...and then Buffy staked Edward. The End.
On another online medium, a friend posted that they wanted to make out with Edward Cullen, of Twilight, both book and movie, fame. This resulted in an outpouring of horror from me, of course, because the book and movie are both imo unadulterated awful, for many and varied reasons (and not the same reasons for each medium).
I posted the links to the following websites for more info as to the problems and said, as a brief note as to some of the issues, that the relationship between Bella and Edward is abusive and awful, certainly not perfect, the writing of the novels is deficient (there is no character development, just for one flaw, let alone no plot and "thesaurus rape", a crime that should never go unpunished) and that it's horrifically anti-feminist in theme.
A stranger wrote back and asked me, in particular, what made the books "anti-feminist", as I had claimed. I responded by saying that the links set it out much better than I could in limited space, but that one problem theme was that the lead character identifies herself only as Edward's girlfriend, and does not value herself in any other way. She also attempts suicide and falls into incredibly dangerous depression when deprived of Edward; she almost literally can't survive without him. The books paint Bella's view as correct and at no time criticises it; in fact, the books state that her relationship with Edward is "perfect", thereby portraying Bella's self-view as wonderful!
Not to mention the werewolf issue: Leah is instantly rendered infertile when she becomes a werewolf and she's the only powerful female character in the books. The fact that female werewolves are infertile makes it necessary for a practice the author has called "imprinting" (explanation to follow) because the werewolf species apparently must go on so a male werewolf will "imprint" on a female human, thereby instantly creating a connection between the two individuals which means that no-one else exists for them and they will eventually have sex and continue the species. Imprinting is instigated wholly by male werewolves on female humans, thereby removing the female's choice as to a sexual partner. Further, Leah is stripped of her ability to procreate, while the male werewolves carry on scot free. Message? Female = lesser = anti-feminist.
Don't even get me started on the fact that the imprinting, when it occurs (as it does in the series on two occasions) between an adult male werewolf imprinting on a 3 year old (and younger) female human is "child grooming", which is illegal and constitutes a type of paedophilia = really and seriously disturbing in a book aimed at teenagers and in which the imprinting process is described as wonderful, perfect, calming, etc, because it removes "doubt" and "uncertainty". Uh-huh... 'coz choices bad 'umkay.
Now, all of this aside, if this was a book aimed at adults: FINE. I can hate it, I can think it's shit, but each to their own. But, a teenager reading this book without guidance? These messages being sent unfiltered to the brain? I have a problem with that.
(And I'm not doubting intelligence, nor am I calling for censorship... I am calling for discussion and a questioning mind. It is a proven fact that a young brain is eminently malleable and the ideologies and values of a child/teenager are shaped by just these themes. Take care with our youth, world, take care.)
So I raise these concerns in this online interaction. The response?
Stranger said: "Um... [my name]? It's just a book. It's fiction. Who cares if it's anti-whatever in a cynic's eyes... It's a good read! If anyone read it and wanted to live their life that way, they'd be hard pressed to find a vampire boyfriend and a warewolf bestie, so I think they'd survive..."
This response really worries me. Are there more people out there who cannot see that words and themes and ideas have an effect on people?
As a friend so eloquently said: I wanna punch her in the face with reality.
Yes, I know this comic is apt...
... but I believe that a culture where we don't argue, critique or at least discuss matters, particularly in books, is a culture doomed.
Side issue: the movie doesn't include most of the issues set out above, so as a movie it doesn't ring alarm bells like the series does. Additionally, Twilight itself isn't too bad theme-wise (though see the second link above for a hilarious rundown of its literary deficiencies), but the rest of the series is where it gets all kinds of fucked up.
For the record, though, I think it's THE WORST MOVIE I'VE EVER SEEN as a result of terrible scriptwriting, shocking direction, hideous make-up inconsistencies and a bloody awful score. Just sayin'.
And yes, I do believe that this is the correct ending:
