Twilight's Twisted Blood-Soaked Romance

[broadwayariel]

Here is the speech I wrote for a public speaking class last semester. It was a 7-8 minute speech so it's not as detailed or as lengthy as I would personally like. If you have any questions or anything, feel free to ask! Do not steal this speech - it is written by myself and if you wish to post it elsewhere, please ask my permission first. I'm going to post a few paragraphs at a time because I don't want to use up too much space in one post - it makes it harder to read through.

Twilight's Twisted, Blood-Soaked Romance

"How was I any better than some sick peeping Tom? I wasn't any better. I was much, much worse." (Midnight Sun, pg 106, written by Stephenie Meyer, 2008).

About one week ago, I asked who in the class had heard of Twilight, and who knew what it was. All of you said yes. And most of you probably know someone who is a huge Twilight fan. Given the series' popularity, it seems nearly impossible not to.

I myself first read the Twilight series when I was about 15 years old, which is the target age range for the series. I've seen the Twilight and New Moon movies. I re-read the entire saga this semester, and also Midnight Sun. That is where approximately 98% of my information comes from today - the Twilight books and movies. Twilight no doubt has an enormous effect of many of it's viewers and readers. However unlike most teenage girls, I didn't enjoy Twilight, and I didn't fall in love with Edward. No that does not mean that I'm "Team Jacob". What I found while reading the books were some very disturbing things.

Today, I am going to tell you some things about Twilight that you probably won't hear from fans of the series. I'll go over some misleading facts about the main characters, Edward and Bella, the effect the series can have on its fans, and what we can do to stop people from being misled by it.

 

[broadwayariel]

Now since we all know the general idea/plot of Twilight, I'll waste no time and now I'd like to take a more in-depth look at the issues that I have with the series' heroes - Edward Cullen and Bella Swan.

Edward and Bella first meet at school, and after that one meeting, both begin to develop unhealthy behaviors. Edward begins to secretly follow Bella around. At night, he sits outside of Bella's house, watching her sleep through her bedroom window. If this doesn't creep you out, wait for it, it gets better. After a few times, Edward then takes the liberty of sneaking into Bella's room to watch her while she sleeps. Edward is demonstrating a certain type of criminal behavior called stalking. It doesn't matter who he is. That's not okay.

Once the two begin dating, Edward begins spending every night in Bella's room, which the two lie about to Bella's dad. Responsible much?

Edward is also controlling and possessive to the the extreme. In chapter 12 of Twilight, Edward drives Bella to school, but then finds out that he has to leave early and won't be able to drive her home. Even though Bella insists on walking home, Edward ignores her. He goes to Bella's house, breaks in, and then locates her car keys amongst her belongings in her bedroom. He then drives her car to school.

In Eclipse, Edward leaves town. He makes his sister Alice watch Bella and make sure that she doesn't leave - especially not to see her best friend, Jacob. Edward even has his family "kidnap" Bella and keep her under house arrest so that she can't go anywhere. As if that wasn't enough, Edward then proceeds to take a part out of Bella's car so that it won't run. Then he waits in the back seat to see if Bella will try to leave.

Edward also has a habit of threatening Bella when she doesn't want to obey him. He says things like "I could kill you", "You really should be afraid", threatens her that he is considering suicide, and that if she doesn't come along with him, he'll just "drag her along". Edward usually tries to justify his behavior in one of two ways: either jealousy, or the fact that he "can't help it".

Edward's behavior actually exhibits many of the warning signs of an abuser, according to www.domesticviolence.org. He gives Bella a sob story in an attempt to justify abusive behaviors, he literally stalks her, he breaks into her house. He prohibits her from seeing other people, and he threatens her when she doesn't do what he says. Stephenie Meyer's books glorify this kind of behavior and call it love, which is very dangerous. Especially to the young girls who are reading Twilight.

 

[broadwayariel]

Most people would be frightened or disturbed by Edward's behavior. Bella however, finds it attractive.

Bella decides that she is "irrevocably in love" with Edward after just one date. (Talk about head over heels!) But the interesting thing about it, in both the movies and the books, is only thing Bella ever really mentions about Edward is the way he looks. That part does make sense to me because he doesn't exactly have anything else going for him. She describes him as a sort of god, and treats him accordingly.

Bella quickly becomes super dependant on Edward. After the first day of school, Bella cries all of the way home because Edward appears to dislike her. If he doesn't show up to school one day, the whole day is ruined and Bella becomes depressed. When Edward mentions breaking up, Bella goes into a fit and works herself up into hysterics.

In New Moon, Edward actually does break up with Bella and leaves town. Bella goes into a serious depression that lasts over three months, and includes having screaming fits in the night. However, she figures out that when she puts herself into dangerous situations, she gets a quick glimpse of Edward. This kind of behavior is unhealthy, and quite frankly needs to be treated. The funny thing is that everyone else knows that Bella has issues: her dad tells her that her depression and other post-breakup behaviors are not normal, and Alice tells her that she has "never met someone more prone to life-threatening idiocy". My point exactly.

 

[broadwayariel]

So, put these two messed-up characters together and you have what is being called "the greatest love story of the 21st century".

I don't know about you, but I can't find any reason to call this a love story. I never thought that someone who is controlling, a stalker, and wants to kill you would be thought of as romantic and attractive.

But I find that that isn't the worst thing about Twilight - it's the effect that it has on many of its viewers and readers. Stephenie Meyer has a particularly persuasive way of writing that makes the reader feel as though they are Bella, and therefore they "fall in love" with Edward.

This is convincing young girls that 1) Edward is the perfect man, and 2) abusive behavior (as demonstrated by Edward) is really love.

I personally know a girl who was in an abusive relationship for several years, and it was very similar in theme to Edward and Bella. Her boyfriend was very controlling of her, and he monitored everything she did and everyone she talked to. Eventually he was able to distance her from her friends and family to the point where he was really the only person in her life. This made her very dependant on him. When he got angry, he would threaten her and put her down, but then tell her that he loved her once his anger subsided.

He sent her to the hospital several times for physical abuse, and was also jailed several times for physically abusing her and other women. After abusing her, he always rationalized to her by telling her that his parents were abusive to him, and that he couldn't help it. My friend was just one of thousands of people who are in abusive relationships and put up with it because they believe that the abuser truly loves them.

Stephenie Meyer is making over $50 million dollars a year off of a series that teaches people just that.

 

[broadwayariel]

So what do I propose you do? Two things: stop putting money towards the Twilight series movies and books, and increase the awareness of the problems in the series.

The most important thing to do is to talk to Twilight fans and Twihard friends about Twilight. Make sure that they really understand what's going on with Edward and Bella, because the series is so misleading and warped.

I'd never want anyone to be in an abusive relationship like my friend was, and I'm sure that none of you would either - so spread the word.


THE END

 

[thisonegirl]

Amen, sista.

I try not to be an obsessive Twilight hater, but what you said made some serious points.

 

[MickeyisBeast]

That was a really good speech
and, I totally agree

 

[~Serenity~]

I do agree with a lot of your points, but then again I don't know.
I'm not a "twihard" as they call them, but I did read and enjoy the books.

I totally understand where your coming from, and it disturbs me too. The wave of obsession for the series that is. How girls freak out about it and think Edwards theirs or whatever. However not everyone who likes the books/movies is like that. I read them and really liked them, however I can separate them from the rest of my life. I know their not great literature, and no way are they the best romance of the century but I still enjoy the books as a fun little fluff read.

I just also felt like a lot of the parts you took were a little out of context. I mean the fact that he is a vampire totally changes things, he's got to be somewhat creepy right?

 

[JulielovesDisney]

Good speech, and very true!

Some of the things you said, I haven't even realized (now granted, I only read the books to see what the hype was about, I do enjoy them, but I'm not obbsessive lol) but even I overlooked the fact that Eddie controlled who Bella saw during Eclipse. It might have been that I forgot, but reading that, I was like "Crappp!! I didn't even realize it!"

Scary that a 20 year old who only enjoys Twilight, overlooked those events. Imagine what a 13 year old Twihard thinks?

 

[broadwayariel]

Good speech, and very true!

Some of the things you said, I haven't even realized (now granted, I only read the books to see what the hype was about, I do enjoy them, but I'm not obbsessive lol) but even I overlooked the fact that Eddie controlled who Bella saw during Eclipse. It might have been that I forgot, but reading that, I was like "Crappp!! I didn't even realize it!"

Scary that a 20 year old who only enjoys Twilight, overlooked those events. Imagine what a 13 year old Twihard thinks?

Thanks!

Yeah the thing is not so much that I don't like people reading it, it's when it goes to far and either becomes obsessive or when people really believe all of the stuff in the books is okay. I mean, it is fantasy. It's so popular though.

 

[broadwayariel]

I do agree with a lot of your points, but then again I don't know.
I'm not a "twihard" as they call them, but I did read and enjoy the books.

I totally understand where your coming from, and it disturbs me too. The wave of obsession for the series that is. How girls freak out about it and think Edwards theirs or whatever. However not everyone who likes the books/movies is like that. I read them and really liked them, however I can separate them from the rest of my life. I know their not great literature, and no way are they the best romance of the century but I still enjoy the books as a fun little fluff read.

I just also felt like a lot of the parts you took were a little out of context. I mean the fact that he is a vampire totally changes things, he's got to be somewhat creepy right?

Thanks! I'm glad people are understanding my point of view.

I don't have any problems with people who like Twilight, but the obsession stuff isn't right.

Yeah I don't have a problem with him being creepy. I think if he wasn't there'd be no point in him being a vampire. But I don't think a creeper should be the main love interest.

 

[broadwayariel]

Amen, sista.

I try not to be an obsessive Twilight hater, but what you said made some serious points.

Thanks! I'm glad it's making sense.

 

[broadwayariel]

That was a really good speech
and, I totally agree

Thanks!

 

[ZombiexMuffins]

This is amazing. If you don't mind, I linked this on my facebook for all the Twihard friends I have to read, because they think I am nuts when I tell them that Edward is NOT the world's "greatest" boyfriend. I have yet to see Eclipse but I've read all the books, and Eclipse is just equally as worse with Jacob.

I am a Twilight hater, but mostly because the fans are so batcrap crazy. It's disgusting when you hear 12 year old girls on the news being interviewed about why they like the film and saying "Because the guys are hot! And Taylor Lautner has his shirt off!" You are 12, psychologically you don't "get" why you think they are "hot." Also, the fact that most of these girls MOM'S allow this behavior and encourage it is disturbing. Are you trying to make your child mature quicker than she should?! When I was 12, I was still playing with barbies and was NOT interested in shirtless men because it was embarassing!

I hate to think this is what humanity is turning into.

 

[broadwayariel]

This is amazing. If you don't mind, I linked this on my facebook for all the Twihard friends I have to read, because they think I am nuts when I tell them that Edward is NOT the world's "greatest" boyfriend. I have yet to see Eclipse but I've read all the books, and Eclipse is just equally as worse with Jacob.

I am a Twilight hater, but mostly because the fans are so batcrap crazy. It's disgusting when you hear 12 year old girls on the news being interviewed about why they like the film and saying "Because the guys are hot! And Taylor Lautner has his shirt off!" You are 12, psychologically you don't "get" why you think they are "hot." Also, the fact that most of these girls MOM'S allow this behavior and encourage it is disturbing. Are you trying to make your child mature quicker than she should?! When I was 12, I was still playing with barbies and was NOT interested in shirtless men because it was embarassing!

I hate to think this is what humanity is turning into.

Thank you! And I don't mind.

Yeah, it's pretty scary how kids these days are being exposed to this kind of stuff. Especially when their parents know about it. But then there are the kids reading it whose parents would never let them if they knew what was in the books.

 

[~Serenity~]

Thanks! I'm glad people are understanding my point of view.

I don't have any problems with people who like Twilight, but the obsession stuff isn't right.

Yeah I don't have a problem with him being creepy. I think if he wasn't there'd be no point in him being a vampire. But I don't think a creeper should be the main love interest.

I'm in total agreement with you there. The crazy obsessions are very scary, and out of control.
However I doubt the author intended for them.

 

[nickjonasobsessed]

Great Speech! I loved it!

I am a Twilight fan, but I'm not really a Twi-hard. You do have a point at how it is so creepy with the stalker stuff and that.

With me being a Twilight fan, I'm not like the other squeally people who all they can think about is how cute Robert Pattinson (Edward) is. In fact, I think he's kinda ugly. I am not as obsessed as the other girls are. I know the difference between a loving relationship and an abusive relationship. And I love reading the books because they are really insteresting to read and during the summer, I have something to do.

By the way, do you mind if I link this to my Facebook as well? I would just love for all my Twi-hard friends to see this!

 

[broadwayariel]

Great Speech! I loved it!

I am a Twilight fan, but I'm not really a Twi-hard. You do have a point at how it is so creepy with the stalker stuff and that.

With me being a Twilight fan, I'm not like the other squeally people who all they can think about is how cute Robert Pattinson (Edward) is. In fact, I think he's kinda ugly. I am not as obsessed as the other girls are. I know the difference between a loving relationship and an abusive relationship. And I love reading the books because they are really insteresting to read and during the summer, I have something to do.

By the way, do you mind if I link this to my Facebook as well? I would just love for all my Twi-hard friends to see this!

Thanks!
Yeah, feel free to link it, just let me know if you do

PS I think RPattz is kinda ugly too.....

 

[bananda]

i only just got around to reading this, and i'm really glad i did. this is a good speech and you covered almost everything i have against twilight. i haven't been able to put it into words, but you did an excellent job so thanks

 

[broadwayariel]

i only just got around to reading this, and i'm really glad i did. this is a good speech and you covered almost everything i have against twilight. i haven't been able to put it into words, but you did an excellent job so thanks

Thank you! I worked fairly hard on it because I know that there are a lot of people out there who'd have complaints with it.

BTW, it doesn't seem like any Twilight fans have read/commented here yet. But I just have to say to them, please just give it a chance and read the speech.