Stephenie Meyer’s “Twilight” series is a force to be reckoned with. It is unstoppable, vomit-enducing, horribly executed and utterly addicting.
At first blush this series is great for tweens and prepubescent girls alike, but when one investigates further there is much to be found under the muck of obsessive romance and predictable plot turns. Along with a pretty face to front the film and plenty of propaganda, there seemed to be no stopping the “Twilight” hype.
I took the liberty of reading the book (after seeing the movie, which I watched for entertainment value) and was even more irritated after reading it. This was a choice I made to better relate to most of my female friends. If they aren’t uttering praise for Edward the vampire’s suave air of romance, they are imagining themselves in the shoes of his love interest, Bella.
Once a week I mentor high school girls, and they are addicted to the dashing Edward and helpless Bella. They fantasize about their own personal Edward who will ride in with his witty perfection to save the day. Somehow, though, I doubt they totally envision the army of pursuing vampires or werewolf neighbors that feed on human flesh.
The books left me completely distressed. It wasn’t because I feared for the lack of reconciliation in Edward and Bella’s relationship as it came close to crumbling several times, but because young girls are reading this books and becoming brainwashed by them. I know this happens all the time. Popular media has such a sway on everyday life, but, really, a book about family-friendly vampires that even has Bram Stoker rolling over in his grave? Is this really deserving of day-long discourses by girls all over the country?
There is some literary value to parts of the series, but once the basic storyline is laid out, the flat characters and exhausted emotions are really nothing but a teeny-bopper’s fantasy.
Hot Topic sells tubs of glitter labeled “vampire glitter” so that anyone can look like the series’ heartthrob. T-shirts, glow-in-the-dark fangs, fan clubs that meet like infamous live action role players (aka LARPers) and Youtube renditions featuring puppets have infiltrated everyday culture. True, this is a fad that may only live the course as long as the Harry Potter base has existed, but there are still three more movies to be made, and more suffering for innocent bystanders to be had. People need to find something better to obsess over, fast.
Amy Hooveris a senior in journalism. She can be reached at [email protected].
