Pip, Larry and Daisy

[StephenC]

Ern as the best supporting character, EB ever wrote? A fair comment. Ragamuffin Jo from the Famous Five, must rate a close second, though. Jo was the star of Wonderful Time, and saved Plenty Of Fun, from being a very mediocre book. I wished we had seen more of her in the series, instead of the annoying Tinker. A truly amazing character. Her hero worship of Dick, and uneasy relationship with George, made her a great supporting character, in my view.

[Anita Bensoussane]

It is possible, in theory, to have a large cast of entirely distinguishable characters - Antonia Forest did it with her Marlows series.

Antonia Forest doesn't bring all the Marlow siblings into every book, of course, so that gives us a chance to get to know individuals better. Malcolm Saville does a similar thing in his Lone Pine series, concentrating on different groups of Lone Piners in different adventures.

The advantage AF had though is the Marlows are different ages and stages... EB had the issue with the SS that they're all pretty much the same age. I assume Janet is the year younger than Peter, but the girls are all her form at school, and the boys are Peter's form. If she'd made them different ages then I think there naturally would have been more distinction between them.

Yes, as the Secret Seven are all similar in age (I tend to think of them as being in the top two years of junior school) it is harder to make clear distinctions between them, especially as the books are on the short side and focus mainly on investigation.

I have heard the idea put forward that Enid included some of these nondescript "everyman" (or rather, everyboy/girl) characters in many of her stories so that all her young readers could imagine themselves as part of the story. I'm not too sure about that theory, though. I think it does work for the Wishing-Chair and Faraway Tree stories, where Peter and Molly, or Jo, Bessie and Fanny (sorry, I don't do the updated versions ), are all pretty much generic boys and girls and don't show a huge amount of individual character. But they themselves aren't the point of the stories they're in; they're just participants in magical adventures where the really memorable parts are the strange lands they visit and the exciting, quirky, non-human characters they meet, like Silky and Moon-Face and the Saucepan Man.

However, in Enid's more "realistic" stories — well, not as in gritty realism, but the ones set in the "real life" world and with no magic involved — I've always found that the characters I relate to, and that I would most like to be, are the ones who DO have strong individual personalities, not the ones that are just there to pad the story out.

Good point. I doubt that many readers over the decades have aspired to be Pam, Barbara or Colin! I was drawn to characters like Jack and Lucy-Ann Trent, Fatty and Bets, Elizabeth Allen, Lotta and Jimmy, and Snubby and Barney. I related to some characters because they were like me (e.g. they enjoyed exploring, loved the sea and caves and castles, took an interest in nature, etc.) Others made an impression on me because they had a cheek, daring and charisma that I admired even if I didn't have it myself.

[Deejay]

In terms of supporting characters, Ern, Jo and Susie are all very good. Jo maybe just edges it for me!

[S-Dog2001]

Someone else from the Find-Outers who I think deserved more appearences is Luke. We know that he stayed on to work in Lady Candling's garden after Mr Tupping left, but why do we not hear of him again - Miss Trimble appears briefly in the Spitefull Letters, but no more mention of Luke again in the entire series.
I like to think that maybe he was put in charge of more of the garden as years went by and possibly even became an assistant to Miss Harmer working with the cats a bit more.

[dsr]

Antonia Forest doesn't bring all the Marlow siblings into every book, of course, so that gives us a chance to get to know individuals better. Malcolm Saville does a similar thing in his Lone Pine series, concentrating on different groups of Lone Piners in different adventures.

Yes, I agree. Nicola missed one book entirely, as did all the others apart from (I think) Lawrie. Arthur Ransome did similar with Swallows and Amazons, even relegating Nancy to bed with mumps so Peggy could take a lead role in Winter Holiday. That's the idea I was nicking when I suggested Peter could have been ill in bed for one book.

[Anita Bensoussane]

Ah yes - I'd forgotten that Arthur Ransome does a similar thing.

Thinking about supporting characters who only appear in one Enid Blyton book, three of the most memorable in my opinion are Mafumu (The Secret Mountain), Nobby (Five Go Off in a Caravan) and Lucian (The Ship of Adventure).

Mafumu is intelligent, brave, resourceful and immense fun, and is expected to be leader of his tribe one day. The expedition to the mountain would be far more gloomy and arduous without his cheerful, capable presence.

Nobby is friendly, generous and responsible and warms to the Five at once, as they do to him. They thoroughly enjoy his company as he makes them welcome, introduces them to the circus and visits their caravans. Happy and hard-working, he loves nothing more than being with animals - especially Pongo the chimp, who is one of my favourite animals from a Blyton book.

Lucian is teased for being gullible and lacking in confidence but we see as events unfold that he has it in him to be courageous and loyal - it's just that years of being intimidated by his uncle have taken their toll on him. He is a good-hearted boy, eager to make friends and keen on history, stories of treasure, etc. Living with Mr. Eppy has turned Lucian into a nervous wreck but he has the potential to grow in confidence and capability if only people would give him encouragement and support rather than mock him.

[Boodi 2]

Has anybody mentioned Eunice Tolling in the list of "once off" supporting characters? While she can be a bit irritating at times she made a strong impression on me and I would have liked to have seen her in another FFO mystery!

[pete9012S]

Good point Boodi!

Rob wrote:

Eunice is one of my favourite EB characters - pity she only featured in one book. She's amongst those delicious 'irritating' characters you love to hate, which Enid was so fond of creating, and created so well. Susie was another one, even Ern was one, Curious Connie was another, as well as Henry in 'Mystery Moor' to a certain extent, and Prudence in Red Roofs, Gussy in 'Circus of Adventure'. There were loads in all Enid's school books too - people who are so nasty or spiteful or self righteous that the reader can't help but enjoy each page they appear on!

We even have a Eunice Tolling thread.
Surely there couldn't be anyone in real life with a personality like Eunice Tolling?

Eunice Tolling:
https://www.enidblytonsociety.co.uk/for ... lit=Eunice" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Deejay]

On the subject of supporting characters, I’m trying to think of those who appear more than once in Famous Five.

I believe that Tinker does and Jo. Is there anyone else? I can’t think of anyone.

[StephenC]

Jo appeared in three FF books, and was like Ern, a great supporting character. The FF series, had some excellent supporting characters who only appeared once, Berta and Henry would be the two best examples, along with Sooty and Toby. Tinker was in two FF books, and was, in my view, one of EB's poorest supporting characters.

[S-Dog2001]

I would have liked to have seen her in another FFO mystery!

It would have been nice, but I guess she appeared too late in the series to be brought back again.

[Lucky Star]

She would certainly have livened up Banshee Towers.

Jo is another great supporting character. I'd put her as a very close second to Ern Goon. I just think Ern is more personable somehow. It's all a matter of opinion I suppose. Those are some great one-off suggestions from Anita. In addition I would say that Oola from The River of Adventure is another great creation in the mold of Mafumu. There must be honourable mentions for Tassie and Aily too.

[Anita Bensoussane]

Yes, Tassie and Aily are both independent and half-wild, being at one with their mountain environments, yet they form an affectionate bond with the Adventure children and the Famous Five respectively and it's lovely to see the main protagonists gaining the trust of the two sprite-like girls.

I like Tinker and his monkey but he never really seems to be part of the gang as he's significantly younger than even Anne. Toby never made much of an impression on me to be honest. Of the supporting characters we only meet once in the Famous Five series, I'd most like to have seen Nobby or Sooty again.

[Irene Malory Towers]

One of the bravest supporting characters is Sniffy in Mystery Moor. He not only effectively saves George and Anne and Timmy but he defies his cruel dad in order to do so. He is not the best supporting character and it would be difficult to develop him any further but I would like to think that he got to live in a nice house and family and got his well deserved bicycle. My heart went out to him.

[Deejay]

Yes I didn’t think Tinker was a great character. I would have much preferred Nobby or Jock to come back again.

Of course there are supporting characters which the five didn’t like. I’m thinking of the American guy and his son. Mr Henning and Junior in Finniston Farm.