I Love(d) Twilight | Teen Ink

I Love(d) Twilight

July 23, 2010
By lizzymwrites GOLD, Miami, Florida
lizzymwrites GOLD, Miami, Florida
13 articles 0 photos 56 comments

Favorite Quote:
The only people for me are the mad ones... the ones who never yawn and say a commonplace thing but burn, burn, burn, like fabulous yellow Roman candles exploding like spiders against the stars." - Jack Kerouac


Let it be stated right away: I used to love Twilight. Stephenie Meyer’s writing had me hooked from the start. I went to Barnes and Noble for the release of Breaking Dawn. I obsessed over Midnight Sun and wished for more. Oh, did I mention I’ve read Twilight nine times, New Moon five, Eclipse three and Breaking Dawn four?
Twilight changed my life. Because of it, I discovered fan-fiction. I was obsessed. I wrote (and spoke) only about Edward and Bella for about a year.
Then I watched a parody on Youtube. That was all it took for me to realize how ridiculously unsubstantial the plot was. Now, keep in mind that I had read the book nine times. I knew it by memory. I did not judge it based on what others thought.
I have been the girl who gushed over Edward watching his love sleep. Now, I am the teen wondering how I didn’t notice that behavior strongly resembles that of a stalker before. I never liked Bella, but now, my feelings about her go deeper than disinterest.
Bella is supposed to be the typical teenage girl. She is not. I, for one, am a typical teenage girl, and when I switched schools boys didn’t instantly become infatuated with me just because our town is ridiculously small. My friends aren’t constantly telling me that I don’t see myself clearly and am actually gorgeous – though I use glasses, I happen to have a mirror. Keeping my grades up is not easy for me, though most consider me the smartest girl in my class. I know that I have talents, but I also know that I am very impatient, inconstant and a little lazy. I have actual faults, and they are bigger than being gravitationally challenged.
This book is just plain unrealistic, and the fact that it’s about vampires has nothing to do with it. Love doesn’t grow in a few weeks. You have to know someone to love them – which is why Bella and Edward’s relationship isn’t exactly healthy. He’s obsessed with her (and it’s not endearing, no matter how you look at it) and she is far too dependent on him. Soon, her life revolves around him, to the point that she has only one semi-friend outside his family. Love should compliment your life, everyone, not become the reason for your existence! The proof? One day, Edward tells her that he’s too good for her… and Bella still begs him to stay. She begs him! Does the woman have no pride?
Too many of us have been swept up into the dazzling flurry that is Twilight. Girls, Edward is not the perfect boyfriend. His fault: being controlling. He makes decisions for his girlfriend without consulting her. A good boyfriend wouldn’t presume to know that his girlfriend can’t possibly love him the way he loves her. That’s downright insulting.
But the worst part is the way Bella is constantly begging Edward for sex. Bella eventually ends up marrying him because she finds the need for sex overwhelming (and because she thinks being a vampire will make her and Edward equals). Does that sound like something you want to build a life-long relationship on?
Then they finally do the deed – without a condom, may I add. Yes, they got lost in the heat of the moment. Too bad for them. The consequence? A baby.
Teen pregnancy doesn’t end the way it did in the books, girls. The father won’t marry you. Your parents will be pissed. The baby may be sweet, but it won’t be adorable when it keeps you up all night crying. Going to college will be impossible for most, and very hard for others. Your whole life will be changed because you got lost in the heat of the moment! And in the end, you won’t regret the baby, but you’ll wish you’d waited to have a child.
So move on, everyone, but get something from the Twilight fever. If you learned to love reading, keep doing it. Understand that sometimes a guy may seem charming until you realize otherwise, and that smart girls can save themselves.


The author's comments:
I don't have anything against Stephenie Meyer (I loved The Host). I just think that maybe girls shouldn't look up to a character that is as weak as Bella. She is not weak because she is human - she is that way because she lets her boyfriend slowly take control of her life. And that is NOT right.

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This article has 36 comments.


on Aug. 2 2010 at 12:11 pm
DifferentTeen PLATINUM, Seaford, Delaware
32 articles 2 photos 329 comments

Favorite Quote:
"There’s no such thing as true love, just spurts of insanity—falling over and over again, thinking that won’t happen to me"

Also, I would appreciate if you could check out my work, I would love some critisism.

on Aug. 2 2010 at 12:10 pm
DifferentTeen PLATINUM, Seaford, Delaware
32 articles 2 photos 329 comments

Favorite Quote:
"There’s no such thing as true love, just spurts of insanity—falling over and over again, thinking that won’t happen to me"

I loved this article, I like Twilight but I'm not obsessed. It was a good book. But I agree that Bella is most definatly NOT a normal teenager.

on Aug. 2 2010 at 10:15 am
lizzymwrites GOLD, Miami, Florida
13 articles 0 photos 56 comments

Favorite Quote:
The only people for me are the mad ones... the ones who never yawn and say a commonplace thing but burn, burn, burn, like fabulous yellow Roman candles exploding like spiders against the stars." - Jack Kerouac

Yeah, definitely. It helped a lot of people begin reading and writing, but it's really not that awesome =)

on Aug. 2 2010 at 10:14 am
lizzymwrites GOLD, Miami, Florida
13 articles 0 photos 56 comments

Favorite Quote:
The only people for me are the mad ones... the ones who never yawn and say a commonplace thing but burn, burn, burn, like fabulous yellow Roman candles exploding like spiders against the stars." - Jack Kerouac

Thanks! And, yeah, Bella's personality was any typicasl girl's minus the talents

on Aug. 2 2010 at 10:12 am
lizzymwrites GOLD, Miami, Florida
13 articles 0 photos 56 comments

Favorite Quote:
The only people for me are the mad ones... the ones who never yawn and say a commonplace thing but burn, burn, burn, like fabulous yellow Roman candles exploding like spiders against the stars." - Jack Kerouac

 

I know! I spent a lot of money on her!


guitargirl said...
on Jul. 30 2010 at 10:10 pm
Although I have to say the series' one redeeming quality is its gotten a lot of people interested in reading.  So I guess it serves some purpose?

guitargirl said...
on Jul. 30 2010 at 10:07 pm
You said it.  I too used to love these books and I still enjoy reading them sometimes (as a guilty pleasure =D) but I've realized that they really don't have much of a plot and the characters are totally unrealistic.  I think the reason so many girls are obsessed with this series is  they all want to be Bella.  She is basically an empty shell that any girl can fit herself into and be in the story.  When you think about it, Bella doesn't really have much of a personality except she's shy an awkward, which are things that most girls can relate to somewhat. Edward is her "perfect" boyfriend who never gets bored with her and listens intently to everything she says, no matter how dull or trivial.  Which is ridicules because it makes girls think that they shouldn't have to work at relationships and that their boyfriends or husbands should care about nothing in the world except them. Good job =)

on Jul. 30 2010 at 10:02 pm
Lifeisabeach GOLD, Eau Claire, Wisconsin
18 articles 2 photos 10 comments

Favorite Quote:
Sometimes, good things fall apart so that better things can fall together.

This is a legittt article. I didn't know Bella got pregnant later on. What a dumb series.

on Jul. 30 2010 at 3:20 am
Kait_Marie BRONZE, Springfield, Missouri
1 article 0 photos 1 comment

Favorite Quote:
"Life is 10% what you make it,and 90% how you take it."

Team: Whoever Hits Bella with a Bus

( and this is coming from a die hard fan who significantly helped finance Meyer's children's college fund)


on Jul. 29 2010 at 6:12 pm
inksplatters21 SILVER, Mason, Ohio
6 articles 0 photos 84 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Character is how you live when no one is watching."

Amen sista

 


on Jul. 28 2010 at 7:44 pm
Hailz777 BRONZE, Westerville, Ohio
1 article 0 photos 3 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Expect the unexpected and whenever possible be the unexpected."

I loved the books. My favorite books and the books that made be want to write. However, When the movies came out they where horrible and the books a bad rap. now I'm embarrassed to tell people I love the book and never say they're my fav books

on Jul. 28 2010 at 10:20 am
IsobelFree DIAMOND, Hamilton, Other
71 articles 20 photos 296 comments

Favorite Quote:
"As long as there is open road, the familiar has the most formidable competitor." - Anonymous

It definitely is! I do it when I'm bored and need a laugh :P

And thank u ! :)


on Jul. 27 2010 at 8:43 pm
lizzymwrites GOLD, Miami, Florida
13 articles 0 photos 56 comments

Favorite Quote:
The only people for me are the mad ones... the ones who never yawn and say a commonplace thing but burn, burn, burn, like fabulous yellow Roman candles exploding like spiders against the stars." - Jack Kerouac

Aren't we all dying for comments? Course I'll go =)

Editing Twilight sounds like a lot of fun!!


on Jul. 27 2010 at 8:35 pm
IsobelFree DIAMOND, Hamilton, Other
71 articles 20 photos 296 comments

Favorite Quote:
"As long as there is open road, the familiar has the most formidable competitor." - Anonymous

Oh my. I completely agree with what you are saying here. I was also obsessed with the series - I actually remember literally reflecting once that I loved reading these books simply because the writing style was so good! Now that I'm looking back, I realize that not only does Meyer's writing suck, her plot, like you said, has little to no backbone. Now, I will defend the books a little in that yes, love can make us do stupid things and lose our pride or dignity, like when Bella begs Edward to stay. And yes, love can seem to be debilitating and rule our lives. And finally yes, sometimes love is the reason for one's existence. But really? I agree with you in that relying only on love - and having absolutely no life outside of it, like Bella - is not healthy! :P

Oh, and speaking of bad writing? My friends and I picked up an old copy of Twilight and we're editing it. As in penning all over it, scribbling in suggestions, crossing out and substituting, pointing out obvious mistakes (like when Stephenie Meyer says that Bella walked "through the girls' changeroom door". She can walk through doors???), and basically doing everything Meyer's editor should have done! :P We're all tempted to send it to her once we're done, but it's just so funny to look at! :D

So yeah...good article! I agree with you also in that this is a learning experience: don't go near guys who climb in through your window and watch you sleep!!!!! :D

Could u check out some of my work please? I'm starved for comments :P

 


on Jul. 27 2010 at 3:16 pm
lizzymwrites GOLD, Miami, Florida
13 articles 0 photos 56 comments

Favorite Quote:
The only people for me are the mad ones... the ones who never yawn and say a commonplace thing but burn, burn, burn, like fabulous yellow Roman candles exploding like spiders against the stars." - Jack Kerouac

Thanks! I'm glad you liked it and that you think Edward is controlling, too... At least I'm not the only one =D

on Jul. 27 2010 at 12:06 pm
PaolaC. PLATINUM, Palm Beach Gardens, Florida
21 articles 3 photos 41 comments

I was obsessed 2 years ago for a couple months, then realized I need to get a life. I still watch the movies in theatres but watching Eclipse I again noticed how controlling Edward is. For example, he broke down Bella's car so she couldn't visit Jacob? ... Creepy.

I also agree that Bella shouldn't be a role model. I never saw her as one, but maybe others did/do...So awesome job on this article!

Check out my work sometime, please. ;)