Five Go to Smuggler's Top

Discuss the television and film adaptations of Enid Blyton's stories.
User avatar
Carlotta King
Posts: 2828
Joined: 15 Mar 2013, 19:01
Favourite book/series: Adventure, Barney, Secret Series, Famous Five
Favourite character: Bill Smugs,Lucy-Ann,Snubby,Mr King,Diana,Kiki,Paul
Location: England

Re: Five Go to Smuggler's Top

Post by Carlotta King »

Yes, we quite often see a character who has faults and who does a good thing to help someone and put right their 'wrongs' or faults, and then changes for the better. It's very uplifting and refreshing I think, and gives you a good feeling about things and that bad things can become good things! :)
Deej wrote:(about Yan) ... just needed some children to play with and a little looking after at times.
That's why I felt the Five were a bit mean to Yan really - he was a simple, friendly child who was curious about the children and who had only ever known his Grandad and the sheep and the countryside, and yet Julian shouts at him and says "What are you following us around for, you little idiot?" which I think is rather harsh!
"Fussy Gussy! Polly, Polly, Polly-gize!"

Society Member
User avatar
Deej
Posts: 1208
Joined: 17 Dec 2012, 01:59
Favourite book/series: Famous Five
Favourite character: Dick
Location: North Wales

Re: Five Go to Smuggler's Top

Post by Deej »

Carlotta King wrote:and yet Julian shouts at him and says "What are you following us around for, you little idiot?" which I think is rather harsh!
Indeed, very harsh.

Quite uncharacteristic of the children!
User avatar
Carlotta King
Posts: 2828
Joined: 15 Mar 2013, 19:01
Favourite book/series: Adventure, Barney, Secret Series, Famous Five
Favourite character: Bill Smugs,Lucy-Ann,Snubby,Mr King,Diana,Kiki,Paul
Location: England

Re: Five Go to Smuggler's Top

Post by Carlotta King »

Yes, the children are usually so nice and kind, it was very unlike them to be so mean, especially to Yan's face!
"Fussy Gussy! Polly, Polly, Polly-gize!"

Society Member
Nair Snehalatha
Posts: 1261
Joined: 17 Aug 2013, 12:36

Re: Five Go to Smuggler's Top

Post by Nair Snehalatha »

Perhaps , it made them feel uneasy-- Yan following them , find of furtively--- I remember Julian or was it Dick saying that Yan following stealthily gave him the jitters :? :? :? :?
User avatar
Carlotta King
Posts: 2828
Joined: 15 Mar 2013, 19:01
Favourite book/series: Adventure, Barney, Secret Series, Famous Five
Favourite character: Bill Smugs,Lucy-Ann,Snubby,Mr King,Diana,Kiki,Paul
Location: England

Re: Five Go to Smuggler's Top

Post by Carlotta King »

Yes, they weren't happy with Yan following them. Julian says that it makes him shiver down his back whenever he sees Yan peeping at them.
I just don't understand the reason for such hostility - in other books the children have been annoyed by other irritating kids (I'm thinking of Richard Kent, Wilfrid and Jo as an example) but they have never been as obviously unkind to any of those as they were to Yan, calling him names, threatening to 'teach him a lesson' etc etc, even leaving him down in the cove when the tide was coming in. It just seemed very out of character for the Five, who were usually very nice children with good manners and morals about things.
"Fussy Gussy! Polly, Polly, Polly-gize!"

Society Member
User avatar
Moonraker
Posts: 22387
Joined: 31 Jan 2005, 19:15
Location: Wiltshire, England
Contact:

Re: Five Go Down to the Sea

Post by Moonraker »

Funny, at the time I always sympathised with Ju and the rest. I felt like shoving the little wretch over the cliff. However, in my twilight years I have more sympathy with Yan.
Society Member
User avatar
Carlotta King
Posts: 2828
Joined: 15 Mar 2013, 19:01
Favourite book/series: Adventure, Barney, Secret Series, Famous Five
Favourite character: Bill Smugs,Lucy-Ann,Snubby,Mr King,Diana,Kiki,Paul
Location: England

Re: Five Go to Smuggler's Top

Post by Carlotta King »

I can't really remember exactly what I thought of Yan when I read it as a child but I do remember thinking that the Five seemed unusually angry with him when he hadn't really done anything horrendous. :)
"Fussy Gussy! Polly, Polly, Polly-gize!"

Society Member
User avatar
Poppy
Posts: 5725
Joined: 24 Apr 2012, 16:06
Favourite book/series: Famous Five/ Adventure Series/ Malory Towers
Favourite character: George Kirrin, Andy, Jack Trent & Diana.
Location: UK

Re: Five Go to Smuggler's Top

Post by Poppy »

I thought he was a bit of a pain, actually. It only annoyed me how he always seemed to be spying on the five and I think they were well within their rights to scold him for this. Otherwise he seemed "alright". :D
"Beware of young men with long hair - that's what dad says, isn't it?"
Pat, Holiday House


Poppy's Best of Books

Society Member
Post Reply