I thought it was funny that this was published on Newsarama the same day I went to my knitting group and heard someone express concern about a 12 year old girl of their acquaintance being obsessed with the books. There’s a lot of assertions in the Newsarama post that aren’t backed up with any examples. I’d have liked to see examples of the stridently feminist blogosphere criticizing the books for being sexist. I’d also have liked to see examples of a negative “elitist reaction” to the books because they are too girly.
Most of the criticism I’ve read about the books centered on the power dynamics of Bella’s relationship with Edward. While reading an escapist fantasy about a paternalistic vampire stalker might be fine for older teens I can see why someone might be concerned if they had a preteen daughter that was reading Twilight without much of a critical filter, since it doesn’t present a very balanced view of how relationships work. Still, I don’t think reading a few horrible books at a young age is going to warp anyone forever. Everyone in my junior high was obsessed with V.C. Andrews, and I don’t think reading about incest inspired anyone to lock themselves in an attic with their brother.
What I find more offensive about the books isn’t so much the over idealized view of relationships, family, and perfect half-vampire babies that seems to be heavily influenced by Mormon social conventions but the fact that the writing started out pretty bad and got worse as the series went on. I enjoyed the first book for the light fluffy reading that it was, thought the second book exhibited definite signs of a sophomore slump, the third book was a little worse, and the fourth book was horrific. Breaking Dawn didn’t work because many of the events and dialog weren’t even internally consistent with what had happened in the previous books.
I find the idea that it is empowering to enjoy Twilight because it is girly and one is fighting back against an elitist reaction to girlishness particularly laughable. If you want to embrace societal gender labels and choose to categorize your hobbies as masculine or feminine, that’s fine. But it seems like the mark of someone who is insecure with their own choices if they have to view enjoying activities that society labels as being gender specific as some sort of politically empowering act. Perhaps I’ve been more fortunate than others, but I’ve never gotten pushback about the things I do that are traditionally thought of as being female-centric like having kids, knitting, and reading shoujo manga. I don’t feel the need to portray what I do as a statement against a phantom feminist elite, but I’m also not trolling for hits on Newsarama.
1:17 pm on January 8th, 2009 1
Here via WFA!
“While reading an escapist fantasy about a paternalistic vampire stalker might be fine for older teens I can see why someone might be concerned if they had a preteen daughter that was reading Twilight without much of a critical filter, since it doesn’t present a very balanced view of how relationships work.”
This is exactly how I felt about the books, but never see any criticism on it! My major issue with the series is that what teens and other fans see as Edward protecting his love is actually really creepy! He breaks her truck to prevent her from seeing her best friend–a friend that makes her feel confident and happy! Or he has his sister ‘kidnap’ Bella and keep her at their house while he is away so she won’t “escape” to La Push! Bella even said a few times how she was scared of his “wrath” when she took off to see Jacob. Sorry–but aren’t those warning signs of abuse? How is that romantic? And yet when the film came out and the media interviewed the young fans, they all said teh same thing: they loved how Edward “protected” Bella! CREEPY!
7:52 pm on January 8th, 2009 2
I think the visual imagery of the movie actually magnified the creepy stalker thing. The whole “Edward watching Bella when she sleeps” scene and the way they talked about it afterwords was particularly icky.
11:34 am on January 12th, 2009 3
Edward like a stalker cuse follower Bella around and try read bella mind and watch she sleep but Edward HOT!!=D
11:46 pm on July 22nd, 2009 4
[...] concerns about the relationships portrayed in Twilight, and while I share the concerns about stalking being portrayed as romantic, I also think that the push back about Twilight in comics fandom is happening because it is from a [...]
6:18 pm on October 8th, 2009 5
Twlight movie is a very very good movie to watch. i love the whole story plus the actors and actresses are all gorgeous.
4:23 am on October 18th, 2009 6
Twilight is simply the best movie and i am so much addicted to it. Kirsten Stewart is very pretty and Robery Pattinson is so handsome
8:47 am on January 1st, 2010 7
Twilight is the best movie i ever watched. I really love the vampire love story theme and i like Bella Swans character.
8:06 pm on January 5th, 2010 8
Kristen Stewart is the perfect Bella .. All around the casting was perfect, everyone had so much so much angst that they fit the story perfectly
12:20 am on January 18th, 2010 9
Twlight is really a great movie and i watched it several times. I love Kristen Stewart and also the rest of the cast of Twilight, they are really superb.