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#1: Eavesdropping Author: AuntieBethy, Location: Wilmington, Delaware

Posted: Wed May 16, 2007 11:19 pm
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Why does EBD have such a problem with eavesdropping? There are several occasions when she lets everyone know it's a Very Bad Thing To Do. When I first read the books, at around age 10-11, I thought it was a British thing, but then read Enid Blyton and Angela Brazil only to find they didn't have any problem with it. Any ideas?

#2: Author: Mia, Location: London

Posted: Wed May 16, 2007 11:48 pm
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I would have a problem with it myself, it's just not a very honest thing to do really, is it.

#3: Author: Bee, Location: Canberra, Australia

Posted: Thu May 17, 2007 12:52 am
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I always found it a bit odd myself, but then, in every Chalet book the characters are very honest. They immediately own up to a mistress or prefect, hate eavesdropping, writing notes etc. It seems as if every girl is against anything underhand or dishonest.

I remember trying to model myself on the girls in the Chalet books when I was in primary school Embarassed

, but it never worked! We always wrote notes to each other in class, and I hate to say it, but rarely owned up unless we knew we were caught for sure. And I was one of the good girls! Hate to think how the Chalet girls would have pereceived me....

#4: Author: Caty, Location: New Zealand

Posted: Thu May 17, 2007 5:46 am
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I'm sure it's not just an EBD thing. It is generally regarded as bad manners. I'm not sure about Anne, but Emily of New Moon gets in trouble for eavesdropping.

#5: Author: Alison H, Location: Manchester

Posted: Thu May 17, 2007 6:47 am
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I don't think it's just EBD: I think it is generally regarded as a bad thing to do. There's a saying that "listeners hear no good of themselves", and it's not very nice if you realise that other people are listening in on a private conversation.

Not sure why other authors don't mind it, though Rolling Eyes

#6: Author: Katherine, Location: London, UK

Posted: Thu May 17, 2007 11:50 am
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I’m sure there’s an Enid Blyton book where she says “Eavesdroppers seldom hear any good of themselves”. She was quite against it there, regarding it as dishonest. I think it may have been a St Clare’s book but I’m not sure. I would disagree about the ‘you’ll only hear nasty things about yourself’ thing though; far more likely you’ll hear interesting things about other people!
I agree it’s not honest to do though.

Also, doesn’t Gandalf pull in Sam Gangee in LOTR though the window and admonish him? And then send him off on an adventure with Frodo? That’s how I took it anyway; I can’t remember the exact wording so may have interpreted a little.

Can’t think of any more examples but I’m sure it’s generally frowned upon.

Hmm, Darrell kind of does in First Term At Malory Towers when Sally is having the operation. Don’t think she was criticised for that though it was a bit different.

In Island Joey hears all the conversion between Annis’s aunt and father. But that ‘wasn’t her fault’ and she does say she wasn’t too thrilled to be trapped there (initially at least; she rather relished the telling off she then gave Annis’s aunt!).

#7: Author: JayB, Location: SE England

Posted: Thu May 17, 2007 1:30 pm
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In Persuasion, Anne Elliot accidentally overhears Capt Wentworth and one of the Musgrove girls talking about her. JA says something like 'While she hadn't suffered the usual fate of eavesdroppers...', ie hadn't heard them say anything bad about her, it still wasn't a very comfortable experience.

In the CS, there are overheard conversations in Rivals and Feud. Both times the girl who overhears (Corney and Margot?) repeats what she has overheard, thereby worsening the bad feeling between the schools.

In Jane, Jack overhears the conversation about Lady Carew's accident, which indirectly leads to Jane finding out about it. No-one's to blame there.

And in Problem, Joan overhears -um - ML and Katharine? talking about her, and runs away in consequence. My sympathies are rather with Joan there. She didn't set out to eavesdrop, and it's not good manners to talk about someone who's a guest in your house.

#8: Author: Smile :), Location: Location? What's a location?

Posted: Thu May 17, 2007 3:57 pm
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Well, personally I don't think eavesdropping is a 'nice' thing to do, I can sort of see how it is a bit rude and also dishonest. Quite often it does cause people to hear things they don't like/weren't meant to hear.

#9: Author: Lorna, Location: Birmingham, England

Posted: Thu May 17, 2007 4:03 pm
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I agree eavesdropping can cause all sorts of trouble. Particularly when people eavesdrop and then perhaps only overhear part of a conversation and completely miscronstrue what has been said. Or equally as bad someone eavesdrops and overhears things that they really should not be privy to. This is one of the ways in which gossip starts. No don't like it !

#10: Author: Catherine, Location: Newcastle upon Tyne

Posted: Thu May 17, 2007 4:19 pm
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I know as a kid I was always taught that I should never 'listen in' ... it never stopped me crouching behind the upstairs banister whenever my mother had an interesting-sounding phone call ... not that I ever learnt anything of any use or interest to me!

I suppose it's the fact that you're having a private conversation with someone ... I used to hate talking to a friend on the phone when I was living at home because the phone was usually in the hall and anyone wanting to go out or upstairs or to the other downstairs rooms would have to cross the hall and thus hear what you were saying - particularly bad if I was moaning about any of my family or talking about something they really shouldn't know! Very Happy

And then I think of work when everyone listens to everyone else's conversations and everyone knows they're doing it and it's quite acceptable!!

#11: Author: Lesley, Location: Allhallows, Kent

Posted: Thu May 17, 2007 5:49 pm
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I think, also, there is a difference between accidently overhearing something and deliberately setting out to listen to another's conversation.

And after all, in Island, Joey herself is guilty of overhearing a conversation but, as it was completely accidental, she was not considered at fault.

#12: Author: Clare, Location: Liverpool

Posted: Thu May 17, 2007 5:53 pm
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Katherine wrote:

I’m sure there’s an Enid Blyton book where she says “Eavesdroppers seldom hear any good of themselves”. She was quite against it there, regarding it as dishonest. I think it may have been a St Clare’s book but I’m not sure. I would disagree about the ‘you’ll only hear nasty things about yourself’ thing though; far more likely you’ll hear interesting things about other people!

I think it's the first Mallory Towers where Gwen eavesdrops. It's also in Second Form at St Clare's when "Catty Elsie" constantly hangs around doors trying to find out things to get the form into trouble, particularly when they are planning a midnight feast for Carlotta's birthday.

#13: Author: JayB, Location: SE England

Posted: Thu May 17, 2007 6:34 pm
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Lesley wrote:

I think, also, there is a difference between accidently overhearing something and deliberately setting out to listen to another's conversation.

And after all, in Island, Joey herself is guilty of overhearing a conversation but, as it was completely accidental, she was not considered at fault.

Her overhearing was accidental, but having overheard, she should have kept it to herself - unless she had permission to tell other people.

#14: Author: wheelchairprincess, Location: Oxfordshire, UK

Posted: Thu May 17, 2007 6:50 pm
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My first thought on reading this was that maybe the other authors did have problems with it (I'd be surprised if they didn't) but that never made it across to their writing.

#15: Author: jo_62, Location: Northern Ireland

Posted: Thu May 17, 2007 11:26 pm
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EBD definitely has a problem with eavesdropping. Having just reread the Highland Twins, she has a very disapproving slant on Betty lurking about pretending to read so that she can tune in to converstations. And then there is the Erisay Chart débacle - when her eavesdropping tendencies lead her to her ultimate CS downfall.

#16: Author: Karry, Location: Stoke on Trent

Posted: Thu May 17, 2007 11:48 pm
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In Little Women, Meg hears some of the girls at the ball talking about her - (I think!) so eavesdroppers never hearing good is confimed here!

#17: Author: macyrose, Location: Great White North (Canada)

Posted: Fri May 18, 2007 12:22 am
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For me, the most infamous case of easedropping in the Chalet School series was Margot listening to Jo & Rosalie talking about Ted in Theodora, with everything that followed from that. From the quote below Margot knows full well (at least in the beginning) that what she's doing is wrong but continues to do it anyway:

Quote:

Margot, turning drowsy in the heart of her bushes, was aroused by the voices of her mother and “Auntie Rosalie” and nearly squeaked with horror! She knew what would happen if they caught her there! She was just preparing to crawl out as noiselessly as she could, when Joey’s voice came clearly to her and the sentence she overheard checked her at once.
“I’m so glad Ted is settling down so well, poor lamb! After being expelled three times you might have expected fireworks. As it is, she seems to have really turned over a new leaf! I’m so very glad!”
“I think she’s settling down nicely,” Rosalie said. “She’s doing steady work and now she seems to be making friends.”
“Oh, who?”
“The two girls of her own age or thereabouts I should have chosen first for the job—Rosamund Lilley and your own Len.”
Her mother’s statement and then Miss Dene’s made Margot forget for the moment that she was eavesdropping. Ted Grantley had been expelled from three schools! This was something she must find out about. It must be attended to at once! With a little chuckle of triumph, her devil came flying back to hug her firmly and assure her that it was her duty to do so. Her victory over him had not discouraged him. He had only been waiting for an opening and here it was!
Margot, her jealously of the friendship between Ted and Len flooding her anew, forgot that she had promised solemnly that she would try to fight him; forgot that she was doing something that not only her family but the whole school would condemn; forgot everything, in fact, except that here seemed to be a handle she could use against the girl who was stealing some of her sister’s affection from her. She wriggled as near to the edge of the rose-garden as she could and listened with all her ears.

#18: Author: jennifer, Location: Taiwan

Posted: Fri May 18, 2007 4:15 am
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That's a good point about Jo's eavesdropping on Annis's relatives - her overhearing was accidental, but she should have kept it to herself, rather than dragging someone else's dirty laundry out as an entertaining story for her friends.

In Margot's case, I don't think she deliberately sets out to eavesdrop on the conversation, but she uses the knowledge to hurt someone else.

I agree that eavesdropping is a bit underhanded, but I also think there is a responsiblity on people not to discuss private issues in a public area. So if you're carrying on a full volume conversation in a coffee shop, it's rude to deliberately listen in to get information, but it's also rude to broadcast your personal affairs to people in the general vicinity. In other words, if the only way you can escape eavesdropping is by plugging your ears and humming, then you're not being underhanded.

#19: Author: Alison H, Location: Manchester

Posted: Fri May 18, 2007 6:49 am
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Since the advent of mobile phones, it's amazing the way that some people broadcast all sorts of private details of their lives at the tops of their voices on public transport! You end up knowing an awful lot too much about complete strangers' personal business even though you don't want to Rolling Eyes

.

I've even heard people gossiping loudly about people I know on local buses/trams, because it doesn't seem to occur to them that everyone else on the bus/tram can hear every word they're saying, even though they'd rather not hear someone else's loud conversation Rolling Eyes

#20: Author: Róisín, Location: Ireland

Posted: Fri May 18, 2007 8:17 am
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jennifer wrote:

In other words, if the only way you can escape eavesdropping is by plugging your ears and humming, then you're not being underhanded.

Just like Robin does at the start of Exile!

#21: Author: Katherine, Location: London, UK

Posted: Fri May 18, 2007 8:30 am
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But in Island it was pretty obvious that a private conversation was starting up and Jo could and should have run out at the beginning. Embarrassing it may have been but at least she’d only have heard the start. (Not sure that I’d be so honourable though!)

#22: Author: Tan, Location: London via Newcastle Australia

Posted: Fri May 18, 2007 9:07 am
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Alison H wrote:

Since the advent of mobile phones, it's amazing the way that some people broadcast all sorts of private details of their lives at the tops of their voices on public transport! You end up knowing an awful lot too much about complete strangers' personal business even though you don't want to Rolling Eyes

My sister told me a funny story that happened on the train. The girl next to her was having a conversation with her flatmate which went along the lines of 'I don't mind you borrowing my cds, I don't mind you borrowing my clothes. I don't mind you borrowing the milk in the fridge, but I do object to you borrowing my boyfriend!' she swears it is a true story.

She also heard someone discussing a diagnosis for an STD and listing other people suspected to have it. Confused

#23: Author: Squirrel, Location: St-Andrews or Dunfermline

Posted: Fri May 18, 2007 11:06 am
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My worst was when my next door neighbour began having loud phonecall conversations about doctors trips (personal reasons for them!) and the like. Now, these walls are paper thin, and I've learned how to tune them out via music, but when you are trying to sleep at the time... Rolling Eyes

#24: Author: Mia, Location: London

Posted: Fri May 18, 2007 1:06 pm
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If I may be a pedant, eavesdropping really isn't just overhearing something accidentally, it's deliberately going to sneak around listening to other people, so there is a difference in intent. Perhaps EBD didn't make it clear enough?

I sound so moral! Go moi.

#25: Author: Alison H, Location: Manchester

Posted: Fri May 18, 2007 1:12 pm
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She did point that out when someone overhead Mlle Lepattre talking to someone (Madge?) on the phone in the office - she told their friends what'd been said but made it clear that Mlle'd known she was there so she hadn't been eavesdropping. I can't remember who it was, though Rolling Eyes

#26: Author: Lesley, Location: Allhallows, Kent

Posted: Fri May 18, 2007 1:17 pm
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Cornelia - in Rivals - and Mademoiselle was speaking with Miss Browne

#27: Author: JayB, Location: SE England

Posted: Fri May 18, 2007 3:27 pm
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And Corney is told - I forget by whom - that even if Mdlle knew she was there, she couldn't have meant Corney to repeat what she'd overheard, and Corney is sent back to own up.

#28: Author: Dawn, Location: Leeds, West Yorks

Posted: Fri May 18, 2007 9:37 pm
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jennifer wrote:

That's a good point about Jo's eavesdropping on Annis's relatives - her overhearing was accidental, but she should have kept it to herself, rather than dragging someone else's dirty laundry out as an entertaining story for her friends.

But then we'd never have known about it Wink

#29: Author: Cath V-P, Location: Newcastle NSW

Posted: Sat May 19, 2007 12:45 am
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And I don't think Jo is quite comfortable about this, as she swears the others to secrecy..... but then as Dawn said, if she hadn't heard, we wouldn't know!

#30: Author: Smile :), Location: Location? What's a location?

Posted: Sat May 19, 2007 8:20 am
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I think that's it, it was a way of letting us know how Annis's aunt got what she 'deserved'.

#31: Author: Bee, Location: Canberra, Australia

Posted: Sat May 19, 2007 11:37 am
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I also think it depends on the reasons for eavesdropping. Even if it's not accidental, sometimes the only way to help someone is to know what's going on, and you might have to do something underhand (like eavesdropping on a conversation) to get to the bottom of things.

So I guess it can sometimes be okay if the intentions are good, and it's not just stickybeaking or using it to hurt someone else. Having said that, I would simply despise it if someone was spying on me - no matter how good their intentions are!!! Confused

#32: Author: Loryat,

Posted: Sun May 20, 2007 3:59 pm
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I'd never deliberately set out to listen to a conversation, and usually try to avoid hearing personal conversations...but when I was wee my bedroom was on the ground floor and I heard an awful lot of private converations my parents had on the phone...also I could always overhear my flatmates arguing (they were a couple). I didn't enjoy it but I couldn't help it. Also, I do understand when people overhear conversations about themselves, that they'd want to listen in. You shouldn't listen but they shouldn't talk!

Once I was on the train and the women opposite me had a scinitillating conversation about some type of family feud though...I admit I was desperate to hear more. But I think that if people are talking in a public place, then they can't expect privacy.

It's interesting that in Goes to It Simone is one of the people dead set against eavesdropping...in EB French Claudine wouldn't have a problem with it!

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