Today's Cynical Feminist Assertion:

[kalibex]

Twilight, despite its manifest weaknesses, was published (and seen as publishable to begin with) precisely because it is mind-numbing cultural propaganda aimed at impressionable tweens and teens, advocating female passivity and submission (co-dependancy, &tc.) to males (any profits the publisher anticipated aside).

Discuss.

Comments

[lyssie.livejournal.com]

Yes.

[bexmonster.livejournal.com]

I haven't read it, but judging by the multitude of comments I don't want to. Those who hated it made intelligent, well composed comments. Those who loved it were defensive and immature.

[timjr.livejournal.com]

Well... yeah.

[lillibet.livejournal.com]

I don't think it was published because of that. I think it was published because publishers saw a way to bring the recent craze for supernatural romance fiction to the very active tween market. I think the negative modelling is just gravy.

I've been thinking about the possible connections between Meyer's views on love and her Mormon background and haven't really seen anything exploring that subject. Having barely made it through the first book without hurling, I'm not up for trawling the net for more discussion of it, but if you see anything, let me know.

Thanks for sharing--it is nice to know that someone is noticing this stuff.

[hergrace.livejournal.com]

I found this article most interesting. Since I have two sons, the Twilight phenomenon (such as it is) has not hit our house. EXCEPT my elder son, a stickler for tradition, and 'things must be done right', *hates* the series for getting vampires 'wrong'. He asserts that every bit of traditional vampire lore is basically thrown out.

On the other hand, I do know some fairly sane, reasonably rational young women who love the series. I think I must send them this article. Perhaps it will wake them out of their dreamy state.

Ahem...

[taewakan.livejournal.com]

And what is wrong with a tween-age girl or teen girl being in a dreamy state?
They are girls fer chrissakes!
Its what they do.
Given the choice between escapist clap-trap and the evening news, I prefer escapist clap-trap. It is less insulting than the commercials and less depressing than the news.

The woman wrote Twilight for herself.
Someone she knew suggested that it was publishable... and it was.
Good for her.

Easy targets are exactly that - easy targets.
Speaking of which - I am done taking shots at this one.

Re: Ahem...

[hergrace.livejournal.com]

Oooooo...defensive much?

Obviously you feel you have to justify your reading choices. Good for you. I don't know you, I don't want to know you, and I wasn't talking about you. So....take a chill pill, friend, and read what you want. Neither the original article author, Kalibex, nor I am stopping you.

If you really feel that all these people giving their opinion of your beloved books is unfair and rankling on you, by all means, write how wonderful they are in your own journal. It's your right. Knock yourself out, dear.

As for me -- Good escapist literature and television? Hell yes! Bring it on. My family love the Harry Potter series and just about anything Terry Pratchett writes. Avi is a fine writer of both escapist and realistic stories. There is plenty of well-written literature out there (and a novel doesn't necessarily have to be 'escapist' in order for one to escape into it). All any of us are saying is that we don't feel Twilight, and the books that follow it, are among those.

Re: Ahem...

[taewakan.livejournal.com]

Defensive?
Uh... not.

The subject material isn't serious enough to get defensive about - although that is one of the drawbacks of written responses.
Que sera sera.

My main point, which was missed, is that it seemed like much ado about very little.

And...
It has been my experience that not responding/giving attention to actions/subjects that are not approved of is a much more effective way of dealing with/minimizing the actions/subjects.
The harping on the inappropriateness just seems to me like free advertising for something you believe to be unworthy of reading.

moving along...

Re: Ahem...

[kalibex.livejournal.com]

Actually, even an escapist book for tweens & teens? Nothing "little' about it.

The personal is political. And in politics...emotions flow freely.

And discussion about both the quality and message given forth by that book? Totally apropos.