Enid and modern life

[Paul Austin]

I was wondering what EB would make of life in 2012; what would she hate most or simply what attitudes, devices and activities would she find completely baffling?

[aminmec]

I feel she would hate children having mobile phones.

[Lenoir]

I don't know, maybe Enid would have liked the concept of mobile phones.
I can imagine Uncle Quentin being involved in inventing the technology.

"Your father looks terribly busy George. Is he writing another book or something?" asked Julian.
“No, he’s just invented a kind of wireless phone,” said George proudly.
“They use towers or masts to transmit the signals,” said Anne knowingly. Being the youngest she was naturally the most up to date with the latest fads.
“Next time he goes to Kirrin Island to do experiments he won’t need to signal with a mirror or a torch then, he can just phone or text us,” said Dick with a grin.
“No one is going to set up any transmitting stations or buildings on my island,” said George firmly."Once was enough."
"Woof," said Timmy, agreeing with her every word.

[Katharine]

Can you imagine Uncle Quentin with a mobile phone? He'd be forever in a rage, partly because it kept ringing while he was busy working, and the rest of the time he'd never remember where he'd left it!

Pure speculatation, but I'd guess that Enid would embrace certain parts of modern life and be saddened by others. I know she mentions television in some of her later books, so presumably she took an interest in changing lifestyles. I also think she'd be horrified that children nowadays have so little freedom, and are under such pressure to grow up quickly. I think she'd welcome the internet as being an additional way in which to reach readers all over the world, and can just imagine her setting up a Twitter or Facebook page to keep her fans informed.

I'm not sure how she would view the modern kitchen, from her personal point of view I could imagine she'd love the idea of shopping on line, but from her story point of view it wouldn't fit in. Imagine Pam in House at the Corner cooking for the family by popping a pizza in the oven, or heating up some baked beans in the microwave! No bottling fruit or baking scones for a modern teenager.

[Paul Austin]

I think that Enid wouls be shocked at the increase in casual dress in modern times. Most girls and women wore hats and gloves as well as skirts and dresses when she was writing.

I don't think that she'd take the decline in religion in the modern day too well, either.

[zaidi]

I think she would have contributed even more if she was in the modern world of technology.

[Daisy]

I think that Enid would be shocked at the increase in casual dress in modern times. Most girls and women wore hats and gloves as well as skirts and dresses when she was writing.

Hats and gloves? Maybe for going to church on Sunday, but not otherwise Paul! Cold weather meant having to wear a woollen bonnet, but actually I don't remember wearing gloves much at all - and I went to chapel every Sunday. Yes, we girls never possessed trousers, you are right there.

[Fatty]

I was wondering what EB would make of life in 2012; what would she hate most or simply what attitudes, devices and activities would she find completely baffling?

I'm a 70s child and *I* find many modern attitudes, devices and activities quite baffling, so I imagine Blyton would be aghast if she were to be fast-forwarded half a century into the future. Indeed, apart from the Internet and the ATM machine, I can't think of anything I'd really miss if I were to travel back in time to the 50s. Yes, a mobile phone would be useful, especially for SMS and mobile internet, but if nobody else has one why would I miss it? As for portable music players and cable TV, I'd gladly do without them (I manage perfectly without either now).

[Trevor]

I think that Enid Blyton if she were here today would be shocked by the spelling and abbreviation methods of the modern world today. The "e-mail language" as it is so called. ("u" instead of "you", "2mozza" instead of "tomorrow", etc.) I myself personally find it ridiculous and a waste of time. Sometimes I can be stuck for quite some time just trying to read something in this abbreviation form of typing. So if I find this frustrating and annoying as a young person in the modern world, I have no doubts in saying that Enid Blyton would be shocked and horrified.

[Katharine]

Trevor that's a really good point, I think she'd be shocked by the sloppy spelling and slang that's used today. Not in schools, but by some areas of the media.

[Trevor]

Also, I forgot to add another thing as you say Paul Austin, the casual dress of today would truly horrify Enid Blyton as it sometimes does me. I have grown a little used to it but mostly I call it ridiculous.

I think that Enid would be shocked at the increase in casual dress in modern times.

Trousers for Girls? Absurd! Would Boys wear skirts?

Mid-riffs? Does anyone want to see your belly-button?

Unbuttoned shirts? (All buttons, nothing underneath) Lack of respect!

Low trousers? (underwear completly visable) No decency, lack of respect!

General untidiness? No decency anywhere.

I cannot understand what is becoming of the world we live in. It's declining rapidly. (For the worse!)

[Moonraker]

I think that Enid wouls be shocked at the increase in casual dress in modern times.

Enid would have been well aware of mini skirts and other icons of sixties' fashion. I wouldn't think she would have been at all shocked.

[Lucky Star]

Enid would have been well aware of mini skirts and other icons of sixties' fashion. I wouldn't think she would have been at all shocked.

I dont know. She didn't approve of rock n roll music and made that plain in at least one short story whose name escapes me at the moment. In the story the music a little boy plays on a jukebox is described as a sound like a dog barking, a cat howling and several other non musical noises. While mini skirts were around in her time she would have been elderly by then and ill as well; it is debatable how familiar she was with 60's mores and how much she approved. I really don't see her endorsing the whole "free love" scene.

I think today she would be most shocked simply by the general decline in moral standards and everyday good manners. Bad language, bad behaviour, rudeness, pushing and shoving instead of queuing; the disparity between the levels of these things seen in the 50's and today must be truly enormous. It's bad enough for those of us who have had time to get used to it, imagine what it would be like for a woman of the 50's stepping straight into 2012.

[Spitfire]

I was wondering what EB would make of life in 2012; what would she hate most or simply what attitudes, devices and activities would she find completely baffling?

I think that Enid wouls be shocked at the increase in casual dress in modern times. Most girls and women wore hats and gloves as well as skirts and dresses when she was writing.

If you mean, if Enid could see forward in time what would she make of life in 2012, then I agree with Katharine that she'd probably have mixed reactions. She was an intelligent and practical woman - she'd realise that times change. I certainly don't think that girls wearing trousers, for example, would shock her! All generations would probably be a little taken aback if they could peer fifty or sixty years into the future.

I can't help thinking that she'd applaud things like free NHS care and the amount of high-profile charity work that is engaged in and which makes full use of the media... but I don't think she'd become a fan of, say, The Sex Pistols!

I don't know, maybe Enid would have liked the concept of mobile phones.

Yeah, she probably would have - but thank goodness they weren't invented yet to interfere with her many plots that had her characters lost or stranded or kidnapped somewhere!

Hats and gloves? Maybe for going to church on Sunday, but not otherwise Paul! Cold weather meant having to wear a woollen bonnet, but actually I don't remember wearing gloves much at all - and I went to chapel every Sunday.

I thought that hats at least were normal outdoor dress for women up to about the fifties? I mean for going to the shops and stuff, not sitting in the garden, obviously!

[Fiona1986]

I think there's a difference in being shocked by modern life and disapproving. As mentioned, she would have seen hemlines growing shorter as 50s and 60s went by, as well as people dressing much more casually day-to-day. She might not have approved of such trends but I doubt they'd shock her. At least no more than people today can be shocked by what they see people wearing sometimes.