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Blog - Amplify your voice

Thursday, August 13, 2009 at 10:03:00 PM EDT
Rating:

Four years ago, a novel about a sparkly vampire and the girl who loves him took the world by storm.

It has been hailed as an achievement for feminism, a step forward, a new page in the fight. A female writer, a female protagonist, a female director for the eventual movie deal. This is what would make it click for young girls seeking a purpose and a fight.

The book, of course, was the first in the Twilight Saga.

When I tell people that I’m an English Lit major, most of them automatically say, “Ooo, have you read Twilight?”

Because I’m a nineteen-year-old girl, and all nineteen-year-old girls like the same things, 100% of the people who ask are not just shocked, but completely perplexed when I politely respond, “Yes, I read it. And I hated it.”

Usually, when a “WHY?!” is demanded after that exchange, I simply say I prefer wizards to vampires, but the truth is much more complicated. Twilight, and the acclaimed author,
Stephanie Meyer, are not exactly what they appear to be.


There are some things I don’t like about the Twilight Saga because I’m an English major (purple prose, dragging plot, clichéd dialogue). But I’ve found seven very good reasons why every feminist should not just hate Twilight, but run from it like the Ann Coulter of literature.

Reason 1- Bella is adored by everyone, especially her father, for whom she cooks and cleans for while he cleans his gun and drinks a beer.

Bella is hardly a realistic heroine. She’s not flawed, unless you count clumsiness, and everyone adores her, despite her rather obnoxious perfection.

To many people- and by “people”, I mean “men”- Bella is ideal. She’s polite, kind, quiet, cooks, and cleans. She’s like a beautiful 1950s housewife-robot without all those icky character flaws and unnecessary conversations! 

Let’s look at these stereotypes, too. Bella cooks, she cleans. Her father is a terrible cook who would rather watch sports while cleaning his gum and drinking a beer than help his daughter with a few chores. Early on in the series, Stephanie Meyer makes it pretty damn clear that Bella belongs in the kitchen.

Reason 2- Edward breaks into Bella’s home and watches her sleep before introducing himself even once.

 I’d like to reference Jessica Valenti for the six-millionth time in my life. In her fantastic book, “He’s a Stud, She’s a Slut,” Valenti discusses in one chapter how men are seen as romantic and women are seen as stalkers.

 Let’s pretend Bella followed Edward home. She waited outside his window until she was sure he was asleep before quietly sneaking in and watching him sleep. And keep in mind- they have yet to exchange any words. How would most people view her actions? Really freaking weird, right?

 Edward isn’t being romantic, he’s being creepy- really creepy. Glorifying this kind of behavior isn’t just ridiculous, it’s dangerous. We should be keeping girls safe- not teaching them that obsessive behavior is not just acceptable, but desired.

Reason 3- In book two, Bella falls apart when Edward leaves. She begins recovery when she starts spending time with Jacob.

This one is anti-feminism 101, folks. Bella needs a man in her life. She can’t function without one. It’s exactly that simple.

That will be the first message I teach my daughters. How about you?

Reason 4- Edward frequently dictates whom Bella may be friends with and encourages his family to spy on her and prevent her from disobeying his wishes.

Has anyone else ever read those terribly disheartening stories about girls with abusive boyfriends printed in every teen magazine ever created? They like to include lists of signs of potential abusive boyfriends to make sure we prevent these things.

One of the first things on the list? He tries to control every aspect of your life, including whom you can be friends with and with whom you can hang out.

But Edward just wants to protect her, girls say. He cares about her.

Oh, really? Well, let’s move on to Fact 5 before we finish this discussion.

Reason 5- Edward withholds sex in order to get what he wants. He succeeds.

All Edward wants is a wife.

All Bella wants is sex.

Contrary to what Edward believes, there’s nothing wrong with that. Bella is not some delicate flower that can be sullied or dirtied.

Can we just throw that out? That there’s some merit to purity? I know we’ve been working on that, but lovely Stephanie just threw us back approximately seventy-five years.

You see, Bella can make her own decisions. From when she has sex, to whom she hangs out with- Bella should have control over her life and her choices.

When she’s with Edward? He has the control. 

Reason 6- While Edward encourages Bella to have hopes and dreams, Bella would much rather cook and clean and care for their family, and whatever else vampire housewives do.  

And here is the real genius in Stephanie Meyer’s plan.

Most of us know Mrs. Meyer is a conservative Mormon who enjoys promoting abstinence in her spare time. Did you know she also promotes the idea that all women really want is to stay home and cook and clean?

In the Twilight Saga, Edward doesn’t push Bella to stay home with him and care for his every whim. He pushes her to do many things, but not that. No, he encourages her to get an education and have a life.

But Bella, Bella, is the one who wants nothing more than to stay home and care for their (eventual) daughter and her adoring husband.

Let me be perfectly clear here. There is nothing wrong with stay-at-home moms. There is nothing wrong with women who want to have families and to be the one to care for them. But there is something wrong when Bella doesn’t want to work outside the home, when Bella’s mother doesn’t work, when Esme doesn’t work, when literally none of the women in Twilight work outside of the home.

No, there is nothing wrong with wanting to care for your family. There is everything wrong with telling young girls that that is their only option.

Finally...

 Reason 7- Edward truly loves Bella.

 Here is what we learn from Twilight.

 Women should want to cook and clean, and stay in the home, forsaking education for family.

 Women must expect men to invade their privacy and, what’s more, they must desire this.

 Women should accept that they are incapable of making even small decisions in their own lives and they must, instead, submit to the will of a man.

 Women must understand they are worthless without a man.

 Women must understand they are nothing without a man.

 Women must understand they will never with anything without a man.

 Women must believe these things are done out of love.

 If Reasons 1-6 don’t strike you as a big deal, Reason 7 should be a red alarm.

 Stephanie Meyer claims her book promotes feminism because it all centers on Bella’s choices.  When I look at Twilight, I see a list of things I will never teach my children. I see a list of warning signs for unhealthy relationships. I see a detailed description of a severely sexist worldview.

 When held up to the light, Twilight doesn’t sparkle. Not one bit.

Comments
 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!
# Posted By  dandaman6007 | 8/14/09 05:04 PM | Report | Reply
 Thank you! I relate most things back to Ms. Valenti... she's just incredibly amazing and her work is definitely so relevant. 
# Posted By nikkigassley | 11/16/09 09:31 PM | Report | Reply
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.
# Posted By Mahayana | 8/15/09 12:05 AM | Report | Reply
 I completely agree. I love that Twilight makes girls want to read (yay reading!) and, to an extent, I don't have so much of an issue with younger-ish girls reading it (Disney princesses didn't really ruin any of us), but I think it's important that the issues it raises are discussed. It creates a great start for some really important conversations.
# Posted By nikkigassley | 11/16/09 09:32 PM | Report | Reply
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.
# Posted By adrianmchs | 8/15/09 01:07 AM | Report | Reply
 Well, I think it's important that we all look closely at what we're reading and, more importantly, what our children read. I don't think this should be exclusive to people with an English or literary background. Thanks for your comment!
# Posted By nikkigassley | 11/16/09 09:34 PM | Report | Reply
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 :)
# Posted By  Leah627 | 8/15/09 08:51 PM | Report | Reply
 Haha, that always happens to me too! "It's just not... good..." never seems to satisfy people! Having it on paper makes it so much easier... 
# Posted By nikkigassley | 11/16/09 09:35 PM | Report | Reply
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.
# Posted By MakoSharkEsq | 8/16/09 03:44 AM | Report | Reply
 You're definitely welcome- thank you for reading! I definitely think it's important to pay attention to the kinds of messages Twilight is sending, especially now that the movies are reaching an even larger audience. 
# Posted By nikkigassley | 11/16/09 09:36 PM | Report | Reply
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.
# Posted By themayaster | 8/16/09 07:10 PM | Report | Reply
 Thank you so much! I agree, so often Bella has ideas or plans and someone is always around with a better plan, or a reason why hers isn't so awesome. She had the potential to be a great heroine, but SMeyer took that away when she gave Bella's power of choice to Edward. 
# Posted By nikkigassley | 11/16/09 09:37 PM | Report | Reply
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
# Posted By allyouneedislove | 8/23/09 04:34 AM | Report | Reply
 SMeyer had the potential to write a really awesome, feminist, fantasy novel and she just... ignored it. What is most important for me is not that people don't read Twilight, but that they know what they're reading. So, go ahead, be happy and in love, and read Twilight. Just do it recognizing that Bella and Edward are not the ideal that SMeyer presents them as. 

Thanks for your comments!
# Posted By nikkigassley | 11/16/09 09:39 PM | Report | Reply
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.

# Posted By journalist0713 | 11/10/09 03:27 PM | Report | Reply
Wow. Okay. Just... wow. 

I don't think I've ever been so offended. 

I was, initially, very flattered by your comment, but some of the things you said were not just condescending, but downright offensive. 

I was going to respond. I actually have typed a number of responses ranging from polite to seriously bitchy, and I think this one is the most appropriate. I'm not going to respond to your arguments. I will tell you, however, the next time you want answers from someone you should probably not assume they're been hurt, or attacked, or are bitter, are too feminist (not possible), or are too English Lit major-y... You should probably be nice. Because, you know what? I just think you're a bitch now. And I don't give a flying fuck whether or not you agree with me, because you're obviously a jerk. 



# Posted By nikkigassley | 11/16/09 09:27 PM | Report | Reply
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.
# Posted By Atherionelle | 1/7/10 10:58 AM | Report | Reply
I would argue that the "real debate" ended when j...0713 reverted to ad hominem. That was, as they say, uncalled for.

# Posted By lamerjeux | 1/9/10 10:36 PM | Report | Reply
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.
# Posted By Atherionelle | 1/12/10 01:18 PM | Report | Reply
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.
# Posted By Kyinsky | 1/10/10 09:52 PM | Report | Reply
I find that to be an interesting point of view on the books, not to mention the commentary. In all seriousness, I hadn't given it much thought, they were something to pass a little free time with, and I enjoyed them. But having read all of them, I can positively say that they are not in any way shape or form  feminist novels, and to be passed off as such is a joke. A simple love story, yes. But I'm glad that I read it, because even though I'm old enough to not be moved by it too much, (24, married, with a son) I have a younger sister who is 13 who is reading them, and is positively obsessed. So thank you, in any rate, I will have a discussion with her, and make sure that she understands.
# Posted By samdolan09 | 11/24/09 06:02 PM | Report | Reply
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. 

# Posted By nikkigassley | 12/31/09 01:18 AM | Report | Reply
Im 17 (Male) and I found it an interesting read, but I have to disagree to an extent with the first reason though.

If I remember correctly, there are multiple times in the books where Charlie feels guilty about her doing the cooking because he isnt very good at it, and I dont think I remember her doing any other chores than cooking or washing the dishes. It also isnt so much that she would rather stay at home and do all the house work, she still goes to school and does her homework, just she makes the dinner because she knows her dad isnt a very good cook (I think he tries to make dinner for her in one of the books as well)

I don't think you raised this point though: Bella is portrayed as quite clumsy and feeble throughout the books, whereas Edward is extremely fast and strong, and its emphasised quite a bit that he could easily kill her in a second if he wanted/was too careless. I think heor her also raises the point somewhere in the books that she practically needs him to survive, because she is so accident prone.



# Posted By Habeeb | 12/22/09 09:28 PM | Report | Reply
 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. 
# Posted By nikkigassley | 12/31/09 01:14 AM | Report | Reply
 Great points! My only confusion is your stance when you say "Can we just throw that out? That there’s some merit to purity? I know we’ve been working on that, but lovely Stephanie just threw us back approximately seventy-five years."
# Posted By ohgollygee | 12/23/09 10:36 AM | Report | Reply
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. 
# Posted By nikkigassley | 12/31/09 01:10 AM | Report | Reply
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.
# Posted By mochaseptember | 1/5/10 07:32 PM | Report | Reply
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 :)
# Posted By cithryth | 1/5/10 11:27 PM | Report | Reply
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!

# Posted By sgrobare | 1/6/10 12:42 AM | Report | Reply
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. 

# Posted By SarahPalin | 1/6/10 01:27 AM | Report | Reply
Although I hate Twillight. Although I have only seen the first film. Although I am a guy who supports women. I still thing we are nothing without each other. What would a woman be without a man? What would a man be without a woman?

Peace and Love, brothers and sisters.
# Posted By rainmaker3 | 1/6/10 02:27 AM | Report | Reply
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.
# Posted By Kyinsky | 1/10/10 09:57 PM | Report | Reply
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!
# Posted By fakeneonlove | 1/6/10 04:46 PM | Report | Reply
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.
# Posted By scottmoore | 1/6/10 09:09 PM | Report | Reply
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?
# Posted By bogle | 1/7/10 06:33 PM | Report | Reply
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!
# Posted By Dkmurphy | 1/11/10 12:39 AM | Report | Reply
 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

# Posted By  snorkamaiden | 1/13/10 10:29 PM | Report | Reply
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.
# Posted By Mika | 1/23/10 02:31 AM | Report | Reply
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.

# Posted By periculum | 1/24/10 01:09 AM | Report | Reply
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.

# Posted By CommOrg | 1/24/10 04:51 PM | Report | Reply
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