I first read Twilight
when I was in seventh grade. Rereading it, I have a much different impression
than I did when I was 12. As a prepubescent tween, I knew that if a real-life
“Edward” were to pop up in my life, I would find the extreme way in which he
pursued Bella disturbing. I knew their relationship wasn’t a healthy one. If someone stalked me that way in real life, I would probably file a restraining order. But I
didn’t care. As a preteen reading it, I found it romantic.
As I read the chapters for today, I was confused by how soon
Bella falls in love with Edward. At the end of chapter 9, Bella says, “ I was unconditionally
and irrevocably in love with him” (Meyer 195), after the first car ride and
dinner together on the way back from dress shopping. They had had lunch
together twice and he had barely talked to her up to this point. How could she
already be in love with him? They knew nothing about each other, have barely
talked and Edward’s mood swings from day to day. One day he loathes her, the
next he loves her. I was shocked by how little they had interacted before she
made this proclamation of love.
And what about the characters? The most interesting thing
about Bella is the fact that Edward can’t read her mind. She is described as
average, clumsy, painfully shy and awkward, yet everyone she meets in Forks is
completely enamored by her. Perhaps it is as Josie said, that readers are
supposed to identify with Bella, that she is intentionally bland so more can
identify with her. Edward and the other vampires exemplify everything that most
teenagers wish to be. They are beautiful, graceful, powerful and rich. They are
an ideal that most hope to attain. Is that what makes it so appealing? Is it
the contrast between the normal and an elevated, supernatural “other”?
Interesting post! To add to that, another thing I noticed that I don't think I noticed as a middle schooler was the way the author portrays Bella's friends. She portrays them as kind of simple people, high school students who don't have anything on their brains except dances, clothes, and boys. Every teenage girl wants to feel like she is somehow different and has an enlightened perspective compared to her peers (at least I did). I think this is something she also purposely does to help readers connect with Bella. Bella isn't your typical high school girl (or at least that's what we are meant to think), and her readers don't want to be typical either. It seems like their always has to be a balance between being an individual and fitting in, and it seems like a very thin line.
ReplyDeleteI like how you bring up how quickly Bella falls in love with Edward. It's just silly. BUT I think this hasty proclamation also appeals to tween/teen readers. I know that far too many young girls publicly share they're undying love for a boy they just met. I think without Bella's ridiculous and immature love, many readers would have lost interest...or at least could have!
ReplyDeleteI know I keep preaching on about ideals in these comment posts, but darn it I'm going to do it again. The ideal of love that just happens...love that requires no work, no real thought or action...we've been catered by our society to cherish these kinds of things. There are a great number of reasons we cherish this, but I think it largely comes from the ideals presented in romance novels, romance movies, Disney ideals we were exposed to as children, and numerous other forms. These forms keep being produced because they keep selling, and they keep being consumed because it's what we're used to and what keeps being produced, and on it goes in a circle.
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