REEL TRUTH with Serena Whitney – (Twilight Edition)
Why Women Should Stay Away from ‘TWILIGHT’
Last year, I was forcibly introduced to the world of Twilight when I heard my friend talking about it one day. I was floored by how an upcoming movie about vampires and werewolves went completely over my horror radar. I felt sheepish until I ‘googled’ its origins and realized why I hadn’t heard of this tween-porn and just wrote it off. Who knew that the world would be taken over by a Twilight phenomenon/pandemic six months later? Twilight was never supposed to get this big. It looked like it was simply meant to be a high brow straight to DVD film. Instead it turned the media world into complete chaos and because of that, females of many different ages fell into the beautiful lies Twilight created to make us believe about Bella and Edward’s intense karmic connection. Funny how so many women avoid or are completely unaware of the many flaws and bullsh*t they eat up from the series, but today is the day I am going to attempt to open their eyes to see how using Twilight as a guide book/film to dating will only bring disappointment to your love life.
Bella is no one a Girl should aspire to be like
Every girl who has read and enjoyed the Twilight saga has mainly liked it for the same reason why girls love Sex and the City and that is because they somehow relate to the main character. Like a generic breakup ballad from Mariah Carey, many girls instantly come to the conclusion that the writer is writing about them. I’m sorry to say this, but Bella is a walking contradiction. Stephenie Meyers wants us to believe that Bella is a lonely, awkward and clumsy teenage girl who is smarter than her peers, yet somehow has every guy around her lusting for her and is also able to make a group of friends on her first day of school? Give me a break! High school politics are harsh and simple. You can’t be a lonely, awkward popular girl. It just doesn’t happen. Unless she was the school’s only pot dealer, (which would make sense with casting Kristen Stewart in the role) the scenario would never come to be.
In fact, Bella is probably a glamorized version of Ms. Meyers in high school who used to daydream to and from school about guys admiring her and who used to read her copy of Wuthering Heights every night to distract her from crying about not being invited to a party. Bella Swan is not a special girl with a certain “je ne sais quoi.” She’s Pamela Anderson. Is that who you want to aspire to be like? Pamela Anderson? I didn’t think so.
Sends the Wrong Message about Sex
Watching Edward and Bella constantly in sexual frustration during the first Twilight film was an eye-rolling experience. Here we’re supposed to believe that Stephenie Meyers is sending a good message about sexual feelings in teenagers and how they can control them. I’m sorry, but there’s only so much proverbial “dry-humping” a horny teenage couple can withstand. Ironically, these teasing moments on screen and in the book prove to be porn for females as women get off on sensuality far more than men do. I for one do not buy this neutered love story as a vampire oozes with sexuality. They crave sex as much as they crave blood. We’re supposed to believe Edward is willing to endure a bad case of blue balls every night? Sorry, I don’t buy it. If this happened in real-life, Edward would have already had Bella in the sack and she would have learned that he unfortunately moves lightning speed in the bedroom as well and just wrote him off as just an experimental phase she was going through.
Promotes an Unhealthy Form of Co-dependency
Bella and Edward may seem like they have acquired an envious romance between each other, but it’s all an illusion. They get so wrapped into each other, that they forget about all those around them. Bella’s friends and father are just background noise to her. Edward is just a loner who thinks he’s better than everybody around him. If these two shallow individuals had any sense of identity, (which they DON’T) it would have been lost faster than Lindsay Lohan’s virginity.
As soon as they find each other, their school life completely disappears and all they talk about is sharing their bouts of depressions from being misunderstood. This does not sound like “star-crossed lovers” but in fact, it sounds like two loners preparing to shoot their peers in a high school massacre.
The Story is Told from Bella’s Deluded Perspective
‘With his thick luscious lips formed in a perfect ‘O’ formation, he blew out a flawless ring of marijuana smoke that hovered over our heads. As he took his finger and shot it through the centre of his ingenious creation, I gasped from the rapture of undeniable joy as I felt like an arrow had also simultaneously been shot in my heart.’ This is an excerpt from my diary when I was eighteen years old. I ‘loved’ a pot dealer and couldn’t tell the difference between a ‘rapture of undeniable joy’ from just a really good buzz. Yet somehow I was still able to romanticize my chance encounters with Mr. Stoner and that should tell you right there that eighteen year old girls are morons when it comes to matters of the heart.
In Twilight, the whole story is shown through Bella’s doe eyes and because of that, the readers and audience members are subjected to every passionate adjective found in MS Word’s thesaurus to describe Edward in the rest of the book and film. Couldn’t it be possible if the film was shown a different and more honest perspective that the events could have changed? What if the guys that look like they were going to gang-rape Bella were actually just whistling at her walking by and Edward started wailing on them for no reason? What if Edward’s collection of classical music solely consists of a ‘Best of Mozart’ CD right beside his twelve seasons of South Park DVD box sets? Never trust an eighteen year old girl about the subject of love. Plain and simple.
Edward Cullen should not be fantasized about
One of the things annoying me so much about this Twilight craze is the obsession of the character Edward Cullen. Somehow, the character has become so desired that it has misled women world wide into thinking that Robert Pattinson is far more attractive than he really is. I find this especially mind-boggling considering this character is no one a woman should be fantasizing about with a heavy-duty shower head in their hands. Let’s review Mr. Cullen’s flaws for those in need of a reality check and a break from the “shower.”
He sparkles.
He stalks.
He watches Bella in bed while she sleeps.
He’s emotionally-crippled.
He’s manipulative.
He refuses to have sex in fear of killing Bella.
He reminds Bella he could eat her at any time.
Take away the fangs and the sparkles and you’ve got yourself a future abusive husband, a gay man or a combination of any of my ex-boyfriends on your hands. Sexy, right?
It Glamorizes Teenage Suicide
I know that heading may sound a little extreme, but ever since I’ve seen the latest umpteenth trailer for New Moon when both characters attempt to kill themselves, I have wondered about how many teenagers have thought about how ‘romantic’ their actions are in the sequel. Is the message we really want to send out? When a guy leaves you, become an adrenaline junkie instead? Really? Thank god I’m not a teenager anymore.
Your Rebound Guy Does Not Look Like Jacob
Sooner or later, a girl will have to make an uncomfortable decision in her love life. Do we choose the shallow, emotionally-retarded and abusive ex boyfriend or do we opt for the deep, caring and nurturing rebound instead? Believe it or not, it is sadly a very hard decision to make for most girls. However, I can pretty much guarantee you that the decision would be easier if all rebound Mr. Nice Guys looked like Jacob. Think about all the good decisions you’d make and future mistakes you could avoid?
A Picture Says A Thousand Words….
Finally, let’s take a look at this New Moon poster. Besides its cheesy modern day rendition of Romeo and Juliet, there is something to be said about the body language in this poster as well. In the picture, Bella looks like as she’s in pre-orgasmic bliss from her recent “dry-humping” session with Edward. Edward looks cold and distant and he also makes sure the eyes are always on him. In short, he looks like a douche bag. However, it’s his strong and “Ike Turner-like” grip on Bella’s back that causes women to go nuts. They see this as a sign of true passion and sexual attraction, yet all I see is a jealous and overprotective douche who might as well have peed around Bella to mark his god damn territory. So romantic!
Now before any of you Twi-hard fans lose your sh*t over how I’m defecating on the beloved Twilight mythology, it should be noted that I don’t really care. Yup, I don’t care if you throw details about Eclipse and Breaking Dawn that you think contradict what I have mentioned above. I don’t care if you call me an idiot for saying all these negative things when New Moon is fresh on Rotten Tomatoes. I especially don’t care if you like the film or not. If you like CGI wolves and sparkling vampires onscreen, then be my guest. I won’t judge. However, it just seems like far too many women are too emulated by the romanticism in the franchise rather than focusing on the harsh reality of their own current relationships. Will this article be the catalyst for change? Most likely no, but as long as this reaches a few readers, I did my job. Until next time Twi-hards!
Send any additional questions or comments to serena@killerfilm.com
I applaud you for pointing out the things that so many teenage girls and even mothers neglect to see within the series (and this new film). Bravo!
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Adrian Ruiz Reply:
November 21st, 2009 at 2:01 am
I concur Lass =)
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Bikki Reply:
November 22nd, 2009 at 8:45 pm
Amen!
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Hahahaha this is great hahahahaha lol I was reading an article about parents not letting their girls go see the movie because they were worried that Bella (as a forelorn teenager, obsessed in love, everything you basically said) would be a bad influence on them. That being said I still dug the movie, but enjoyed books even more
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Amazing!
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All great points. Until recently, I perceived this whole thing as just harmless fun for tweens and desperate housewives. Then I looked closer…
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Estefan Reply:
November 20th, 2009 at 3:20 pm
Looked closer at what?????
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I’m glad this came from a woman because if a guy had wrote this he would of been burned at the stake.
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This was a great write-up. I have no care to watch anything TWILIGHT related, but I agree with many of the things you have stated. I read that Stephenie Meyers is a Mormon, and has only used these books to push her Mormon beliefs.
I also read a story of a woman that divorced her husband. He was a good guy, but he wasn’t like Edward in his “caring” for her.
Then there are the fans that are meeting Pattinson and slitting their throughts and cutting their wrists becasue they want him to drink their blood. What the hell is wrong with people?!?!?!
Now, I have no problem saying if I think a male actor is attractive, I’m comfortable in my sexuality, but Robert Pattinson is not a good looking guy. He has a weird misshapped head. And while we are on this subject, why are 30-something housewives drooling over a character that is supposed to be “17″?
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Estefan Reply:
November 20th, 2009 at 3:13 pm
Like the author you underestimate the intelligence of those thatenjoy the series – I’m pretty sure that 99.9% of us twi-hard are doing anything so riduculous as to be slitting our wrists.I would suggest that the 00.01% that MAY being engagin in such activity have pre existing problems that have nothing to do with twilight
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Jon Reply:
November 20th, 2009 at 10:57 pm
That is a good point.
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Todd Reply:
December 8th, 2009 at 12:09 am
Now I WILL say that I have met some Twilight fans that are not all that crazy and are very down to earth, even so much so that I can tell them I don’t like it and they just shrug and tell me that’s fine. But i have read some stories of very hardcore fans getting violent over someone saying they don’t like it.
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WHO CARES?? quit overanalyzing the movie and just enjoy it! I’m not saying I don’t agree with some of the stuff you said but I don’t really care. I watch the movie because I enjoyed it, knowing that’s not how it really is in high school doesn’t change the fact that I watch the movies for entertainment.
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Wonderfully done.
Should be posted in high schools for all the tweens to read.
In the end, books are books, movies are movies, but we can forget about the lasting effect they can have on us. For good or ill.
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I care! Part of Fandom is dealing with different opinions and you can’t get all bent out of shape about it. This write-up will be a bitter pill for alot of fans because it’s so well thought out.
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Estefan Reply:
December 15th, 2009 at 5:39 am
Whilst it is very well thought out the style is somewhat antagonistic which is what provokes fans. It provoked me enough to make some comments about the author which were very unecessary.
It’s part of human nature to defend the things we care about whether that’s family, friends or things as trivial as books and films
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Nicky Reply:
January 5th, 2010 at 5:52 pm
But there is also nothing wrong with pointing out flaws of a movie/book. Because without a book/movie to be pointed out, you’d eating it all up, taking in all its pushing out without realizing the flaws of it, and what example its pushing on young ones today. Without a defense of knowing ‘Its not real, these lessons are wrong,’ your pushing yourself the wrong road. Its like watching horror movies, without defending yourself with the defense of knowledge, you’d be eating all that up, and ether be scarred for life, depending on the movie, or learn from it. (Think of Saw people.)
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I find it incredibly interesting that you have nothing better to do with your life than to look far too deep into a story like Twilight.
Whilst you raise some good points, you’re riduculous bias makes the article seem irrationally personal; Frankly you sound bitter and somewhat jealous immediately diminishing the relatively strong argument that you’ve presented.
As well as this your article grossly overestimates the influence of the series, assuming that teenagers are passive recipients of books and films which isn’t the case.
That last paragraph is incredibly interesting from a psychological perspective. You talk about “doing your job”. What job?
Let’s be honest the 99% of people that love the twilight series are not going to be swayed by your article so what was you’re intention?
I would suggest that you consult a councillor or therapist to deal with your deep seated anger and relationship issues.
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Damasca Reply:
November 28th, 2009 at 7:14 am
Right, because she obviously has nothing better to do then post a article about how messed up Twilight with her life, your Twitard logic fails.
Fail logic is fail.
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Estefan Reply:
December 15th, 2009 at 5:40 am
Can you express your point more clearly?
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Catie Reply:
November 28th, 2009 at 8:25 pm
“I find it incredibly interesting that you have nothing better to do with your life than to look far too deep into a story like Twilight.”
…yet you go off on her on a comment that must have taken you… two, three minutes? (You obviously didn’t think long and hard about anything you said.)
Good job on that slippery slope.
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Todd Reply:
December 8th, 2009 at 12:17 am
What i find highly amusing about this particular post from Esty boy (girl?) is the once more ever present mentioning of jealousy. EVERY Twihard fan seems to mention this. It doesn’t matter if you just say “I just don’t like it” Their reply always ends up with something like “It’s because your jealous of Eddikins or Bella” And yes I know that s/he never said anything along those lines.. but still. And to mention someone’s relationship life is ridiculous in and of itself and suggests that perhaps this particular person is possibly having some form of relationship problems themselves. If anything when it comes to suggesting someone see a councilor for some ridiculous reason, please do us all a favor. Unless you have credentials to be suggesting such things, shut your trap and let the author of the article run her own life how she please
kthxbai! (LOLcat FTW)
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Estefan Reply:
December 15th, 2009 at 5:57 am
@ Catie
Actually I type really uickly so it took me about a minute. I notice you didn’t actually fault what i actaully said.
@ Todd
Notice that i never suggested what the author could potentially be jealous about and frankly i would never suggest that she was jealous of fictional characters.
Not having relationship problems.
I will concede that the last sentence of my post was riduculous and irrelevant. (You may want to look at my posts to the author further down the page!)
Just out of curiosity, how is it that you think know that i don’t have the credentials to refer someone to a councillor?
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Hey guys,
Thanks for all the feedback!
@Maria
I’m not saying anything bad about anybody who actually watches the films for entertainment. That’s exactly what movie watching SHOULD be about. However, many women out there are far too obsessive about this series and it’s hurting their love lives in a serious way. Like I said, I do not judge anybody who likes Twilight…but I do have a big problem with how girls somehow keep relating their love-lives to the series.
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@Estefan
First of all, I wrote this article because it is my job to provide features about what’s new in cinema. I find it incredibly interesting that you have nothing better to do than to insult someone who hasn’t even insulted you personally.
Am I jealous or bitter? No. I’m too busy having a life and dates to care to compare my life to Twilight. Something you obviously can not relate to.
Thanks for the feeback nonetheless.
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Estefan Reply:
November 20th, 2009 at 4:05 pm
In hindsight,
I was very rude in terms of commenting on your personal life but i still stand by criticims of your article – especially of that last paragraph which is unecessarily antagonistic much like my assumptions of your personal life.
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Serena Reply:
November 21st, 2009 at 1:25 pm
Hey Estefan,
See..I can respond to this comment without hostility. This is what healthy debating is all about.
You’re right…I was being antagonistic towards the film…but that was my intention. I don’t care for the deluded love story in Twilight and I was voicing my opinion on it. We’re all allowed to have different opinions…and that’s my stance on the subject.
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Estefan Reply:
December 15th, 2009 at 5:47 am
That’s fair enough. I’m all for freedom of speech BUT you’ve got to know that HOW you say things will impact how your opinion is received. I get that not everyone will like the twilight series and that’s fine and to be expected. I’ll be honest, having re-read your article i understand your interpretation of the books/films and you present a very good argument. However, you haven’t changed my mind so I’m quite happy to agree to disagree.
[...] boyfriend. (Serena Whitney provides a handful of other criticisms in her Reel Truth column over at Killer Film.) On the other hand, some make note of the fact that the movie preaches abstinence, and that is [...]
You evidently have WAY TOO MUCH TIME ON YOUR HANDS!
I just wrote a reply, but you know, I’d rather just go to bed so deleted my little rant.
In a nut, the book/film is just a love story.. there is NO deep meaning! May as well have a go at Romeo and Juliet… yes, there are comparisons and even a blind man could see that.
This is daft.
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I completely 100% agree with everything you say minus the sex things. These books obviously preach abstinence but I don’t see how that is the “Wrong message.” I’d rather my kids act like Bella/Edward on the sexual front than any of those idiots on Gossip Girl or other “teen” programming. I’m a big fan of Twilight and have read the books many times and have seen both the movies. But the book is just escapist entertainment for me.
I think Edward/Bella is a horrible role model for a relationship. They are co-dependent and melodramatic. Edward is a controlling, manipulative psycho and Bella is a rude, insecure, selfish little twerp. How do they even “love eachother?” They barely know eachother. The glorification of suicide in this series is sickening.
I don’t think anything is wrong with liking these books/films, but when people paint these characters as some romantic ideals, or praise Meyer for her “genius” (LMFAO) it irritates me.
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BRAVO!! This is a wonderfully written article and I actually love the Twilight books and movie. I must admit, Im one of those adults who stood in line at midnight for the movie premiere and have read all the books..but for me its pure entertainment. A nice break from reality and an excuse to have a fun girls night. But you are right, it annoys me that people take the series so seriously and believe that all relationships should be based on a fictional and unhealthy relationship such as Edward and Bellas. This article is very well written and for the few of us who just enjoy the movie at face value and dont have any expectations…thank you!!
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As a fan of the twilight series, I think this is way too much. yes i do think you got a few points in your article, and yes maybe twilight wasnt expected to be so big, but it did. deal with it. dont be so overdramatic. the reason so many girls AND MOMS like this series so much is because its based on a great love story. So apparently just because we read a book , a FICTION book on vampires, we now believe in them, and believe we are one? Thats stupid. ITS JUST A MOVIE, NOT REAL, JUST BECAUSE A LOT OF PEOPLE LIKE THE STORY DOES NOT MEAN WE ARE CRAZY. And what about harry potter fans? Now your going to say they have special wands and are witches and wizards too? Get a life and stop spending your days trying to act like a hero for overbearing parents. Theres nothing that bad about twilight. GET A GRIP.
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Alan Reply:
November 20th, 2009 at 7:08 pm
No, the reason why teenage girls and bored housewives enjoy Twilight so much is because most of them mistake horrible fanfiction featuring an anemic ephebophile stalker and a Mary Sue author-surrogate for a love story. And which great love story is Twilight based on; Romeo and Juliet, perhaps? I’ve got bad news for you, then, because Romeo and Juliet isn’t about love, its about teenage angst and lust between a 16 year old boy and a 13 year old girl that results in double-suicide. But do girls get that? No, instead they see it as love because no one “gets” the main characters and the “deep emotional bonds” they have, when really its just a case of raging pubescent hormones. Any of that sound familiar?
Twilight is garbage that insults the reader and the viewer’s intelligence, and I pity those who can’t see that.
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I think many of the Twilight fans are missing the entire point of this article.
Most of the points made up above are spot on. There are some incredibly unhealthy attitudes being promulgated in the books and movies.
As for Harry Potter, the values in those books are most commendable. They are about equality, and self-worth, and courage and honesty.
They aren’t about pining away for someone you shouldn’t be with.
They aren’t about what borders on statutory rape passing as a love story.
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This is what I’ve been preaching to obsessive Twilight fans for years.
Nice job. ;]
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Did you actually read the books or see the movie? Or did you just google it and derive your opinions from it that way?
Bella is no one a girl should aspire to be like….you’re right. Who would want to be a polite, studious, articulate, well-behaved girl who helps her father around the house and doesn’t drink, smoke, do drugs, have sex, or party all the time? God forbid we have more of those girls running around.
It promotes an unhealthy form of co-dependency…every relationship, especially when it’s a new one, creates codependency. Bella and Edward “get so wrapped into each other, that they forget about all those around them.” Who hasn’t done that at one time or another, when they are falling in love? Teenagers are by nature self-centered and don’t pay much attention to the outside world, unless it has a direct impact on their lives. They are also over-dramatic, moody, angsty, deluded, and feel like the world is going to end if a relationship is over, especially teenage girls.
Personally, I don’t think Twilight gives anyone an unrealistic expectation of life or love, at least no more so than a Danielle Steele novel. I think articles like this assume teenage girls are unable to tell the difference between reality and fiction. Or that all Twi-Moms are “bored housewives” (to quote another commenter) who are mindless, humorless, and are looking for a substitute for an otherwise meaningless life. Please. It seems to me the people that don’t like Twilight are putting much more thought and analysis into the story than the people that do enjoy Twilight for what it is – a piece of fiction. It’s a story, plain and simple, and the people who take it more seriously than that probably have some other issues going on that have nothing to do with Twilight. I read V.C. Andrews as a teenager, but I didn’t go around thinking that it was ok to have a sexual relationship with my brother.
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Chicaaa Reply:
November 21st, 2009 at 6:42 pm
you’re awesome, whoever you are. didn’t say it better than you did.
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Kiersten Reply:
November 22nd, 2009 at 11:47 am
You’ve got to be kidding. Girls should definitely not aspire to emulate Bella. The attributes you listed, i.e. being articulate, studious, and helpful to her father are all surface attributes. She is only articulate because Meyer used her handy-dandy thesaurus to litter Bella’s inner thoughts with “advanced” (and sometimes incorrectly used) words. Furthermore, Meyer TELLS us that Bella is studious, she never SHOWS us. In addition, her actions have proven she isn’t the brightest (i.e. running off to James to be killed, attempting suicide to hear Edward in her head). And though she may cook and clean for her father like a “good” woman/slave should, she constantly disregards him and puts her relationship with Edward before him, no matter how much it hurts him.
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I think it is shallow to say “It’s just a movie”. As film critics, we are taught and use our education to look deeper into something. Whether Serena is right or wrong, she has good points, and there is something to this series to talk about. I can talk deeper issues on “Plan 9 from Outer Space”, is that crazy?
When people talk about “Twilight”, why isn’t “Buffy” ever brought up as comparisons?
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I love your summarization of this drivel of a film, It only serves the purpose of being a deluded fantasy for young horny girls while being a mastubatory aid for the menopausel housewife that wished edward would do questionable things to them.
Though, in the grand scheme of things it is no different than most other movies, you have made a brilliant analyzation of the film and understand these things, but on the other hand it’s futile to point it out to people even though I agree 100% these films suck.
People just want to fantasize and escape, and the hormonal angsty vampire saga just happens to be this months hollywood crapfest.
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[...] REEL TRUTH with Serena Whitney – (Twilight Edition) | KillerFilm [...]
@KB, @Smac @Roxann and any other pissed off twi-hard fan,
Sorry that you guys have such strong reactions to my article, but for you guys to tell me to get a grip is hilarious considering you are the ones that seem like you’re going to lose it.
Most of you keep preaching that I’m over-analyzing the movie. I’m a critic. That’s my job. If anything, most of the general public don’t analyze movies enough. If you watch Twilight purely for entertainment value, then that’s all good. But you guys seem to fall into the ‘obsessive’ category. Anybody that gets upset and takes it personally over an article made to make people laugh over a movie is just a little too fanatical.
I’m all up for a healthy debate…but to keep attacking an author over her views about a movie or book is just plain ridiculous.
I suggest you guys go over to Twilight Message Boards where you can chat with people who share the same irrational and outspoken opinions like you….I hear the sad ivillage message board is furious about this article. It seems like that’s the right place for you.
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Chicaaa Reply:
November 21st, 2009 at 9:08 pm
to attack an author and the people in its production is also ridiculous!
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DuskQ Reply:
November 22nd, 2009 at 10:11 pm
The author of this critique has done nothing to attack the people in the production. Saying that the usual rebound guy will not look like Jacob is not, for instance, slamming the actor Taylor Laurent. Nor is it faulting the director for profiting in his craft which can only be expected.
Now as for attacking Meyer, perhaps she did write Mormon ideals into the books. Still, no author can completely disassociate their beliefs and biases from the works. I do not think Maeyer should be held at fault for that myself. Ultimately, the woman still wrote soft porn for young adults, filled with false messages about true love, and poor grammar. She should be faulted for that.
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Darren J Seeley Reply:
November 30th, 2009 at 2:33 pm
“If anything, most of the general public don’t analyze movies enough. “
What a wonderful world would it be if folks get something more out of a film, good or bad, other than just popcorn value. Something layered within with each viewing, be it characters, story, or symbolism. I would like to think in these optimistic terms, even though I know the flip side to the coin is that years later, I revisit a film and then wonder what in the hell was I thinking, (or drinking) at the time…
In any case, I wonder if the producers of the Twilight saga know there’s only so many times characters can moan about inner angst and ‘to be or not to be’ a vampire. Why else would they throw money at David Slade for the third film? Why do I get the funny feeling that the 30 Days Of Night director will have his hands tied?
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I have to say you have hit the nail right on the head. It’s not enough that Twilight is derivative and even borrows liberally from everything from The Southern Vampire Mysteries (AKA True Blood) to the old World of Darkness role playing games, it does portray a very unhealthy relationship as some sort of romantic ideal.
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so basically your soooo genius that you don’t fall into the same traps that every other woman on the earth does. props to you for stroking your own ego by writing this article.
tho witty, this article was not unique nor thought provoking. actually i got bored reading it.
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Serena Reply:
November 24th, 2009 at 12:47 am
@pirate,
actually I have fallen in the same traps (not from Twilight however)…hence why I can write the article.
Btw…how can my article be witty and boring at the same time? If you’re going to insult me, do it properly.
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FUCK TWILIGHT EDWARD SUCKS REAL VAMPIRES BURN BITCHES
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I have to say, I am almost offended at what I read just now. That was extremely loaded THING you have written!
There was a lot of bashing at the author and even the actors and actresses?
First thing is first, this is a book. A fantasy. A fairytale. A love story.
How can you say that this is causing problems in young women with their love lives? Those women are immature and perhaps should stick to more innocent books until they’re big girls?
Also, to involve teenagers as a whole was ridiculous. There are much more influencing factors in this world that are much more easily obtainable than a freaking book.
It’s a book. I don’t see how it promotes anything that doesn’t already happen with as much force as it ever could anyways.
The only thing that i see this book promoting is reading. Something kids should be doing anyways. If you’re gonna complain about this book, don’t hesitate to complain about everything in your world, lady.
It was unfair to say the things that you did, even if you believe that the book blows over on your morals.
I must conclude, since posting a piece of your diary which exposed how you had the hots for someone on drugs, insulting the book and people involved with it in a very rude and sarcastic way, that you yourself are not a perfect human.
Twilight showed me how being “melodramatic,” having insecurities, not knowing what I wanted in my life, wanting to be happy, and having flaws was not freaking unheard of outside my own experiences with myself and my high school!
It didn’t show us teenagers anything new, honey! It gave us a good read, and the author had talent to write a novel that grabbed a lot of people.
So, all in all, why not just blame humanity for what it is? it’s not the book doing anything, it’s the weak minded people that you know. You’re giving them a freaking crutch by saying they got the wrong idea from an influential book.
It’s almost pointless leaving this comment. If you actually cooked up what you wrote already, it shows that you are too involved in something that many readers can translate in a million different ways. That in itself shows that you completely wasted your time and could have spent it better on analyzing topics that are actually hurting our youth today rather than a simple story.
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Todd Reply:
December 8th, 2009 at 12:37 am
Let’s for a second review what you just mentioned mkay? I didn’t see anything about the author of this article insulting the actors or really even Smeyer, just saying that she placed her own beliefs into.
“The only thing that i see this book promoting is reading. Something kids should be doing anyways. If you’re gonna complain about this book, don’t hesitate to complain about everything in your world, lady.
It was unfair to say the things that you did, even if you believe that the book blows over on your morals.”
She’s a critic what do you expect? It’s her JOB!
“I must conclude, since posting a piece of your diary which exposed how you had the hots for someone on drugs, insulting the book and people involved with it in a very rude and sarcastic way, that you yourself are not a perfect human.”
Hmm one second…. AHH yes here we are!
“This is an excerpt from my diary when I was eighteen years old. I ‘loved’ a pot dealer and couldn’t tell the difference between a ‘rapture of undeniable joy’ from just a really good buzz. Yet somehow I was still able to romanticize my chance encounters with Mr. Stoner and that should tell you right there that eighteen year old girls are morons when it comes to matters of the heart.”
I think that’s pretty close to self admittance that she’s not perfect and shit happens in life.
“That in itself shows that you completely wasted your time and could have spent it better on analyzing topics that are actually hurting our youth today rather than a simple story.”
To be quite frank this story IS hurting our youth today… if you’ve ever been to the Fangirl encounters thread of twilightsucks.com you will see some very disturbing things that have happened to people. Really before you decide to go and bash on an article think your post through… Is this author REALLY bashing on the FANS, the actors, the author (Somewhat but she’s certainly not saying she needs to die, just that she could have done this far, far better). Please.. think before you act.
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Hey there Serena, First time reader onsite, got the link from another site. Reading the article was insightful. Though, I would say I disagree with most parts of it. Especially the part on “Bella is no one a Girl should aspire to be like”. From what I can assume, your take on Bella may be based off personal experience – by which you go on to say “How can Bella be portrayed as a Lonely, awkward and clumsy teenager and yet somehow has every guy around her lusting for her. I haven’t seen this sequel yet, I do intend do. You seem to forget that teenagers are not the most resourceful or tactful in choice making at their age, hence majority are shallow minded. Moreover, you don’t have to be the school’s only pot dealer to be DESIRED by the majority populace. It might only take one characteristic/trait to be, which case trumps all others… = BEAUTY. I speak from my own experience. In High School to College I was not very sociable. I was lacking the basics in trying to convey the simplest conversations. Anyways long story short, once I began college, something unexpected happened. By the end of that first week. I was been chased by large number girls, not only just from my class/arm but a lot from the whole majority. It all seemed strange, given I was always lonely, awkward and clumsy to be in such as spot. Only until the other guys started their hatred at me, because I had just the feature which in part made me popular – “Very Good looking” – their words. High school politics may be harsh and yet simple but also awkward.
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i read your opinions & agree with some points & disagree with others … i for one have read all 4 books for pure enjoyment … i am 58 years old and they appealed to me with their romance, adventure, etc. … women who “fall in love” with characters from a book/movie are lacking something in their personal lives … fortunately, at this point in time, there are no book police to tell us which books we can read that are not “bad” for us … believe me, i can name a lot more worse books to read than the twilight series …
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@Chicaaa,
Lay off the Haagan Daz and buy a puppy. Seems like you’re in need of a little unconditional love.
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Chicaaa Reply:
November 23rd, 2009 at 7:55 pm
i don’t understand how that backs up the ridiculous statements that you made, or discredits what i have written towards your article. well, since you want to reply with more adolescent and sarcastic babble, i’ve lost interest.
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None of these young actors can act, but if you asked the young girls going to see the film, they’d say it was the best film they’d ever seen. If it keeps ‘em off the streets and out of my way, let ‘em go see it.
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The numbers speak for themselves.
http://www.killerfilm.com/articles/read/new-moon-sets-new-records-18947
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Serena Reply:
November 22nd, 2009 at 5:44 pm
My god. That’s all I have to say. My god.
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Great article Serena. From that read it should be said that Twilight is more of a cult than a craze.
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I’m interested how the next movie(s) will portray Edward becoming more controlling in their relationship.. for example when he disables Bella’s truck to keep her from going to see Jacob..
Oh yes, Bella is such a great role model. I would like to see how that plays out as well. Like how she basically marries Edward so she can finally get in his pants. And then decides she doesn’t want to go to college, because all she needs is Edward. And then gets pregnant.
Yeah, that’s a great message to send out to tweens and teenagers. Find a “perfect” guy and then just become a teen wife/mom. Forget furthering your education and starting a career. That’s just crazy talk. Or even having friends and seeing your family. All you need is your man, right?
And then there’s the whole pedophilia thing… wow, did Stephanie Meyer know what she was writing? Was she drunk?
If you’re going to write about these issues, then shouldn’t you write about the consequences? I don’t understand how it just all ends up happily ever after?
Great article, I’m glad there’s other intelligent people out there that are not being fooled by this nonsense.
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Melissa Molina Reply:
November 23rd, 2009 at 12:18 am
One of the weirdest things I thought Stephanie Meyer could have ever written for her series was the fourth book. It basically goes, takes any sort of ‘message’ or what have you from the first three and craps all over it so-to-speak.
I hate to think how they could even approach that book. Not only is it dealing with huge bouts of pedophilia, but it’s also dealing with tons of sex and what looks on paper to be the bloodiest delivery I’ve read in awhile. Not to mention, going back to the sex part, where Bella basically takes in physical abuse with a smile. I mean, where do you even start trying to adapt that? If I were Summit, I’d try to tip-toe away from that last one.
If someone gives me ‘Oh but what about the climatic scene in the fourth book?’ I’ll give you this: what is supposed to be a huge ‘battle’ ends up turning into an argument fest. Going through around forty odd pages of people standing around and arguing, your going to have the remainder of your audience that stomached the delivery fall asleep with the most empty and twisted finale to a series I’ve ever read.
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Good review…just wanted to comment that although everything you said was right, you are missing the point….it is just a love story, and a good one at that (hence the popularity), I dont understand why some people take it so seriously because the characters, were they actually real, do suck. Edward is a creep, Bella is insecure and co dependant and Jacob is really just horny. (like real life people i guess..) But it was a very easy read and although the films could have gone straight to dvd they are making $$ so understandibly cinema it is.
There is no message in the books- they are not to be taken literally. They have reached such a large audience because they are missing sex and violence, which i could have handled more of but I loved the books- as a 28 year old with children, it reminds me of how clueless teenagers are and that their whole lives are ahead of them…
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here is a better rendition of what you may or may not have copied….
http://theoatmeal.com/story/twilight –funny as hell and spared me the six hours it took me to read ur article
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Serena Reply:
November 24th, 2009 at 12:52 am
Why would I copy that? Seriously, why would I copy THAT? Too funny.
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Catie Reply:
November 28th, 2009 at 8:29 pm
Six hours? Man, you’re more illiterate than your rampant grammar and spelling errors let on.
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Well, everything you say is completely right, but I’m sure you know that there are so-called Twi-harda that are completely aware of all of this stuff and agree with it.
The whole Twilight thing is a form of escapism for many people. It’s like those guilty pleasures. It’s completely like a drug. It shows something ideal and fulfils many romantic” fantasies about the totally devoted man that an everyday woman would want for herself. Plus eternal beauty, wealth and the necessary love triangle.
It’s more like a temporary brain damage and hormones. I don’t think that people that like it can do much about the addiction, even if they understand the sh*t. It just passes with time…
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bella married edward just to have sex. thats true love you guys
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This is all so true. My boyfriend is nothing like Edward Cullen and I love him to bits
. I don’t like Edward’s way of making decisions over Bella without her consent
“I’m leaving for your own good because I am dangerous. However, yesterday I was talking about how you are my life now.”
“Hi, I just broke into your house to watch you sleep. That’s ok right?”
“Oh yeah I don’t want you to go see that Jacob fellow, so I took the engine out of your truck”.
“Lol I am so fucking awesome, you told Jacob that you’d pick me over him any day! OWNED! Now I see you’re a little sad over hurting his feelings and that’s not cool, you’re meant to get back to drooling over me woman! So now is the perfect time for me to propose!”
Then have you seen how they never laugh together? They’re always so serious. My boyfriend and I are always making eachother laugh and doing stupid stuff. Bella and Edward just gaze into eachothers eyes and breathing heavily. Edward tells her things that makes me think he sounds like a rapist, Bella says things that makes me think she’s the most anti-feminist figure I’ve ever seen in modern day.
Also Edward notices Bella for smelling appealing to him. He doesn’t fall for her personality, hell it isn’t even her looks! It’s her smell! Now what a pathetic excuse for love is that? Do women want a man who will love them for shallow reasons rather than for who they are inside?
I prefer real guys to Edward Cullen.
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i love you !!!!!!!! you said everything i was thinking about the movie
you couldnt of said it BETTER
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