In the UK, even though the Representation of the People Act 1918 enfranchised all men over 21 and all women over 30 who met requisite property qualifications, it would be the 1928 Representation of the People (Equal Franchise) Act that would grant all men and women over the age of 21 to vote on equal terms. Later woke interpretations have cast George, the star of the Famous Five series, as gender-fluid, but Blyton, by all indications, wasn’t thinking along those lines.īlyton wrote the bulk of her work between 19, a tumultuous time in world history. Blyton’s problematic gender politics, most apparent, perhaps, in her iconic Famous Five series, neatly divides domains into feminine and masculine, in which scientist fathers remain closeted in studies, cheerful aunts and mothers produce “smashing” picnic hampers and teas girls do the washing up after meals and are almost invariably feminine and in need of chaperoning those who are tomboyish are aberrations - difficult, headstrong, and never as wise or mature as a “real” boy. The shortcomings of Blyton’s prodigious output has been a matter of debate over decades. In 1960, the publisher Macmillan refused to publish her storyThe Mystery That Never Was for what it called its ‘faint but unattractive touch of old-fashioned xenophobia’…” It also goes on to mention Blyton’s rejection by the British Royal Mint for commemoration on a 50 p coin in 2016 because “the advisory committee minutes record, she was ‘a racist, sexist, homophobe and not a very well-regarded writer’.”Īlso in Explained | Why it’s important to note Enid Blyton’s failings, not erase her work A 1966 Guardian article noted the racism ofThe Little Black Doll (1966), in which the doll of the title, Sambo, is only accepted by his owner once his ‘ugly black face’ is washed ‘clean’ by rain. Last year, as part of its attempt to re-evaluate controversial aspects of British culture, the UK-based charity English Heritage, which installs iconic blue plaques at sites that were once the working or living quarters of Britain’s culturati, updated the information associated with Blyton’s plaque: “Blyton’s work has been criticised during her lifetime and after for its racism, xenophobia and lack of literary merit. 3 Myanmar teak trade: Highly prized, highly dodgy.2 Supreme Court verdict on ECI appointments.1 As China kicks off its annual parliament session, here’s what to watch out for.A gypsy boy named Sniffer assists their escape, and George promises to reward him with a red bicycle and living in a house with a family. George and Anne are taken prisoners and held in a cave, but are rescued by Henry and a boy from the riding school, William. The Famous Five follow the gypsies to the moor and discover they are involved in receiving smuggled American banknotes, which are later revealed to be forgeries from France. An elderly blacksmith tells the children how gypsies, in the past, sabotaged a railway run by a family of sand miners, causing most of the family to mysteriously disappear when the moor was covered by a thick mist. The children encounter a group of gypsies determined to visit a desolate place called Mystery Moor. Anne's brothers Julian and Dick come to join the girls and initially mistake Henry for a boy, much to George's chagrin. George and her cousin Anne are spending their holiday at Captain Johnson's Riding School, where George has a rivalry with another tomboy named Henrietta, who prefers to be called "Henry". It is the thirteenth novel in the Famous Five series of books. Children and Young Adult Literature portalįive Go to Mystery Moor (published in 1954) is a popular children's book written by Enid Blyton.
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