“How does Farr (1991) justify Tintin’s appeal to adults?
After reading Farr’s “The Blue Lotus“, the story of Tintin: The Blue Lotus does not come across as just a children’s tale. Farr makes the point that when writing The Blue Lotus, Herge became aware of the importance of creating an authentic Chinese setting after being introduced to sculpturer Chang Chong-Chen in 1934.
Chang helped Herge to see the importance of representing a country for what it really is rather than for its reputation. In The Blue Lotus, Herge made the effort to incorporate real street names into his depictions creating an authentic China which is clearly something he did not bother to do to please innocent children, but “out of a sense of honesty to my readers”.
Herge even incorporated Chang into the story and showed the misunderstood relationship between American and Chinese by a very unique converstation between Tintin and Chang, “I thought all white devils were wicked, like those who killed my Grandfather and Grandmother long ago during the war of the righteous and harmonious fists my father said.” “But Chang, all white men aren’t wicked. You see, different peoples don’t know each other. Lots of Europeans still believe that all Chinese are cunning and cruel and wear pig tails, are always inventing tortures and eating rotten eggs and swallows’ eggs.”
The Blue Lotus was also the first of Herge’s Tintin adventures to bring emotion and tragedy to the story for example when Tintin feels for Mrs. Wang whose son goes mad from poison, “Poor, poor Mrs. Wang.”
Another mature aspect of Herge’s The Blue Lotus is how he incorporates the Moukden Railway Incident into the storyline when the Japanese blamed China for blowing up a railway for an excuse to invade. Herge made it clear that he did not feel for the Japanese.
Herge was obviously a very skilled writer, “Like some finely tuned commentator, he was able to see where events were leading.” This proves Tintin’s appeal to an adult audience.
Farr, M. (1991). The Blue Lotus. In Tintin: the complete companion (pp.50-59) London: John Murray.
Herge. (1936). Tintin – The Blue Lotus.
Hi Zane,
ReplyDeleteThat’s a good point you made about Herge’s efforts to incorporate real world in his work as much as he could. He introduced the materials that you could see and experienced in those days in real world to his virtual world with a high degree of accuracy. For example, motorcar, camera, fashion and socio-political issue. It is truly impressive that how much he had a passion about his work. I believe that those aspects played a role of attracting adult readers as they felt connected with the virtual world of Tintin.
How could you find this book-The Blue Lotus?? You are soooo lucky..
ReplyDeleteI totally agree to your opinion, ‘Tintin’s appeal to an adult audience’.
I guess that the previous Tintin’s series were likely to write for children, but The Blue Lotus does not come across as just a children’s tale as you mentioned. Actually The Blue Lotus’s storyline is quite complicated for children, I think.
Hello Zane,
ReplyDeleteWell done on your first post of the semester.
Isn't it also important that China/Chinese culture etc. is portrayed accurately for child readers?
Don't you think children are aware of prejudice?
Good referencing of both primary and secondary sources here
Esther :)
Hi Zane
ReplyDeleteI really agree about The Blue Lotus being a turning point in the writing of Herge, it is quite evident how intentionally he wrote some of the plot to bring a sense of open-mindedness to Chinese culture (to European readers?) to the story. The use of the real-life railway explosion and subsequent events as a plot device for me is the most interesting example of more mature themes in the work. I think you've done a great job on analysing this theme :)