I agree with this. Likewise I don't see Larry, Pip and Daisy as characterless or irrelevant to the story.Moonraker wrote: ↑09 Mar 2024, 14:40Au contraire. I think it is great to focus on characters that aren't in the forefront of every story. Let's face it, in a group of seven children (or adults, for that matter) there are bound to be a couple or so that stray in the background, somewhat. I look forward to more topics of this type - it makes a change from all the hero-worshipping of the lead characters. This has been an interesting topic, Pete, thanks for promoting/discussing the more minor regulars. I have always loved the Secret Seven, and as a 7-year-old, never considered that characters such as Pam, Barbara, Colin and George were 'characterless'. It certainly entertains me more than games such as 'change a letter'!Do we need so much information about the two non entities of the Secret Seven?
It's more that we notice the big parts of personalities more. As said, Jack's biggest bit is being Suzie's brother, and in a lot of ways the reason Janet stands out from the other girls is because she's Peter's sister, so we see the "at home" parts. So actually really they're a nice bunch of quiet children with the leader, Peter, and obviously Scamper, which in some ways is nice for children to be able to identify with them.
Thinking about it, does anyone ever criticise Jill and Mary in the Adventurous Four for not having a personality? I don't think so. But in some ways they're quite similar to Barbara and Pam: They do things together, and I think at one point it's said that one is more adventurous, but I don't think it's particularly obvious from the story. You wouldn't look at a speech or action and know which one did it. You accept it because they're twins, but in a lot of ways the adventures could take place without them, and they take the roles of "girls to protect" without adding a huge amount to it. But because there's only four of them, they naturally take on more importance.
It's only natural that with a group of children, some will take more importance than others. But the secondary characters would be missed if they weren't there. Would The Famous Five work without Dick, for example? What about the Secret Series without Nora? The stories would work, but they would be less rich as a story because of that. We need the background people so the leaders and the trailblazers can stand out and show that they are the leaders.