When we were in class yesterday I thought it was interesting that Dr. Lampert casually asked the question of what Twilight means for teenage sexuality. I'd never thought about the novel that way before, as a testament to teen sexuality, but when I sit down and think about it, the connection between the novel and its audience is a fascinating one to explore.
Twilight is no Fifty Shades. There's no steamy romance, no explicit sex scenes. But the two are very similar, as to be expected as the latter began as fanfiction of the former. Most importantly, Twilight and Fifty Shades both contain this element of the forbidden love, and an idea that "love conquers all," as hokey as that sounds. Instead of the BDSM culture, Twilight delves into the realm of fantasy to add its forbidden element: vampires.
We talked earlier about how Fifty Shades can be read as a representation of an ideal fantasy rather than something that could actually happen. And I think it's important to consider Twilight the same way. The blandness and awkwardness of Bella is vital for self-insertion, but the ideal presented by Edward I think says a lot about what teenage girls' ideas of romance really are. Edward is of course attractive, chivalrous, possesses a large, welcoming family, and likes Bella for very little reason.
But I think it is this element of forbiddenness is what makes this novel so popular. Edward isn't just a guy, he's a vampire. This element of the book and its popularity I think says something really significant about teenage sexuality. For one, it's not that different from adults' own sexuality, and we only have to look at the similar elements and popularity of Fifty Shades to see that. But because they are so similar, teens are getting exposed to sometihng that was first presented in Disney movies: through novels like Twilight, teens can instead enjoy an ideal universe and situation that is not only different from reality, but it also subvert it. Twilight is so popular because it is an ideal, it is a break from reality, andit offers forbidden elements that allow teens to defy the expectations of normal relationships, which of course is a huge focal point on teen life.
Maybe I'm wrong? Maybe teens just like it because it's the closest thing to a romance novel that parents will let them get their hands on? I don't know, that'sjust my theory.
I agree with you that Twilight represents an ideal. I think for the girls who read it they connected with Bella and it showed some kind hope for them that they could meet a guy like Edward and not have to change their awkward, clumsy behavior. Also, wasn't Fifty Shades of Grey a Twilight fan fiction? If it was, it's easy to see how they're similar. It's like a more adult version of Twilight, where instead of vampires as the forbidden factor, BDSM is the forbidden factor.
ReplyDeleteHaley, Your observations about Twilight's popularity are really interesting! I like how you compared it to 50 Shades, and I think it's an accurate comparison. Reflecting back on the last 12 chapters, I can definitely see the aspects of a forbidden romance, from the way Bella's classmates express their shock and disapproval of the relationship to Jacob's tribe's hatred to Bella's own hesitations to talk to Charlie about Edward. The novel provides a safe way for girls to dream about rebellion and romance.
ReplyDeleteI was wondering if someone was going to mention how similar Twilight and Fifty Shades are, because it’s kind of disturbing when you think about it. Both Ana and Bella are presented as quiet, matured, virginal, very attracted to their male counter parts even though they are not safe, etc. Christian and Edward both are presented as rich, secretive, protective, considered extremely attractive, play the piano, etc. So we have very similar characters, and a very similar relationship that develops between the two main characters in each novel. This makes me wonder what this says about teen and adult sexuality as well as the ideals for teen and adult relationships. Are they the same? Are they just similar? If so, why was there so much public outlash over Fifty Shades and less over Twilight when it first came out?
ReplyDeleteThat's a really good point about the two storylines. I think even on top of the forbidden draw that both of these have is the danger present in each. There is inherent danger in dating a vampire and having a side romance with a werewolf, especially given that they don't really like each other (might be understating that). On the fifty shades side, the relationship pretty much defines danger through the abuse, contracts, and everything else. I think the thrill-seeking teenage mentality plays a role through both of these novels/film series through dangerous plots.
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