Susan's role as a caregiver to children, combined with her no-nonsense style and almost magical flair for stick-like weaponry (e.g. her grandfather's scythe, field hockey sticks, a fireplace poker), can be seen as a parody of Mary Poppins. Mary Poppins also had a very similar attitude while actively encouraging positive imagination (Susan tends to say things like ""Real children don't go hoppity-skip unless they're on drugs""), took children on magical adventures (Susan does so to teach geography), introduced children to supernatural creatures (Susan employs such beings as guest speakers, including her own grandfather), and had a magic umbrella (which, while not used as a blunt object, was magical much like Death's scythe). Neither character openly acknowledges her magical powers. Both tend toward being actively insulted when reminded of their use. The link between Susan and Mary Poppins is explicitly alluded to in "Hogfather", when Susan states that ""She'd sworn that if she did indeed ever find herself dancing on rooftops with chimney sweeps, she'd beat herself to death with her own umbrella"."