What's wrong with the Twilight series??

[Sparx]

I like twilight for light, easy reading.

Liking twilight is a fad, but even moreso of a fad is NOT liking twilight. People love to complain about how horrible its written, how bad the movies are, etc. But these people own both dvds and read all the books too, so take that with a grain of salt.

Is bella a wonderful role model? No. But not every character has to be. Is the relationship ideal (or even realistic?) No. But it doesn't have to be.

I think parents and children can read twilight and open a lot of discussions. Is bella and edwards relationship healthy? NO. Its a great example of what real, adult relationships AREN'T.

Its fantasy. All the great romances in history haven't been all that realistic (and I'm not calling twilight a great romance, but the "classics" don't produce better role models either.)

No one wants to read about "oh, i like you, but if you leave i'm okay with that too I guess." Realistic, healthy relationships aren't dramatic, and aren't entertaining. People love passion, even crazy passion, and it will always get more attention than a normal healthy couple.

Bella and Edward's relationship is a great talking point, especially for young girls. Its not what you'll really encounter. But then again, neither is cinderella.

 

[SOnotLayuh]

I like twilight for light, easy reading.

Liking twilight is a fad, but even moreso of a fad is NOT liking twilight. People love to complain about how horrible its written, how bad the movies are, etc. But these people own both dvds and read all the books too, so take that with a grain of salt.

Is bella a wonderful role model? No. But not every character has to be. Is the relationship ideal (or even realistic?) No. But it doesn't have to be.

I think parents and children can read twilight and open a lot of discussions. Is bella and edwards relationship healthy? NO. Its a great example of what real, adult relationships AREN'T.

Its fantasy. All the great romances in history haven't been all that realistic (and I'm not calling twilight a great romance, but the "classics" don't produce better role models either.)

No one wants to read about "oh, i like you, but if you leave i'm okay with that too I guess." Realistic, healthy relationships aren't dramatic, and aren't entertaining. People love passion, even crazy passion, and it will always get more attention than a normal healthy couple.

Bella and Edward's relationship is a great talking point, especially for young girls. Its not what you'll really encounter. But then again, neither is cinderella.

EVERYTHING SAID HERE. Goodness. You took the words right out of my mouth!!

 

[eh24fan]

I avoided Twilight for as long as I could...then read all 4 books within a week. I couldn't stop! LOL They weren't the BEST most well written books I've read but they were very entertaining, obviously. The movies are very disappointing so far.

I HATED Breaking Dawn, I really did. I read it just to get it over with. I didn't like her being pregnant, the birth, the fact that she became a vampire & that it happened so easily for her, the weird walking talking newborn, the imprinting...ugh. It just drove me batty.

I loved the series as a whole, despite my reluctance.

 

[JenM]

Liking twilight is a fad, but even moreso of a fad is NOT liking twilight. People love to complain about how horrible its written, how bad the movies are, etc. But these people own both dvds and read all the books too, so take that with a grain of salt.

I don't.

I read the books (I borrowed them from a friend, so I don't own those either) to see what the big deal was all about...but I didn't like them at all.

It's definitely popular to hate on Twilight, but I just didn't like them because I hated the writing. I wanted to like them, but I was disappointed with them and I'm amazed how popular they are.

My sister liked the movie, couldn't believe I was hating on them so much when we watched it off Netflix. Then she started reading the books and now hates them more than I do. In fact, she was practically offended by them.

 

[NHdisneylover]

I look at the Twilight books and movies as entertainment. They are not something I think is worth analyzing. As far as the books go, they all have some violence. The last book has some sexual content that parents may have a problem with letting their tween read. I would suggest the parent read the 4th book first if they have any doubts.

Books 1 through 3 have the same type of content as the Twilight movies and I don't see a problem with a tween reading them. I see no problem with a teenager reading any of the books.

But that is the only fun part

didn't Ariel kind of do the same thing
she was willing to give up everything for Prince Eric, and they hadn't even spoken

eta she may have even been a teenager when they married.

Yes she did. She even gave up her VOICE. Lots of fun analyzing do be done with that. Of coruse, the movie was vastly better crafted than these books are. However, from a basic standpoint I sget your point. I agree that most Disney females are terrible role models. They are fun stories though and as others have said you do not have to only have strong women in your entertainment. That said--I hate the Disney tendancy to pull what little personality some of the girls have away and present them all together in a lump as jsut The Princesses.

 

[Pigeon]

didn't Ariel kind of do the same thing
she was willing to give up everything for Prince Eric, and they hadn't even spoken

eta she may have even been a teenager when they married.

Sure. Many Disney princess types are spineless wimps, and I don't like the stories. While I let my kids watch the movies, we have lots of discussion about why they aren't good role models.

 

[NHdisneylover]

I was making conversation on the way to school this morning and telling the kids about this thread. DD pointed out the obvious--that people can find somethign bad in anything if they look hard enough (DD gets much of her warped persoanlity from me and finds the best weay to come up with new titles to read is to find books that have been banned or challenged since "those are mostly things that make you think"). She told me the worst she has seen were that Where's Waldo was one of the top ten most challenged books one year and she told me what to google to prove her point with the Anne of Green Gables series also being written for the authors "father the devil" but it took me a bit to find the link. This is written in all seriousness and not nearly as hysterical to the great Mormon Cullens link, but it DOES go to show that people can find evil anywhere if they try:

http://www.balaams-***.com/JOURNAL/homemake/lmmont.htm

It is a piece about Anne of Green Gables being the devil's work. Seriously, if you think Anne of Green Gables will "soil children's minds" I think you need to just lock yourself in your home, turn the internet and TV off and never leave.

 

[AtlantaSue]

I have read the series. I have 2 DDs, 12 and 10, who have not but have seen the 2 movies (they just don't want to read the series). I have to say that I am kind of glad. Not b/c I find them disturbing, or violent--but mainly b/c my girls are not "boy crazy", and I felt a little uncomfortable at the thought of them reading books w/ such sexual tension--not the actual act, but just the intensity involved between Bella and Edward. Like some have said--it would bring to the forefront of their minds (in my opinion) the idea of a boy/young love being able to so completely overtake your thought, mind, actions, and for right now--it is NOT in the forefront of their minds at all. There are so many other good series that my 10 year old can read that don't have that aspect (Lightning Thief, Found).

 

[golfgal]

I have read the series. I have 2 DDs, 12 and 10, who have not but have seen the 2 movies (they just don't want to read the series). I have to say that I am kind of glad. Not b/c I find them disturbing, or violent--but mainly b/c my girls are not "boy crazy", and I felt a little uncomfortable at the thought of them reading books w/ such sexual tension--not the actual act, but just the intensity involved between Bella and Edward. Like some have said--it would bring to the forefront of their minds (in my opinion) the idea of a boy/young love being able to so completely overtake your thought, mind, actions, and for right now--it is NOT in the forefront of their minds at all. There are so many other good series that my 10 year old can read that don't have that aspect (Lightning Thief, Found).

DD14 has read the books and they didn't make her boy crazy.

 

[SondraC]

This reminds me of when my dh told me about how when he was young, his parents wouldn't let him watch things like Bewitched & movies such as Bedknobs & Broomsticks!
They still strongly believe true Christians don't watch/read anything alongs these lines.

 

[NHdisneylover]

I have read the series. I have 2 DDs, 12 and 10, who have not but have seen the 2 movies (they just don't want to read the series). I have to say that I am kind of glad. Not b/c I find them disturbing, or violent--but mainly b/c my girls are not "boy crazy", and I felt a little uncomfortable at the thought of them reading books w/ such sexual tension--not the actual act, but just the intensity involved between Bella and Edward. Like some have said--it would bring to the forefront of their minds (in my opinion) the idea of a boy/young love being able to so completely overtake your thought, mind, actions, and for right now--it is NOT in the forefront of their minds at all. There are so many other good series that my 10 year old can read that don't have that aspect (Lightning Thief, Found).

I think you would find that if your DDs aren't boy crazy already this will not turn them so. Most kids are not that open to suggestion.

 

[MoonFaerie]

Liking twilight is a fad, but even moreso of a fad is NOT liking twilight. People love to complain about how horrible its written, how bad the movies are, etc. But these people own both dvds and read all the books too, so take that with a grain of salt.

Nope. I buy very few books. I REALLY have to love them and plan on re-reading them frequently. I make very good use out of my bookswim account instead. I usually read 2-3 books per week, and if I bought that many, I'd need my very own library. DVDs, I'm very quick to buy (we have around 400), but I still don't own either one from the Twilight series. In fact, I haven't even seen the second movie yet, and I didn't see the first one until it hit the dollar theatre. It's on my Netflix to get to eventually, but the first one was so so terrible. The books were mildly entertaining, but not enough to re-read, IMO. (I did love her other book, The Host though. *shrug*)

 

[MoonFaerie]

Sure. Many Disney princess types are spineless wimps, and I don't like the stories. While I let my kids watch the movies, we have lots of discussion about why they aren't good role models.

We started having that conversation when dd was 4. She wanted to take ballet but, she told me, "Mommy, I can't be a ballerina! Then I can't marry a prince!"

 

[NHdisneylover]

Nope. I buy very few books. I REALLY have to love them and plan on re-reading them frequently. I make very good use out of my bookswim account. I usually read 2-3 books per week, and if I bought that many, I'd need my very own library. DVDs, I'm very quick to buy (we have around 400), but I still don't own either one. In fact, I haven't even seen the second movie yet. It's on my Netflix to get to eventually, but the first one was so so terrible. The books were mildly entertaining, but not enough to re-read, IMO. (I did love her other book, The Host though. *shrug*)

I missed the post you are replying to here. I have not found that it is a fad to dislike the books If it is I am in teh wrong group Personally I read the books because as a Young Adult Librarian I should and becuase a freind spent a lot to send his copy to me. DD read them because evreyoen always talks about them and because she was doing book reviews for the student magazine and felt obligated to review the most popular books in her school library. We did not buy the books and have not seen the movies. I don't think a dime of mine has gone to anything Twilight ever. Most people I know who dislike the books or movies have either bought teh first book or seen the first movie but that is about it (even those who went on to read the series for whatever reason did not buy ther rest and either borrowed them from friends or the library as they did not want to own them).

 

[huey duey & luey]

Sure. Many Disney princess types are spineless wimps, and I don't like the stories. While I let my kids watch the movies, we have lots of discussion about why they aren't good role models.

I was being facetious.

I personally loved the Twilight Saga, and while I appreciate the fact of raising our daughters to be strong women lets be realistic.
Twilight books are about vampires and werewolves as well as disney stories are fairytales. Not biographies, not a blueprint for living one's life, just a source of entertainment.

I could see if your daughters were reading books about Paris Hilton, Lindsay Lohan or Britney Spears real live people who I would never want my daughter to emulate. These are fictious characters in situations that could never possibly occur.

maybe instead of harping on good role models we should just give our children basic lessons on real life vs imagination

 

[mickeylove2]

This thread reminds me of a Sociology class I took, at 1 point we were discussing Disney Princesses and the effect that they have on little girls. Basically that we want our little girls to emulate the Princesses from these stories but when we dissected the life of the character, we realized that these Princesses are oppressed, have no self-esteem and are the epitome of damsel in distress, they need a Prince to rescue them so they can live happily ever after. I can't remember exactly what was said, this is just the gist of it.

 

[Jennasis]

I hated the whole "I'm in terrible agony, but I won't scream...because it might make Edward upset" part of the transformation. I mean, please.

I actually thought it would have made it much more interesting if she had gone after a human - in fact, I was all for her going after Charlie. Not killing him, of course...but give her something to have to deal with than superpowers and a singsongy voice that she can't get used to.

And I thought the birth scene was awful. I love horror stories, and that was just a bad one. I hated that Rosalie didn't care if she lived or died as long as the baby lived, but Bella depended on her anyway.

I hated the 11th hour return of Alice at the end (like she wasn't coming back?) with a family of half-breed vampires. If she'd known that they existed all along, why didn't she bring that up when Bella was pregnant and no one knew what to do about it?




And that was another ridiculous plothole - the Volturi are so committed to secrecy that the punishment for revealing themselves is death, yet they lunch on busloads of tourists on what seems like a regular basis.

Seriously. That's a lot of people who've gone missing. Hasn't someone noticed that by now? It would certainly seem like bad news for the tourism industry in Rome - definitely much more attention-getting than some guy glowing like a disco ball for a few seconds in a town square would.

Deus ex Machina at it's finest. And the sign of an intolerably poor writer and story teller. I would know...many of my works have been criticised for the same thing. So back to the drawing board to figure out a legitamate resolution.

I like twilight for light, easy reading.

Liking twilight is a fad, but even moreso of a fad is NOT liking twilight. People love to complain about how horrible its written, how bad the movies are, etc. But these people own both dvds and read all the books too, so take that with a grain of salt.
.

Oh come off it.

If I said I hated it, but hadn't actually READ it, the sycophants would be on me like white on rice, blasting me for hating something I'd never even read. But now that I HAVE read it and STILL hated it, that makes me wrong too?

You can't have it both ways. BTW, I do not own the DVD's (unless you count my Rifftrax version of Twilight, which is IMO the ONLY watchable version. Hilarious. I can't wait until Rifftrax releases New Moon next month!!). I read all four books and watched both movies. My opinion is valid. It is also just my opinion.

The books are IMO very polarizing. Generally you either love them with the white hot intensity of 10,000 suns, or you think it unfit to wipe your buttocks with. I DID think all four Twilight books (I refuse to call them the "saga"....there was only ONE saga and thy name is Star Wars) were works of fine art compared to the awful hot mess that was The Host.

Either way, SMeyer is laughing her talentless butt all the way to the bank.

 

[zachnsamsmommy]

Well...I really enjoyed the Twilight series . But I took it for what it was worth...not well written, but enjoyable fluff. You either love it or you hate it, from the views/reviews I've read. I also love my Harry Potter, but consider it much better written. I guess apples and oranges...

I'm not going to criticize anyone's views of either of these series. I enjoyed them, but I realize not everyone does.

As far as why people are against Twilight, and HP for that matter. I think a lot of it has to do with the occult and personal religious views. I am deeply religious, but love my books...and know that the books aren't going to influence me into some dark, evil deeds . But there are many people at the church I belong to who wouldn't dare read either series. I guess I'm a rebel...

 

[Rora]

You can't have it both ways. BTW, I do not own the DVD's (unless you count my Rifftrax version of Twilight, which is IMO the ONLY watchable version. Hilarious. I can't wait until Rifftrax releases New Moon next month!!). I read all four books and watched both movies. My opinion is valid. It is also just my opinion.

Glad to know I'm not the only Rifftrax lover!!

They already released the New Moon one!! We watched it on Saturday night. Too funny!! But, I will say, it was even a little intolerable with the Rifftrax.

Love love love my Riffers.

 

[Jennasis]

Glad to know I'm not the only Rifftrax lover!!

They already released the New Moon one!! We watched it on Saturday night. Too funny!! But, I will say, it was even a little intolerable with the Rifftrax.

Love love love my Riffers.

Sweet googa mooga!!! Gotta head over to the website and download! My weekend is now complete (we just downloaded their version of Return of the Jedi).

O/T, for Christmas I bought DH tix to the live event. It was hilarious. I have never laughed so hard in my life. Literally tears streaming down my face and I almost choked on my Icee. If you want a good laugh, download their Christmas event from 2009.