Twilight posts originally written 8.27.2008
I don't know why this wasn't posted here originally, (Below I'll also include my younger sister's thoughts)
My sister wrote a note about Twilight as well and ended up leaving out the Mormon parallels. Since she has done so, I felt that I needed to show them in a more eloquent way. Although my sister is strong enough to fight her own battles, I'm currently attempting to make a career on analysing literature, so even though I'm not in school for another week, I wrote an essay expressing the parallels that I have seen in this popular book to the religion of it's author. These similarities intrigue me and make the story interesting to me.
LDS parallels in Twilight- rough draft
I know that I’m not an expert of anything… yet. I haven’t read the Twilight books. I got such mixed reviews I decided that I needed to read up on them in a way that I wouldn’t be subjected to more opinions, without actually going out and buying them. So, I found several plot summaries online to get a good sense of what everyone seems to be reading. What I found I didn’t like. After talking to two people whose opinion I actually trust, I realized that my initial reactions to these novels were not wrong. However, I hate teen-lit on principle. I think the whole genre is full of terrible teenage female characters that are so stereotyped and horrible. I can’t imagine being sixteen again and reading this crap, thinking that’s how my life should be and how I should behave. Literature, in my humble, English-major opinion, should stimulate the mind, teach, inspire, and open new horizons of human emotion and experience to the reader. Teen-lit does not do this.
There is one intriguing aspect to Twilight that I was able to find in my web-surfing. The author is LDS. After learning this, it took me awhile to tie everything together. But, suddenly, in a conversation with my lil’ sis’ I realized all the intricate connections between the LDS church and these novels.
Firstly, the relationship between Bella and Edward cannot be officially consummated until after they are married. Though many religious sects admonish sex before marriage, the issue of procreation being a very sacred moment in the lives of young Mormons is reflected both in Bella’s insistence and in Edward’s reluctance for the act itself. Acting as a proper young man, though Edward is constantly tempted by Bella’s scent and sexuality; he desists and in doing so has to keep her passions at bay as well. It is not just that Edward keeps his own distance from Bella until they are married, but he also removes himself from her so that she cannot act on her impulses, either. As a young woman growing up in the LDS Church, I was myself told several times that though the world was difficult and there are many temptations, as a young woman in the Church, it was my responsibility to be a virtuous example to the young men around me. Although I resented this, I think that this specific portrayal of abstinence and example is refreshing, because it is the male who is leading by example.
Side note #1 ~ As my sister pointed out in her own note of the same persuasion, these characters are extremely one dimensional. Bella is completely driven by her desire for Edward. When he removes himself from her, she begins to hurt herself and put herself into dangerous situations. Not good. Definitely not good. And especially not a good portrayal of teenage girls. There’s no reason why teenage girls should be portrayed this way, as if they need a big strong male around to tell them not to be too reckless, too passionate. In human history there are two basic female stereotypes, the angel and the seducer. Somehow, though feminists have come a long way in showing us how to recognize and distinguish between the reality and the stereotype, authors that are writing specifically for young girls are using these stereotypes... which is ridiculous. Why would an author who is writing for young women portray them so negatively?
Secondly, Bella’s and Edward’s marriage means an eternal commitment between the two of them. Once they are married, Edward makes Bella a vampire, thereby declaring an eternal commitment between the two of them. Like the eternal sealing in the LDS temple, Edward and Bella commit to each other for an eternal life. A vampire is considered to be an immortal being. Like the immortal beings that our souls will once be, Bella and Edward choose to commit for an immortal existence.
Thirdly, Edward holds a power that Bella can not hold until he joins with her in their eternal marriage. The men in the LDS church hold the priesthood, a power and relationship with God that their female counterparts do not. (As a disclaimer, while a member of the church I never resented this fact. Although many I have come across wonder why women do not hold the priesthood, it was never a factor in my thoughts, nor is it a factor here, other than to point out the similarities in the story and the LDS Church.) Edward holds the power of immortality, something that Bella cannot understand fully, but seeks to share with him. The only time that she fully experiences the fullness of Edward’s gift after they are married. Just as a woman’s greatest blessings will come from the benefit of sharing an eternal marriage with a priesthood holder, so do Bella’s immortal blessings come after her marriage to Edward. Blessings which are multiplied after they have a child.
This isn’t a way to bash the novel, but to point out all the similarities that I have seen. Though I would greatly like to tell you all how awful these novels are, it’s so much more interesting to see the effect that the author’s religion has had on her work. Though there are many aspects of the Bella/Edward relationship that I, personally, find twisted and not fulfilling or appropriate, this relationship shows for the author a relationship that is based on many of the aspects that she finds to be important.
Sissy's post from 8.25.2008:::
My name is... well, that's really not important, is it? I'm here to share my views on Twilight, by Stephenie Meyer.
I have read Twilight, New Moon, and Eclipse. I thought I'd get that out of the way so no one claims that I don't know what i'm talking about. True, I have not read Breaking Dawn, yet. But when I do, it won't be for pleasure. It will be for research.
Here's my history, first:
I used to read the Twilight series for fun. I discovered it while roaming in the Teen Lit. section (i know, horrible). Back then, it was unnoticed by anyone and simply a good read. After a while, it caught up with the world. I began to see that every girl had a copy of my new-found book. I was a little put-off by the fact that it was growing so popular. The second one was good and I have read it more times than the first. By the time the third and fourth book came out, everyone I knew was reading it. Teenage girls, teenage boys, older women and even younger girls were obsessed with Edward and Bella. Now I was really upset because of its popularity. I have the application Flair, which is just a bunch of buttons and pins to put on your profile. As I browse through the buttons, I find more and more of them are about Twilight. That's when I started hating its publicity. During the summer, I got to talk to my sister about her views on the Twilight series. She told me what she thought. It took a few days for it to sink in. And then I realized that every point she made was absolutely right.
Here's what I've found to be true about Twilight:
The Twilight series is about a girl who is obsessed with a boy. She often says that she doesn't know how she had lived without him before. She also notes on the fact that he is superior to her and could do much better, which doesn't really help her self-image. When he is around, her life revolves around him. She doesn't talk to her friends anymore. When he leaves her, she goes into a FOUR MONTH depression. Her friends give up trying to talk to her and her dad, as unobservant as he is, is starting to get annoyed by her behavior. The only good part is when she starts to get an actual LIFE with Jacob. True, it was stupid to make him a werewolf, but what can you do? As soon as Edward gets back, though, she is willing to throw away her life for him AGAIN. The third book is a blur, but I think that is when he makes the proposition for her to marry him. (Don't attack me, ok?) And then he will turn her into a vampire, too, right?Alright, well, the whole point is that she turns her world upside down for this guy and stops thinking logically. She wants to quit high school for him. She wants to be with him forever, even though it would mean letting go of her family, her friends (what friends?), and all her old dreams. Nothing matters to her anymore, not even her won safety. In the second book, she tries learning to ride a motorcycle and crashing on purpose to have hallucinations about Edward. She walks up to strangers outside of bars, people that could have followed her and nearly attacked her at another time. She even goes cliff diving in the middle of a hurricane when an extremely dangerous vampire is on the lose looking for her. Oh, speaking of dangerous Vampires, she walks right up to one and starts having a conversation with him, even though she was once in the company of a highly dangerous friend that tried to kill her before.
I'm well aware that my thoughts are scattered, but here's the facts:
1. Bella has an unhealthy obsession with Edward - there is no other word for it.
2. She loses her brain when she is with him or when he's not there.
3. He is more important than her - this theme is put in the book so much, feminists should have been all over that.
4. She's totally under his control - she will do whatever he tells her, but he can go off and do whatever.
Look, I know I'm completely bashing what could have been a great piece of Teen Lit., but I was browsing in the facebook flair and I saw something that made my fly into a cranky, irritated rage. It said:
"Edward can bust my headboard, bite my pillows, and bruise my body anyday"
It made me realize that this woman, this silly girl, this Bella is NOT someone that should be a role model for teenage girls today. I see girls exclaim that they wish they had a boyfriend like Edward Cullen. Oh really? So I ask the mothers of teenage daughters today: Do you want your daughter dating a boy who breaks her heart, takes over her thoughts and actions, and physically hurts her? I ask the mothers because, apparently, the teenage girls of today are willing to overlook those minor flaws because "he's sparkly". Yes, girls, that's very intelligent.
So I now ask the question - What is Twilight: a fun read or a form of brainwashing for teenage girls around the world?
You decide.