Famous children's author Enid Mary Blyton, who has written more than 700 books and 4,500 stories, is in the news after a UK-based charity pointed out that there was “racism” and “xenophobia” in her works.
On June 17, English Heritage wrote on its website, "Blyton's work has been criticised during her lifetime and after for its racism, xenophobia and lack of literary merit”. To back its claims, the website also cites a 1966 report by The Guardian newspaper that mentioned Blyton's book The Little Black Doll (1966), in which a character named ‘Sambo’ in the story is accepted by his owner only when its "ugly black face" is washed "clean" by the rain.
The website aims to make revisions in Blyton’s stories "to provide a fuller picture of each person's life, including aspects that people may find troubling".
Calling the work of one of the most cherished children’s authors problematic, the news sparked a debate on social media on the role of art versus the artist.
While some loyal fans said that it was inappropriate to criticise stories written in a different time period, others want the stories to be revised as it could hurt the feelings of various communities.
It is not the first time the author of stories like Noddy, The Five Find-Outers, and Famous Five has faced criticism. In 2019, the Royal Mint of the UK terminated the decision to commemorate Blyton on a 50-pence coin, citing the author’s "racist, sexist and homophobic views" as the reason.
Another English author, JK Rowling, best known for her Harry Potter books, was criticised for her transphobic comments in 2020. While fans of her books supported her and her right to express herself, many transgender activists and allies found the comments hurtful.
The incident gave rise to a huge 'art vs artist' debate on social media between users across the world.
In the latest Blyton controversy, many fans are taking to social media to share why they still value her books.