shows the importance of Enid's comment about opinions from anyone over the age of 12, it's fun to speculate and discuss points like this, but the books were written for children, and the chances are, most children wouldn't have questioned minor details, they'd be too caught up in the excitement of the story.

I thought the comment earlier in the thread about Harry Potter was a good one. Surely someone in his primary school should have noticed his glasses mended with tape, his shabby clothes when his cousin had new ones etc. Surely it would have slipped out at some point that he slept in a cupboard? I'd never considered it before, but actually, I'd say that Harry's situation was far more unrealistic than Barney's.

Katharine wrote: I thought the comment earlier in the thread about Harry Potter was a good one. Surely someone in his primary school should have noticed his glasses mended with tape, his shabby clothes when his cousin had new ones etc. Surely it would have slipped out at some point that he slept in a cupboard? I'd never considered it before, but actually, I'd say that Harry's situation was far more unrealistic than Barney's.

Not to mention the fact that he was rescued from that situation by being whisked off to wizarding school.

Very true. I wonder if anyone contacted the Dursleys to see where he went after primary school. Would the LEA accept their story that he'd been sent to St Brutus'?

Katharine wrote: I guess this shows the importance of Enid's comment about opinions from anyone over the age of 12, it's fun to speculate and discuss points like this, but the books were written for children, and the chances are, most children wouldn't have questioned minor details, they'd be too caught up in the excitement of the story.

Oh, I don't know - I didn't even question it at the age of 46!

Anita Bensoussane wrote:

Darrell71 wrote:Gosh, I'm starting to feel rather old now!

You're just sensible - though still adventurous!

I don't really like being sensible, wish I was 9 or 10 again and could be non sensible!

Katharine wrote:I guess this shows the importance of Enid's comment about opinions from anyone over the age of 12

I'm almost 15 so I guess that explains it. XD

Darrell71 wrote:

Anita Bensoussane wrote:

Darrell71 wrote:Gosh, I'm starting to feel rather old now!

You're just sensible - though still adventurous!

I don't really like being sensible, wish I was 9 or 10 again and could be non sensible!

Well, if the Famous Five hadn't been so sensible, they wouldn't have been allowed to travel on their own. And you see the result in the Adventure series: They're not sensible enough to keep out of adventures, so there's always some need to look after them .

Darrell71 wrote:I certainly don't fancy a life like Barney. Perhaps it's coz I've always known the harsh reality.

Neither do I! I think the reality of homelessness far outweighs any ideas of romantic imagery. We have several homeless people sleeping on the streets, locally - as occurs everywhere. Imagine seeing a 12 year old on the streets....

Yes, but Barney wasn't actually 'homeless' in the sense we use it today...he wasn't sleeping on the streets, and he was willing to work hard. He lived in a rural community, not in a city or town, and he'd always worked and lived in fairs and circuses so he had a background that gave him contacts and he knew a way to earn a living.

I think I know which life I would prefer - if he'd been taken into care he would probably have ended up abused sexually and mentally, entered a life of crime, would probably have been a drug addict, and would have been a lot worse off than he was! Everyone seems to be assuming that Barney couldn't look after himself - and he clearly could; he was rarely out of work! I don't see how being in care is a good alternative, as statistics prove it isn't a good start in life generally.

But as I also said in a previous post, he was searching for his father, and he couldn't do that unless he was roaming around the country.

I'm glad I've never questioned this type of thing. In the end its a bit like asking 'Why did George own an island?' or 'why did Miss Marple solve crimes?' or 'why did Jack climb the beanstalk?' If everyone just stayed at home and did what the authorities demanded, there wouldn't be any stories written!

I completely agree that the life Barney lived was far better than being taken into a care home or whatever, but I definitely don't fancy living his life.

Rob Houghton wrote:

Moonraker wrote:

Darrell71 wrote:I certainly don't fancy a life like Barney. Perhaps it's coz I've always known the harsh reality.

Neither do I! I think the reality of homelessness far outweighs any ideas of romantic imagery. We have several homeless people sleeping on the streets, locally - as occurs everywhere. Imagine seeing a 12 year old on the streets....

Yes, but Barney wasn't actually 'homeless' in the sense we use it today...he wasn't sleeping on the streets, and he was willing to work hard. He lived in a rural community, not in a city or town, and he'd always worked and lived in fairs and circuses so he had a background that gave him contacts and he knew a way to earn a living.

Yep, Barney was nothing like the homeless people of today, at least, like the millions of homeless we have in India. Somehow, they turn into animals, in a way, the 'human' sucked out of them, turning into wild, abandoned creatures deprived of things that humans have. So nope, Barney was certainly a very different case.

Wolfgang wrote: Well, if the Famous Five hadn't been so sensible, they wouldn't have been allowed to travel on their own. And you see the result in the Adventure series: They're not sensible enough to keep out of adventures, so there's always some need to look after them .

True, Wolfgang. If the 'someone needed to look after them' was a person like Bill, I wouldn't mind! (But I get what you mean.)

Its just a dream. Wonderland isnt supposed to make real life sense, its the whole point. If you wonder about that sort of thing, why stop here? The whole book doesnt make sense.

Well said! And welcome to the forums!

I think that he is the children do ask their mother a atleast once and he says no he wacted to keep travelling for a while, and Miss Pepper does keep him well fed if he's sleeping in a barn or somewhere. I think he is offered the care but he just wants to travel, for the first two books in the series at least.