Violence in the FFO...

[Katharine]

It's funny though, that I read the Island of Adventure as a child, but didn't remember the scene with the water rising, so it can't have scared me much. Reading it as an adult I was quite horrified at it, what a horrible way to die (or think you are going to). Maybe when I read it as a child, I knew at the back of my mind that nothing Enid Blyton wrote could possible be too horrible and that it would all turn out right in the end.

[Bectun67]

In one of the "Adventure" books Philip goes out into the garden and is pounced on by someone (who was actually Bill, but neither knew who the other was at the time) and laid flat face down so he bites into the earth (yuck!!)

I've not read it in some time, but in FFO Missing Necklace, does the relief policeman PC Pippin not have to restrain Goon from hitting Buster with a poker or similar?

Then there is St. Clare's where Carlotta boxes Mirabel's ears, and Malory Towers where Darrell slaps Gwendoline, although in both these cases these are retribution for other offences.

Like Katharine says, none of these seemed out of order at the time I was a child either.

[Poppy]

Yes, after all the examples the drowning one does seem the worst of the lot. It certainly would be awful, but I agreed with Katharine in thinking to myself that none of the children would die in an Enid Blyton book.

I read a rather comical scene last night in The Mystery of the Spiteful Letters where the telegram boy (Fatty in disguise) lets his bicycle drop onto Goon's ankle (which really does hurt!) Quite 'Violent' on Fatty's part, there...

[Katharine]

Thinking about this subject a bit more, I've come to the conclusion that Goon's behaviour saw probably the most shocking of all. It's almost acceptable that 'bad men' would hit the children, or even perhaps leave them to die, but for a policeman to behave as he did - just imagine the court case there would be today! I know Fatty was an annoying, pompous little boy with a badly behaved dog, but Goon as a pillar of society should have dealt with it in a more professional manner.

I can even forgive Mrs. Penruthlan boxing whoever's ears, she was after all defending the good name of the man she loved.

[Lucky Star]

I have always thought that the worst scene in the FFO series was in Disappearing Cat where Tupping came and destroyed Bets' strawberry plants. Even today I cannot read that paragraph without feeling my blood beginning to boil and thoughts of inflicting extreme violence on Tupping entering my head.

There is plenty of mild violence scattered throughout Blyton's work. It comes, I believe, from the fact that for a child to receive a slap or blow in those days was much more commonplace and acceptable than it is nowadays. just another way in which the books represent a little microcosm of the world in which they were written.

[Katharine]

I agree about the strawberry plants episode. Pure spite against a timid little girl.

[Dick Kirrin]

I think you are spot on, Lucky Star. In these days, a slap or something was regarded as education, no matter how miuch we might object to the notion nowadays, then things were different.

In the FF series, EB shows disapproval of parents who hit their children, though. Julian, Dick and Anne are shocked when Uncle Quentin suggests a hiding for George rather at the beginning of Treasure Island. Later in Trouble, we learn that Uncle Quentin, rotten temper here, sulks and moods there, doesn't hit George, whereas Richard's question suggests that his father might time and again, hit him...

Snubby, however, receives more than one hiding from his uncle...

[Fiona1986]

Half-formed thought I just had...

There was probably just as much violence in domestic situations then than there were in criminal ones. It was accepted for children to be caned/slapped/boxed/smacked etc for misbehaving, so a fair bit of it went on in the FFOs. The Five didn't encounter as much violence as they spent the majority of their time away from grown-ups, and when they did encounter criminals they tended to keep their distance (observing from a distance, sneaking about at night etc) and also had Timmy to protect them.

[Anita Bensoussane]

I think you are spot on, Lucky Star. In these days, a slap or something was regarded as education, no matter how miuch we might object to the notion nowadays, then things were different.

Lots of parents still smack their children nowadays, though teachers haven't been allowed to use physical punishment in state schools in Britain since 1987 (I think it carried on until later in private schools).

In the FF series, EB shows disapproval of parents who hit their children, though.

That's strange, because by the time Enid Blyton wrote the Barney Mysteries and The Six Bad Boys she approved of it!

[Loony the Dog]

There's also Tammylan - who 'threw two boys into a river' and 'shook another one till his head nearly fell of.'

That's strange, because by the time Enid Blyton wrote the Barney Mysteries and The Six Bad Boys she approved of it!

Yes, in a lot of short stories and Mr Meddle, too.

[Anita Bensoussane]

Ah yes - I seem to remember that Meddle's Aunt Jemima has a hard hand!

Mr. Pink-Whistle also deals out biffs and smacks to young tearaways.

[Sir Terence]

...and Aunt Grace - the wise and kindly figure in House At The Corner says the problem with the self-centred eldest daughter Pam is that she wasn't spanked when she was younger - "Spare the rod and spoil the child". This comment was clearly made with the author's approval (in 1947).

[Poppy]

Just watched the 70's episode of Five Get Into Trouble which was quite violent. Rooky had it in for poor Julian, didn't he? Especially in the scene where Julian goes: George, do you think he's trying to scare us? I watched that scene quite a few times, I must say!

[Julie2owlsdene]

Interesting reading the posts, and as L.S says, it was well accepted in those days for children to be slapped, some with more violence than required. Mr. Goon is really hateful in Hidden House to his nephew Ern. And I do agree about Tupping, and his treatment towards a little girl, who was so pleased with planting her own strawberry runners!

I guess Enid wanted to make you 'hate' some characters and showed off their worse side. Mind you, as mentioned Mr. Goon being a policeman, should have known better! I guess Enid wanted to portray a man who didn't like children and dogs!

[Dick Kirrin]

Just watched the 70's episode of Five Get Into Trouble which was quite violent. Rooky had it in for poor Julian, didn't he? Especially in the scene where Julian goes: George, do you think he's trying to scare us? I watched that scene quite a few times, I must say!

They obviously were more relaxed about violence in the 1970s series, as long as it stayed within limits of course. In a way it makes the scenes look more realistic, whereas in the 1990s series it sometimes just looks silly. Julian with his fists raised - ready for a boxing match with Mr Perton... now, come on, would the latter fight according to the rules? Hardly...