Now Enid Blyton is a racist

[dhutch]

http://www.theguardian.com/books/2010/jul/23/enid-blyton-famous-five-makeover
http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-e...-five-to-get-21stcentury-updates-2036614.html

Personally, while I would rather read the origanal, I wouldnt find it overly approprate to have some terms read by young children, and would equally agree that there might be some terms that children would not understand. Although at the same time, changing 'mother and father' to 'mum and dad' appears to me to be going too far.




Daniel

 

[DiscoDancer]

Although at the same time, changing 'mother and father' to 'mum and dad' appears to me to be going too far.

Whilst not wanting to disagree with you, Daniel, what about if the words had been changed from "Mater and Pater" to "mum and dad"?
Wouldn't that be considered as updating the books?

Surely the norms and language have changed and it indicates Enid Blyton's publishers willingness to keep her books 'in popular demand' and available to children, which was and is, their original intended audience.
The possible alternative would be to allow them to fall into the category of 'for cultural and sociological research' only.

Or perhaps we should discuss whether all and any books should be updated in order to maintain the interest of the readers, or alternatively, insist on the original text be retained, as written by the author, thus only allowing the readers to see that original language.

Perhaps that discussion has already taken place, not only in this country, and the conclusions drawn that a) books should be updated to retain the popular demand and b) the originals should also be available for the purists and researchers.

Incidentally, and in no way related to Daniel's comment, any comparison to any previous 'book destruction episodes' in history is fallacious because Enid Blyton's books have not been destroyed, merely updated and the originals are still available.

 

[dhutch]

Whilst not wanting to disagree with you, Daniel, what about if the words had been changed from "Mater and Pater" to "mum and dad"?
Wouldn't that be considered as updating the books?

All of it is about updating them. Be that updating the language, or removing no longer tolerated racisum.

But at present 'Mother and Father' are current language.


Daniel

 

[dhutch]

double post

 

[Whitespirit66]

There's no need to change any books to pander to ethnics or Guardian reading, tofu-munchers.

Everyone's tying themselves up in knots trying not to offend. If these books from an earlier time called a spade a spade - so be it.

 

[JohnD]

If the books were written in a way that, at the time, used language which did not offend the readers' parents, and did not encourage the readers to use offensive language, why do you think that todays children should be given books which do not meet the same standards of acceptability?

 

[Whitespirit66]

If the books were written in a way that, at the time, used language which did not offend the readers' parents, and did not encourage the readers to use offensive language,

But is it the readers' parents that are offended?

It's only the equalities industry and the militant, card-carrying trots in town halls and the media telling everyone that they should feel offended - usually on someone else's behalf.

The same fruit-loops who would have us using terms like 'personhole cover' or 'waitron'.

 

[JBR]

If the books were written in a way that, at the time, used language which did not offend the readers' parents, and did not encourage the readers to use offensive language, why do you think that todays children should be given books which do not meet the same standards of acceptability?

Because certain people are more easily offended these days.

I suspect 'mother and father' (or 'mater and pater') were considered as sounding too middle class today...

...by the middle class PC brigade!

 

[Whitespirit66]

Precisely.

There's something very patronising about these people who set themselves up to tell others when to be offended. Let school children read the books as they were written. If they are offended or not, only they should decide. I think most of them will survive the ordeal.

 

[JohnD]

Because certain people are more easily offended these days.

No, they are offended by different things.

I doubt you will find a blyton story which mentions the two popular teachers who live together in a long-term lesbian relationship, or warns children not to go alone to the Presbytry or priest's house because he is known to be a paedophile who was sent here from a distant parish so he could start again with a fresh batch of victims. You will not find reference to the extermination of jews, quakers, comminists and trades unionists by intolerant fascists.

But you will find reference to ****ers or to criminals normally being people of non-anglo-saxon descent.

 

[OwainDIYer]

I doubt you will find a blyton story which mentions the two popular teachers who live together in a long-term lesbian relationship,

My bet would be on Miss Belle and Miss Best at Whyteleafe School

 

[JBR]

Because certain people are more easily offended these days.

No, they are offended by different things.

I doubt you will find a blyton story which mentions the two popular teachers who live together in a long-term lesbian relationship, or warns children not to go alone to the Presbytry or priest's house because he is known to be a paedophile who was sent here from a distant parish so he could start again with a fresh batch of victims. You will not find reference to the extermination of jews, quakers, comminists and trades unionists by intolerant fascists.

But you will find reference to ****ers or to criminals normally being people of non-anglo-saxon descent.

But surely they didn't have lesbians and paedophiles in those days, did they?

 

[Micilin]

I think the issue is less about offence than conditioning children.

Which is why the offensive terms are replaced.

And from a business point of view, the estate/publishers know that changing outmoded, but inoffensive, terms will help with sales as the books will seem more relevant in a crowded market.

 

[DiscoDancer]

/....
Let school children read the books as they were written. If they are offended or not, only they should decide. I think most of them will survive the ordeal.

So you'd be quite happy for your junior school-age children to decide what terms to use in addressing or describing others, on the basis that they read it in their literature?

If they then used terms that you would find unacceptable (or others found those terms unacceptable and there was a real pssibility of them being punished for it, either now or later in their life) you'd be happy to allow them to continue in the knowledge that they would survive?

Isn't that relinquishing your teaching responsibilities towards your children?

 

[dhutch]

I think the issue is less about offence than conditioning children.

Which is why the offensive terms are replaced.

Exactly, at a young age, children can not diffrentiate between 'this book was written 50 years ago, using terms that where dated at the time, and are not approrate for use in current day to day socity' and 'famous five calls a black coloured doll as gollowogg so its ok to use the term to talk about the kid who sits next to meion the bus'

Then as another topic, is terms that todays children may not understand. Where to an extent I think 'could they not just ask someone' btu equally as a kid you dont want to have to have an adult explan two lines every chapter becasue it doesnt make sense. And I dont know, because I know what the terms mean, how easy they would or would not extrapolate the meaning from the context.


Daniel

Daniel