In order to gain a more complete understanding of Twilight’s popularity, I gathered and analyzed teen reviews from library websites, news articles, and a fourth and fifth grade classroom.
A summary of my results is detailed below:
1) Teens enjoy Twilight for a variety of reasons. Some embrace the adventure. Others the romance. Still others the book’s more fantastical elements.
2) Young adult’s embrace of Meyer’s first novel logically corresponds to several characteristics of adolescent development. Although many of the teen reviews appear superficial and unsubstantial at first glance, a closer analysis reveals how young adults utilize many of Meyer’s plot elements to address the unique demands of growing up (burgeoning sexual identities, physical transformation).
To conclude, I want to emphasize three points, the last of which is intended to spur a little debate: 1) Teens read Twilight. 2) Teens really, really like Twilight. 3) Quit complaining about Twilight! Young adults are reading. Instead of beating them about the head with vague moralistic sermons, let’s encourage their literary development; let’s encourage them to become independent thinkers who possess the capacity to judge the merit of literary texts for themselves.
*With that being said, I personally find Twilight boring and distasteful.
4 comments:
I agree with the "teens are reading" comment, however, the vague moralistic sermons (I feel) applies in a few cases. In my opinion, parents should carefully consider letting their children read Twilight. I say children. Teens are fully capable of making decisions about reading material, and reading with a disbelieving eye. Teens have experienced (some of) the things Bella goes through, and so can relate. Other teens might read Twilight and recognize the underlying ridiculousness encapsulated in a stalkerish vampire. Children, however, don't have such discerning minds (for the most part...I recognize this is a generalization and therefore open to refutations, but I feel this is the case for most under the age of about 10-12).
Children reading Twilight will see this novel as THE most cool book they can read. Forget Nancy Drew or Babysitters Club, Twilight is IT. Therefore, children are probably more likely to follow the pop culture phenomenon--loving Edward. These kids are going to accept the things they read with the idea that "Older kids think it's cool, so it must be cool." If these books are read in the more formative relationship years (where having a "boyfriend" catapults a young girl into "cool status" but no one really knows what a "boyfriend" does or how one should behave) then the kids are going to see this as the baseline norm for young relationships.
Therein, to me, lies the danger. Read on, yes, but read on discerningly.
I think a lot of good points about the merits and dangers of Twilight have been brought up in the class discussion and on this blog. I came in thinking it was a ridiculous piece of work but I'm now starting to see the other side. I agree that I don't want girls using Bella and Edward's relationship as a "baseline norm" but I think girls could just as easily use another dysfunctional couple as a model. It's not a matter of just addressing these issues in Twilight, but also in our society as a whole.
With that said, Twilight is also a a story about ONE girl named Bella and ONE guy named Edward. They don't represent every couple in the world and there is a wealth of examples of other successful, romantic ones in literature that are completely unlike Bella and Edward. But pointing those other ones out is a matter of reading discerningly, as Chelsea has said.
Yes, there are some poor messages in Twilight, but I'm going to go out on a limb and admit that I really enjoyed reading it (I read it last year before this class). There is something to be said for "losing yourself in a book". I read mysteries for that reason only. It is a stress reducer for me to "lose myself" in a story. I couldn't put it down and I'm not afraid to admit it. Granted, I did get a creepy feeling when I found out he was watching her sleep. But maybe we don't give teen girls enough credit, I think they understand when they are getting caught up in a fantasy. Obviously, Edward is some sort of father figure for Bella - she is detached from her parents so maybe that's what she needs.
I do agree that it is not an appropriate book for an elementary school student. If I had a 10 year old daughter, I wouldn't stop her from reading it but I would make sure I was "involved" (read it together!)
Now... back to New Moon... Ha!
I've gone back and forth on the Twilight issue as well. After first reading it, I was angry with the book and yelled to anyone who would listen to about it. I also found myself recommending it to everyone so that I could yell some more. Despite the literary quality and generally misogynistic overtones, Twilight has sparked so many good discussions with both adults and teens. I think any book that gets people talking is worth muddling through a book that I really didn't like reading.
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