Spring Break
Blockbuster. Bestseller. Feminists' biggest fear.
Feminism loses out in book series girls swoon over: "Twilight"
By: Kaitlyn Drinkwater
Issue date: 3/5/09 Section: Opinion
In Stephenie Meyer's "Twilight" series, Bella, described as a plain girl who somehow still draws boys like flies, falls for Edward, a vegetarian vampire who doesn't kill humans, except when he does. The two have a typical Harlequin novel romance: they get together, there are obstacles, the guy does something heroic, the woman swoons, they fall apart over something dumb, they get back together, there are obstacles, they overcome, the end.
Despite their trite plot, the "Twilight" books have spent a collective 357 weeks on USA Today's top 150 best sellers list, where they are still at the top. I don't have a problem with books that tell people exactly what they want to hear. Romance novels sell by the millions because "boy meets girl, some stuff happens, they live happily ever after" is a comforting story to read. However, nobody is touting this stuff as fine literature.
"Twilight" is addicting reading for women, young and old, who wish their husband or boyfriend could be more Edward-like and see themselves in the plain but lovely Bella Swan. And that's what has me worried. "Twilight" is bad news for women, whether they know it or not.
Feminism, according to Merriam-Webster, is the theory of the political, economic and social equality of the sexes. By that definition, feminists have made great strides. If you look under the right rocks, you can still find young men who think a woman's place is in the home, or that men should be paid more because they provide for the family. But, by and large, most young people today are feminists.
In "Twilight," Bella's hobbies include cooking for her father and reading romance novels. When Edward enters the picture, her focus narrows to pretty much just him. She idolizes Edward, literally worships him (if you've read the books, you know I'm not kidding). Bella would do anything for Edward, including, but not limited to, almost die, give up college, betray her family and friends, be beaten black and blue, almost die again and become a vampire.
Despite their trite plot, the "Twilight" books have spent a collective 357 weeks on USA Today's top 150 best sellers list, where they are still at the top. I don't have a problem with books that tell people exactly what they want to hear. Romance novels sell by the millions because "boy meets girl, some stuff happens, they live happily ever after" is a comforting story to read. However, nobody is touting this stuff as fine literature.
"Twilight" is addicting reading for women, young and old, who wish their husband or boyfriend could be more Edward-like and see themselves in the plain but lovely Bella Swan. And that's what has me worried. "Twilight" is bad news for women, whether they know it or not.
Feminism, according to Merriam-Webster, is the theory of the political, economic and social equality of the sexes. By that definition, feminists have made great strides. If you look under the right rocks, you can still find young men who think a woman's place is in the home, or that men should be paid more because they provide for the family. But, by and large, most young people today are feminists.
In "Twilight," Bella's hobbies include cooking for her father and reading romance novels. When Edward enters the picture, her focus narrows to pretty much just him. She idolizes Edward, literally worships him (if you've read the books, you know I'm not kidding). Bella would do anything for Edward, including, but not limited to, almost die, give up college, betray her family and friends, be beaten black and blue, almost die again and become a vampire.
Be sure to include your name, major, and class year. Submissions without this information are subject to deletion.
By submitting a comment, you agree to thebatt.com's Terms of Use.
You may also send a Mail Call to The Battalion at mailcall@thebatt.com