Outrage?

[Mithalwen]

Originally Posted by Bêthberry

To make a long story short (and it is somewhat related here), relatives who had spent some time in England donated a huge set of Blyton books to my daughter. We turned avidly to them only to be made very uncomfortable with the depiction of Blacks. (Can't recall which story now, but the pictures were part of what formed our negative opinion.)

Anyhow, as we were cleaning out things we decided to donate the set to our local school. The school wouldn't take them! Because of race issues.

Did you ever face this with your kids? Have you discussed the issue with them? (That is my favoured approach to books, not banning them.)

Bethberry - many of Blyton's books were re-edited to deal with this several years ago to a degree of controversy. I have a very battered toycar which is improbably valuable because as well as featuring "Noddy and Big Ears" it also featured Golly who was made a "non-person" after a short production run. I think your appraoch is wise - books and people are products of their time and times have changed relatively recently in this regard. It is hard to believe that "The Black and White Minstrel Show" was a mainstay of family entertainment in the seventies ...

A while ago I reread the John Buchan "Hannay" stories and on occasions was shocked by comments referring to black and oriental people. But in itself it was an indication of how much progress has been made. I don't agree with the attitude but I can't condemn someone who essentially lived in a different world - if such things were written by a contemporary writer ......

Blyton is usually quite positive about gypsies though.... if I remember rightly, although I feel here to be unsound on feminist grounds ... seem to remember Anne waiting on her brothers hand and foot (personally would have drowned them in a vat of ginger beer ).

But while these issues can be discussed, I agree that the main danger is in the he "sneaking out", and that is a more real danger than the "magic" - especially when the children go to visit some strange old man , Tamsomthing, who lives in the woods. That really sets the alarm bells ringing ...