English Heritage

[Boodi 2]

It is sad (indeed frustrating) that the same old unfounded accusations of racism and xenophobia continue to circulate. In my view the decision of the Royal Mint advisory committee not to issue a special 50p coin commemorating Enid Blyton in 2016 was very unfair.

[Katharine]

It's good to hear about the remarks on the Facebook page, Katharine.

Craig Simpson's piece includes a "Controversial characters" segment that talks about the Wishing-Chair books featuring "an imp-like character called Ch---y". Yes, that's how it's written in the article, with dashes replacing some of the letters! The character being referred to is actually a pixie called Chinky, though I believe his name has been altered to Binky in recent editions.

Unfortunately some of the comments were a bit extreme, and one or two anti Enid Blyton, but I was pleased to see that the majority of people enjoyed Enid Blyton's books and felt English Heritage were making a mountain out of a mole hill.

I'm almost lost for words about the Chinky comment!

[Anita Bensoussane]

English Heritage haven’t called Blyton anything. They’ve just reported that others have criticised her for things. And to be honest, there are racist elements in some of her books. Most likely unintentionally - I believe she was a product of her time, and of course she wrote many positive black characters, too.

A balanced opinion, or recognising some of the ‘problematic’ words, phrases or ideas in anyone’s work isn’t necessarily a bad thing.

A balanced overview would indeed be a good thing, but unfortunately that's not what we're getting on the English Heritage website. English Heritage cite critics who have attacked Enid Blyton in an unfair and exaggerated manner. For example, when it comes to the 'Little Black Doll' story there is no consideration of the wider picture. There are actually two 'Little Black Doll' stories with different treatments of the theme. The one referred to on the English Heritage website was first published in 1937 but the other dates from 1943 and involves a black doll who loses his dark colour but then regains it. Both are from the same stable as other Enid Blyton tales in which toys are rejected because of missing tails, peeling paint, ragged fur, being classed as an ornament instead of a toy, etc. In all these stories, prejudice and mockery are shown to be wrong and the final message is one of acceptance and inclusivity. Personally I think both 'Little Black Doll' tales are clumsy, insensitive and open to being interpreted racially even though they're about toys, but I don't believe Enid Blyton intended to make a racial statement and it says something about the critics when they home in on these little-known stories (neither of which has been in print since the 1960s) but ignore the many positive, empowering Blyton stories which are still in print and still being read and enjoyed by children around the world.

There are problematic elements and it can't be denied that Enid Blyton's work (in its original form) does contain stereotypes, not to mention the occasional word that would be offensive if used in the same way nowadays. However, the fact that she welcomed her international readership warmly, portrayed Mafumu so positively in The Secret Mountain and supported (for many years) a children's home which catered for youngsters of all races shows that she wasn't racist at heart. We have to remember that society viewed things differently at the time she was writing and that the criticisms levelled at Enid Blyton's books would apply to numerous children's books of that era - and adult novels too, such as certain titles by Agatha Christie. It's exactly the same when it comes to the "sexist" claim. Many authors who were writing between the 1920s and the 1960s have now fallen into obscurity but Enid Blyton takes the flak simply because her books have remained popular, enthralling generation after generation.

Reflecting on her continuing popularity leads me to refute the charge that her work suffers from a "lack of literary merit." On the whole, Enid Blyton uses relatively simple vocabulary and her choice of words and phrases can be repetitive. Having said that, her writing style is rhythmic and fluid, her dialogue is lively and natural, she is superb at comic timing, she conjures up vivid pictures using brief but memorable pieces of description, she uses devices such as alliteration, onomatopoeia, similes and puns as appropriate and the best of her plots are skilfully woven, benefitting from pace, tension, twists and turns. Her relatively simple vocabulary doesn't prevent her tackling some tough, deep and emotional issues, especially in the school stories and in family books like the Six Cousins titles, The Six Bad Boys and The Family at Red-Roofs. Enid Blyton's books have a lot going for them and it's no surprise to me that they've survived generation after generation.

As I've already said, there's no evidence at all of Enid Blyton being a "homophobe" so it's sad to see the Royal Mint comment being quoted by English Heritage.

On top of all that, the English Heritage website has very little to say about the positive aspects of Enid Blyton's writing - only that she was successful and prolific and that her books "played a vital role in encouraging a generation of children to read"!

This is the complete English Heritage write-up (minus pictures) of Enid Blyton and her plaque in Hook Road:

BLYTON, ENID (1897-1968)

Plaque erected in 1997 by English Heritage at 207 Hook Road, Chessington, KT9 1EA, Royal Borough of Kingston Upon Thames

Profession Children's Writer

Category Literature

Inscription ENID BLYTON 1897-1968 Children's Writer lived here 1920-1924

Material Ceramic

Enid Blyton is best remembered for her series of children’s books, the Famous Five and the Secret Seven. A blue plaque commemorates her former home at 207 Hook Road in Chessington, where she started to develop her storytelling skills.

‘THE FOUNDATION OF ALL MY SUCCESS’

Born in East Dulwich, Blyton turned to writing in her teens, but decided in 1915 to train as a teacher. In January 1920 she was employed as a governess by Horace and Gertrude Thompson at 207 Hook Road, then known as Southernhay. The Thompsons’ four sons – David, Brian, Peter and John – were Blyton’s charges until she left in April 1924.

It was while at Southernhay – where she was given her own small room at the back of the house – that Blyton started to develop her children’s stories. She later wrote to Brian of being ‘so happy’ at the house, and described her time there as ‘the foundation of all my success’.

EARLY INSPIRATION

Blyton’s charges were quickly joined by other local children, forming a small ‘school’, and it was on this group that she ‘practised’ writing and reciting plays, poems and songs for their education and enjoyment. The group, in turn, provided her with further inspiration. Locking her door when the day’s duties were done, she produced works including her first success, the poetry collection Child Whispers (1922).

A full-time writer from 1924, Blyton was extraordinarily prolific, her many best-sellers including the Secret Seven, the Famous Five, the Faraway Tree and the Malory Towers series. The majority of these books were written at Green Hedges, Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire, her home from 1938, which has now been demolished.

RACISM IN BLYTON’S WORK

Blyton’s work has been criticised during her lifetime and after for its racism, xenophobia and lack of literary merit. A 1966 Guardian article noted the racism of The Little Black Doll (1966), in which the doll of the title, Sambo, is only accepted by his owner once his ‘ugly black face’ is washed ‘clean’ by rain. In 1960 the publisher Macmillan refused to publish her story The Mystery That Never Was for what it called its ‘faint but unattractive touch of old-fashioned xenophobia’. The book, however, was later published by William Collins.

In 2016, Blyton was rejected by the Royal Mint for commemoration on a 50p coin because, the advisory committee minutes record, she was ‘a racist, sexist, homophobe and not a very well-regarded writer’. Others have argued that while these charges can’t be dismissed, her work still played a vital role in encouraging a generation of children to read.

[Kate Mary]

Thank you Anita, that was a brilliant post. It should be quoted at length on the English Heritage website and in the Daily Mail.

[John Pickup]

I agree, it's a brilliant post, Anita.
I'm sick and tired of these periodical attacks on a dead woman by people who never knew her, haven't a clue what she thought, and probably, have never read her books.
It must break their fragile hearts in these politically correct times, with all this absurd wokeness, that millions of her books are flying off the shelves into the hands of today's youngsters.
That some things are unacceptable today is immaterial. When Enid wrote these books, her sole intention was to entertain her target audience with her stories. Millions of us, from those in their sixties and seventies and older, to the young children of today can testify that she fulfilled that ambition. She certainly enriched my life and instilled a love of books and reading that has lasted for over 60 years.
Thank you Enid.

[GloomyGraham]

Merged with an existing topic.


I see that 'Enid Blyton' is trending on social media.

Along with Rudyard Kipling, she has been accused of being racist & xenophobic in her writing but their 'blue plaques' will not be removed.

Here we go again...


https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-ente ... 67577.html

https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/e ... t-24345225

https://www.theguardian.com/books/2021/ ... ue-plaques

[timv]

Thanks for the post, Anita; well-argued, reasoned and dignified. I'm sure Enid would have approved. I fear that the reaction of all too many big institutions or companies is primarily not to weigh carefully whether a charge (usually simplistic and based on selective quotes and lack of reference to context) is true . It's more to seek to reassure the PC brigade of their own up-to-date liberal sentiments so they don't get boycotted; rather depressing! Is there a handbook somewhere showing them 'how to deflect a potential storm of outrage from the Twitterati by showing that you are Doing Something ' and are Really Supportive of the noisiest and easiest to offend objectors?

As a historian who's had experience over many years of research and writing of finding out how shocking or brutal or callous by modern standards many respected and successful figures were by modern 'Woke' standards, I do wonder where all this would stop. Are all historical generals who killed civilians or prisoners or war to have their statues pulled down, and are the Mongolians supposed to apologise for Genghis Khan or the Italians for Roman invasions? Should Jane Austen's 'Mansfield Park' be banned as the Bertrams' money and owning a country house in the book was due to them owning a slave plantation in the West Indies? if we follow the logic expressed by some campaigners this can get ever more bizarre...

[Jack400]

Ironically I had recently thought of joining EH. I think I'll pass on that! Incidentally Steve Allen, on LBC, this morning was pretty scathing about EH's attitude.

[Anita Bensoussane]

I fear that the reaction of all too many big institutions or companies is primarily not to weigh carefully whether a charge (usually simplistic and based on selective quotes and lack of reference to context) is true . It's more to seek to reassure the PC brigade of their own up-to-date liberal sentiments so they don't get boycotted; rather depressing!

That thought has crossed my mind too, Tim.

At least the English Heritage blue plaques are to remain in place.

[daanton]

Merged with an existing topic.


Dunno if this topic has already been posted (if so please re-merge with existing), but this recently posted article from Melbourne (Vic) (Australia) radio station 3AW (during the afternoon Drive programme hosted by Tom Elliott) has quite struck me:


================
Renowned author Enid Blyton’s legacy branded as racist
2021.6.18 7:09:44 AEST



A cultural foundation has branded the works of renowned British author Enid Blyton as racist.

English Heritage, a charity responsible for installing commemorative blue plaques in front of buildings lived in by significant individuals, re-labeled Blyton’s plaque to include references to criticism of her works which brand it as “racist” and “xenophobic”.

Dr Lauren Rosewarne from the School of Social and Political Sciences at the University of Melbourne says it’s about informing people about the context that they were rewritten.

“This move towards re-labeling a plaque on Enid Blyton’s house is about putting in context some of the criticisms of her work,” she told Tom Elliott on 3AW Drive.

“It’s just about when you’re commemorating her to understand the context and some of the chatter around the topic.”

Dr Rosewarne said the move is part of a larger cultural push to include criticisms of renowned works.

“Disney has done this with a lot of their older films, they are putting disclaimers at the start where it explains some of the language, some of the representations would be inappropriate by today’s standards,” she said.

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SOURCE: [link]



Questions? Comments?

[Barnard]

Talking Pictures TV put a similar disclaimer at the beginnings of many of the films and tv shows they broadcast.

[Katharine]

Talk about Chinese whispers!! That article makes it sound as though the blue plaque itself has been altered, whereas it is the information on English Heritage's website that has been altered!

[dsr]

I think it perhaps ought to be added to information about Shakespeare, Dickens, Austen, all the Brontes, and so forth, that their work has also been accused of "lacking literary merit". I don't know of any author whose work is universally regarded as consistently wonderful.

Blyton was certainly heavily criticised by a certain type of teacher and librarian in the fifties and sixties, but it wasn't for reasons given. As we all know, blyton wrote for children, and by definition she used simpler plots and vocabulary than other writers. Why did children learn to read with "Janet and John" rather than "Pride and Prejudice"? Not because the teachers thought the two books were of equal "literary merit", but because Janet and John was more suitable to get children reading. (Of course, many of the same teachers who didn't like Blyton were in favour of ITA reading.)

I wonder if Dr Seuss has ever been criticised for limited vocabulary and thin plots?

[Judith Crabb]

Most of us in any society are headed for oblivion. Once the people who knew us are dead we are forgotten. A few of us billions are remembered. Apart from the very few of those who are remembered because they were either very good or very bad the rest of them are a mixed bunch. We use expressions such as 'ahead of the times' or 'behind the times' which indicate that most of us are products of our own times and think and behave accordingly. Instead of analyzing the nature of Enid Blyton's inclusion of black characters in her children's books perhaps we should be looking for a passage in her diaries where she defends cultural misappropriation. Of course, it doesn't exist because neither she nor anyone else (as far as I know - perhaps there were people 'ahead of the times') thought like that.
One question. What has happened to our sense of history? The people of the past are not us in fancy dress.

[pete9012S]

Events like these make me so glad to be a member of the Enid Blyton Society.
It also makes me appreciate all my forum chums who come here solely to discuss the real Enid Blyton.