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AIBU?

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Original poster

to feel uneasy about my son reading Enid Blyton books

767 replies

frances5 · 22/06/2007 22:10

My son wants me to read him a book called the "Wishing Chair", I have read two chapters of it and it has a pixie in it called "Chinky". To make it worst the drawing of "Chinky" shows an elf like creature with slitted eyes. However I think my son is totally and utter oblivous to this.

Admitally Enid Blyton lived 50 years ago when people didn't know better. But do you think I am making a mistake letting my son enjoy this book? He is even trying to read it himself that he is so desperate to know what happens next.

When my son chose this book I had no idea that it had a pixie in it called "Chinky" other wise I would have diverted him towards something like Ronald Dahl.

OP posts:
Quattrocento · 23/06/2007 21:34

How am I endemic of a problem? Not being fighty just trying to see if there is a point in there.

kimi · 23/06/2007 21:34

I know I am going to regret this but..... Perry Rodden books????

kimi · 23/06/2007 21:32

Desiderata want to ride tandem?

Nightynight · 23/06/2007 21:30

lol desid your gorgeousness speaks for itself

ooh thankyou for the invitation q - will definitely come on the bike ride!

kimi · 23/06/2007 21:30

Confused, [bloody DP] so something that has been created by a someone who lives a bad life is ok as long as it is good to look at and does not point to their lifestyle, but a word used in a book by someone 50 odd years ago when it was not connected to being racist is bad.

When the books get reprinted all they have to do it change the name if it is going to cause upset.

Desiderata · 23/06/2007 21:30

Sorry mate, but I'd rather sit in Vera Ducksworth's handbag than your saddle any day of the week.

She talks more sense.

If you want to pin me on your donkey board as a racist, that's entirely up to you. But you're endemic of a recent problem in society, 'cos I'm not pinning my tail in quite the right spot for you.

As I said, I'm comfortable in my own skin. I think that everyone should be comfortable in their own skin.

Don't you?

kimi · 23/06/2007 21:26

Can I just point out that not only white people a racist.
Ever person of every colour cam be racist, it works all ways and is not a black and white issue [no pun intended]

Quattrocento · 23/06/2007 21:26

Well I separate the books from the writer. It's a normal approach to most forms of art. Gauguin spent his life in Tahiti enjoying sex with children. He is a repulsive character but his paintings are fab. Ditto Lewis Caroll. EB's books are pants for many reasons.

Desiderata · 23/06/2007 21:23

I'm fucking gorgeous, NN.

Quattrocento · 23/06/2007 21:23

NN, Desi and I have crossed swords before. Think she's still annoyed with me. Don't you get cross now, I want you to come on the bike ride.

She thinks that words can't be racist in themselves which I don't. She thinks that everyone is racist which I don't. She thinks that "White people are no longer allowed to get away with it." which is a sentiment that is utterly abhorrent to me and finally she thinks that Bernard Manning is a pretty good bloke. Which I don't.

We are never ever going to be reconciled on the issue of race. TBH I think we should stay off the subject of race and start packing for the bike ride. What larks.

veraducksworthshandbag · 23/06/2007 21:22

So we don't have a problem with a book written by a sicko who wanted to marry a 12 year old, and used the story to get close to her because he at no point in his book said I want to fiddle with a child, but Blyton names a pixie with a word that has since been jumped on by the thicko bunch and she is the devil incarnate. I see.

So can we still say there is a chink in the armour? A chink of light? Or are we going to be causing upset?

veraducksworthshandbag · 23/06/2007 21:18
Hmm
Nightynight · 23/06/2007 21:18

comfortable with unsuppressed aggression and personal insulting? what a nice person you must be, d

Desiderata · 23/06/2007 21:18

Yes, Quattro, I think most of us do actually 'but know it,' about Alice.

He was a mathematics teacher, and it's all about that, with a dollop of esoterics.

But don't assume for one moment that he wouldn't have used the same lingo as someone else of his generation, given the context and in RL conversations.

kimi · 23/06/2007 21:14

Google motto is do no evil, do you think they were talking about baking,or EB?

Desiderata · 23/06/2007 21:14

If I was called Sue, I would be offended that everyone wanted to Sue me.

EffiePerine · 23/06/2007 21:14

No dissing junk fiction

Quattrocento · 23/06/2007 21:13

And Alice in Wonderland is a serious book for children. All sorts of weighty issues in there, did you but know it. And yes, LC was a dirty old man but so what? The books are not insidiously paedophiliac. A sort of mirror image to EB in fact.

She wrote pap which is insidiously racist but led an entirely virtuous life by all accounts. Since succeeding generations are left with the books rather than their writers, history is being kinder to Alice than it is to any EB junk.

JoshandJamie · 23/06/2007 21:12

Quattro - the google point was merely made in jest. Apologies, I hadn't realised we were being VERY serious. Will endeavour to keep my arguments far more fact based here on in.

PS - I still want to eat a google bun. Sue me

kimi · 23/06/2007 21:11

If you ladies don't stop fighting I shall have to tell nanny, and there will be no ginger beer for any of you so there.

sweetjane · 23/06/2007 21:11

Not read whole thread but don't deny your son any of her books if he is enjoying them - I loved her books as a child, and still dip into them when I'm feeling lazy. I think I always knew she was an old bigot really, kids are smarter than you think.

Quattrocento · 23/06/2007 21:09

Yes but i like Mumsnet because it offers something that junk fiction does not offer - which is an encounter with other realities.

Desiderata · 23/06/2007 21:07

And Nightynight. I'm sorry, but when it comes to you, my aggression is not remotely suppressed. In fact, I'm almost certain I called you a twunt only last night

I'm comfortable in my own skin, thanks.

kimi · 23/06/2007 21:06

Lewis Carroll was a dirty old man by all accounts

Desiderata · 23/06/2007 21:06

Mumsnet is junk fiction.