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Twilight on Equality MAG
It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that while reading Twilight I was “dazzled” (pun intended). Almost anyone alive for the past couple of months is certainly aware of the saga, which has received excited acclaim not only from teenagers worldwide but also such esteemed reviewers as The New York Times and Publishers Weekly. So why do I have a problem with it?
Twilight is about Bella Swan, a teen who moves to a new town and is immediately adored by everyone. She instantly has several men vying for her attention and a couple of pretty nice friends as well. Her adoration of classic books would imply that she is at least marginally intelligent. Then she meets Edward Cullen (who has a unique background that is not relevant here), and as their relationship grows, so does her obsession, until it consumes her. Seems harmless, right?
Actually, no. Bella is depicted as an evil temptress trying to persuade a morally honorable man into evil, while he attempts to keep their virtues intact. Succinctly, Edward and Bella are a modern Adam and Eve.
But the book goes further in asserting that women are inferior to men. Every time Bella is faced with a conflict and has to make a choice, Edward swoops in to save her, because apparently she can’t possibly decide on her own. He goes beyond protective to borderline abusive in Twilight, but Bella justifies it as “love” every time. When Edward dumps her for a couple months in New Moon, Bella becomes seriously depressed and dangerous to herself.
All the female characters in this series eventually portray similar helplessness. Even the first relationship introduced in the book – that of Bella’s mother and stepfather – is sexist. Bella expresses concern about leaving her mother, but then reasons that it’s okay now that Phil is looking after her.
What’s even more ridiculous is that many female readers look up to Bella! Her situation is idealized. After finding Edward, Bella is happy only when she is with him. She feels that he is her one true purpose in life. So what are girls who read the novels left wanting? Their own Edward, of course! Not only do they want one – they need one. The fact that so many intelligent young men and women have been sucked into the Twilight series and have swallowed its sexist manifesto has me worried about the future of gender equality.
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This article has 589 comments.
I love this! you are totaly right! i give it 5stars!
also, if i read your thing, i will always give it 5 stars! so please check my work and rate and somment ! thanks!
Lol I suppose we have a different sense of humor. Yours being one of a high school english teacher, mine being more of E. E. Cummings (a name deserved of capitolization)
Maybe humor is the wrong word.
Anywho, I don't respect their names. They are characters in a book I don't appriciate, if you havn't noticed.
No hard feelings I hope. We just respect different people.
I suppose they weren't looking...then again neither was Bella. So I suppose there's another point...for all these characters it just sort of happened. So when it doesn't happen,we feel like we aren't good enough, we go looking and expect to find this sort of "general character."
Then, we look to the girls that get those guys on tv, try too hard to be like them...
it's a tangled mess, really.
Their personalities aren't my point.
The general idea of the story...finding that one "perfect" guy stuff...
that's my point.
I was simply throwing in a variety.
Nothing's new. For years young girls have been swooning over their "prince charming", thinking that they are not important enough without this so called "true love."
Cinderella, Snow White, Elizabeth Bennet, Juliet...
The story might be different, but it's always been the same.
I'm sorry, but I have to disagree with you. As a student with a desire to major in English myself, I think about things from a true writer's point of view.
Bella is by no means a temptress. She is in love with someone and only wants to belong to them wholly. Also, both parties plan for her to become a vampire. She does not want to go through the transformation without expressing her commitment to Edward. She does not want to have the experience afterwards when (she was told) it will not take priority to her thirst for human or animal blood alike. (Though I must admit, I am a Christian and do not agree with pre-marital sex).
I also disagree with the accusations of Bella being whiny, and that she does nothing at all. Also, Stephenie Meyer did not write the books to make a point or statement about sexism.
As for the comments about her depression after Edward's department, you mustn't have ever experienced true love. Nor have I but I understand just a bit more than you all that when you lose your soul mate, or anyone you love for that matter, you lose a part of yourself. Bella is mourning not only the loss of her soul mate, but also her entire family. It was an entire life and future being taken away from her. She is justified in every way to feel the way that she did.
You're all being rediculous and need to get over yourselves. If this is honestly your outlook on the Saga, then you clearly do not understand.
I think if teenage girls wouldn't have gotten so obsessed with these books, the series would be fine and appriciated.
But seriously? It has taken over little girls' lives. The majority of the teen female readers now have a mind set that one day they will have their own edward or jacob (names not important enough to be capitolized) and that things that occur in the book will eventually take place in their own lives.
Personally I cannot wait until this fad is over and forgotten. I wish i could be there the day these girls are grown up and look back and see how ridiculous they acted.
Wonderful piece of work. I am glad you have not had your soul eaten by these books ;)
