The Enid Blyton Society

In my imagination, the gates would be solid iron with no footholds whatsoever!!

I always think "Yikes!" when Blyton characters assume that a bundle of sacks will be enough to prevent them being impaled by sharp spikes embedded in the top of a high wall. I wouldn't like to try it!

I always assumed likewise Rob ... and thought that the illustration didn't really give the right impression of impregnability.

Anita Bensoussane wrote:I always think "Yikes!" when Blyton characters assume that a bundle of sacks will be enough to prevent them being impaled by sharp spikes embedded in the top of a high wall. I wouldn't like to try it!

I agree - that's usually my first thought on reading things like that - although I suppose there are 'Spikes' and there are 'spikes' - perhaps you and I imagine big 6 inch long lethal spikes, while Enid's were more just half an inch!!

Joseph Abbey's spikes look lethal! Poor Pip!

Pip does look a bit pained or in shock!!

Those spikes are meant to penetrate! Not for decoration!

I tend to agree with Fiona. Not all the illustrations will match up to Enid's interpretation of the situation. In her mind, the walls and gate at Owls Dene were probably much taller than the ones at Gringos.

Exactly. Illustrations are just one person's interpretation. The actual story is the text. If the text says that the walls could not be climbed then I would accept that...

It's interesting though, as I think ENid often took a major interest in the illustrations and sometimes had them altered if she didn't approve? Well, I thought so anyway!

I'm going to go with the simple explanation I've always believed from looking at the illustrations. The gates to Gringo's have got a very helpful horizontal bar right in the middle to stand on and hoik yourself over (something I have done myself on many occasions after getting the idea from that very drawing), whereas the gates to Owl's Dene haven't. The ones you could try in desperation have got spikes on and below them making them impossible to stand on, or unwise to try, just in case you happen to be tall enough to manage it otherwise .