Posted by PeterH on September 20, 2006 at 19:37:54 from 86.130.134.38 user Peter_H.
In Reply to: Re: D&Gs (Was Girls who dare (was Hot Water) posted by Laurence Monkhouse on September 20, 2006 at 17:32:29:
The D & Gs culture allowed them to accept - and praise - Dot's leadership when things got sticky
That's true, Laurence, but I detect a very slight feeling of 'officer' and 'other ranks' in that relationship. I shouldn't be saying this, because I don't believe in all this 'class' stuff. Moving hastily on, when I set out my 'groups' I overlooked the one obvious thing which distinguishes the D&Gs from the others - they are friends, not siblings, ie they 'chose' each other to a certain extent, whereas the Swallows were stuck with each other, Nancy was stuck with the 'tame galoot', etc. Thus Roger did not choose to knock around with his sisters but he was on holiday with them and had to make the best of it (particularly with Susan). When AR dreamt up the D&Gs, he did so on the basis of what boys of that age would do - ie associate with other boys, and not girls. At the end of my researches (if they can be called that) I have to conclude, not for the first time, that AR got his various groups of children exactly right.