This is a response to the link. If you disagree with this article, instead of leaving pointless hate-spam, which is just a waste of time, please explain why you don’t like it, or any points I got wrong.
“The story is written compellingly enough that a wide body of readers is able to fit into the persona of Bella and love Edward.”
I hate to break it to you, but that isn’t a result of good writing. It’s quite the opposite, actually. Bella is a very one-dimensional character. She has no real hobbies, defining character traits, or even any specific physical appearance, and because of the series being written in first person, it requires essentially no brainpower to imagine you are her. Simply put, she’s a Mary-Sue, and that’s a sign of bad writing.
“Edward himself is written as the most desirable guy on the face of the Earth. He has vampirically enhanced features that are model-perfect, even more so. It’s not just his handsome face that is described in worshipful detail, but the sound of his voice, the feel of his cold and marble-hard skin, and even the smell of his breath. Adding in the fact that he possesses super speed, super strength, immortality, and the ability to read the minds of almost everyone but Bella herself and he seems like a godly personification.”
How could I forget? Meyer reminds us almost every paragraph Edward is present. Yet again, a sign of bad writing.
He is a vampire, which means he constantly feels the desire to eat people, Bella in particular.
This is not a flaw until something bad comes of it. There is a rule in literature known as “show, don’t tell.” Now, Meyer has obviously never heard of this because we usually get either get “tell (x), show nothing,” or “tell (x), show (y).” While Edward constantly says he’s dangerous, wants to eat Bella, and could kill her any second, he never acts on it. If he accidentally hurt her or tried to drink her blood, I would count this as a flaw, however, he doesn’t. He always shows perfect self control.
I do not count (1) his thoughts at the beginning of Midnight Sun because that is, once again, telling, not showing, (2) him trying to drink Bella’s blood at the end of Twilight because he was trying to save her life and was able to stop very quickly, or (3) the bruises he gave Bella during their honeymoon because he destroyed furniture instead of her, and bruises are not a serious/long-term injury.
“Bella, however, continues to pursue him and he changes his mind, deciding to indulge his obsessive inclinations by sneaking into her room at night to watch her sleep and covertly following her around, eventually seeking out a proper relationship.”
Unfortunately, the fact that Edward stalks Bella is somehow considered “romantic.” Words that come to my mind are “creepy,” “disgusting,” “sick,” “paedophilic” (he’s over 100 and she’s 17 = he’s a paedophile), etc. Take your pick.
This is an ENORMOUS flaw, and yet I feel I cannot count it. The author does not consider this a flaw; therefore, it was not addressed as such. Characters need to work on their flaws throughout the book/series/movie/*insert form of storytelling here* in order for them to develop and grow. Edward doesn’t ever progress from this, as far as we know, and because this flaw doesn’t impede his character in any way (except for receiving a lot of hate from antis and members of Team Jacob), I will not count this as a flaw.
“What is attractive about Edward as a predatory vampire is, I believe, the dangerous power associated with the character and its potential to be used maliciously. There’s something enthralling about imagining myself in the position of Bella, infatuated with this dark, beautiful, and powerful man and knowing he could kill her should he lose willpower for just an instant.”
If Edward actually drank human blood I would accept this as a flaw, but since he has perfect control, this does not count.
Also, Bella is a masochist, and apparently you are too... I’m not entirely sure if that’s a good thing.
“Edward: And the lion fell in love with the lamb.
Bella: What a stupid lamb.
Edward: What a sick, masochistic lion!”
Now, you may have noticed my use of the word “masochistic” in the previous statement. It is a prime example of Stephenie Meyer’s poor writing skills under the category us antis like to call ‘Thesaurus Rape.’
Masochism
mas•och•ism [mássə kìzzəm]
noun
1. sexual pleasure through humiliation: sexual gratification achieved through humiliation and physical and verbal abuse
2. psychological disorder: the psychological disorder in which somebody needs to be emotionally or physically abused in order to be sexually satisfied
3. search for abusive sexual partners: the active seeking out of sexual partners who will dominate, humiliate, and physically and verbally abuse
4. enjoyment of hardship: the tendency to invite and enjoy misery of any kind, especially in order to be pitied by others or admired for forbearance
Microsoft® Encarta® 2007. © 1993-2006 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.
If this word was used to describe Bella, I wouldn’t even notice, however, Edward uses the word “masochistic” to describe himself. I don’t know about you, but I don’t think this is the proper description of Edward, and Meyer needs to stop using big words that even she doesn’t understand.
“Jacob and Quil are not creepy pedophiles, but rather boys who feel the kind of love of an older family member feels toward their young imprintees. They’re like the model babysitters and preschool teachers who seriously love their kids and want to see them happy, albeit with their love situated on specific people. When the kids age to the point that the average adult would find them attractive, it can be assumed that the shapeshifters will want to pursue a romantic relationship, but at that point the playing field is pretty much level and age is no longer an issue.”
This is called child grooming, and it’s a form of paedophilia.
I’d also like to point out here that Jacob would (most probably) begin having sex with Renesmee when she reaches the age of 7. Now, while you may argue that she looks 17, firstly, that’s a stupid argument because she’s still underage, and secondly, it’s not about how old you look, it’s about how many years have passed since your birth. It is still paedophilia!
“In response to the common complaint that Twilight is written poorly, I would have to say that the concept of good literature is highly subjective.”
You’re confusing “quality of writing” with “entertainment value.” Twilight is full of grammatical errors, misuse of words, dry dialogue, repetitive and long-winded descriptions, etc. This is poor writing. Now, you may still find entertainment in a piece which is written poorly, just as you can find a well written book to be completely boring; that’s how it works. Enjoying something does not mean it’s automatically good. For example, I’m addicted to the TV show ‘The Secret Life of the American Teenager.’ It’s my guilty pleasure. However, as I watch, I recognise that some of the actors are substandard, the plot is full of clichés, there are many cheesy lines, and whoever is editing this together is absolutely shocking, but that doesn’t mean I can’t like it, I still find it entertaining.
There are some pieces of classic literature which bore me to tears too, because everyone enjoys different things, but the quality of the writing is not completely dependent on the enjoyment someone gets from reading it; it’s based on the technical aspects of the writing. Stephenie Meyer is not a good writer, that’s not an opinion, it’s a fact.
“Finally, I have read numerous blog articles criticizing author Stephenie Meyer’s decision to incorporate religious themes and messages into the book series.”
I don’t have a problem with religious themes and messages in a book, but once male supremacy becomes one of those values promoted, I have to draw the line.
In conclusion, I find most of the hate against Twilight running rampant on the Internet to be overblown. Surely, Twilight is not the kind of epic, involved, and progressive story like Harry Potter or Buffy the Vampire Slayer. However, for what it is, which is an intimate fantastical romance story that can be appreciated by a large quantity of people, it is of high enough quality to achieve high popularity. This should be respected even if the story doesn’t appeal to everyone.
If everyone knows Twilight is nowhere near the standard of Harry Potter, why does Breaking Dawn have “Move over Harry Potter” printed on the back? Twilight is what it is: a cheesy paranormal romance for teens. It’s not a saga, it’s not the best love story since Romeo and Juliet, it’s not well written. Now, you may see this “hate” as being overblown, but that’s what it looks like when lots of people all feel the same way about it, and I doubt it will stop until the Twilight fad dies down.
We're not on Team Tyler's Van for no reason.
“The story is written compellingly enough that a wide body of readers is able to fit into the persona of Bella and love Edward.”
I hate to break it to you, but that isn’t a result of good writing. It’s quite the opposite, actually. Bella is a very one-dimensional character. She has no real hobbies, defining character traits, or even any specific physical appearance, and because of the series being written in first person, it requires essentially no brainpower to imagine you are her. Simply put, she’s a Mary-Sue, and that’s a sign of bad writing.
“Edward himself is written as the most desirable guy on the face of the Earth. He has vampirically enhanced features that are model-perfect, even more so. It’s not just his handsome face that is described in worshipful detail, but the sound of his voice, the feel of his cold and marble-hard skin, and even the smell of his breath. Adding in the fact that he possesses super speed, super strength, immortality, and the ability to read the minds of almost everyone but Bella herself and he seems like a godly personification.”
How could I forget? Meyer reminds us almost every paragraph Edward is present. Yet again, a sign of bad writing.
He is a vampire, which means he constantly feels the desire to eat people, Bella in particular.
This is not a flaw until something bad comes of it. There is a rule in literature known as “show, don’t tell.” Now, Meyer has obviously never heard of this because we usually get either get “tell (x), show nothing,” or “tell (x), show (y).” While Edward constantly says he’s dangerous, wants to eat Bella, and could kill her any second, he never acts on it. If he accidentally hurt her or tried to drink her blood, I would count this as a flaw, however, he doesn’t. He always shows perfect self control.
I do not count (1) his thoughts at the beginning of Midnight Sun because that is, once again, telling, not showing, (2) him trying to drink Bella’s blood at the end of Twilight because he was trying to save her life and was able to stop very quickly, or (3) the bruises he gave Bella during their honeymoon because he destroyed furniture instead of her, and bruises are not a serious/long-term injury.
“Bella, however, continues to pursue him and he changes his mind, deciding to indulge his obsessive inclinations by sneaking into her room at night to watch her sleep and covertly following her around, eventually seeking out a proper relationship.”
Unfortunately, the fact that Edward stalks Bella is somehow considered “romantic.” Words that come to my mind are “creepy,” “disgusting,” “sick,” “paedophilic” (he’s over 100 and she’s 17 = he’s a paedophile), etc. Take your pick.
This is an ENORMOUS flaw, and yet I feel I cannot count it. The author does not consider this a flaw; therefore, it was not addressed as such. Characters need to work on their flaws throughout the book/series/movie/*insert form of storytelling here* in order for them to develop and grow. Edward doesn’t ever progress from this, as far as we know, and because this flaw doesn’t impede his character in any way (except for receiving a lot of hate from antis and members of Team Jacob), I will not count this as a flaw.
“What is attractive about Edward as a predatory vampire is, I believe, the dangerous power associated with the character and its potential to be used maliciously. There’s something enthralling about imagining myself in the position of Bella, infatuated with this dark, beautiful, and powerful man and knowing he could kill her should he lose willpower for just an instant.”
If Edward actually drank human blood I would accept this as a flaw, but since he has perfect control, this does not count.
Also, Bella is a masochist, and apparently you are too... I’m not entirely sure if that’s a good thing.
“Edward: And the lion fell in love with the lamb.
Bella: What a stupid lamb.
Edward: What a sick, masochistic lion!”
Now, you may have noticed my use of the word “masochistic” in the previous statement. It is a prime example of Stephenie Meyer’s poor writing skills under the category us antis like to call ‘Thesaurus Rape.’
Masochism
mas•och•ism [mássə kìzzəm]
noun
1. sexual pleasure through humiliation: sexual gratification achieved through humiliation and physical and verbal abuse
2. psychological disorder: the psychological disorder in which somebody needs to be emotionally or physically abused in order to be sexually satisfied
3. search for abusive sexual partners: the active seeking out of sexual partners who will dominate, humiliate, and physically and verbally abuse
4. enjoyment of hardship: the tendency to invite and enjoy misery of any kind, especially in order to be pitied by others or admired for forbearance
Microsoft® Encarta® 2007. © 1993-2006 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.
If this word was used to describe Bella, I wouldn’t even notice, however, Edward uses the word “masochistic” to describe himself. I don’t know about you, but I don’t think this is the proper description of Edward, and Meyer needs to stop using big words that even she doesn’t understand.
“Jacob and Quil are not creepy pedophiles, but rather boys who feel the kind of love of an older family member feels toward their young imprintees. They’re like the model babysitters and preschool teachers who seriously love their kids and want to see them happy, albeit with their love situated on specific people. When the kids age to the point that the average adult would find them attractive, it can be assumed that the shapeshifters will want to pursue a romantic relationship, but at that point the playing field is pretty much level and age is no longer an issue.”
This is called child grooming, and it’s a form of paedophilia.
I’d also like to point out here that Jacob would (most probably) begin having sex with Renesmee when she reaches the age of 7. Now, while you may argue that she looks 17, firstly, that’s a stupid argument because she’s still underage, and secondly, it’s not about how old you look, it’s about how many years have passed since your birth. It is still paedophilia!
“In response to the common complaint that Twilight is written poorly, I would have to say that the concept of good literature is highly subjective.”
You’re confusing “quality of writing” with “entertainment value.” Twilight is full of grammatical errors, misuse of words, dry dialogue, repetitive and long-winded descriptions, etc. This is poor writing. Now, you may still find entertainment in a piece which is written poorly, just as you can find a well written book to be completely boring; that’s how it works. Enjoying something does not mean it’s automatically good. For example, I’m addicted to the TV show ‘The Secret Life of the American Teenager.’ It’s my guilty pleasure. However, as I watch, I recognise that some of the actors are substandard, the plot is full of clichés, there are many cheesy lines, and whoever is editing this together is absolutely shocking, but that doesn’t mean I can’t like it, I still find it entertaining.
There are some pieces of classic literature which bore me to tears too, because everyone enjoys different things, but the quality of the writing is not completely dependent on the enjoyment someone gets from reading it; it’s based on the technical aspects of the writing. Stephenie Meyer is not a good writer, that’s not an opinion, it’s a fact.
“Finally, I have read numerous blog articles criticizing author Stephenie Meyer’s decision to incorporate religious themes and messages into the book series.”
I don’t have a problem with religious themes and messages in a book, but once male supremacy becomes one of those values promoted, I have to draw the line.
In conclusion, I find most of the hate against Twilight running rampant on the Internet to be overblown. Surely, Twilight is not the kind of epic, involved, and progressive story like Harry Potter or Buffy the Vampire Slayer. However, for what it is, which is an intimate fantastical romance story that can be appreciated by a large quantity of people, it is of high enough quality to achieve high popularity. This should be respected even if the story doesn’t appeal to everyone.
If everyone knows Twilight is nowhere near the standard of Harry Potter, why does Breaking Dawn have “Move over Harry Potter” printed on the back? Twilight is what it is: a cheesy paranormal romance for teens. It’s not a saga, it’s not the best love story since Romeo and Juliet, it’s not well written. Now, you may see this “hate” as being overblown, but that’s what it looks like when lots of people all feel the same way about it, and I doubt it will stop until the Twilight fad dies down.
We're not on Team Tyler's Van for no reason.
