The Railway Series (the basis for Thomas) was written by the Rev. W. Awdry; I just looked up the first book, which happens to include the Henry story and its harsh, moralizing ending:
Man. It makes complete sense these were written by a reverend.
Henry does get taken out of the tunnel to help pull a train in the next story, but that was the one Awdry’s publishers insisted he write to tie the first three together. And, presumably, provide a happier ending for Henry. Redemption is possible!
Your last sentence is of course true. But when a book/tv series is so heavily about moralizing, I think this is a situation when a railroad locomotive is most definitely NOT “just” a railroad locomotive.
I borrowed some Richard Scarry books from the library recently, and noticed that they’d been gently updated. They are still charming and full of life.
In fact, if they were, they’d be genderless. It’s not as if railroad locomotives reproduce sexually, go on dates with each other, etc. And it’s not as if there aren’t any genderless characters in literature.
I don’t mind Thomas too much. Those trains are so emotional about everything. When I was teaching pre-school, there was more than child who Really Liked Trains, and also had trouble connecting to emotions. Thomas books were great for discussing how people feel, and why. The faces are quite expressive.
I feel like I should add that I would often edit them as I read them. That line about Henry deserving it, I would never read something like that aloud. But Thomas books were always popular.
I probably had no taste as a kid, but I recall liking the 1967 version of Spider-Man and (heaven help me) the Go-Go-Gophers, too. Never cared for the Stooges in any form.
