Amazing post!  Im so glad that you wrote about this, because its something that has been on my mind for quite some time.  I loved the way you related the dynamic between Bella and Edward to what Jessica Valenti writes about in the purity myth.  Thanks so much!

Excellent list. I think it's important, especially considering how popular this series is, that everything you mentioned is talked about. I love that young girls are excited about reading, but I don't want them to be fooled.

It's extremely important that literature majors and literary critics like yourself can find the messages that are sometimes subtle and other times fairly obvious in modern literature. I'm sure that if the many women who read this series can see what kind of person Bella portrays, they will be shocked.

Thank you so much for clarifying exactly what is wrong with "Twilight."  I, too, hated it, but sometimes get flustered when people put me on the spot to defend my frustration with Meyer's sexist, anti-feminist message that is disguised with the intrigue of vampires.  Thanks for some great talking points and great writing :)

Thank you-->!  I got the same impression just from watching the trailers and commercials for the movies.  It's a return to traditional gender roles where the girl is constantly in need of the guy's approval.  And when he doesn't give it, she's debilitated and helpless [just look at the trailer for New Moon] and recludes to a self-imposed limbo until some new guy comes along to affirm her worth.  The Twilight phenomenon drives me nuts.

Brilliant post, very elegantly executed, I've never read one this convincing, I especially love your conclusion, I feel Bella, despite it being made apparant that she is a very intelligent student, is treated as a naiive, Snow White-esque little girl, and whenever she tried to take on anything resembling achallenge or gains some kind of confidence, it is written off like a childish fantasy.

I can't tell you why, but I actually liked this book. Maybe it's because I'm in love, and when I'm in a certain kind of mood, just about any love story will make me go, "awwwww..."
And yes, I did realize how NOT feminist the entire saga was. And I picked up on the way the whole book is really about needing a man to be happy, and waiting until marriage for sex, and not having an abortion even if it nearly kills you... or takes away your mortality. All valid choices for Bella to make, but as you said, it doesn't seem like she thinks they're choices at all. So yes, all of that did bother me, as it should.
Which is why I was so glad to see this all outlined here. I do believe that Stephanie Meyer has a talent for writing a really great, captivating love story. But I just wish she'd done it in a more healthy way. What if Bella had gotten her way once in a while? What if Esme's career (she does have one actually, she's an architect) had been highlighted as much as Carlisle's (so that you might actually remember it ;) )? What if Rosalie had been just as strong as Emmett, and maybe that actually made them a perfect match? What if Meyer had used her talent to explore what the many relationships in her book would look like if all parties were equal?
Ms. Meyer, if you're out there, could you write me a love story like that? 

First, let me say, I laughed at your blog. You are witty and sarcastic and remind me of my sister (which is a huge compliment...trust me). However, I don't completely agree with you. In fact, there are several things I disagree with. I have read only two out of the four books currently because I was extremely skeptical of the books and am continuing with the third currently. I cannot say they are my favorite books of all time (no, I would rather stick with To Kill A Mocking Bird and the Harry Potter series but that's just me) but they pass the time and are entertaining without a doubt. Your seven reasons, though well thought out and planed well, have a few holes.

For instance: In reason one, you make it seem like Bella is a damsal in distress rather than a heroine simply because she likes to cook and clean. I like to cook and clean and I hardly consider myself a damsal. I do it because I enjoy it. Why does Bella have to be a damsal? Charlie, I'll agree, was character cast by Myers to be a "typical man."

In reason two, I really cannot argue. It is down right creepy...no matter WHO'S doing it.

Reason three is where I really begin to have my problems with this list. Bella made it clear, very clear, that Jacob is not boyfriend type. She spends time with Jacob because he is her BEST friend. He's a boy. So freakin' what?! That's like saying because I'm a girl, if my best friend is a boy I must want him. What a crock of shit. What if my relationship with a boy falls apart and I turn to a girl (who I'm secretly in love with)? Would it have been overlooked because it's a girl I'm spending my time with and girls are fraile and can be lived without?

Reason four and five are rather similar. Edward does seem controling in the beginning of Eclipse where he attempts to keep Bella from Jacob. I actually at that point considered putting down the book and walking away because I was upset that he would be acting like that towards Bella, his supposed true love, and he is becoming controling. However, I pressed on, and I'm glad I did. Later, Jacob and Edward talk and realize that, though they may not like each other, they are both going toward the same similar goal, which is to protect Bella. Edward then backs down and allows Bella to chill with Jacob on a more regular basis. Also, inform me HOW Edwards family spies on Bella. The only time the family, in my opinion, gets even CLOSE to spying on Bella is when they are around her house protecting not just her, but Charlie (remember our type-casted father) from unseen danger. As for the sex issue...Bella wants sex and Edward wants sex as well I'm pretty damn sure. There is nothing that says in the book that he does not. Plus, he's quite the protagionist when it comes to him making out with her and holding her close and the like. After all actions are the reverberations of our deepest wishes. The only reason Edward is throwing down the marriage card is in hopes that Bella, once married, will decide not to be changed to a vampire. And you know what? As a 20 year old college student I will admit that I find that not only pretty damn chivalrious but sweet as well. He cares enough about her soul and the ability to keep her from turning to a monster that he would throw down the marriage card, which would ACTUALLY be less "ever after" than being turned into an eternal living vampire.

Reason six I also agree with to an extent. Bella doesn't want to lead a life outside of the home because it is her choice and there is nothing wrong with being a caring housewife. I think the world could use a few more caring housewives and/or husbands. The thing I do think is wrong is that Bella's mother does nothing but follow Phill around and abandon her daughter. So maybe when discussing this you should turn your attention away from Bella and to Renne and Phill.

Reason seven is where I am in complete disagreement with you and actually honestly flabbergasted (or maybe it's just the title of your reason). I'm sorry you've been hurt, or attacked, or never had "true love' or what have you but to say something is wrong with Edward for truly loving Bella presents me with a large extent of discuss. In fact, lack of love, in my opinion, is what leads some (maybe even most) back to typical "ball and chain" roles. They cook and clean because they feel like that's what is expected of them. They think men will help them make their decisions. They think they are worthless without them. But, honey, that is not love. That is creepy as hell. Edward does not do these things (other than the stalking which I don't think anyone can find attractive). Rather, you look into the book for a double meaning (as most English Lit majors do) and push your brooding, overly-feminist opinons upon others when in reality, this is a love story. Edward falls in love with a clumsy girl who happens to be happy when she is cleaning and cooking. Bella is adored by all not because she is a quiet and unflawed character, but because she is freakin' likeable. I like Bella. She's relatable. Who hasn't cooked? Or done dishes? Or been clumsy? Or been grounded? Or whatever other poor excuse for anti-feminism you have cooked up? Bottom line. It's a book. An idea yes. But an ideal? No.

The only argument against your own that actually holds viable information or content obviously comes from a jerk. I don't believe that you even attempted to be polite or else you would have used your own advice. If you want to hold a real debate, you should not assume your opponents to be jerks just because they raised facts that contradicted your own and if you actually want to be taken seriously, you should not use profanity as your rebuttal.

The use of argumentum ad hominem may very well have been uncalled for but it only existed in the last paragraph and it can only be considered argumentum ad hominem if taken in a delicate way. So if the "real debate" had ended in the last paragraph, do you dismiss all the information that lies before it? That seems pretty bias to write off the only argument against your own just for a little ad hominem. Bloggers will be attacked now and again for their views and some of these attacks may feel personal to them but that should not yield them from continuing with a debate.

 YEAH!

 Like I said, I felt personally attacked and I responded as I felt right. I no longer feel the need to defend myself. If you were as mature as you claim to be, you too, would drop it. 

I shan't shut up, thank you. I spent a long time working on this response to Twilight and I feel like it's a very accurate, reasonable response to the books. I'm sorry you disagree.

Actually, the first time I read the Saga, I didn't hate it. I definitely wouldn't have read it again... but it wasn't until after I started talking about it with other people that I began to see what a crazy series it really was. So, no, I definitely didn't read it with a "feminist filter." I read at as a bored waitress working at a slow pizzeria trying to kill some time.

I wasn't really going for a deep, insightful review. Twilight itself is neither deep nor insightful. I was going for an overview of a few main points, mostly for people who hadn't read the series or seen the films. I still feel I accomplished what I set out to do, as do most of the people who've commented. 

Which part of my arguments don't actually suit my argument?

 I am shocked that a self-proclaimed feminist used the word "bitch" as a tool to make another woman's argument seem illegitimate. 

I was surprised to see no coherent responses to your reply, and so I'll try responding with my opinions.

1: The problem in 1 is not that it portrays Bella as a damsel in distress, so much as a damsel in apathetic acceptance. She seems to think of doing some chores around the house as a "thank you for room and board," and that's not problematic. It is, however, a bit problematic when the chores are stereotypical womanly chores while her manly police chief father watches sports and drinks beer. If he did dishes and she chopped firewood, it would feel like she was simply helping out. Instead, it felt like she gravitated toward the gendered role due to it being her proper role, and that was icky. I don't remember her watching cooking shows, reading books, or experimenting with new recipes. I don't remember anything that suggested she cooked out of a love of cooking, and I suspect she didn't love it.

2: Yeah, stalking is creepy.

3: The problem with Jacob isn't only that it was the handsome, suddenly-grown-up male friend that she hung out with. There's also the question of, what happened to those people she befriended at the school? What happened to people she knew before moving to this town? She made Jacob into a rebound-friend. It doesn't have to be sexual to have the connotation that she needs a man to hold her together.

4: This point was a bit exaggerated, sure. As far as I see, the problem isn't for Bella, but in the example provided by Bella being warned family/friends that Edward seems dangerous and her then ignoring them. I'm scared of girls being in absuive, controlling relationships, warned by people who care for them to get out while they can... thinking of Twilight, and convincing themselves that it's not dangerous as long as it's true love. It doesn't matter if Edward means well, the behavior is still disturbing and problematic.

5: I seem to remember points an instance when Edward references to her infatuation with him being equivalent to intoxication, and takes her keys away. Her response was essentially to giggle, agree, and think to herself that she would never disobey him. So, sure, Edward isn't overtly controlling her with sex. He may not even be doing so intentionally! But she is allowing herself to be controlled by him, and that's creepy if nothing else. I think it's dangerous and thing to warn people away from, but that is belief and not necessarily fact.

You pointed to how Edward encourages Bella to stay in school, get an education, choose her own path in life, and not become a monster frozen in time. Her choice was to say no, I don't want to do all that, I want to be with you and the same age as you forever. If he had been 23 when he was turned, would she have felt the same? Would she still have wanted to be turned asap, or would she have been willing to experience a little more of life? Was it that she feared death, or was she simply so vain as to hold her physical appearance as more important than everyone else she had ever known and cared about?

6: Bella is 17. Yes, she grew up quickly thanks to her parents being neglectful of her emotional needs, but she hasn't had much varied experience in life. She's quite accustomed to caring for the home while other people go around living more active lives. I wouldn't mind her choice if I thought she actually had the experience to decide that freely. As it is, her life's calling might lie in being a potter and traveling around the country, and because she chose so early, she may never know this. Immortality means that she may eventually discover it, but readers aren't likely to be immortalized by vampires, and so it does provide a bad example.

7: The main point, being in bold, is that Edward truly loves Bella. As I see it, the problem is again in the example that this provides. All the previous points and problems are somehow brushed aside because it's fiction, it's fantasy, and it's romantic? Stalking is all right, as long as it's done for love. "This is a love story. This is what true love looks like."

Twilight features characters who make dubious choices; Bella wanting to abandon her friends and family for the sake of immortality made it impossible for me to strongly relate to her throughout the series. Stalking your loved one, or abandoning friends and family to spend all your time with your loved one, are held as examples of true love. If the characters only had the desire to do so, I could relate. But Edward actually stalks Bella. Bella begs Edward to kill her because being older than him is now one of the most terrible things she can imagine. I don't relate to this! I'm freaking disturbed by this, and I am disturbed by the idea that millions *do* relate to it.

If I thought that all the people who read this did see it a merely a book, merely an idea, I would be happy. This would be an interesting story with odd characters, and the makings of many conversations about what people are willing to do out of love. Some of the girls who gather at book-signings, line up for movies, and go to see the celebrities cry out "I want to marry you, Edward!" They mean it. These girls are not in love with a person who protected them from attackers, or held them in a close embrace. They're in love with the idea of such a person... they're in love with the *ideal* of love, and this is the example they're currently clinging to. If they're not going to treat it as merely a book, then for their sake---and for the sake of younger girls who have not yet made their mistake---I'm going to treat as more than merely a book too.

A little context: I am 22, a female college graduate who focused on visual arts. I took only one feminist theory class in my time, and while I took a few philosophy courses I never took anything in English lit. I read a lot, and quite a few of the books I read are better than Twilight---I suggest Tamora Pierce's books as being lovely for young adults. I'm in a long-term relationship with a male, and I do most of the cooking and cleaning while he holds the steady job that pays for most of our bills. This is not my ideal, but it's where I am in life right now.

I wish there were more books that were, like Twilight, engaging and interesting to a majority of readers that featured a wider range of people. I wish there were house-wives and house-husbands, people with one job, two jobs or no jobs regardless of gender, based only on their interests and motivations. I know there are small amounts of people who do accurately fit gender roles, but the vast majority do not, and throwing the roles out of our expectations would be wonderful. Unfortunately, I don't trust that it will ever happen.

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Thank you! 

I read all four in four days to pass some time at a terribly slow job. I don't have any problem with people reading them, I find it bothersome that so many girls read it and idolize the kind of relationship Bella and Edward have. Read it, but don't aspire to live it. 

 You definitely raise a valid point, but that doesn't change that Charlie (male) can't cook and Bella (female) can. Regardless of what reasoning SMeyer gives, the fact remains that Twilight is chock full of men and women maintaining traditional gender roles and stereotypes. 

I know I've missed a few points, and this is definitely one that I wish I would've added. Edward says on numerous occasions that Bella would probably just die if Edward weren't around to save her. 

Modern feminism is pretty focused on how the idea of purity is really detrimental to women. It asks that we judge women not by their intelligence or character, but by whether or not they have a hymen. I should have gone into more detail and I apologize for the confusion. If you're interested in seeing a little bit more of where I'm coming from, "The Purity Myth" by Jessica Valenti would be a great place to start. 

You have got to be kidding me. Ever heard of revirgination? 
http://www.revirgination.net/
http://www.goaskalice.columbia.edu/2272.html
http://jezebel.com/5015408/when-being-a-born+again-virgin-requires-surgery
Seriously. All of the honor killings because of women not being virgins when they are married? Never heard of them? Read something other than that sparkly vampire crap and maybe you just might learn something.

In modern rape cases, whether or not the victim is a virgin is still considered relevant in court.

Vaginal reconstruction is one of the fastest growing plastic surgeries and it includes hymenoplasty- a surgery to recreate a woman's hymen. 

I understand perfectly. I think you're the one a little out of the loop.

This is a brilliant article. I completely agree with you and I really don't see how anyone could give a VALID argument to your points. In this book it is blatantly obvious that Edward is the superior in the relationship and that's how Bella likes it. To a point, it's almost embarassing and young girls shouldn't be reading books with these themes in them.

I StumbledUpon this article and I just wanted to tell you I agree with you so much. I too am a 19 year old English lit major and hated Twilight. I don't necesseraly have as strong of feminist convictions as you but none-the-less I agree with you. Thanks for writing this article :)

Thank you.
I too am an English major and I am currently in an education program to become a teacher. My friend loves these books and I read the first one just to see what she was freaking out about. I forced myself to finish it because only then would I feel I had earned the right to express my hatred for it.
When I say I hate it, she says it is just because I'm an english major and I'm "snotty about books." She says I should get over it because it's for young girls to read. There is my problem right there. The thing that bothers me is that Meyer breaks pretty much every grammar and syntax rule that exists for the English language. School-age children, even those in high school, should not be exposed to horrible writing and have it assumed as acceptable. Harry Potter was written well, and there are children as young as 7 reading those books on their own. Also, I really hope Santa brought Meyer a thesaurus for christmas, so that maybe the next time she writes a book she won't use the same "juicy" word 10 times on a page. It would have been more effective if you just used it once, honey. Oh, and the word "unloosened" isn't even a word. And if you want to go around coining your own phrases, at least do it properly. To "unloosen" would be the opposite of loosening something, therefore, to tighten. Don't say "unloosen" when "loosen" is what you are trying to say. What kind of crap editor let all this garbage through the filter?
All rules of the English language set aside, I tried to get past the horrible writing and get excited for the final fight scene. I was sadly let down when it was from Bella's perspective, who was unconscious. Really, Stephanie? I see your plan. This was all a ruse so that you wouldn't have to write a descriptive paragraph about the fight because you knew it would be  awful!
I refuse to read any of the other books. I don't like the idea of emo-bella.
Needless to say, I think the casting of Kristen Stewart as Bella was perfect, as my distase for her acting skills mirrors my loathing of Meyer's writing skills.
At least Hermione has a mind of her own and can be considered her own person.
Team Harry Potter!

It interests me as a stumbleupon user when I come across Twilight hating sites. I love it.

Yet, let me genuinely assist you in your future as a writer/critic.

1) Be less emotional. I understand you may be upset Twilight isn't pro femenism, but nothing truly is. Do not wrap yourself up in emotions about how backwards SMeyer's "writing" has been. Instead, objectively criticize her work with perhaps just one phrase: Her books are mindless.

2) Her books are mindless. There's not much else to talk about Twilight for, move on with your life as a literature scholar. If i spend my time worrying about the small things in life, I will be one miserable person. She has found a way to exploit the tween/teen/young female adult demographic by romanticizing fantasy creatures. I have found more profound things in life to love and only make me realize how insignificant telepathic vampires are.

3) Fuck it, mormons are pretty sad people so if it may help her life to poison young minds and make money at the same time, get back at her by showing young minds what there is to love in life that isn't fantasy. Everyone needs an escape from reality... females more than males need a romantic escape. To step four.

4) "All things with great beauty contain great depth". Rather then waste time, energy, and thought on how terrible Twilight is, use your limitless intellectual abilities to write something with emotional intelligence and a beautiful depth. Fast forward 50 years from now and you may learn that your writings will be in turn much more popular than twilight because shallow, mindless things have a shelf life... measurable in months, and then life moves on. Movies and books that hit you deep never have a shelf life because they are timeless.

In all, I appreciate that you hate Twilight as much as I do, but we don't need to concern ourselves with the reasons. There is no intrinsic opposition between male and female unless you think it so. I am a man and yet I appreciate the same things in life you do, do not seperate us because you think there is a greater force of anti-femenism at work. 

Your comment about Mormon people in general is what I find...pretty much the most offensive so far in the comments.  Maybe you should learn about  group of people before judging them. 

A woman without a man would be a woman! Likewise, a man without a woman would be a man. They would both be people. They could both be happy, with friendships and familial relationships that are lifelong. Dating, or marriage, are not necessary components of happiness for all people.

As a nineteen year old English education major, I could not agree more with this article. I found Edward to be controlling as well as Bella to be perfect. She said in the book that she was ugly. Blah blah blah. All of the men in the book wanted her. Even the hottest guy in the whole school who didn't talk to anyone wanted her. She was bloody perfect! It was sickening.

I loved what you wrote. I agree with it, and I couldn't have said it better myself.

Thank you, my friend. Thank you!

You claim to be an English Lit major that wants to be a librarian. Why can't you proofread, or better yet, spell correctly in the first place. I have to assume you are a retard. Please teach your children to proofread...retard. By the way, you should be cooking some dinner or ironing a shirt. You know...something useful. Retard.

Ok, so the Twilight books are rubbish, but consider the wonderful service that Stphenie Meyer has performed for bloggers. There's no need to think of an original subject on which to post, just endless repetitions of the same criticisms, echoing endlessly across the Internet. And if you are an English major, you need to check your grammar a little more closely before posting - "for whom she cooks and cleans for"; how many "fors" do you think are required in that phrase?

This article made my day! I think that what most of the people who have commented negatively on your article have failed to realize, is that you are arguing about how anti-feminist this book is! I loved how you put what I have been telling my friends for years into words! Twilight is the exact opposite of a strong female lead and it kills me how so many people think otherwise! There are so many other books out there that deserve the attention that this series has gotten!

One of the other things that I think Twilight teaches young girls is spousal abuse. Bella is constantly saying that Edward could kill her at any moment etc. but its okay because he loves her. Stephenie Meyer is practically preaching that a man can hurt you as long as he truly loves you!

 AH this is amazing. i read twilight, and you have to admit that there was something about the books that pulled you... easy to re-read, but i found it great to look through someone elses eyes. i will definitely be sending this to my friends and those who, like me, couldn't put the book down but unlike me, found their relationship the ultimate want... BTW, i've noticed that their love doesn't change through out their time on stage. no healthy relationship doesn't change. i think you have written something completely mindblowing. something that makes you wanna clap or something. GREAT JOB! it's not just the ideas, but also the way you wrote it.... please write a book or something. would read:D and maybe you could add a few... well i dunno. perfect milk maids and abusive step mothers?

like pokahontas (WHICH ACTUALLY MEANS SPOILED ONE) the idea of a 'perfect' woman has been exploited, and fit-NOT TO FIT THE TUNE OF HAPPINESS- but the perfect republican, beer drinking, deer shooting man who needs someone to clean up the mess he leaves in his wake. five stars... you're on to something

Another thing to note is the Glittery eczema... but you are so right i knew i didn't like the books but i couldn't put a finger on why.

As someone entirely in the same boat as you, when I found this via StumbleUpon I had to make an account for this website just so I could comment. I too am a 19-year-old female English major, and I get asked the same question, and get the same strange looks when I give the same answer.

Well, sort of. You are a brave soul for having read the entire series. Me? I got halfway through book one and couldn't go on because of the feelings of rage it inspired. Also, when someone asks me why I don't like Twilight, it's all I can do not to fly into a blind fury. It completely inceses me for all the reasons you mentioned.

That said, I have to say that this is one of the most well-articulated articles on the Twilight Saga and why it sucks that I have come across. You outlined your points in a clear, concise way, which is sometimes really hard to do when talking about an issue that pisses you off.

So yeah, I applaud you. Thank you for putting into words what I couldn't (at least not as eloquently), and thank you for being an informed, intelligent human being who realizes that there is something not right here, perhaps even disturbingly so.

Are you serious?  The fact that you are an English Lit major triggers the question "Have you read Twilight?"  I have to believe this occurs only within an extremely limited segment of the population.  I don't know anyone who would consider "Twilight" an important work of literature worthy of study or analysis.  It's pulp, junk food, fluff...and it will be utterly forgotten in a matter of years. 

As for arguments that "Twilight" promotes feminism, again, I think that hardly warrants attention.  I have never heard such an argument, and can't believe it needs debunking.  In fact, I ran a search for articles arguing that Twilight is pro-feminism, and could find nothing of the sort, only a slate of articles and blogs very similar to this one.

Why are we wasting our time studying such crap when there are matters of consequence that need attention?  I urge you to sharpen your analytical acumen pondering issues that have relevance beyond the teenage years.

 Let me tell you all the reasons that you are wrong.
Reason 1:
Bella is adored by everyone, this is true, but then again most children are adored by their parents. By saying that everyone liking someone who is genuinely nice and affectionate you're refusing to see Bella as an individual. Most people aren't despised, most people are widely liked - this is why friendship happens.
Stephanie Meyer has created a character that is rounded and likable, there's no problem with that as such people exist. Also so what if her dad drinks beer and cleans his gun (the majority of people, not just men, drink alcohol) and the man is a serving policeman, if he didn't clean his gun he would be neglecting his duty as a police officer.
Bella cooks and cleans because she has grown up with her mother who did none of these things and so learnt to do them for herself. Her mother, far from being some anti-feminist hair-brained 'free spirit' is actually very emotionally astute and strong willed. She is the one who left Bella's father because she wanted to pursue her own dreams and taught Bella to do the same. Also in the twenty first century cooking and cleaning are gender non-specific, and arguing otherwise does little to advance the 'feminist cause'.
Reason 2:
This isn't some random humdrum love story, Edward is a vegetarian vampire and Bella's blood sings to him and thus his interest in her transcends the ordinary nature of love. He is trying to understand the hold she has over him and is understandably confused about not being able to hear her thoughts. It may seem creepy but in no way does this make Bella or Edward not equal to each other - when he doesn't turn up at school she obsessively thinks about him and watches him in the lunch room: THEIR'S IS NOT AN ORDINARY RELATIONSHIP - and I think you need to understand that.
Also I see why you refer to Valenti, but her ideas are at best outmoded. Feminism has moved on - the only people who still see certain behaviour as gender-specific are those that haven't moved with the times, or are those desperate to prove that something is anti-feminist when there is little evidence to support this view. Stephanie Meyer, nor her readers, nor I, an English Literature student in ENGLAND at on of the best universities in the country see Bella as inferior to Edward. In fact in many ways Bella has more power over Edward (I will discuss this later)
Reason 3:
True enough Bella falls apart without Edward, but you've conveniently forgotten to mention that Edward also falls apart without Bella and upon hearing of her apparent death tries to commit suicide. At no point does Bella try to kill herself, in fact the second book shows her trying to move on with her life as best she can with a broken heart.
As for her relationship with Jacob, your reading of this is once again painfully simplistic - I know it seems textbook, but you're not actually doing as close a reading as you'd like to think - she does not need a man in her life, she has those already (Charlie, Mike Newton, Eric and Tyler) what she needs is a friend that understands her and who will help her move on. If it were the case that Bella simply needs a man in her life then she should, in true chick lit fashion, fallen for Jacob, but at no point does Bella have feelings for Jacob
Reason 4:
True Edward does at times seem reluctant to let her be around Jake and the other La Push kids but that's because (once again you've skimmed the most important parts of the book) they are werewolves, young ones at that, who are notoriously unable to control their tempers (frequently loose their tempers and cause each other serious harm - think what they could do to Bella...a human. She is vulnerable and considering the deadly rivalry between the la push kids and the Cullens it isn't as if they wouldn't have a motive to hurt her. Alice can see the future, she watches out for all the Cullens and pretty much everyone she knows but she can't see the future if the werewolves are involved and so that level of uncertainty for people who are used to knowing everything must be very unsettling.
Edward eventually decides that while he is really worried about Bella for several valid reasons that he loves her enough to not stand in her way and drops her off at the la push boundaries himself - are these the actions of an illogical abusive boyfriend? No. Once again your simplistic reading of the text has blindsided you. But let us continue...
Reason 5:
Edward witholds sex because he is afraid that he will kill her - to be honest, that's a pretty good reason. When he says he wants her to marry him first he does so because he knows she's as reluctant to marry him as he is to put her at risk. In making this deal they are equal and must both compromise with the other and meet each others needs. This is a very healthy attitude for any relationship and ensures that both partners meet the others respective needs - in the end they both get what they want and have an incredibly good marriage which is a partnership of equals. Stephanie hasn't 'thrown us back over 75years!' she is championing what feminism is supposed to be: equality between a man and a woman. If you actually thought about what you read before you make snap judgements you'd probably understand.
Reason 6:
Maybe Bella doesn't want to go to college. What Bella wants is to be made a vampire (who, incidentally, don't cook) and join the Cullen family. At no point in the Twilight saga does Bella have her dreams crushed - in fact she realises them. Rather than being pushed into doing something that a man thinks is best for her she does what she wants. You seem to be operating under the ridiculous assumption that cooking and cleaning = women, learning and job = men - do I really have to point out what's wrong with this? REALLY? The world of work and education is now laid bare for all to participate in, and men are now just as free to be stay-at-home dads as women are to go to work. You're clinging to an incredibly outdated stereotype, which in itself hinders sexual equality. The pinacle of sexual or gender equality is the freedom for either sex to do whatever they like with their lives. Just because Bella wants to do something that you don't, it doesn't make her a downtrodden fool...you are not all women.
Reason 7:
The conclusion to end all ill-thought out conclusions. Bella doesn't forsake education for family, she doesn't want to go to college as a human because that will postpone her becoming a vampire - there is quite literally all the time in the world for her to get an education once she's a vampire - look at Esme, Rosalie and Alice, they're all very well read and well educated (constantly in the educational system and engaging in independent learning outside of this) Bella may very well go to college once she has become a vampire and can control herself well enough around humans. Her reason for not doing so when most others do is because she's reluctant to age any more.
Bella neither desires nor expects Edward to invade her privacy. There are so many times throughout the saga when she says she's glad she has her mental block as her thoughts are private and she wants to keep them that way.
At no point does Bella submit to the will of man (ugh what a cliche) she doesn't go to college, she doesn't have an abortion, she becomes a vampire and she has sex with Edward as a human - at no point has she submitted.
Bella isn't a worthless nothing without a man and she doesn't believe herself to be either. She is heartbroken because the love of her life has left her, which is understandable, but the very fact that she persists in trying to move on with her life after his departure and build her own separate future from him shows that she knows her own worth.

After reading your post I'm actually shocked you're an English Lit major or whatever - yours is such a simplistic and prescriptive reading it's hard to believe. I can see how you've interpreted the text in the way you have but taking vague feminist assumptions ans transposing them on any text without giving any original thought or deeper reading is, to be frank, stupid.
Good day to you madam.

Hey you can criticize my punctuation all you, but I wrote that post after drinking two bottles of zinfandel, and it's still a better argument than yours. Sucks to be you eh?

Ludwig,

  If you choose to read this trash and think it's great fiction that's your decision. Why are you here spamming this board (for months, I might add)?

1. Bella is not a likable person. She's sullen, she complains all the time, she'd rude to her friends and yet everyone loves her. This is NOT GOOD WRITING.
  Her cooking and cleaning is not a big deal. But taken together with other things in the list, it represents a pattern that SMeyer has set up for what the "ideal woman" is supposed to look like and that is a woman who stays home, does everything for her man and happily lets him order her around.

2. It doesn't matter whether Edward is an oh-so-special vampire or an alien from Mars. IT IS NOT OKAY TO BREAK INTO A WOMAN'A HOUSE! Ever. This is not up for discussion. It's not okay. Further, that SMeyers frames this is terms of romance is distrubing because it's basically telling young girls that boundaries don't matter; their privacy doesn't matter. It's totally okay for a man to take whatever he wants as long as he claims to love you.

3. I think you read a different book than the rest of us because the second book was all about how 1. Bella became increasingly risk-taking and suicidal after Edward left and 2. how she uses Jacob, a perfectly nice guy (until books 3 and 4) to fill the void. Bella admits this up front. She KNOWS that she's using Jacob. She knows that he has feelings for her but she says she "needs" him anyway. She disregards what's good for him because she's selfish. And yes, she does have feelings for Jacob. She admits that she loves him (just not as much as she loves Edward.)

4. Edward disconnects the battery from her car. He forces her to go to his family's house for a weekend so she won't see Jacob (he even uses the word "kidnap").  He TRIES TO FORCE HER TO GET AN ABORTION in the 4th book. At no time does he respect her wishes or even *ask* her what she wants. At no time does he treat her like an equal who's decisions should be respected.
  And Bella is just as bad because, until the forced abortion in the 4th book, she never stands up to him. Because to SMeyer twu luv means doing whatever the man says, regardless of how you feel about it.

5. Edward is a prude who knows nothing about sex. There are plenty of ways he could have had sex with her without hurting her. Example:  Mutual masturbation. Oral sex. Bella on top. Any of these ways would have been more "safe" then what they eventually did (and lol forever over the pillow-biting BTW). And NONE of them require a wedding ring.
  What Edward did was blackmail Bella into marrying him, even though she didn't want to get married so young. He didn't respect her wishes to have sex or to be turned. Instead, he used her desire to extort a promise of marriage from her. That's not a healthy relationship. That's emotional abuse and blackmail.

6. Except Bella DID want to go to college before she met Edward. She was an honor's student, remember? She had admissions info for a bunch of colleges. It was only after she met Edward that not-college  suddenly became an option. Here SMeyer is again showing her fundamentalist Mormon bias--often girls in Mormonism only go to college to get married (it's called getting your MRS degree).

  Finally, so much more can be said about these books then are even touched on in the OP. Like about the priviledged lives the vampires live, about how everyone is white and those who aren't are the enemy and smell bad, about how all vampires become white when they turn (yes, this is true; look in the 4th book when Jasper talks about how he was turned) and about how all non-European/American (ie, non-white) vampires are "savages". There is so much sexism and racism in these books! Plus they are so badly written that it's literally LOL funny if it weren't so sad that young girls are actually reading the crap and thinking it's oh-so-romantic and great fiction.

~Allie

P.S. I am a 32 year old mom and I read all the books before I let my daughter read them. And she, at 12, recognized the sexism and female helplessness entrenched in the books.

"Yeah, Edward seemed like your typical mentally and emotionally abusive boyfriend, and Bella was such a conniving shrew when it came to the way she led Jacob around on a leash"

Either way, Meyer doesn't exactly paint a flattering picture of womanhood, does she? 

"She nearly died to save the life of her child because not everyone thinks abortion is a form of birth control."

It's nice that she got to choose to keep the child, that she was able to have a choice. Thank God she didn't want to abort to save her own life and wasn't able to because she didn't have a choice. Thank God no one forced her to carry her pregnancy to term and that is was her choice, and her choice alone. 

And I will leave it at that.

This made me want to vomit...

 I am completely and utterly at peace with the idea of S Meyer being offending by this. In fact, good. She offended me with her anti-Feminist "literature." 

The great thing about literature, about words in general, is that they mean so many different things. It's all in perspective. So when you say I "missed the meaning," you're mistaken. As long as I walk away from a book with an opinion, I haven't missed the meaning at all. Having a different meaning from you doesn't make me wrong, it makes me different.

Although, I will argue that you being such a fan of the romance makes you blind to the other things Stephanie Meyer is putting in her books. Boys breaking into homes to watch girls sleep is not romantic, but scary. Boyfriends removing engines from the girlfriend's truck is not about protection, but possession. 

I'm amused that people keep suggesting I'm either a lover scorned or a loveless loner. I am neither. I am, however, a feminist. I see the world the way that I see it. I will neither censor my view nor apologize for it. 

I have just read all of this, and thought I add my two-penneth.

I am a 24 year old English Literature student from the UK who has just been accepted onto a Masters Degree at one of the most prestigious universities in the country. With that in mind, I'd like to congratulate you on a piece of criticism that is accessible, enjoyable and accurate within the realms of feminist critique.

You make several good points, and I especially like the conclusion that you draw about the saga being a textbook manipulative relationship, i completely agree. I think actually that therein lies much of the saga's appeal - many teenagers are drawn into manipulative relationships out of a need to feel loved and wanted during a turbulent time when they may not have as much self-worth as they will develop in later years. I think the text creates this very well, and it also explores that very damaging, obsessive 'first love' experience with some emotional accuracy. I therefore completely understand your concern, about the fact that the text idealizes this unhealthy, obsessive, controlling kind of relationship. So all in all, it's a good, sound, and well supported theory.

In regards to some of the responses, it would probably be wise for people to remember that you have stated at the beginning of the piece that it is a feminist critique. Thus if a reader disagrees with feminism (not "being a strong woman", but feminism) they should probably read something less antagonistic, because reading on it and then commenting is tantamount to standing at the back of a church shouting 'YOU ARE WRONG!' just because you are not a Christian. In other words, pointless.

Popular fiction and popular culture is also just as valid in terms of criticism and theory as the most highbrow of academia, especially in the current developing academic climate, given the trangression of boundaries between literary theory, social theory, psychoanalytical theory and political theory. Any stigmatization of lowbrow culture comes from historical perceptions of what a literary canon should be; white and male. So it seems foolish to suggest that critique of popular culture is irrelevant, as it embodies the most prevalent forms of culture, the ones that affect the most people.

Finally, I'd like to say that though people have disagreed, I've yet to see a disagreement on this page that your article has not stood up to. Often people react in fear to feminism, and when people feel threatened they lash out, as you have seen from the hurtful words of some of the responses. However, I wouldn't concern yourself with this behaviour, it's just ignorance, and hopefully the perpetrators will learn to listen to others and coincide with different opinions. And yes, okay, you should have spellchecked. That's hardly the biggest deal in the world, there are errors in grammar and spelling in most texts. We're not automatons after all, and it was hardly your dissertation.

So thank you for the critique, I enjoyed reading it. 

Hahahahaha omg you're like 7 years old, I swear.

 I'm glad you enjoyed it. This response had made me happier than, essentially, any of the others. I really appreciate it. Thank you.

 Thanks so much for your comment! I'm actually halfway through Mrs. Dalloway right now and I LOVE it. 

 I should note that I found this through StumbleUpon.

One thing I meant to mention that I forgot - you missed a whole huge boatload of comparison between Bella and whatever-that-girl's-name-is-who-is-the-werewolf's-wife-I-think-it-might-be-Emily. Emily (or whatever) would've helped your thesis a lot. She is the quintessential taking-care-of-the-boys woman. Yet at the same time, we can see her as being a strong woman. She chooses to stay in the face of adversity.

I return to my point that there is something to be disagreed with, but you jumped the gun a little bit.

Hahahahahahaha you are so fantastic, I love this article so much.  I was so into it that I didn't even notice any grammatical/spelling errors that some people creamed their pants over.  At first when I read number 7, I didn't get it but after reading it through, it became my favorite one.  Then I started reading the comments and I felt bad because some people are just so mean :(   Some people need to learn to keep their fat, stupid mouths shut.  I think you did a great job writing this! You backed all your claims and you were funny while doing so :P

Someone made a comment about how it takes guts to post something like this and it really does hahaha these Twi-tards can be vicious! Then you get those bitter people who have nothing better to do than to keep coming back to this article and commenting on it because they are probably jealous of you being young and having a nice, bright future ahead of you while they already messed theirs up.  Or they are just trolling the internet (and if that's the case, they are a sad, sad specimen that needs to be pitied).

Anyways, I know you probably don't take their hurtful comments to heart (you do a really good job countering them :D)  but it never hurts to have some words of confidence and encouragement!  Don't let those nasties get you down :)  I give you a gold star for being awesome! ✫ Ta-da!

Loved this post. You kind of make me wish I had the energy to write my own. Since I don't, I'd like to point out a few more disturbing things I've found in the books/movies:

1. Female vampires cannot conceive, but male vampires can definitely impregnate other women. I know this seems like not that big of a deal, but to me, it screams subconcious insertion of personal ideals. Men have the power and functioning gametes. Women don't. Odd observation, I know, but who cares if it adds up to anything or not? I just find it mildly...strange.
2. Bella never tries to protect herself. She is only ever worried, in the last book, about using her own powers to protect her beloved Edward. Up until that point, she depends on others to protect her. She doesn't even verbally stand up for herself at any point, and just sort of takes everything.
3. Bella is more worried about how Edward will perceive her as an old woman than she is about leading her own life and being happy with the natural order of most living things. She is not happy with herself until she believes Edward is happy with her. Even though she's probably wrong.
4. Bella teaches girls that it's okay to lead guys on, as long as you use them to get what you want...like motorcycles. Or protection.

  What a wade through.  Now I would like you all to read "A Game of Thrones" by Geroge R R Martin, and take a break.

 I agree that there are some positive aspects to Twilight- largely that it encourages girls (and boys who've noticed girls love Twilight) to read, which is absolutely fantastic.

Since it's a critique of the work, however, I chose to focus on the negative aspects of the series. I appreciate your input and the only point you've made that I blatantly disagree with would be the fourth- Edward removes Bella's engine from her car. Regardless of how much danger he feels she's in, he's taking away her choices to visit certain friends. His behavior is seriously creepy to me.

I'm appauled by the ferocity displayed here over a damn book saga. I'm no English Lit. major, but I still believe none of this... this dehumanization of not only the blogger, but her commentaters, and the author, Stephanie, in any way, shape, or form to be right! One can label and judge to the heart's content, but as it is plainly stated in a comment that caught my eye, "I don't give a flying fuck whether or not you agree with me," it all comes full circle. Anyone could (and did) respond with that phrase to a rude remark, but it takes a genuine, driven, authentic individual to take it critically, learn from it, and reply in a mannarism that has a degree of respect for other's opinions. My theory is to take it easy my friends, there are more constuctive guidelines for debates such as these, and many more factors, so many that your mind would be blown by the enormity of the amount, playing a role in becoming obsessed, defining true love, displaying proper courtship, etc. I can't say I agree with this blog, but standing in the majorities shoes' here, I can see how these listed reasons would and should infuriate a person aside from the soul purpose of already knowing one's own identity. A life should not be ruled by the trivial matters shown in this blog. I pray the lot of you might move on and place your worries where they are needed. If indeed this saga is not worth reading to most of you, then I hope it is not worth the fret you have all seemed to explain with your words here.

May you all rest easy. -beep

 I agree things did, at one point, get a little... out of hand... (speaking for both myself and other commenters), but I disagree than anything said about S. Meyer was "dehumanizing." I wrote a feminist critique of her work and I continue to stand by everything I said. 

You are not alone! There's lots of us, I promise you! 

 No worries, your comment was very easy to read. Your English is really good. 

You make a valid point, but that negates only one of my points. The others, that Edward is controlling, abusive, and that the power dynamic in their relationship is unbalanced, are all still well founded. 

S Meyer refers to her Saga as feminist literature, so I see no problem is attempting to show otherwise. 

No worries, this thread is still pretty active!

It's a book about idolozing emotionally dependent relationships and the girl that everyone empathizes with isn't the 'clutsy, likeable girl', but rather the girl who has no real grasp of her own value and actually views this form of abuse to be what's right because she can't fathom the idea that she deserves more.

Absolutely this. It's been argued more than once on this thread that the relationships in Twilight aren't a valid commentary on actual relationships because it's not just fiction, but fantasy. Your experiences are something you and I have in common. This is targeted to the age group that is in the middle of, hopefully, growing past that, and that's what worries me. Hermione Granger and Jo March were my heros growing up- these girls get Bella Swan. It might be fiction and it might be fantasy, but idealizing unequal power dynamics in a romantic relationship is not fantasy, not for the millions of abused men and women in just this country. Twilight, at the very least, should inspire dialogue between the readers and the people who care for them. Too many people do take this seriously and as a model of the ideal relationship when. Edward and Bella's relationship has very little to do with love and everything to do with dominance and control. 

 A close reading of the text gives me the idea that 'vampirism' and 'marriage' are closely related and, generally, synonymous. Edward doesn't want to hurt her while she's still human- or- Edward doesn't want to sully her while she's still unwed. There's nothing wrong with abstinence, what I have a problem with is Meyer's reasoning. The way I read it is the opposite of the what you've said you believe- that there is a moral worth in virginity and that premarital sex takes that away. 

 To begin, I was 19 when I wrote this- a teenager. I didn't write this because I have no faith in teenagers and their ability to separate literature from life (although, for many women- and men-controlling, abusive significant others is a way of life- and this is a significant issue of Twilight; it presents low-grade abuse as acceptable, or even desirable).  I wrote it as a feminist analysis of the themes I read in Twilight. Naturally it's going to have a feminist slant. As a feminist, that's how I view the world and that' how I interpret the things around me.

Not always, of course. Sometimes I see things as a feminist, sometimes as a Christian, sometimes as a student, etc. 

And while I commend you and you sister for belittling Edward's creepy behavior, I have 20-year-old friends who think he's wonderful. Who think him watching Bella sleep before he's even introduced himself is romantic. And while, if it actually happened, I think they would react differently, this is still how they read it in the moment. And that's a problem.

Furthermore, this is less of a 'to the humble readers' and more of a 'to people with friends who've read Twiligh and are sick of hearing about it, to the parents who have kids who read it, to the people who know there's something wrong, but can't put their finger on it.' 

I vehemently disagree that Twilight is feminist. Having ideas and supporting them doesn't make you a feminist. Meyer's own ideology is inspired by her traditional Mormon beliefs and most of the series is dedicated to Bella losing her own dreams and realizing Edward's. I encourage you to search for, and read Mark Reads Twilight on Buzznet. It is a comprehensive chapter-by-chapter review of the entire series that highlights Meyer's racist, ableist, and misogynist ideals.

You seem to consistantly miss the point of literary analysis. Whose philosophy am I to use if not my own? It might not be congruent with yours, or Meyer's, but that's the point- that we all see things differently.

I admit I guess I did somewhat miss the point.  But everyone sees things differently.

I guess the problem I have with the idea that the Twilight series is anti-feminist is the basic fact that Stephanie Meyer wrote it according to her beliefs.  Who's philosophy was she supposed to use if not her own?

Also, I don't mean to belittle your beliefs in any way.  You have some good points.

I accept that different people have different strengths, and perhaps it is wise to use discretion before exposing readers to the Twilight series.

I still have some more arguments.  But because this was written for a different audience I hope we can somewhat agree to disagree on this.

I don't understand, you say that your post serves as a warning for people who haven't read it to steer clear, then you say that you wrote it for all of those out there who agree with you, have children who are reading it, or for people who know something is wrong yet can't put a finger on it.  You say that the author claims it is a feminist piece, yet you fail to present one example where she says this.  This leads me to believe that either everyone already knows why she feels this is a feminist book or that you don't know why she says this.  Perhaps understanding why she feels this way would help you present better arguments.  What you are essentially doing is arguing against the author's reasons by writing this blog, but by not presenting her reasons, your arguments hold no validity.  You praise so highly everyone who agrees with your blog, why do you not show the same gratitude towards those who disagree with it?  Is this not what you did with the books yourself?  I understand that a few people who responded were less than cordial, but at least they read what you wrote, took the time to think about it, and responded with thought of there own, you should be somewhat thankful that you provoked thought anyway.  Why can't children do the dishes?  Is it because she is a girl?  Are daughters not supposed to do chores?  My sister did the dishes all the time, my mother made her, as she did all of us, are you saying that my mother did a terrible job instilling a strong female spirit in my sister?  Another reason you said you wrote this is because you have friends your age that think this book is amazing and thinks sneaking in the girls room is romantic, that you have a problem with that.  First of all you need new friends because it is pathetic that a 20 year old would take something out of a book about vampires falling in love with girls or whatever this book is really about(have never read it know nothing about it but apparently you wrote your blog for me which means i get to respond right?).  When i was 14 i read Fight Club, an incredible book with much more twisted ideals than "women belong in the kitchen", do you know why i didn't start a fight club or blow up a business district?  Because my mother raised me right.  The simple fact is that this is a book, written to amuse and make money, mostly to make money.  Bella is a girl, not every girl, a girl.  People like you are the reason books get banned and burned, instead of relying on parents to teach their kids you have to write these blogs trying to warn them.  You are the same reason manson gets protested for his lyrics in his songs.  The real enemy is the parents who can't raise their kids right.  In the end the author made millions exploiting stupid little girls and made a lot of people spend a lot of time writing blogs about how bad her books are.  Who is smarter, the aouthor or the blog writer?  This took up way too much of my time, wish i could have those ten minutes back, oh well.

For me personally, if you're looking for a female author with strong female protagonists who promote independance and equallity, the Liveship Traders series by Robin Hobb is by far the best I've ever read.
It's a fantasy series where at least 4 of the main characters are headstrong opinionated women who, each in their own way, choose their path in life against the constraints of the society in which they live.
The author describes each of her characters in such a way that you both love and hate them; they are incredibly well delivered and by writing her books from the characters perspective Robin Hobb lets you see not just what happens, but how each of her characters percieves events; its very powerful. 
Where Twilight is a step forward as far as womens roles within the book and film industry is concerned the actual storyline is much more about romance than independance.


 

 Thank you for reading and commenting! 

Keep reading- there are plenty of romance authors who cater to older audiences without becoming too involved. 

Absolutely. The sad thing is how many of my friends, and people I've met through the internet, can share similar stories. With so much violence and general creepiness directed towards women, the last thing society needs is for that to be glorified. Trust me, you're not alone. They are many of us who've read the books and been left with a strong taste of disgust.  

I just wanted to add that this issue is important. It's good that people enjoy the series and that we don't want them to fooled but I still stand by what I said. In the information you stated you make Bella seem that she had no control over her life whatsoever when in fact she does.

Your post made me laugh.  I am a grown woman, who works in corporate America.  I am all for a woman doing anything her heart is set on.  But come on and get real.  These books are FANTASY... they came from a dream....like Vampires and Werewolves are real....or the story lines. 

As a mother of daughters, I teach them to be strong and self sufficent and excepting of others.  Some people (ok a lot) like Twilight and the story lines, others don't.  Doesn't make one right and the other wrong.  It takes all kinds in this world.  As long as I do my job as a Mother, then I have nothing to worry about.  I read them, my daughters read them...The books didn't change who I am or who she is. 

There isn't a book out there that someone couldn't disect and find some hidden message in depending on your persective and beliefs.  Either read it and enjoy it....or don't....but really....who cares?!?!

 What about romance novels? Are those writers trying to say something deep and philosophical? Are the Twilight novels akin to that?

I think this thread is so sad ...

Wow with all the comments.  I have to say that I very very much enjoyed reading your incredibly well-written thoughts and know plenty of women who agree.  I also have to say that I sincerely hope you've read or will soon read the synopsis of the four books at http://stoney321.livejournal.com/317176.html - not only are there pictures, but that author relates the saga from a Mormon perspective, with great wisdom and hilarity.  It. Is. Amazing.

Example 1 - This author starts off with saying LDS Sparkledammerung IS HERE!  Enough said, really, but there's...

Example 2 - My favorite paragraph from the retelling of the first book: "Every time SMeyers would write about Edward, I would just boggle. She was drawing from everything we Mormons were taught about Good Ol' Joe - he was handsome, shockingly so, he could draw you in with just his presence, let alone when he spoke, down to his freaking nose and hair color. HI THERE CREEPY AUTHOR WANTING TO BONE YOUR PROPHET. (I have no problem with bible slash, etc. Just... I don't think she knows she's doing it.)"

And it keeps getting better.

I registered with Amplify just so I could share this link with you, and with all the rest of the commenters.  Keep telling the world your perspectives, haters be damned.

I don't call Bella a feminist hero. But this article feels like it claims a lot more than it defends by calling the novels, and Bella, anti-feminist. The article quickly polarizes Feminism and Anti-Feminism as the only two options, and assigns Meyer to the Anti group. Certainly there are other options than this binary, aren't there?  The reasoning that Bella falls into a standard female romantic heroine role hardly feels like enough evidence to make the bold claim that the novels are ANTI-feminist.  Successful reasoning, I think, would have to include more about how the novels are an attack on feminism, an intended negation of feminism. But the books don't offer that kind of evidence for the article writer.  They merely offer the standard romance details, because that’s all that Twilight essentially is.  The article writer takes Twilight’s standard romance-novel type details, and offers them as evidence to show a much bolder claim than they offer.

I think it would be more apropos to say that Twilight, like the majority of other romance series, is non-feminist in its agenda. Not Pro, not Anti.  It offers no enlightened perspective, which is too bad.  But it is not, truly, Anti-feminist.

I'm a 19 year old guy, and I'm fairly conservative on most things, except I'm more moderate when it comes to equality for everyone. I have to say that I pretty much completely agree with your stance here.
I have two friends who are in love with these books, and have gone to extremes trying to describe why they are awesome. They have described in vivid detail many of their favorite episodes. And my first reaction, the first time I ever heard of these books, was "Man, this Edward sounds kinda creepy..."
I absolutely refuse to read these books, and if/when I have daughters of my own, I'm not sure if I want them reading them either. At least not until I've had a chance to let them know that this is fiction and not a good example of a healthy relationship.

1-Starting out, yeah, I can definitely see where the typical masculine/feminine roles are being played. And I have a real problem with that. I had a friend once who was absolutely brilliant. She was accepted into a college program at the age of 15. She was on her way to being a math major, and graduating college by 20. But she said that she wouldn't do anything after that, because her place was in the home, waiting for her husband to get back from work so she could "pop a beer for him, rub his shoulders, and let him talk about his day." That pissed me off. I agree with you, there's absolutely nothing wrong with a stay-at-home parent- mom or dad. The problem I have is when sweeping generalizations are made, when people say that it's a woman's "place." A woman can do whatever she damn well pleases. If that means taking care of the house and the kids, great. If that means going to school and becoming a scientist, politician, astronaut, doctor, vet, manager, entrepreneur, WHATEVER, she should pursue that.

2-Stalking is NEVER a good example. This is one of the main reasons I'm on the wall about letting my future children read this. If I had tried to break into a girls house and watch her sleep, I would have been arrested, if her dad hadn't shot me first. Hell, if I just stared at a girl too long in class, I would have been known as the 'creepy' kid. But it's okay when Edward does it, because he loves her. Bullshit.

3- "A woman, without her man, is nothing." Or is it, "A woman-without her, man is nothing."? To me, both are pretty wrong (unless "man" in the second phrase is the metaphorical mankind, then it makes sense. I digress...). We are people. Individuals. And whoever we choose to make our life with, be they man or woman, lover or friend, does not define who we are. Rather, it reflects who we are. It reflects what values we hold dear. And if Bella chooses to be friends with Jacob, fine. Thats great. I'm all for making friends. But people are being blinded by their love for the books to see the subtleties being played here. Does she really have no other friends at all that she can turn to? Nobody except this "tall dark and handsome lone wolf?" The cliched epitome of a woman's sexual fantasies? It might not be that strong of a reason, but still, it's there.

4-Like I said, I haven't read the books, so I don't really know much here. All I can say is, Edward sounded pretty jealous that she was spending time with Jacob. I mean, I don't exactly feel comfortable with my girlfriend hanging out with a guy who is definitely interested in her, and who is extremely good looking. Yeah, call me insecure. I feel threatened. And I feel like a bit of jealousy is a good thing in a relationship. Only a bit, though. When I expressed my feelings on this to my girlfriend, she understood that it was really because she's honestly the best thing that's happened to me so far in my life, and I can't bear to think about losing her (corny, sorry, I know). But I don't dictate her life. I might still feel jealous, but I'm not going to tell her not to hang out with someone. It's about trust, and I trust her. To me, Edward just sounds insecure. But not so much because Bella is the love of his life, but because he's come to think of her as "his," and if she went with Jacob it would be the equivalent of Jacob stealing his property. I dunno, I could be wayyyy off with this, but that's just the impression I got.

5-This one, I kind of disagree with you. I think that women, and men alike, should be allowed to have sex with whomever they please, and should not be judged by it at all. But, likewise, they should be allowed to not have sex, for whatever reason. I'm not super religious, but I do believe that sex is something special, or at least it is for me. I have friends who have sex all the time with different partners, and that's okay too. I waited until I found the young woman that I love, and I waited until I knew that I was in love with her, before I tried doing anything. I fully intend on having only one sexual partner in my life, but that's my personal choice.

And it sounds like it's Edward's choice, too. I can't fault him on that. If Bella wants sex, that's okay. But Edward has the right to refuse if he wants. If a guy constantly pressures a girl trying to get her to have sex with him, and she says she wants to wait for marriage, and he keeps going, he's a jerk. It should be the same going the other way. She should have control over what she wants to do, and who she wants to do it with. But if she wants a relationship with him, and he doesn't want to have sex until marriage, then she needs to decide which she wants more.
You said, "Women and men should be respected and loved for their actions, but whether or not they've had sex." I agree, but they should also be respected if they choose to be abstinent.
I don't see this one as Edward looking for leverage against her. I see this as a personal choice.

6-Like I said before, I don't think there's anything wrong with pre-marital sex, just like I don't think there's anything wrong with abstinence. And I have lots of Mormon friends who are honestly some of the nicest people I have ever met, and I completely respect their way of life. There is a serious misconception when it comes to Mormonism, at least from what I've seen. They're normal people, with normal lives. The ones I know aren't backwards thinking, saying "women belong in the home." Actually, the girl I previously mentioned who did believe that is athiest, so far as I know.
I've already talked about the rest of your point previously, so I'll move on.

7-True love. Never has there been a nobler cause. But in this book, true love has been twisted and mangled into some kind of perverse sense of the emotion. These books says that "If you want a guy to love you, this is what you should do." It says that this is the only way you will find love. Which is complete and utter bullshit. Anybody can find love. No matter what you're like, your hobbies, your faults, your virtues, your beliefs, your anything. You can find love. But that's not the message I see in these books.

However, the absolute biggest problem I have with this series is one you didn't mention (but that's okay). It tells girls that, once they become this ideal woman, they are ready to start looking for their true love. And this is what their true love should look like.
This series is not only anti-feminist, its anti-individual. I'm going to be using some language, and I'm sorry for it. Edward turns into a pussy-whipped little bitch. He does anything and everything for her. Forget chivalry, he blows past that line like a freakin jet plane. I'm a very respectful man, I like to think. I hold the door open for my girlfriend, I pay for dinner, and I'll watch the occasional chick flic. But it's not all about her. She respects me, she does stuff for me, too. We do things for each other out of love, out of mutual respect.
Edward does these things because he sees Bella as a "delicate flower." And she lets him hold to that belief. He's always there, ready to rescue her from whatever she might get herself into. It's back to that whole knight-in-shining-armor bit from Disney.
How in the hell is a guy supposed to compete with that???
My friend's girlfriend actually dumped him, because she said she needed someone more like Edward. And this guy is a great guy, I thought. I never saw them fight, he did nice things for her. I saw their relationship as being a lot like mine. But he didn't fit the bill that Twilight gave her.

How about teaching girls a little independence? How about teaching them how to solve their own problems, instead of waiting for a man to come around? Women are capable of pretty much everything men are (they are physically different, so yes, men in general are physically stronger than women). That is what I'm most afraid of when it comes to my future daughters. I don't want them feeling like they need a knight. Nor do I want them feeling like they 'deserve' a servant. If/when they decide to look for a man (or woman, I don't really care), they need to look for a partner. They deserve an equal.

Sorry, I know I ranted a bit. But it's 2AM, and I tend to drag on when I'm tired. All in all, I like your points. And I would welcome you, as well as anyone else, to respond.
Thanks.

 HOLLA. Thank you for perfectly saying everything that I've been trying to say about this series. The saddest part is that it's probably the most popular book/series/movies for young women EVER and no one seems to see any problem with it! However, Bella does have one "flaw": she is miserable all the time. Except when she is with a boy, of course. She also thinks about suicide in one of the books if I remember correctly. Yeah, I'll definitely teach my daughters that killing yourself over a boy is a normal and romantic response. There are so many things wrong with these books!

I'm a 16 year old girl who is going into 11th grade. I first heard of the Twilight Saga in 8th grade when a girl was reading them. I figured I'd read it sometime in my future, but didn't think it'd be anything all too great. I ended up reading it in my freshman year because not only were girls around me freaking out over it, so were some normally "tough" guys who liked to use offensive words when insulting other people. So, I gave it a try. I hated it. Bella's personality was what really killed me. I'm one of those girls who hasn't had a "real" relationship yet (if they can even really be that at my age), and mooshy love stories like this really bother me. The fact that at 17, Bella thinks she is TRULY in love with Edward, so much that she wants to spend the rest of her life with him is just so unrealistic to me. Bella's everything I despise about girls. They're blinded by love when their brains are still maturing, and they make the stupidest choices that could ruin their lives in the long run.

I agreed with most of your points, and despite some of the negative comments you got, it did a good job of going over the basics of Twilight and focusing on a few points. The fact that people even consider Twilight to be a feminist series is disgusting. I like cooking and cleaning and keeping busy, but never would I give up my whole life just to be with a guy like that. Not only was Edward disgustingly creepy, he was just exactly what would turn me away from a guy. So many people I know in my school say they're in love with either Jacob or Edward. They're fictional characters, and while Jacob is the more preferrable one, to be in love with Edward is just a shame.

I've grown up reading Harry Potter, books by Tamora Pierce, and other books similar to those. To read Twilight after all of those was just truly depressing. It was not a work of literature in any way. Sure, it was a bit creative, but the relationship between Bella and Edward was what really ruined it. It's realistic in how some girls throw theirselves at guys and really depend on them, especially for them to be happy. It's sad, and I see it everyday, particularly on my Facebook feed with girls crying because they haven't seen their boyfriend in two days, or feeling worthless because they don't have a boyfriend. The relationship just proves what is wrong with so many relationships, especially between high schoolers. We're young, we shouldn't even be thinking about spending the rest of our lives with so and so.

So, thank you for this. When people ask me why I don't like Twilight, I'll just remember some of the reasons and tell them all about it.

This article is very interesting, and makes a lot of sense! Bella's character has always really annoyed me but for some reason I could not put my finger on why, now it makes sense! I also want to point out that the imprinting that occurs in book 4 is extremely creepy. First of all, Jacob falling in love with Bella's baby who has no personality at all since she is a baby is wrong on a multitude of levels. Second, the man imprints on the woman indicating that the woman is not allowed any feelings on the subject, the man is in love so she must be too.
Vey good article, thanks for writing! :)

Bravo!!! I cant but agree with every word. I dont care if your a vampire or not, you ask to come to my bedroom. The books are horrible, I tried not to read them, but my older sister said I couldnt speak much on the subject till I know what Im talking about.

Stephanie Meyer is a hack, and sorry we dont live in a perfect word where everyone wants you.

Besides even if any of these could be found in the real world...Why would anyone want Bella? Shes too quiet, and there is another flaw besides clumsiness, she whines. Not to people directly. But its like you have two mythical beings after you, and you whine about them? You want both, but you cant have both, and you cant figure who you want. So you lead one of them on?

If I were Jacob or Edward, I would of told her to eff off after awhile.

I cant understand why Twilight is so popular? Yeah I read them, yeah Ive seen two of the three flims, but what is it? They suck. I would rather read the fifth Harry Potter over again (I hated the fifth, Umbridge is just...Grrrr!). I just cant see what makes them popular.

Plus the fact that people are like "you can only like one. You cant like HP and Twilight" Its like why the hell not? I like HP and LOTR, And I like Star Wars and Star Trek. So then you have all these Twi-hards that have never read HP or anything good for that fact and they think that Twilight is God..

I guess, this just all hurts my brain..

Thank god some people do agree. The whole Twilight and even more Edward obsession is just frightening. It reminds me of a lot of friends with ******* for boyfriends and they just don't see. Same goes for Twilight, "oooh, Edward is so romantic". No, he isn't! He's a complete prick, why can't they see that?

Anyway, excellent post. I couldn't agree more.