The Magic Faraway Tree by Enid
Blyton
The Magic Faraway Tree is
the second book in the Faraway Tree series, detailing the adventures of Jo,
Bessie and Fanny as they explore the magical Enchanted Wood. It is not
necessary for readers to have read the first book before reading this one; we,
the readers, along with Dick, the children’s cousin who has come to visit, are
given a clear and no less fantastic description of the magic of the Enchanted
Wood.
The
best thing about this story is undoubtedly the whimsical fantasy elements, the
Faraway Tree being the main source of this. It is described as a tree so tall
that its topmost branches reach past the clouds, and so big that it can contain
small houses carved into its trunk. The most magical thing about the Faraway Tree,
however, is at its peak; “lands” exist at the top of the Faraway Tree, and
these “lands” are not stationary, often shifting so the children get to visit
all sorts of different lands. All these places are wonderful and fun to
imagine, and they include the Land of Topsy-Turvy, with houses standing on its
chimneys, trees with heads buried in the ground and roots in the air and even
people, standing and walking upside-down; the Land of Spells, which sells all
sorts of mystical spells, such as spells to make a crooked nose straight, grow
blue daffodils, and even make cats sing. In the Magic Faraway Tree series, dozens of other such amazing, whimsical
lands can be found. These lands are undeniably the highlight of the book, and
readers are curious and excited to see the next fun land the children will
visit.
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| A magical rendition of The Magic Faraway Tree |
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| See why he's called the Saucepan-Man? |
The
characters living within the Faraway Tree are also impossibly fun to read
about. These include the Saucepan-Man, covered with saucepans and kettles and
almost completely deaf due to the constant clanging of his “clothes” (he
initially mishears Dick’s name as ‘chick’); Dame Washalot, who lives near the
top of the tree and is always throwing dirty water down the tree (sometimes
even splashing the children), and likes to wash things so much that she would
even wash the laundry of her neighbours, and even the leaves of the tree;
Mister Watzisname, a man who does not know his own name, and is constantly
snoring and sleeping (one of the recurring jokes in the story is that some
playful children will put things into his wide-open mouth as he sleeps,
awakening him and sending him into a roaring bad mood), and other such
fantastic, amusing characters. These are characters that will never exist in
real life, and yet they are so fantastical and wonderful that it gives readers
a thrill just to read about them.
As
a children’s book, The Magic Faraway Tree
is quite similar to the old fairytales such as Cinderella and Snow White. Our
protagonists suffer setbacks and challenges that prevent them from leaving the
tree and getting home at times, just as the protagonists of fairytales have to
undergo many obstacles, but in both cases we are always rewarded with a happy
ending. However, the difference is that whereas the protagonists in fairytales
always have to be saved by their Prince Charming, the characters in The Magic Faraway Tree are more than capable
of saving themselves. When the children are trapped within a wizard’s castle
with the possible threat of punishment and even slavery hanging over them, they
do not sit still and wait to be rescued - instead, they make use of their wits
and use a flying spell that Jo had previously purchased, casting the spell on a
table rather than a broomstick so that they are all able to fly away unharmed.
This teaches children that they are capable of standing up and protecting
themselves as long as they think out of the box and remain calm in the face of
danger.
Another
similarity The Magic Faraway Tree has
with fairytales is the element of “lessons or morals learnt”. Of the children,
Dick is usually the naughtiest and the greediest - when offered a piece of
chocolate, he specifically chooses the largest piece, and is quickly punished
when the enchanter who offered the chocolates turns them into stone. Hence,
this teaches children not to be greedy or naughty, or they will definitely be
punished. Another lesson learnt is from the Land of Tempers, where the people
are always throwing tantrums and getting angry. These people are portrayed as
extremely violent, mean people, and Blyton teaches children not to be as nasty
and hot-tempered as these characters through her harsh portrayal of them. There
are also many more lessons that can be learnt from this book, most of them
subtly placed, which makes this book an extremely enriching read.
All
in all, The Magic Faraway Tree is a
wonderfully whimsical book, with elements of fantasy and magic so incredible,
they are a testament to Blyton’s vivid imagination. Not only that, it succeeds
in teaching the children morals and values that are essential to having a good
character, making this book a must-read for children.
Rating:
5/5
For
ages 9 and above
By TCH
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