'A bit too Enid Blyton' - Unexpected Blyton References in Print

[Judith Crabb]

I was reading 'The Weekend Australian' (Sept 25-26 2021) while munching a rock-bun and almost choked with surprise. In an article by Janet Albrechtsen 'And the award for Best Feminist Porn goes to...' a Blyton reference! Don't worry, the reference is innocuous, and I quote: "It's not quite right to label these outstanding female characters as 'strong' women. That's a bit too Enid Blyton, where a girl called George wants to be a boy." Am I correct? Has 'a bit too Enid Blyton' become a catchphrase? If so, it's a pity, because once again it suggests something simplistic, something hardly worth mentioning. The overtone is certainly negative.

[Lucky Star]

I've never heard the phrase before but I can see where they are going with it. It seems quite lazy to me. Surely if the writer has a point to prove they should go ahead and prove it rather than simply write it off as "a bit Enid Blyton"!!! But then we live in lazy times where soundbites seem to triumph over logical argument.

[Katharine]

Well I suppose it's good that the writer assumes that enough people are familiar with Enid Blyton's (excellent) works and so would understand who they mean.

[Judith Crabb]

These days, I agree, Lucky Star, a passing reference is all you'd expect in a newspaper article and Katharine is right, too. This is proof that 'Enid Blyton' is general knowledge - a passing reference is enough for any reader (just about) to understand the implication, (though not necessarily to agree with it).