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Re-working fiction
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ellefie
 06 Sep 2008, 19:56 #43572 Reply To Post
I refer to this article here.

Now, whatever you may think of Enid Blyton as a writer, I think it's dreadful they plan on re-working her, even if she is seen to be xenophobic, sexist and racist by today's standards. She is reflective of her time after all.

Can you imagine re-working the works of Charles Dickens, Oliver Twist let's say, because we no longer have workhouses and the Poor Law? Deeming his works to be unsuitable to the modern standard, and changing them to suit modernity?

Is it just me who disagrees with this modern treatment of Blyton?

As someone who wants to be a writer, I would hate it if my work was altered after my death because I wrote in the context of the world I lived in. Isn't that part of what writing is about anyway - sharing experiences that may differ from the reader's comfort zone? Should censorship like this be allowed?

Let me know what you think!
richie_d
 06 Sep 2008, 20:49 #43578 Reply To Post
I think she was xenophobic, sexist and rascist even by the standards of her day!
Cordero
 06 Sep 2008, 22:25 #43580 Reply To Post
What happened to good old Billy Bunter? I loved those stories as a kid. I didn't care that he was a fat, dishonest, greedy lump, I just wanted to be at Greyfriars with the remove. Good memories, but try and find a Bunter book today? - no chance. It makes me boil!
MLT
 06 Sep 2008, 22:31 #43581 Reply To Post
Blyton isn't the only one to be rewritten. Thomas the Tank Engine no longer has a FAT Controller and I believe the Chalet School books are also being 'brought up to date'

So far it only seems to be children's books that are deemed to be in need of 'modernisation'.

I suspect it has as much to do with greed as with political correctness. As long as they are out of copyright you can rewrite them, give them a new lease of life and make money from them.

However, it can't have escaped some people's notice that Chaucer, Shakespeare, Dickens and some more modern 'greats' are unsuitable for readers of a sensitive disposition. Fortunately they are never likely to grace the shelves in Tesco, so may survive without even attracting a health warning.
Katkin
 07 Sep 2008, 10:25 #43594 Reply To Post
Quote: MLT, Saturday, 6 Sep 2008 22:31
Blyton isn't the only one to be rewritten. Thomas the Tank Engine no longer has a FAT Controller and I believe the Chalet School books are also being 'brought up to date'.



But the Chalet School books had glamorous European locations, strong female characters from multicultural backgrounds, anti-Nazi plotlines... Better still, they were a Damn Good Read.

What's un-PC about the Chalet School books?
ellefie
 07 Sep 2008, 12:55 #43603 Reply To Post
Quote:
I suspect it has as much to do with greed as with political correctness. As long as they are out of copyright you can rewrite them, give them a new lease of life and make money from them.


Yes, I believe money is playing a BIG part as well. The reasoning the Estate gave behind this modernisation was:

By creating new stories that capture Blyton's values of imagination, wonder, thrills and happy endings, we hope to complement her original and ongoing titles and bring joy to millions more children in the years to come.



READ: We hope to make millions more in the years to come ...
NickP
 07 Sep 2008, 12:56 #43604 Reply To Post
Noddy Goes To School (1952):

The little golliwog stayed and watched Noddy get out his hose and begin to wash his car.

"When are you going to clean its teeth and brush its hair?" asked the cheeky golliwog.

"I'll wash your face and clean your teeth first!" said Noddy fiercely, and turned the hose on to the small golliwog. The water splashed into his face and made him yell.

Mrs Tubby Bear came over from next door and laughed. "That just serves the cheeky fellow right," she said. "He's a scamp. He keeps coming and knocking at my door and then running away. It's clever of you to wash his face for him so suddenly!"

Noddy felt pleased. He watched the little golliwog running down the street, water dripping from his naughty black face.





This post was last edited by NickP, 07 Sep 2008, 12:57
"...the likes of NickP can rant on if they like"
Clairann
 07 Sep 2008, 13:09 #43605 Reply To Post
I agree wholeheartedly about the Chalet School books - great female role models, brilliant plots and intrigues plus educational, with the whole anti-Nazi European backdrop. It's a shame they are not 'trendy' anymore.

When I worked in a children's library 'The Diary Of Anne Frank' was consistently the most requested, most popular children's book year after year. It even beat Harry Potter! Which shows that there is still a market for more gritty, realistic and historical books among young readers.

www.clairhumphries.com
slavandria
 07 Sep 2008, 15:57 #43618 Reply To Post
Quote: ellefie, Saturday, 6 Sep 2008 19:56
I refer to this article here.

Now, whatever you may think of Enid Blyton as a writer, I think it's dreadful they plan on re-working her, even if she is seen to be xenophobic, sexist and racist by today's standards. She is reflective of her time after all.

Can you imagine re-working the works of Charles Dickens, Oliver Twist let's say, because we no longer have workhouses and the Poor Law? Deeming his works to be unsuitable to the modern standard, and changing them to suit modernity?

Is it just me who disagrees with this modern treatment of Blyton?

As someone who wants to be a writer, I would hate it if my work was altered after my death because I wrote in the context of the world I lived in. Isn't that part of what writing is about anyway - sharing experiences that may differ from the reader's comfort zone? Should censorship like this be allowed?

Let me know what you think!


I think it is horrible what this world is coming to. You have to "lie" to express yourself. How dare we offend anyone. History is history. We can't change it but we can learn from it. If you're writing a book about slaves or child labor in the 1700, 1800's, then you have to understand the way life was back then and you have to give your characters those attributes and traits that make us either dispise or love them.

Everything we do or say anymore has to be politically correct and it really irritates the crap out of me. why are we living in fear of expressing our opinions? Supression, I say. Could you imagine Orwell's 1984 trying to get published now? It wouldn't happen. The world is not kind and every day it is getting worse because we are not allowed to speak up for fear we may step on someone's toes. Our freedom to speak what we feel is slowly slipping away. Is it any wonder that the written word is under attack as well? It's sickening...

Sorry. I'll get off my soap box.
Jen

"There are books of which the backs and covers are by far the best parts." Charles Dickens
jacobea
 13 Sep 2008, 21:08 #43920 Reply To Post
Books should be left as they were written, ie, reflective of there times. It's stupid to PC them for modern audiences-what'll there be next-condoms in Fanny Hill ?
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