The Enid Blyton Society

John Pickup wrote:I'm not a fan of Tinker either but I'd sooner have him than Junior.

Quite the opposite for me. I think Junior brought an element of competition and even a touch of humour into his book. He became almost a hate figure which made the reader long for his comeuppance thereby adding a bit of extra spice to the story. Tinker on the other hand is just a nuisance, that car thing he does drives me mad!

I just read possibly one of the most annoying scenes in any of the Fives books so far - when they first row to the lighthouse, George goes to take one set of oars and Dick snatches them from her before she can get to them and tells her he will row with Julian, as he's 'just a bit stronger' than George. Just after that George again asks to help and Dick says 'nothing doing - you look after those bags, old thing!' - and this is from Dick, who everyone seems to like! I know if I was a girl or a woman I'd be pretty mad reading that - considering that all the way through the series George has been described as an expert rower. That's a real case of Enid forgetting her characterisation!

It is interesting reading people's thoughts on Tinker. He has always struck me as quite an annoying ally for the Five to have, but if it wasn't for the car-thing he did, I think he would have been reasonably likeable. I think the fact that he mimicked the sound of cars was totally unnecessary - it offered nothing to the book, and it always seemed quite a strange hobby to have, to me. It's the only thing that sometimes puts me off reading this particular book. Otherwise, I think it was an excellent idea to have the whole story revolving around a lighthouse.

I agree - without the car imitations, Tinker would be okay - and the book is a great read, revolving around an unusual location. I'm sure this book does show a few signs of Enid's deteriorating mind, however - as the motor car imitations are annoying - and surely not something many 9 year old boys would do - plus she ends nearly every chapter by speaking directly to the reader - something she only did in her latter years - and also the fact she calls Aunt Fanny 'Mrs Kirrin' repeatedly. She concentrates on small details much more, and repeats things more, and seems intent on explaining everything to the nth degree. It's quite interesting to see how much her writing style changes in the 1960's. After all, this was 1961 and by 1963 she had written her last full-length book.

It's fun to read of all the mayhem in the opening chapters of Five Go to Demon's Rocks. I rather like madcap, mischievous little Tinker with his monkey and lighthouse and I don't really mind his obsession with cars - children do go through phases like that. He's dreadfully cheeky but not bad at heart. Having said that, you'd think he'd have been told to tone things down when staying in someone else's house! Mind you, it seems that his father doesn't have much consideration for others either, as he decides at the last minute to come to Kirrin Cottage a week early and bring along his nine-year-old son and a monkey, when Quentin and Fanny had thought he was coming alone! Has Tinker got a mother? If not, then he's not doing too badly considering he's being brought up by the absent-minded Professor Hayling!

Robert Houghton wrote:I just read possibly one of the most annoying scenes in any of the Fives books so far - when they first row to the lighthouse, George goes to take one set of oars and Dick snatches them from her before she can get to them and tells her he will row with Julian, as he's 'just a bit stronger' than George. Just after that George again asks to help and Dick says 'nothing doing - you look after those bags, old thing!' - and this is from Dick, who everyone seems to like! I know if I was a girl or a woman I'd be pretty mad reading that - considering that all the way through the series George has been described as an expert rower.

I hadn't noticed that before, but it is indeed annoying!

I must give this a re-read when I've finished Plenty of Fun. Sadly the last three books were not up the FF usual read, but then we all know why, and well done Enid for trying to carry on with her writing and giving her readings what they'd asked for.

I do remember Tinker, and did find him annoying!!

I quite like Tinker. Mind you I was the sort of boy who would go around pretending to be a car or an aeroplane, so I could be slightly biased. I also really like "Demon's Rocks". Despite Enid's declining powers, I think it's one of the better later books. The lighthouse setting, and the history and characters of the seaside town, make it very memorable.

walter raleigh wrote:I quite like Tinker. Mind you I was the sort of boy who would go around pretending to be a car or an aeroplane, so I could be slightly biased.

Hopefully you've grown out of it by now?

I had a friend next door who loved playing with toy cars, and always HAD to make car noises when we played with them. Even as a child I found that odd - and I felt silly when he insisted I join in!

Robert Houghton wrote:

walter raleigh wrote:I quite like Tinker. Mind you I was the sort of boy who would go around pretending to be a car or an aeroplane, so I could be slightly biased.

Hopefully you've grown out of it by now?

Almost!

I like Demon's Rocks too. The unusual setting, the stormy atmosphere, the historical story and the treasure hunt are all classic Blyton elements. And she still does them well in this book I think; perhaps for the final time. But it's a book I have always enjoyed - except for Tinker. I realise that he's a plot device to get the kids out of Kirrin and into a lighthouse but he and Mischief otherwise add little or nothing to the story.

I was interested to read that the old bell used in the lighthouse near the end of the book was described as being old - and had on it that it was 'cast in 1896' - quite old I guess, and amusing that Enid chose the year before her birth! I wonder if the age of this bell has altered in more recent editions? 1896 was only 65 years before the story was written, but now of course it would be nearly 120 - making Jerimiah at least 130 years old, as he could remember the lighthouse being built!

it always seemed quite a strange hobby to have, to me.

I don't know about it being a hobby, but loads of kids (at that time) ran around pretending to be various vehicles. I always favoured being a bus, and could make different sounds depending on the type of bus I was being. The Bristol Lodekka was my favourite.

Dick's attitude towards George was ridiculous. She always rowed to Kirrin and was a good oarsman.

Moonraker wrote: I don't know about it being a hobby, but loads of kids (at that time) ran around pretending to be various vehicles. I always favoured being a bus, and could make different sounds depending on the type of bus I was being. The Bristol Lodekka was my favourite.

You weren't a train then, Nigel?

I wasn't long enough.

You never thought of persuading a "train" of nice young ladies to follow along behind you??

(oops, sorry, I know, we're getting off topic again )