Which character's ears would you most like to box?

[Deej]

I would agree, Snugglepot. Peter was a nasty, sexist, self-important know-it-all who thought he was better than everyone and could therefore talk to anyone as he wished.

[Daisy]

Peter never came across to me in quite such a way. Yes, he's the leader of a group and takes his role very seriously and yes, he is bossy at times, but I really don't think the group would have stayed together for as long as it did, if he had really been as obnoxious as you suggest! By the very definition of being a leader, he had to take decisions and this sometimes meant giving orders. He must have commanded their respect, I think - which is what a leader needs of his team. leaders who give in to every whim of a member are not very often strong. Of course a good leader will listen to an argument and take it on board if he feels it makes sense.
These books were written at a time when girls in particular did look upon their brothers and male friends as somehow stronger than themselves. The Secret Seven was made up of four boys and three girls ..... I wonder had the balance been different if the dynamics of the group would have in some subtle way been altered?

[Katharine]

I don't know if I'd go as far as boxing his ears, but I do find Peter to be the most obnoxious character I've come across. I don't have a problem with the general attitude in Enid Blyton's books, that boys have to look after the girls, which in some cases means they get left out of adventure. However, I feel Peter is just plain bossy and high-handed. I haven't read all the SS books, but one incident particularly stands out to me. It's the one where Susie is given a toy aeroplane. I think he makes a comment about it being a waste to give such a nice present to a girl. He then becomes two faced and lets her join in with the SS for a while, just so he can get to play with the plane. I've a feeling he virtually takes over and hardly lets her play with her own toy!!!

Talk about double standards. That's not looking after girls, that's just using someone.

I don't like Susie's character either. She has no right to keep trying to join the SS. All those times she hangs around the SS shed and listens to the password. What right has she to go into someone else's back garden? She went into the cave in the quarry once as well, surely that was on land that belonged to Janet and Peter's father?

[Anita Bensoussane]

Susie can be spiteful, e.g. when the children are having a feast in one of the books and she asks Pam whether she has brought the same "miserable biscuits" she eats at breaktime at school. It's just the kind of horrible, catty remark that some children do make when they feel jealous or resentful of someone.

[Carlotta King]

Hmm, I'm undecided about Peter.
I've been re-reading the Secret Seven this past week and have to say I've really enjoyed them and have even re-re-read some of them in the same week!
I like the cosy atmosphere of the shed, and the fact that a lot of their adventures are set in gloomy autumn weather - there always seems to be drizzle and fog and the evenings are always dark when they have their meetings, and they're always told to put their coats on when they go out into the garden - it's nice and cosy to read about!
Anyway...

I do find Peter bossy and a bit arrogant at times I must admit. It hasn't really bothered me about the fact that the girls are sometimes excluded from more 'dangerous' things, as that was the way things were in those times - boys were taught to look after their sisters/friends/relations and they were decent boys (Jack even sticks up for Susie sometimes when the others think badly of her or want to perhaps choose a password at her expense, which shows he's a decent lad), the thing that bothers me about Peter is that he is often high-handed with the others and talks down to them if he feels they haven't done very well at things he's asked them to do.

In his defence I think perhaps I might get a bit irritated with Pam and Barbara's constant giggling but then again I like both of them and they do provide a bit of interest and variation in character - if they just did everything perfectly and were normal serious girls it would be a bit boring!

Someone I do feel needs a bit of a shake is Sally Hope in Malory Towers. Sorry to any Sally fans - I don't dislike her but her primness drives me up the wall and she gets on my nerves!

[Poppy]

Peter has never so much bothered me, either. Yes, he can be stubborn, overconfident and snappy, but he is a good leader, in my opinion. He kept the Secret Seven together, led numerous investigations and definitely held his members' respect. He knew how to handle situations, and overall, surely there was more good than bad in him? I suppose he had a lot to deal with, with Susie having a rather spiteful attitude towards him (which I do understand at times ) and the others sometimes immaturity (Pam and Barbara often had a good old giggle at a vital moment, or so I remember). He could have been nicer, with his responsibility. But overall, I think Peter takes his role very seriously, which could be the reason behind his somewhat moody attitude at times - he respects the others and vice versa, and without he, I don't think the Secret Seven could have lasted so long.

I was re-reading through a few Secret Sevens the other day, too and like you, Carlotta, I love the cosy atmosphere and wintery/ or Autumnal season. There's some great mysteries within that series and some very original characters.

Referring to the original question; I'd say probably someone like Alicia Johns (Malory Towers) - just pure malicious and manipulating. Gwen, because she can just be so frustrating and stupid.

[Deej]

These books were written at a time when girls in particular did look upon their brothers and male friends as somehow stronger than themselves. The Secret Seven was made up of four boys and three girls ..... I wonder had the balance been different if the dynamics of the group would have in some subtle way been altered?

I think Peter did sometimes look to protect the girls as he felt it was his duty, but there were times when he was just plain rude and nasty for the sake of it and abused his position of power. For instance, in Well Done Secret Seven, Peter shouted at Pam and almost made her cry because she squealed while the children were in the tree house - thus giving away their hiding spot to Jeff and his kitten. The poor girl only squealed because she was concerned about Peter. I would have liked to have seen the girls involved in the more dangerous parts of the adventure as this was the case in Famous Five!

[John Pickup]

Junior in Five On Finniston Farm. I really don't like that kid.

[yarvelling]

Yep! Absolutely... stupidly unpleasant spiteful child, and his father wasn't much better!
It's been more years than I care to remember since I read any of the Secret Seven series so i really can't remember them, or the Five Find-Outers either, but there are times I think in the 'Secret' series when maybe Prince Paul could have done with at least a clip round the ear to put him back in line!!
Of the others, well... Snubby obviously should have had a few, but then Snubby was a bit special - mischievous and cheeky, but he always meant well... sort of... and always came out well in the end!!
I suppose George too for some of her silly tantrums, but then Julian was normally around to settle that pretty easily.....

[Carlotta King]

Snubby is most definitely one of the 'likeable rogues'!

Ern in the FFO gets on my wick a bit sometimes!

[Deej]

Junior in Five On Finniston Farm. I really don't like that kid.

A spoilt, greedy brat if you don't mind me saying and his father is as bad.

Finiston Farm does depict a rather stereotypical idea of greedy, capitalist Americans vs traditional English.

Oh and I would love to box the sticks, especially their ghastly son Edgar!

[yarvelling]

Oh and I would love to box the sticks, especially their ghastly son Edgar!

Oh yes... forgot about Edgar... hateful little brat, but I suppose it wasn't his fault, and the Five did sort them all out in the end anyway!

[yarvelling]

Snubby is most definitely one of the 'likeable rogues'!

Ern in the FFO gets on my wick a bit sometimes!

Snubby certainly is... And probably someone that the majority of the readers would have wished for as a friend....I'd have loved to have known and been friends with him, though i could be a 'little' like that when i was that age.... and had several friends a little like that too...
Can't speak for Ern as I've not read any of those for 40 years!! I can't believe it's that long ago.. it still seems like yesterday sometimes!! I must branch-out though and try to catch up again on the FFO and SS books...

[Carlotta King]

I think I've got more like Snubby as I've got older, haha!
But I would have loved a friend like him when I was young!

I haven't read the FFO for a while either, I don't know why but I never got into them as much as the other series. I don't dislike any of the characters or anything but they just don't grab me as much as the Adventure or Barney books, or the FF or Secret series.
The Secret Seven might be a nice surprise for you - they're shorter books but I have thoroughly enjoyed reading them this past week or so - and some of the stories are quite dark (in plot as well as the dingy weather!!) with the 'seedy' sides of town with the dark yards and dodgy cafes, and villains in the fog!

[Deej]

Oh yes... forgot about Edgar... hateful little brat, but I suppose it wasn't his fault, and the Five did sort them all out in the end anyway!

Nope, he didn't have much of a chance with the mum and dad he had as parents!