Adventure Series, Quiz

[Dinah Cunningham]

John Jordan

[Courtenay]

Correct! Well, it's John Jordans in the book, at least in my copy (an early edition), but when I searched online, the only real-life person I found who would fit the bill was an Irish broadcaster called John Jordan (without an "s"), so I assume that's who Enid was referring to.

Over to you, Dinah.

[Dinah Cunningham]

Thanks

What is behind that picture in the Cave in "Valley"?

[Daisy]

Correct! Well, it's John Jordans in the book, at least in my copy (an early edition), but when I searched online, the only real-life person I found who would fit the bill was an Irish broadcaster called John Jordan (without an "s"), so I assume that's who Enid was referring to.

Over to you, Dinah.

I suspect it was a fictitious name - I can't think of any occasion when a well-known at the time celebrity was mentioned in any of her books ... but perhaps someone else may?

[Courtenay]

It surprised me too, Daisy, but the way the name is casually dropped twice within three paragraphs makes it seem like it's a name Enid expected her young audience would recognise. The name itself isn't any essential part of the story - Enid could just as easily have left it out - which makes me think all the more that she may have put it in purposefully:

(Jack:) "You've got it, now, Philip - it's bang on the station. Ah - it's a skit on a burglary with John Jordans in it. It should be funny. Let's listen."
...
But it wasn't Kiki. It was John Jordans in the comical play.

I can't remember any other Blyton story that mentions a real-life famous (or semi-famous) person by name either, but I am reminded of something that came up in one of Enid's letters from Bobs the dog in Teachers' World, which we've been following each week in another thread as Tony posts them. At one stage, Bobs and the other animals are making up poems about themselves, and his friends call Bobs conceited when he comes up with "I am called Bobs / I'm as famous as Hobbs." As Tony explained here, this was a reference to Sir Jack Hobbs, one of the greatest English cricketers, who was a household name at the time Enid was writing. I doubt John Jordan(s), if he indeed was a real person, had the same level of fame as Hobbs, but it does show there's a precedent for Enid using a celebrity's name in her writing.

[walter raleigh]

I wonder if it was a friend of Enid or her husband, or even the name of a child she knew. It seems like something she would do as a little in-joke. The name John Jordans means nothing to me, and I suspect most others here have never heard of him either.

(Like the new avatar by the way Courtenay. )

[Lucky Star]

What is behind that picture in the Cave in "Valley"?

The Entrance to the passage to the sunny area?

[Dinah Cunningham]

you mean the balcony? If so, no.

[Courtenay]

A tunnel leading back to the ledge behind the waterfall?

[Dinah Cunningham]

Yes, over to you

[Lucky Star]

Bump.

[Courtenay]

Thanks, Lucky Star - I'd almost forgotten this quiz and definitely forgotten it was my turn!

I'll see if I can come up with a new question tomorrow, but if you (or anyone else) can think of one sooner, please feel free to post it instead - that's the rule, after all.

[Darrell71]

Well, this thread appears to have been asleep for quite a while now, so a quick question to get it back on track:
In The Sea Of Adventure, which of the two puffins sometimes brings fish for the children, and how many does (s)he bring?

[Dinah Cunningham]

Huffin and 5 fishs?

[Darrell71]

Well, Huffin it is, but in the book, the first two or three times they say 6 or 7 and 'a few' but they mention that 'Huffin appeared at this moment with half a dozen fish...' So 6 was the answer I was expecting.

But on the whole, as its not very clear, I'll decide to hand it over to you Dinah!