The film adaptation of Stephenie Meyer's New Moon comes out at midnight, and the country seems to be abuzz with concerns. I'd noticed the latest vocalization about a series I make no secret of being exhausted with, but I hadn't realized the scope of the chatter this time around until reading an excellent post on Zelda Lily on the theory of Twilight as pro-abstinence.
Since then, I've noticed a lot of people talking about Meyer's characters in a less-than-complimentary light. One of my Journalism students actually mentioned a news report talking about how Bella and Edward are the very epitome of an unhealthy relationship. On my way back from the teachers' room at lunchtime today, I came upon a group of eighth grade girls reading The New York Times (yes, you read that correctly) and discussing--intelligently!--the merits and shortcomings of concerns raised in an article.
I'd never really thought of the Twilight saga as more than a collection that was marginally entertaining the first time around. Now, people are talking about why America is putting an emotionally twisted relationship on a pedestal ... about the sexual repercussions of the books ... about Bella's inability to have any sort of individual identity beyond the men in her life (Edward, Jacob, even her father Charlie) ... about the coyly ambiguous relationship between Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart ...
And I like to think of myself as one who finds philosophy everywhere! Geez Louise ...
My thoughts, in a nutshell:
1. Any books that lead to children reading cannot be all bad.
2. It really pisses me off when there are film adaptations made of books that kids actually read and enjoy (Holes is a great example ... the Harry Potter films are exceptions)
3. Bella and Edward are not good for each other. You do not need another person to make you whole, and their emotional obsession with each other is really pretty creepy.
4. The idea that these books are pro-abstinence is laughable. I mean, there are some pretty hot scenes throughout the course of the series. Although Bella and Edward do (because of circumstances and timing) hold off from actually having sex until they are married, I somehow don't see the pro-abstinence groups embracing the sort of intense foreplay both implied and stated in the books.
5. Bella is a pathetic "leading lady" in that her actions and choices are dictated by men (or her mother, whose life revolves around her new husband).
5a. I think it's kind of ironic that Bella names her baby daughter Renesmee after two women in her life--two mothers, if you will--when neither played what could be called a pivotal role in the saga.
6. Pattinson and Stewart are probably dating (or something ... but were told to keep it on the DL so as not to spoil that "pro-abstinence thing")
While I have read the entire series, I did not see Twilight and I do not intend to see New Moon (much to Addie's chagrin). My thoughts are based entirely on the books.
What are your thoughts on the bizarre phenomena of suddenly coming up with all of these concerns about a series that has been in the public eye for years?
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They are not really concerns of many people. Sometimes I wonder if they are just pumped up to garner more attention.
ReplyDeleteAll I know is my wife is a total fan of both the books and the first film (which I thought was pretty good). Reading is a lost art and now any book that has any kind of capture gets spun right into film, because not many kids (or people) read. I read about 3 books a week and only watch sports on TV so I am not a good example of most people.
ReplyDeleteI read all the HP books, and they declined in quality after the fourth book. But at least they were well-written and entertaining.
ReplyDeleteI have not read the Twilight books or seen the movies, but I am told by fans that the books pale (ha) compared to the HP series. They're simply not as well-written, not as interesting, and not as virtuous. Where was the discussion of celibacy etc. when HP was big? No one had sex in those books. Oh well. It's just pop culture. It's not like any of it matters.
Bella was a horrible "heroine". She was so pathetically self-loathing (and not in a tragic, Sylvia Plath kind of way) that I couldn't stand t read certain paragraphs and skipped them. She falls in "love", falls apart when he leaves, only comes back to life when she finds a new guy (who she strings along for the benefit to her own self-worth), and then leaves him the second original guy comes back. Oh, and then she makes a baby, afterwhich her story ends. She was a horrible image for young girls. Alice was much cooler.
ReplyDeleteAlso, I forgot the part about Edward sneaking into her room and watching her sleep...AND HER LIKING IT. That's restraining order territory in my book, yet she seems to find it flattering. Shudder.
ReplyDeleteI agree with your thoughts. Twilight is not all that bad, at least it gets kids reading! But I do see where people are coming from with some of the messages that it gives.
ReplyDeleteGreat kid reads:
ReplyDeleteJoe Dever and John Grant-Books 1-4 of the legends of lone wolf series (rare but I do have them all)
Great adult reads:
Red Star Rogue - you will not believe this stuff
Time and Again - I think no other book has moved me so much
Duma Key - a great SK writing
Revenge of the Sith - so much more than the film
I picked up the first book in a book shop, read the back, flip to the first page, scanned it, and put it back on the shelf. After that, hearing all about the Twilight phenomenan, did nothing to change my mind. I like vampires just fine, but this particular story just didn't appeal to me. I thought it lacked depth of a good story.
ReplyDeleteThis week, I rented Twilight DVD because I just wanted to get the gist of the story and to see for myself if I would be remotely interested in giving the book a go. While I didn't mind watching the movie for couple of hours, it wasn't a good movie. Bella's character is - as you rightly pointed out - totally weak. The actress who plays her has either done a very good job of portraying a pretty useless character, or she is a very bad actress. I don't know.
I know that I shouldn't judge the books by the movie, but I just wanted the general idea, because books were unappealing in the first place. And I am sticking to it. The story-line just sounds too weak, and Bella's character is pathetic, in my opinion.
However saying that, I can totally see why kids would enjoy this book, and I see nothing wrong with them reading it.
I think Meyer's religion (Mormon, I believe) came into play when it came to writing Bella's character. I've never read the books, but from what I've seen and been told (my wife devoured all four books), she is pretty subservient to men.
ReplyDeleteNothing wrong with religion influencing a character's development in a story, but that's my thoughts as to why her character is like that.