I cannot believe that this book is loved by women.
an avid reader
| Cons |
|
NOV
17
2008
Not so.
I feel like "Twilight" is a distressing departure from modern feminist literature. And ironically, its not the characters of the Vampires that disturbed me. I actually found Edward and his family to be interesting and endearing, though clearly ridiculous. Their struggle with 'fitting in' was compelling, and I am attracted to characters who battle the fine line between good versus evil.
My issue was with Bella - a young woman who at once had a strong sense of self and an acute self-consciousness - not an uncommon trait in young women. It was her sudden obsession and subsequent devotion to Edward that disturbed me. The idea that she would throw herself into a relationship that was possessive (She and Edward isolated themselves), overbearing (they spent practically every waking minute together) and decidedly unhealthy (Edward constantly talked about how he was not good for her) is beyond me. That she didn't want to share her relationship with her father was concerning. None of the adults in her life felt as if this was a good relationship for her, and instead of examining why that is, she just assumed that they didn't "understand" her connection with Edward. What kind of message does this send to our youth? It seemed like the underlying theme is that it's totally fine for physical attraction to override all sense of self-preservation! How is that a healthy message?
Also, the sexual undertones, which were well developed - combined with a pseudo-evangelical message about the struggle of abstinence had no clear message. They were not overly physical because they were being respectful of each other - no, it was because Edward was concerned that he might KILL Bella if he allowed himself to "go there." And she wanted him to make her a vampire so that they could spend the rest of their eternal lives together! Forget college, a future with unlimited opportunities - she wanted to be turned into a vampire so that she could struggle with the same problems that Edward felt were abhorrent. It was as if she was ready to throw her life away and the only thing that was stopping her was the decency of this one individual.
I could go on and on. I'm baffled by the fact that no one has seemingly picked up on the blatant anti-feminism of this book. Even though it is supposed to be "fantasy" its message is too real - and a troubling metaphor for what we may find acceptable behavior for the next generation of young women.
Please, someone, shed light on what I'm missing - because I can't bare to read the other three books! Does it all turn out alright in the end???
Twilight (The Twilight Saga, Book 1) is not recommended by JM33
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