Great Lives on Radio Four - Enid Blyton

[timv]

BBC Radio Four are advertising an episode of 'Great Lives', a biography show where a 'famous' person makes the case for the iconic status of a well-known but sometimes controversial figure of the past, on Enid. This is to go out at 4.30 pm on Christmas Eve, with journalist Janice Turner (never heard of her) presenting the case for Enid.

A word of warning - among the guests invited to discuss their own view of Enid is Nadia Cohen...

[Boatbuilder]

Janice Turner: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Janice_Turner" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Anita Bensoussane]

Thanks for letting us know, Tim. I'd like to listen to that if I get the chance.

[Boatbuilder]

Information from Digiguide.tv

Miles Warde is the Series Producer

Broadcast times and download details: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000cmrz" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Ice_Gemz]

Well I have just finished listening to the programme and I don't think Janice was very positive at all. The only nice thing she had to say was her fondness of the Adventure series. I was hoping for a more pro-Enid feel to it, but alas, more mention of the usual racism, sexism and poor literary skills.

[Moonraker]

Thanks, IG - I won't bother to listen now, it will only make me angry!

[Courtenay]

Hmmm, glad I didn't listen to it either. I just don't understand this obsession of critics with Enid's supposed racism, sexism and poor literary skills. I can only think it's some form of snobbery or even jealousy (how many current writers will have over 700 books to their name and still be a known and sellable name in 70-80 years' time??).

We've had enough discussions of the racism and sexism thing, but the accusations of bad and simplistic writing are what I really can't understand at all. Yes, Enid's books and stories for younger readers tend to be quite simple (er, I wonder why?), but having read quite a number of her books aimed at the upper end of her age range — especially, say, the Adventure series — I can only say she had a brilliant way with words. Why do so many commentators STILL fail to see that despite her various personal flaws (and who doesn't have some of those?), she was a really talented writer?!

[pete9012S]

Mmmmm... could have been worse. Same old stuff trotted out as usual.

Would be nice to have heard from former children, now adults who still like and read her books and also from modern day children who enjoy her books too.

There must be some of those two categories still around judging by her annual book sales!

[Courtenay]

Would be nice to have heard from former children, now adults who still like and read her books and also from modern day children who enjoy her books too.

Don't we hear from quite a lot of them regularly in these very forums?

[number 6]

What did I tell you, Timv! I knew it was going to be Anti-Blyton! It's always the same. Enid has done more for the good of Children than anybody else, but she still gets a drubbing! It doesn't add up. :-/

[timv]

The programme was much as I expected, though there were some reasonable points made in Enid's favour that a complete 'hatchet job' would have avoided - eg the fact that she was a highly successful and innovative female business success story and one-person creator of a 'brand' long before those attributes became more normal for writers. She created the template for J K Rowling and co, without any guidance or help, and so showed great flair and a sure instinct - though the argument needed to be taken further, in that successful 'driven' business (and political) leaders are rarely 'good' and 'hands on' parents too. A one-person 'business' like Enid had little time for her family anyway, lacking modern business support. Nor are business successes usually criticised for pushing their family life aside or 'manipulating' husbands/ children to the extent that Enid has been. She created an image for the public of her cosy family that perhaps did not reflect her real family life, but surely that is the normal role of 'spin' by a public media star for good publicity - as in modern celeb magazines. The parallel with Dickens and his - much worse - treatment of his wife was brought up, which point needed to be made.

I did find Janice T rather negative, though , and more hostile than Nadia Cohen; and the more 'serious' and 'mature' Blyton adventure stories, eg the Adventure series, needed to be treated separately from the usual argument that the 'repetitive' 1930s stories for younger readers or Noddy can be taken as emblematic of Enid's work as a whole. The FF's George as a 'gender-fluid role model' and inspiration was hastily squeezed in at the end , with no mention of other strong female characters like Lotta or the positive character traits presented in Malory Towers 'successes' - and too much time was spent on the usual cheap gibes about gollywogs and class snobbery!

[Jack400]

Sounds, from the descriptions, as though it's another typical BBC 'discussion'. With both sides extolling the BBC version of what we should think in the guise of being balanced.

[pete9012S]

Spot on Jack - and as I have already said, it would have been nice if they had interviewed a few children who enjoy reading Enid's books too!

[IceMaiden]

Never ever listen to the BBC in a debate. They have one side and one side only - theirs, which is carefully PC'd to the hilt to make sure it's as inoffensive as magnolia wallpaint. Enid Blyton has got as much chance of a positive image or comment from them as Brexit or anything else considered 'proper old British'. Because the biased BBC don't want to acknowledge that proper old Britain exists anymore and won't let anyone who isn't 21st century minded and supportive of that have a look-in, except to use them to hammer home with a sledgehammer how bad they are .

[Anita Bensoussane]

Like others, I get tired of the same old comments about undemanding writing style, repetitive plots and supposed racism. Enid Blyton's books are referred to in the programme as "a humongous global reading scheme" and viewed largely as a stepping stone to meatier literature rather than being valued in their own right. It's true that Enid's pacy plots and lively dialogue make her books wonderfully readable but there's a lot in them that challenges and teaches readers and gives them food for thought, despite the fairly simple vocabulary. In fact, the relative lack of complicated words and sentences is a positive thing as it makes for greater accessibility yet doesn't prevent Enid Blyton tackling profound and stimulating topics. Although themes are repeated, she rings the changes and there are many different slants and nuances.

Critics rarely mention the deep (and sometimes quite dark) psychological issues raised in titles like The Naughtiest Girl in the School, The Six Bad Boys, Come to the Circus! and the Six Cousins books - and in numerous short stories like 'Father Time and His Pattern Book', 'Polly's Ps and Qs', 'The Other Little Boy' and 'It Came Back to Him in the End'. Then there are the inventive and engaging fantasy worlds of the Enchanted Wood trilogy and The Enid Blyton Book of Brownies which stretch children's imaginations and widen their horizons - not to mention the lyrical quality of The Land of Far-Beyond, The Adventures of Pip and Tales of Long Ago (the latter being a particularly stirring re-telling of Greek myths and Arabian Nights tales). And what about the circus and farm books, full of interesting detail and drama, which involve the reader with specific communities whose lives revolve around a certain kind of work?

The Adventure series not only introduces readers to travel and history but documents the formation of a family and gives us a taste of the dreams and passions of various individuals, such as Jack with his love of birds and his longing to find a Greak Auk. I found this set of books incredibly inspirational as a child and it probably made more of an impression on me than anything else I read as a youngster (by any author) - and I was an avid reader!

I imagine that many people's characters have been shaped to some extent by Enid Blyton and it would be fascinating to listen to or watch a programme taking an in-depth look at the positive aspects of Blyton and the long-lasting effects of being exposed to her stories from an early age.