Last Interview; New photos

[Green Hedges]

This feels like a rare and precious thing, courtesy of Maud and Rolf Adlercreutz, though Tony has been a key link in the chain. Make sure your sitting comfortably before you take a look: http://www.enidblyton.me.uk/styled-5/index.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Duncan

[poddys]

What a fascinating article, translation of the interview and the photos too.
This is indeed a rare treasure, a great but somewhat disturbing read, especially with Enid's dementure and playing ventriloquist.

[Katharine]

I was very interested to see the photos. I've only read part of the translation so far, but I felt I must query one comment immediately.

It's the bit about the dog bite being a metaphor for Enid's marriage to Hugh and being put back together by Kenneth. I'm sure I've seen a photo of Enid with a bandaged leg, and also read that she had been bitten by a dog. I'm afraid I can't remember which book I read about the dog bite. But I particularly remember thinking it curious that even though she had been badly bitten she still loved dogs.

Dementia does play strange tricks with people's minds. I know from my own grandmother that she forgot most recent history, but seemed quite clear with things that had happened 60 years early, but would occasionally 'come back' into the present. So I think it quite 'normal' that Enid would remember clearly a dog bite from many years previously.

[Green Hedges]

The Hugh/dog bite suggestion is not exactly serious, Katharine, but true it's not very well flagged up as quasi-ironic. Generally I've tried to keep things straight for the first half of the piece and given myself more leeway in the second half for an imaginative response to the notion of Enid giving an interview to one of her readers - any of her readers - late in life.

For anyone who has already managed to read the piece through, I should say I've just now amended the Wishing Chair section at the end.

[Daisy]

I read this late last night and decided not respond at once, as I needed to work out more carefully what to say. My first impression was what an interesting piece of research. This lasted until part two. For me, sliding into your own fantasy land detracted from the first part considerably and was a distraction from a serious piece of research. Now I am even wondering how valid that is! I found the repetition of the photograph was quite uncalled for and rather cruel. While I salute your thirst for knowledge about our well-loved author, I personally, don't want it mixed up with silly imagined scenes. It was for this reason I found your Looking for Enid to be a rather irritating read, rather than the informative book I had expected. I feel it is a shame you decided to produce this as one post - but then there would have been nothing on which to hang your second bit I suppose!

[Julie2owlsdene]

Rather sad pictures for me. As the great lady looks happy enough, but all in a world of her own, probably glad to see someone who for a few moments can take her out of the lonely world that her mind has taken her too.

I have to agree with Daisy, on the second interview, seems to me to be a little disrespectful. Enid had a great mind before her illness and her books are still loved world wide. I think that deserves a little respect.

[Green Hedges]

Thanks for these views.

I hope there's no disrespect towards Enid - her great mind or her dementia - in my contribution, Julie. It doesn't feel like that from where I'm sitting.

Daisy, the second interview is supposed to very much take into account the first one that Maud undertook and Rolf witnessed. I hope I've not introduced gratuitous elements. The playfulness, which you call silly, is something I associate very strongly with Enid's best writing. Rolf took several very similar photos when he was outside in the garden. I've used them as I thought the very slight variations in facial expression were of interest. and in the hope that they heightened the feeling that the viewer was actually there with Enid on the day.

I realised tonight that the picture on the wall of the study - in other words the prominent image other than the portraits of Kenneth - is by Treyer Evans, an illustrator of the Mystery series, and that it was sold at the 2010 auction of Gillian's Blyton memoribilia. The dismantling of Green Hedges goes on. Tonight I've briefly incorporated this realisation into the second half of the text I've written. I have to say that I wrote the text very quickly, in what I took to be an inspired mood. But as the days go by I will reflect on what I've written, helped by EBS responses, and will always be open to editing the piece as seems appropriate. For sure these are especially significant photographs, but they are open to different interpretations.

[Eddie Muir]

Rather sad pictures for me.

I agree with you, Julie: the pictures are rather sad. However, I was most interested to see them and to read the accompanying article, as it is always fascinating to see and read anything new about Enid Blyton.

[poddys]

The saddest thing of all is that Enid did have quite a sad life, and yet she probably gave more happiness and sense of adventure to millions of children over the last 70 years than anyone else.

[Katharine]

The Hugh/dog bite suggestion is not exactly serious, Katharine, but true it's not very well flagged up as quasi-ironic.

I suppose I find it difficult to see anything slightly amusing when discussing someone's dementia.

I was very interested to read the translation of the final interview and also see the photos. Although I found it a little sad to see Enid as a frail elderly lady rather than the more confident, vibrant photos I'm used to seeing of her.

For me, the saddest photo though was the one with all the grass growing around the pond. Enid was so proud of her garden and it's such a shame to see it starting to become overgrown, I just hope that by that stage she was unaware, and it didn't distress her.

[Julie2owlsdene]

I agree with Poddys, when he says that Enid’s life was sad. The drama ‘Enid’ I think, portrayed that too. She kept herself busy with her writing, keeping at bay, the hurt and sadness she carried all through her living years.

I understand, Green Hedges, the use of the word ‘playful’ in your writing, and I appreciate that. But for me, dementia doesn’t deserve such banter, and I defend my use of the word disrespect, probably because my own Father had dementia, and was in a home being cared for. Like Enid’s expressions, he too had that same sadness deep in his eyes. He would be smiling and loved seeing anyone – whether he knew them or not. Sort of reminded me of a dog that had been caged for ages, and then someone comes along and sets if free. It’s tail is wagging gratefully in pleasure, but there is still that sadness in its eyes. (I use the example of a dog, as I love them.)

If you look at picture 4, not counting those newspaper pictures, you might just see what I mean. But then maybe you’ve had to have close experience of such an illness before you are aware of that look.

Nevertheless, it is still lovely to see any pictures of Enid, even though for me they are sad ones.

[Green Hedges]

Julie, my own mother has severe dementia and is in a care home. I visit her every second day (I'll be there this afternoon) and Saga publish a blog that I write about these visits which they describe as amounting to 'a tender and compelling online diary'. In 2011 these blogs were shortlisted for the Orwell Prize, perhaps because they spoke up for those suffering from dementia and those that care for them. So I'm familiar with dementia and the sadness that goes with it. The latest blog is here: http://www.saga.co.uk/care/carers-blogs ... tilda.aspx" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

My mother's dementia is partly what motivates me to take a close look at Enid's final phase. Of course, my relationship to Enid, who I didn't know personally, even though she spoke to me all through my childhood through her writing, has to be different from my relationship with the individual who raised me: Mum. I will be continuing to think about how I'm relating to Enid in her dementia, in particular whether I'm bearing in mind the former brilliance and playfulness of Enid too much, as the days go by.

[Julie2owlsdene]

A sad illness, Duncan, one we can both relate too in our own ways.

[poddys]

I have had a couple of relatives suffer with Dementia, it's very hard on the families, especially when people don't recognise you any more and they lose all touch with reality. One minute they might appear to be all there, the next they could be living life 50 years ago and with things all confused.

[GerryS]

Gosh you are clever Green Hedges, I was really excited when I read the two interviews. I have been lurking on this site for a while but when I saw this I felt I just had to register and say something.

I was a bit puzzled as to which was actually the last interview she gave, was it the Swedish one or the one in English? I couldn't quite understand it but the English one seemed to be with a child, was it published anywhere? I also wondered when Enid called the boy Fatty whether this was the actual Fatty that she wrote about in her Find-Outers books, I had never realised before that he was a real person.

It is all very exciting and I am sure there are pics there that I hadn't seen before. I think that you should have become the sixth Find-Outer Green Hedges, you are an absolute marvel.