Does Twilight Send Teen Girls a Bad Message?
Categories: Teens & tweens, Love & sex, Health & safety, Media, That's entertainment
The ContraCostaTimes.com seems to think it does. Twilight, for those of you who've been living under a rock, is the now-big screen movie event of the season based on Stephanie Meyers' novel of the same name. It concerns the romance between a teenage girl and a vampire, albeit one who doesn't try to suck her blood. Despite the fact that Edward Cullen, the vamp in question, is undead, the story plays out essentially like any romance.
Well, from what I've read--and this would include a synopsis of the film and multiple reviews (I've not had the pleasure of reading Ms. Meyers' novels nor will I ever get out to the cinema with a child under two months old to contend with to see the current movie)--the romance actually seems to be a holdover from yesteryear. Apparently--AND YES, SPOILER ALERT HERE--the heroine of the film, Bella, needs to be rescued quite often by Edward. He saves her from vampires, and I'm sure at one point from herself. A more modern take in Hollywood these days is that the heroine can save herself, doesn't need anyone to save her and, in fact, can (and does) save the guy too.
Danielle Douvikas, the Contra Costa Times Teen Correspondent, says the film portrays women as needy and not being able to get along without a man. Douvikas mainly seems annoyed that in the books Bella and Edward spend a lot of time telling each other that they love each other--teens don't love sappy???--but she does bring up an interesting point that Bella puts Edward above her friends and family when she's only known him for, like, a month. Douvikas was also tweaked that Edward watches Bella's every move--even when she sleeps, which I find creepy as well. Vampire or not, if a guy did that to my daughter I'd say it was grounds for a restraining order.
What do you think? Are Stephanie Meyers' books, and the movie version of Twilight, sexist? Would you approve of your daughter going out with that type of guy (assuming he is not a vampire)?
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
c_rousseau05 11-25-2008 @ 4:16PM
Even being a grown woman with a husband and child...and a pretty independent woman at that. One who has done her share of university, the workplace, motherhood and has got around her whole life so far without much help from anyone much less a man. I pride myself in that, really, but I still feel that this story digs deep into the soul of many women (many, not all) the fantasy that we want to be watched over. It's just a fantasy after all, not like a lot of us actually want that in our everyday lives so much, but the idea of it isn't so bad. Everyone needs saving once in a while, even men, and we all desire that one companion who will be with us through thick and thin. As far as falling in love quickly, my own story pans out like that and i've been married now nearly four years and together with my husband as a couple for nearly seven. It can happen.
Some people need to stop looking at silly things and begin to ENJOY STORIES! Enjoy the fantasy, enjoy dreams....gosh, we've become such an uptight people. Books were made for the enjoyment of people, so that we could live other lives in other times and other worlds just for a while.......that's why we have movies too and video games. These type of people, it seems silly to say this, but seriously...they need to grow up and remember that dreams and fantasies are good for the soul and stop reading into things so much as if it will destroy a whole generation, there are more important things to worry over in the world.
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ttupper 11-26-2008 @ 9:12AM
My feelings exactly!! I could not have said it better myself :0)
stephanie 11-30-2008 @ 6:13PM
The way my 11 year old was taken by the novels - she read all 4 in less than a month - I decided Twilight was a positive influence. She loveddddd reading!
Does anyone else remember all the hype about Harry Potter? Some people were saying they were bad for kids...I loved that series once I finally decided find out for myself.
I haven't read Twilight - maybe never will - but like the other poster said, they are just books. Embrace the fact that kids are reading, and let them enjoy the fantasy. Sheesh....
Mauree 11-30-2008 @ 6:57PM
I COMPLETELY agree with you. At this age young girls are not thinking about "Oh I wonder who is going to save me for the rest of my life." They are thinking about whos Hot and whos Not. And there are some teen girls that do like the idea of a sappy love story...but I do agree with you very much so! =)
ALAN 12-03-2008 @ 9:15AM
I believe that women should be loved, cherished, provided for and protected by a gentleman. Chivalry, decency, honor and respect are not dead. Twilight has influenced my 6 daughters ranging in age from 15 to 24 in a very positive way and I salute Stephanie Meyer for her work.
Kristen Richards 12-06-2008 @ 8:04PM
Actually, this touches on the problem I've had with Meyer's novels. I've read the first two and started on the third. The thing that really bothers me is Bella herself. Not to give too much away for those who haven't read them, but the character is very one dimensional. She loves Edward, and...that's about it. She obsesses about him. She wants to spend all her time with him, thinks of nothing but him, and has no other interests. She is completely defined in the novels by her relationship with Edward. The second novel portrays this amazingly well, as Bella becomes depressed to the point of near catatonia without Edward and displays self destructive behavior. As a modern woman who has three beautiful children and a happy marriage, I can honestly say there is more to me than my husband, although I love him dearly. These books are dangerous in that they seem to be teaching young, impressionable girls to define themselves wholly by the men that they are involved with.
Wolfy 11-25-2008 @ 4:20PM
I enjoyed the Twilight saga, but I was put off by Bella's weaknesses, in the last book she did stand up and become the hero but still she should of been alittle stronger, rather than relying on Edward and Jacob to keep her happy, running off from her friends and family.
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NurseMel84 11-25-2008 @ 5:13PM
Its a Book people! that all! (oh and a movie too). Its for entertainment purposes only. Quit reading so much into everything! This is why everyone has high blood pressure! No one can just sit back and enjoy anything any more without picking it about and complaining about how "bad" for you it is. LIVE A LITTLE!!!
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Wolfster 11-25-2008 @ 5:55PM
People keep saying this series is the next Harry Potter. I'm not seeing it. It seems more to me like "Bridges of Madison County" for the tween set. There is this "I knew I loved you when I met you" mindset that allows a perfect romance to flourish without all the awkward bits like dating and fear of rejection, and there is a male who is so perfect he's a little sickening and a little boring. In Bridges he was a sensitive lover and a vegetarian. In this series he's a sensitive lover and a vampire. But this one is also a magical being. That age group is so filled with angst and self-doubt, that the premise - being special enough to be loved by a beautiful, dangerous, exotic creature instead of being eaten like everyone else, and being willing to love someone regardless of what everyone else thinks of him, is a powerful fantasy.
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Andrijana 11-25-2008 @ 11:10PM
Wolfster, you made it sound so perfectly correct. I wish I can be 16 again, and enjoy that movie from that place in a life... :-))
aoknal 11-25-2008 @ 7:52PM
As an adult, single (and very independant) woman, I have read all four Twilight books. I also teach middle school language, and I have encouraged all of my girls to read the books. Why? Well, I find it refreshing that an author chose to have the romance remain pure until the couple were married. It didn't push sex and all the other things teens have to deal with constantly. I feel that Bella maintained her individuality. If you haven't read the books, you won't understand all of the underlining issues. And, to be honest, what girl hasn't obsessed over some guy at some point in her life (putting him above friends, family, etc. and wanting to be with him every minute of every day). Isn't that what true love is supposed to be all about?
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Jill 11-25-2008 @ 9:02PM
I am in my mid-twenties and married if that matters, and I was completely enchanted by these books. I think the movie over-exaggerates some of Bella's characteristics a little bit - specifically her neediness. But, as shown over and over again, I also think that it is exceedingly difficult to cram a several hundred page book into a less than two hour movie without contorting some of the plot. All in all I really hope that when my daughter is older that she does read these books and she strives for a partner who treats her with as much love, respect, and care as Edward treats Bella. And while I certainly hope that she becomes her own woman - not needing a man to save her from anything - it certainly would be nice to know that if she ever needed it, he'd be ready and willing.
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Chaz 11-26-2008 @ 12:19AM
Don't waste your money,Vampire movies SUCK!!!
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Jenn 11-26-2008 @ 12:36AM
That is one of the reasons why I thought the book was so bad -- not so much because I felt that Bella was a bad "role model," but because she's was such an unbelievable wimp that she was boring. He was too perfect, she was all "OOooo, I'm such a misfit, I hate my life, blah blah blah" while at the same time fending off all of these boys and settling in with a little clique of friends within a day of arriving at a new school.
We got 400 pages of Edward & Bella settling happily into their little romance, with absolutely no tension, and entirely too much "He's so cold, but so beautiful," and much glaring and nostril flaring and scenting and staring...and then the last 100 pages actually had a little action.
Yes, it's just a book...but it is really not a very well-written one. I fear more for our daughters' minds if they think THAT is deathless literature, than for the role model portrayed by the wimpish heroine.
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JR 11-26-2008 @ 12:43AM
Trust me when I say that reading the books is not 'A Pleasure'. It's more like four books full of Edward and Bella, or Bella and Jacob, fawning over one another. With a *tiny* sprinkling of plot here and there. Kind of like a bad fanfiction that happened to get published by some streak of insane luck.
Bella was weak, but all the characters were quite dull, flat, and uninteresting, so I didn't take it too seriously. I hated Edward and his sparkly awesomeness with a passion, and Jacob did nothing for me. The style was choppy, dialogue was terrible, and most of the book consisted of purple prose focusing on Edward's nauseatingly good looks. The standards for literature have been bumped down to a ridiculously low level. I weep for my generation.
And this all comes from a fifteen-year-old girl. So it's not like I'm out of the age range. On the bright side, I'm also a writer, and Stephanie Meyer has shown me precisely how *not* to write.
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Kimmie 11-30-2008 @ 3:36PM
My 15 year old daughter did not enjoy reading untill this set of books came along! I'm for anything that induces teens to read . All of her friends like the books as well. Let them enjoy the last few years before becomming adults. I did find the movie boring, sappy and trite, but my daughter loved it & told me all the parts of the movie that was wrong. This day & age it's not always easy to be able to talk to teens.
hairyfrog 11-26-2008 @ 5:03AM
c_rousseau (05 11-25-2008 @ 4:16PM) writes:
"Even being a grown woman [...] pretty independent [...] I still feel that this story digs deep into the soul of many women (many, not all) the fantasy that we want to be watched over. It's just a fantasy after all [...]"
However, if you look at society, I think you'll find that these fantasies "dig [VERY] deep into the soul of many women" ...AND men. Much as we'd like to think otherwise, dreams of "happily ever after" lure many women into relationship that can turn bad, even nasty ... even abusive. It some cases (of domestic violence) it leads to death. How many times have I heard abused women saying "But he loves me, I KNOW he does!"? There's a saying in Spanish: "I killed her because she was mine."
I haven't read the Twilight books. But as an adult keenly interested in children's and young people's literature, I find it sad that - years after the hard-won gains of the Feminist Movement - role models of helpless, love-blinded "heroines" are still being offered. Heroines? More like dishrags! I don't mind if they're like that to start with, as long as they're allowed to grow and develop. [Wolfy (11-25-2008 @ 4:20PM) points out that "in the last book [of FOUR] she did stand up and become the hero". I'm sorry, but if it takes that long, I've already given up on her - and the books.]
And yet there ARE positive strong girls in literature. Alice In Wonderland (NEVER dated!) although not Superwoman, and sometimes cowed and uncertain, still manages to stand up to Kings and Queens. Lyra Belacqua and Will Parry (in Philip Pullman's soon-to-be quadrilogy "His Dark Materials") are constantly getting EACH OTHER out of danger - and growing in respect and love for each other.
I came across an interesting website "Jimm's Fairy Tales" ( http:/jimmsfairytales.com ) that contains (free to download and print out) feminist versions of standard fairy tales. In each case, the story is told from a different point of view (e.g. Hansel and Gretel's Witch [Johanna] is the misunderstood and prejudice-maligned heroine of this version) that encourages young people to realise that there are (at least) two sides to every story, and that you can't believe EVERYTHING that you hear. Of course, to really appreciate these stories, readers should be conversant with the traditional versions. I think that "The Hand Of The Princess", in particular, would make a great movie - as long as Hollywood doesn't twist it out of shape.
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Heidi 11-26-2008 @ 8:35AM
come on people - it's a fantasy & is not supposed to be realistic. I loved the series and the movie, even tho all the negative comments about Edward, Bella and the quality of the writing are basically correct. It's a FANTASY. Besides, I've never read anything so sexually HOT that didn't have actual sex.
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JR 11-26-2008 @ 10:20AM
Fantasy can be fantasy without settling for pathetic writing. Lord of the Rings is an excellent fantasy story, written well. Fantasy does not equal substandard.
Look, people. I don't care if you like it. It really doesn't bother me that much. But the argument should not be 'It's FANTASY, so it's fine for it to be bad!'. That's a stupid and poorly-grounded argument. Fantasy is an excellent genre with a lot of good books written in it. Twilight is just one of those exceptions.
hairyfrog 11-26-2008 @ 12:08PM
"It concerns the romance between a teenage girl and a vampire, albeit one who doesn't try to suck her blood."
But, sadly, it appears that someone HAS been sucking out her brains and initiative...
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