Twins

The books! Over seven hundred of them and still counting...
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jen
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Twins

Post by jen »

I was reading an old thread on General Natter about whether big families are selfish and it got me thinking about the huge number of twins in EB's books.

I'm an only - more George than Fatty! - and can't imagine having siblings, never mind a twin.

Any explanation for the high birth-rate of twins in EB's books?
Moose
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Post by Moose »

I can't think of that many at all .. Pat and Isabel, the two Henry's in Five on Finniston Farm .. which others were there? :)
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jen
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Post by jen »

Jack and Jane in Six Cousins and there were loads in the individual stories - my copies are mainly in the Deans and Collins, things like Tales at Bedtime, Tales After Tea etc. Oh and don't forget the twins in the non-canon SC book! Twins seem to crop up everywhere in EB books!

There were twins called Will and Won't (obviously that wasn't his proper name!) and twins in a story about boys turning into cars - think they were Honk and Chug or something like that. There were boy/girl twins in a story about Mrs Kindly's kittens and I'm sure there are twins in Book of the Year in the story about the angel who comes on New Years Eve to choose a pattern to take to Heaven. Weren't the girls in Adventurous Four twins as well?
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Miro
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Post by Miro »

There were also Guy and his twin (I forgot his name) in Five on a secret trail.
In some books based on St. Clare's and Malory Towers happen to be more twins than just Pat an Isabel (called Hanni and Nanni in Germany).

I guess, she used twin characters because they give the opportunity to lots of plotlines which you can just write when you're inventing twins.
SchoolStory
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Post by SchoolStory »

And Mike and Nora in the Secret series.
Perce
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Post by Perce »

Sid and Perce in the Five Find Outers series.
Bill Smugs
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Post by Bill Smugs »

And the twin babies who have an important part to play in The Mystery of the Vanished Prince!
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Post by Jen-Jen »

Any explanation for the high birth-rate of twins in EB's books?
I've always thought it would be really cool to have a twin - maybe Enid thought so too - which would explain the large amount of twins in her books. Also identical twins do present some exciting story ideas - being able to switch places and all that.

Ruth and Connie in Malory Towers are also twins.
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Post by Anita Bensoussane »

David and Delia in House-at-the-Corner.

Jeanie and Donald in The Six Bad Boys.
"Heyho for a starry night and a heathery bed!" - Jack, The Secret Island.

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Moose
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Post by Moose »

I still don't think that there are more than you would find in real life ;) twins are not THAT uncommon - one in about 80 births, I believe.
I've seen things you people wouldn't believe.
Attack ships on fire off the shoulder of Orion.
I watched C-beams glitter in the dark near the Tannhauser gate.
All those moments will be lost in time, like tears in rain.
Time to die.




EF
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Stephen
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Post by Stephen »

Miro wrote:There were also Guy and his twin (I forgot his name) in Five on a secret trail.
It was the less exotically named Harry. Though I'm rather partial to this (often disliked) story, that aspect DID require a vast suspension of disbelief! The fact it occurred to no-one there were two people! Fair enough - Harry might have been surly towards them, but Guy was at least friendly. So when they asked him questions like "Are you Guy today or not?" the irritating youth should at least have put them in the picture!
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Post by Julian »

Bob and Mary from The Secret of the Lost Necklace :D :D
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Katherine
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Post by Katherine »

I think it gives a lot of good plotlines and also adds something of the exotic to a character (or two). It also means you can have siblings of the same age which is useful if you want a group to be friends and hence close in age.
SchoolStory
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Post by SchoolStory »

Thought of more - Twinkle and Pippi in Circus Days Again.
SchoolStory
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Post by SchoolStory »

Oh yes, and Pat and Rita in Malory Towers. Funny that EB recycled Pat for the name of one of the twins.
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