Did Enid Really Say This?

[Katharine]

Interesting topic.

I read a completely different meaning into it.

I thought it meant something along the lines of leaving something for someone ie, a nice surprise, or not picking all the bluebells so there will be some left for others, and the second bit to mean don't leave jobs ie 'something' for other people to do.

A while back I read a good quote that was along the lines of an obituary about everyone expecting 'someone' to do things. So thought this 'Enid' quote was along the same lines.

[Fiona1986]

It could mean that! It’s one of those vague statements that could mean a lot of things depending on how you look at them.

[timv]

On Pete's 28 May post with the list of Enid Blyton quotes:

The quote about 'There is never any escape from your difficulties, ever' is, as I suspected given the book cited (Six Cousins at Mistletoe Farm) and context , about Rose Longfield (who else?). It is on p. 37 of my copy of the book, ie the hardback 1966 edition published by Evans which seems to be an exact reprint of the first edition and has the original 1940s illustrations. The speaker is Linnie Longfield , who I expect was speaking for Enid herself; Linnie and Dorcas the cook are founts of wisdom about being sensible and realistic and not running away from things.

Linnie has been to see why Rose is still in a nursing home weeks after the fire at her house though she seems to by physically alright, and finds her lying in bed bemoaning the loss of her possessions and not making any plans for the future - not least, about what her children are to do for home, schooling etc, which Rose has left to Linnie. L tells Rose to get up and start sorting things out and making the best of it, and R accuses her of being 'very hard and cruel'; Linnie replies that 'I' m trying to make you be sensible. You've a husband who needs help. You've three children to see to. You should get up from this bed and dress and see to your duties'. And when Rose does finally turn up at Mistletoe Farm, dressed fashionably and with impractical high heeled shoes, she offers no help to her family but is horrified that Melisande has put on weight and got untidy, Roderick has found new interests instead of doting on her, and Cyril has cut his floppy longish hair and works on the farm.

The episode, and the book in general, serve as a Blytonian manifesto on what Enid thought of weak and vain social 'butterflies' (see also weak Mrs Farrell in 'House At The Corner' who Aunt Grace tells off) - and is a challenge to those critics who think that Enid was 'outdated' and a bad example to modern girls' as she was always promoting 'obedient little wives' who let their husbands run everything. The main instances of 'sexist and overbearing' men laying down the law for their families , in itself a realistic social norm for the era , seem to be in a 'suburban' and 'comfortable middle-class' context that would be realistic for the era - eg Mr O'Sullivan , the twins' father, in the St Clares books and Roger and Diana's father in the Barney series. Compare them to Peter and Linnie at Mistletoe Farm, though I suspect that as normal for the era the man would take the lead in decisions about schooling, or pioneer 1930s aviator Mrs Arnold in the 'Secret' series - or widow Alison Mannering in the Adventure series who gets on with making a career (in an art gallery?) after she loses her husband and goes on holidays with Bill Cunningham before marrying him, which a lot of 1940s literary critics might think a 'bad example'. Linnie and Mrs M, I suspect, are Enid's alter egos.

[dsr]

It's wrong to take a quote from a work of fiction and ascribe to it the personal views of the writer. What is written is for the purposes of the plot or characterisation, and the character is not the author, and the plot is not real life.

Shakespeare wrote some choice things about murder. It didn't mean he was in favour of murder.

[pete9012S]

“My imagination contains all the things I have ever seen or heard, things my conscious mind has long forgotten……. I don’t think that I use anything I have not seen or experienced — I don’t think I could.”

Came across this quote today. When did Enid say this, does anyone know?

[Anita Bensoussane]

Pete, that quotation comes from one of Enid Blyton's letters to psychologist Peter McKellar (dated February 26th, 1953). A lot of material from the letters is included as an appendix to Barbara Stoney's Enid Blyton - the Biography.

It's wrong to take a quote from a work of fiction and ascribe to it the personal views of the writer.

Most people will probably realise that the quoted extracts on Goodreads don't necessarily represent Enid Blyton's personal views but, to avoid any confusion, it would be better if the characters' names were given.

[pete9012S]

Thank you Anita - I was having one of Eddie's famous 'senior moments' and couldn't remember where I had read that quote!

[Eddie Muir]

[Fiona1986]

You can't assume that everything ever said in Blyton's books were her own thoughts but it is fairly clear that she believed in hard work, kindness, protecting animals and the environment, telling the truth and so on as she puts those words in her characters mouths so often.

[Anita Bensoussane]

Yes, Enid Blyton's stories clearly espouse certain values. Even so, it helps to know whether the quoted words are spoken by a character (and which character) or whether they're part of the narration.

[Nair Snehalatha]

The quote 'the best way to treat obstacles ---- -- is from Six cousins Again--- aunt Linnie to Aunt Rose-- but still the last line is incorrect-- not taken from the original

[Courtenay]

The quote 'the best way to treat obstacles ---- -- is from Six cousins Again--- aunt Linnie to Aunt Rose-- but still the last line is incorrect-- not taken from the original

No, it's definitely from Mr Galliano's Circus, as I said when I posted it. I have the book — it's one of my favourites — and I looked it up before I posted the edited picture.

I haven't read Six Cousins Again, but I wouldn't be surprised if there's a similar quote in there with a different ending — it just wasn't the one I was referring to.

[natalieb]

Mark Twain and Winston Churchill are just two people that saddled with stuff that is not theirs. Famous dead people are perfect for modern day people wanting authority to back up their convictions.

[Fiona1986]

That phony Hike quote was shared on Facebook again this week. By the official Enid Blyton page, no less.

[natalieb]

Soon, the official page will be posting about Enid's characters, Bobbie Waterbury and Aslan.