Is Running Laps in TAA Realistic?

[Christmas Chief]

When the Baudelaries run around the luminous circle in TAA, supposedly all night (an approximate ten hours), wouldn't they collapse from exhaustion, or sleep deprivation? And wouldn't Olaf suffer from this as well? He has to stay up blowing his whistle and shouting commands at the Baudelaires throughout that time; wouldn't he be reasonably tired as well? Of course, he has a few benefits: As an adult he has a better endurance system, and he doesn't actually have to participate in the scheme he's indulged upon the Baudelaires, but still, when does he rest?

And that just emphasizes the case of the Baudelaires: They don't get any rest at all, except for the brief periods in classes, and even then that's not enough to sustain them. Isn't it physically impossible to run from sun down to sun up?

[MyKindEditor]

Yeah, I thought that, they could, of course, me metephorical laps but you have to rememeber: a) these are fictional stories b) Lemony cannot know every single detail, every thought, movement and speeches and c) they are probably there to add to the devistatingly depressing Baudelaire life.

[Christmas Chief]

Still, this is a bit extreme. Running around in endless circles until dawn, with exceedingly little sleep and no immediate athletic history, other than the occasional walk down the beach? Even for a fictional story, that seems a little severe.

[MyKindEditor]

I know. But I don't really think we'll ever find an answer, just one of those annoying things that drive you insane and make you want to shout at the book/ nearest sibling/pet.
I think it was just a good place to make the Baudelaires do some thinking. Instead of with the triplets/ annoying clackety shoes in the orphan's shack.

[Christmas Chief]

Was that the best Olaf could come up with, though? Making the orphans tired to fail their exams, so Principal Nero would hand over the custody? That seems a bit too well thought out, and a plan with so many steps seems a little shaky.

[Dante]

You can't deny that it was working, though. Olaf has a pretty adept grasp of the rules of the world he lives in.

[Christmas Chief]

There had to have been a quicker way. Why couldn't he just snatch them and demand for Nero to give him the official documentation? I'm sure Nero would have handed them over easily.

[Dante]

That would probably hurt Nero's pride. The Baudelaires are a good source of candy and jewellery. But there's also the fact that it would be a pretty boring book if Olaf did that. Handler's said in the past that the plot is pretty much the reason why Mr. Poe is so unhelpful.

[Cafe SalMONAlla]

Many things in ASoUE aren't realistic, though. I mean, look at, say, Sunny, for instance. I don't think SORE is any less realistic. I suppose it just adds to the weirdness of the books, and, as mykindeditor said, it shows how terrible the Baudelaire's situation is.

With all due respect.

[Christmas Chief]

But the way it's written... like tired children running around in endless circles is a perfectly reasonable situation. I hadn't realized how unrealistic it seemed myself until I really thought about it. Was it supposed to have that effect?

[Dante]

I don't think realism was ever the primary concern in the writing of the plot itself. The series frequently works on logic that might better be described as "cartoony." I refer you to Sunny's tooth-related antics.

[Christmas Chief]

I know there are plenty of incidents where the plotline is less than pragmatic, but why would Handler even bother creating those irrational events? For the plot, or humor?

[Dante]

Yes, exactly. They create interesting plotlines, and they are also funny, albeit sometimes darkly so.

[MyKindEditor]

There is quite a lot of strange black comedy in the books. The stupidness and ignorence of some of the characters (Like Mr. Poe) is like the running laps, I know the Baudelaire orphans always say that the reason adults don't listen to them because they're kids but some of the people are so stupid it is unrealistic. If you put too much realism into the stories then they really do become depressing tales about three orphans instead of books about mysteries, literature and clues. Also if they become too real then people can start to date them, place them and asociate them to real life and then they lose they're appeal and uniqueness.
But... that's just my opinion.

[Christmas Chief]

Of course, Handler must have known readers would catch it eventually; how the Baudelaires never seem to run out of energy, that is. Actually, they don't sleep much throughout the series, probably to keep the story moving, but he must have known it would seem odd how they work all day and run all night.