Enid Blyton rarely bothered to characterize her creations in any but the most generic sense. Such a formulaic approach allowed her to write some 800 books over the course of her career. But even the strictest formula features occasional deviations, and Blyton occasionally presented characters who were somewhat sui generis in her canon. Belonging to this class is young Frederick Algernon Troteville, better known as Fatty, leader of the group known as the Five Find-Outers.........
This intriguing aside is the only clue to Fatty’s family life we get in the book, but it suggests both that Fatty is a neglected child, starved for attention, and that he is a Hero – one who has fulfilled every child’s great wish, to be father to himself, as Freud says somewhere (doesn’t he?).
The Freud bit, you mean? I think he meant it tongue-in-cheek. The "psycho-babble" is a proverb "The child is father to the man" found in a Wordsworth poem.
I actually enjoyed the article very much. The author was just being frivolous, I felt, not misquoting Freud. I think he meant the reader to see humour in it.
I didn't see a lot in the article, considered either as being serious or as humorous. Seemed a bit like seeing shapes of deeply significant objects or symbols in clouds, or maybe in Rorschach ink-blots.
Oh, another point: the article said there were 18 Find-Outers books, not 15. Is this a mistake, or are there three obscure or recently-discovered books?
Yes, I know there are two short stories; but that would make only 17, not 18; and also, they are not "books".
Well Michael, don't forget Keith's continuation novel "The mystery of the stolen books", Robert's "The Mystery of the Disappearing Tramp" and Julie's "The Mystery of Hazel Dene Cottage" and "The Mystery of the Grey Heron". So the writer of this article is no longer up-to-date
Oh - I had thought the author of the article would likely be talking only about formally-published works by Blyton herself. If I'm not mistaken, while those other works are available on various web sites, none of them is formally published.
Still, I can't think of any other extra works the author might have had in mind, so maybe it *is* those. I mainly wanted to make sure there weren't any Blyton works, perhaps newly discovered, that somehow I hadn't learned about - although I do believe I do hear about new discoveries most of the time (which is very, very seldom - I wonder if that new Mr. Tumpy book recently discovered has been published yet, or whether that is at least in the pipe-line).
MJE wrote: I didn't see a lot in the article, considered either as being serious or as humorous. Seemed a bit like seeing shapes of deeply significant objects or symbols in clouds, or maybe in Rorschach ink-blots.
I agree. That's a very good way of putting it. But I liked exactly that, that he should discern or attempt to discern mythic themes in it.
As for the humor bit: Well I suppose I did not take it to be profound, but with a grain of salt, and the jibe at psychoanalysis - that it's not a science and anything can be ascribed to it or be deduced from it - made me think the author was just having fun.
Enid Blyton rarely bothered to characterize her creations in any but the most generic sense. Such a formulaic approach allowed her to write some 800 books over the course of her career. But even the strictest formula features occasional deviations, and Blyton occasionally presented characters who were somewhat sui generis in her canon. Belonging to this class is young Frederick Algernon Troteville, better known as Fatty, leader of the group known as the Five Find-Outers.........
Interesting, thanks, Pete — although a bit odd and full of strange, rather affected blather that doesn't really tell us anything much. But then, since the blogger calls himself "The Victorian Sage", maybe that's just how he writes? (His "About" page doesn't tell us anything much either.)
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It was a nuisance. An adventure was one thing - but an adventure without anything to eat was quite another thing. That wouldn't do at all. (The Valley of Adventure)
(His "About" page doesn't tell us anything much either.)