The Dangerous Art

[enigmaticblues]

I read this blog entry the other night by link-hopping. (You know how it goes: you find an interesting blog post, which links to another post, which links to... It's like a hall of mirrors, and it can go on endlessly.) The point of that particular post is that people are overreacting to Twilight, and her thesis is that art (read: books, in this

Comments

[going_not_gone]

Yes. Yes, very much, and especially YES to the way the Twilight narrative reinforces, and worse, romanticizes rape culture.

So many coaches, not to mention self-help books, say that the stories we tell ourselves define us, that visions or narratives that portray us as successful help us succeed. I mean, why is "The Little Engine That Could" still a popular story for kids nearly a century after it first appeared? It stands to reason that the reverse is true, and narratives that ask us to identify with helplessness and passivity reinforce a sense of ourselves as helpless or passive?

While the romance genre has been shifting toward stories with more active, self-reliant and assertive heroines, I also see Twilight and Bella as a huge step backward for feminism. Of course, the fact that the author is a Mormon makes this less than surprising, but the enthusiasm for it, not only among teenagers but among their mothers, is really dispiriting.

[enigmaticblues]

I read a very interesting book in the last couple of years on the history of the romance novel and its development. For the most part, the dubious consent and non-consensual sex has given way to sassy, take-charge heroines who are aware of and in charge of their own sexuality. This is a good thing, no doubt about it, but like you, I'm troubled by the trend in YA fiction with girls who are enamored of abusive or quasi-abusive men. It's one thing for grown women to read that sort of thing; it's something else for teens, who may not know better, and who have no way to combat that influence.

If/when I become a parent, I will probably have to institute the same rule a friend did: no books Mom doesn't know anything about. It puts a heavy burden on the parent, but I'm not sure what the other option is.

[zanthinegirl]

Well said. I've only read the first couple, but it bothers me that some many girls (and adult women!) I know love these books so much. Bella just passively lets life happen to her; that doesn't seem like a cultural trait that's healthy to encourage.

I've even heard (indirectly; not any church I personally know about) of the books being promoted in churches. Bella doesn't have premarital sex! So they must be good!

[enigmaticblues]

*headdesk* I'll say it once, and I'll say it again and again--premarital sex is not nearly as bad for a girl as being in an abusive relationship. I would rather my daughter be clear about her boundaries, even if that includes the choice to have sex with her boyfriend, than to be a complete doormat!

[xphilehb]

Well said. All I can say is that I'd rather be Hermione Granger than Bella Whatever-In-The-Heck-Her-Name-Is anyday. And should I ever have a daughter, I'd much rather her want to be Hermione than Bella anyday. If she never knew the Twilight books existed, I'd be good with that.

[enigmaticblues]

Amen to that. I can only pray that if/when we do have kids, this whole Twilight phenomenon will have been long over. The sooner the better.

[appomattoxco]

Twilight is my only failure as the bookish aunt. I was never able to convice the 17 year old niece Mercy was better than Bella. At least Mercy kills her rapist.

[enigmaticblues]

Ah, well. We can't have a 100% success rate, although it would be nice. I'd settle for having the Twilight furor die down in a few years, enough so that it becomes, "What Twilight?"

[elisi]

As you know I'm currently trying my best to steer my own daughters away from Twilight (and so far being successful!). Posts like this remind me why it's worth persevering.

(Also I am *beyond* grateful that they have Doctor Who, which has AWESOME female characters! ♥)

[enigmaticblues]

There are some really great books/movies/TV shows right now that have kick-ass female characters. Tyson and I recently watched the new Alice in Wonderland movie, and it's one I'd want my daughters (and others!) to watch. Alice was awesome. I've been really impressed with Stargate, Eureka, and Leverage, too, as well as some of the books I've read recently.