Reading Twilight So You Don't Have To: Epilogue

[raykel]

Chapter Twenty-Four

I'll start by saying I'm giddy--giddy, I tell you--that I have finally reached the end of this awful, dreadful book. Although I like snarking as much as the next snarky person, this was not fun, this slogging through an awful book with awful characters, an awful message, and awful writing. But if it helps anyone learn a few

Comments

[julietvalcouer]

You know, one of your notes made me think--in real life, I go for Alpha males. And the thing about real alpha males is--they don't pull the "I can mess with you" shit that Edward does. They don't HAVE to. People know they're in charge. You see someone acting like a macho twit trying to throw his authority around, that's a beta with delusions of grandeur who is desperate to convince SOMEONE he has authority over them. Edward is Carlisle's bitch and knows it, and he's probably subordinate to all the rest of the Cullen clan, too. He needs to find someone he can be boss of, and voila, here comes Bella "I am nothing without a man" Swan.

Plus, nothing says "manly-man macho" like a hundred-eight-year-old indestructible immortal bossing around a seventeen-year-old high school kid.

[raykel]

Good point.

[kwg]

This is very true! True alpha males do not need to speak of their alphaness.

Which is why he really is a creepy emotionally abusive bastard.

Alpha males are just that - alpha males. They are not inherently scary or weird. I think of Cary Grant in SOOO many films. I would bring up other people I know in real life, but no one would understand those real life people! haha

Thanks for bringing up this point!

[julietvalcouer]

One of my dance teachers was absolutely an alpha male. He owned the place, yes--but his business partner also taught, and he didn't have the same aura. We just all kind of knew who was at the top of the food chain, and he didn't have to throw his weight around to establish that. He also never felt the need to constantly tell other staff how to do their jobs, be it the receptionist (me), the other teachers, or the managers. He hired us, he trained us, he assumed we weren't stupid and that we were able to the jobs without being constantly nitpicked. The only person who ever seemed to challenge that was another male teacher, who didn't last long--he went to open his own place (that's something of a failure) because he made the mistake of thinking that 'alpha male' means 'blustering, bossy, pushy, and controling.' Now, who does THAT sound like.

Yet another thing where I do not think a term means what Stephenie Meyer thinks it means...

[raykel]

Well, to be fair, I used the term Alpha Male, not SM, and I used it because I had this total image of Edward basically peeing on Bella to "mark his territory" with that little speech to Tyler. I agree with all yours and KWG's points, and that Edward is not a positive, confident character but, rather, an overbearing, pompous one who THINKS he's being positive and confident.

[julietvalcouer]

Which, in a way, makes Bella perfect for him, as she seems totally into being walked all over. And if the book were about how TOTALLY MESSED UP they both are, it would be so much better....

[raykel]

Yes, that is EXACTLY my issue with these books. I don't have a problem with unhealthy relationships being portrayed, IF they're portrayed as unhealthy relationships or at the very least, doomed. (Buffy/Angel, for example.) When it's completely glorified as OMG this is SOOOOOO ROMANTIC, that's not okay.