Just reread your post and had to respond to this bit too:
- I wonder whether part of the reason why AF is not more popular is precisely this refusal to write about flawed, ordinary, dishonest, untalented protagonists? Obviously there are moments of narrative given to Marie Dobson, Peter Marlow, Lois Sanger, even Humfrey Danvers, but they aren't her primary focus. One can feel abashed at times by the Nicks. Also, her intense focus on honour is out of step with a contemporary tendency to let people endlessly off the hook...? I don't know any children of the age-range AF wrote for who are now reading her novels, but I'd be very interested to hear what they made of her characters' internalised codes of good behaviour. -
Have to say I immedately thought of Harry Potter here, and he ain't "flawed, ordinary, dishonest, untalented" that I can see! In fact the HP characters always seem to me Enid Blytonesque in their character types and general moral blandness! And JKR has a very black and white moral framework. I don't think the current crop of boy spies - Alex Rider et al- are any less brave, loyal, intelligent, resourceful blah blah than HP himself. I really don't think its Nicks heroic qualities that put modern kids off - hard to tell of course when they're can't get hold of them anyway.
no subject
- I wonder whether part of the reason why AF is not more popular is precisely this refusal to write about flawed, ordinary, dishonest, untalented protagonists? Obviously there are moments of narrative given to Marie Dobson, Peter Marlow, Lois Sanger, even Humfrey Danvers, but they aren't her primary focus. One can feel abashed at times by the Nicks. Also, her intense focus on honour is out of step with a contemporary tendency to let people endlessly off the hook...? I don't know any children of the age-range AF wrote for who are now reading her novels, but I'd be very interested to hear what they made of her characters' internalised codes of good behaviour. -
Have to say I immedately thought of Harry Potter here, and he ain't "flawed, ordinary, dishonest, untalented" that I can see! In fact the HP characters always seem to me Enid Blytonesque in their character types and general moral blandness! And JKR has a very black and white moral framework. I don't think the current crop of boy spies - Alex Rider et al- are any less brave, loyal, intelligent, resourceful blah blah than HP himself. I really don't think its Nicks heroic qualities that put modern kids off - hard to tell of course when they're can't get hold of them anyway.