Stop the Hate: Otherwise Known As, "Did We Even Read The Same Book?"--By Carmen

If you are not a fan of the Twilight novels, stop reading this post now.  No really, stop, go do something else.  Come back tomorrow for some non-Twilight related Weekend Fat.

Now, everybody who's still reading should either like Twilight or be on the fence.  Okay….  

I am not a hater.  I can usually find a redeeming quality in almost anything.  I think it comes from being a teacher.  A kid can be a failing terror in the classroom but you still have to come up with something positive to tell the parents.  So I don’t understand how people can be so against something and only see the bad in it.

I saw a pin on Pinterest of a blog post entitled 10 Books you must read to your daughter (or How to keep your daughter from ending up like that horrid girl from Twilight) Here is an excerpt:

“What if someday she wants to read Stephanie Meyer’s literary atrocity, the Twilight series? You know the one, the books featuring a non-descript female protagonist who, in addition to having no interests or talents of any kind (other than smelling delicious to a sparkly 100-year-old vampire), is helpless, boring, and basically suicidal when her 100-year-old sparkly vampire boyfriend breaks up with her? Yeah, those books. So, I’m coming up with a reading list containing female characters that could put a smack down on Bella Swan any day of the week and reveal what a real woman looks like.”

Wow! This lady clearly did not like Twilight.

It is no secret that I liked the Twilight novels.  It wasn’t the great American novel, but it was a fun read with interesting characters. I really think this write was so clouded with hatred she missed some key points.  Here they are.

1. Bella was her mom’s emotional caretaker even in childhood; she had to grow up fast because her mom was basically a flake.
2. Bella came to live with her dad after years with her mom.  It was the right thing to do to help her mom’s new marriage. 
3. She was a caretaker for her dad too.
4. Bella kept an important secret to protect Edward’s family. 
5. When Bella flees to Phoenix it is apparent she cares more for her parent’s safety than her own and in the end her friends also. (This is seen in Twilight and Eclipse)
6. She worked a job to make money for herself, even though her boyfriend would have taken care of anything she needed or wanted, any whim she had.
7. After being heartbroken she picked up her life and moved on the only way she knew how. She made new friends and had new experiences. She even got her grades up in school.
8. Bella flew halfway around the world to keep Edward alive in Italy, even though she believed there was nothing in it for her.
9. Bella took her punishment from her father for leaving the country without complaint.  And continued to keep Edward’s family’s secret.
10. She was willing to sacrifice herself to save Edward in his fight against Victoria. Cutting her arm was the only choice her mortal body allowed her and she took it with only Edward in her thoughts.
11. She seriously considered the validity of marriage before saying “Yes”
12. Bella maintained her virginity until marriage (whether she really wanted to or not).
13. Bella continued a hard pregnancy she could have easily aborted.
14. She stood by her husband’s family when they were attacked
15. Bella fought for her child’s future against an unstoppable enemy.

And to answer the no interest or talent comment.  

1. Bella was an avid reader (and of the classics no less).

I know Bella oddly passed out the first time Edward kissed her. And I know that she fell apart when Edward left.  It is tough to lose the love of your life.  I had a tough breakup once too.  I cried a lot.  But eventually you move on.

Now, here is why I think people don’t like Twilight.  There is no moral point, or deeper meaning.   It is just a fictional story.  Believe it or not everyone in life is not a “strong” person.  That’s life.  People looking for a role model in all their stories, can’t even turn to the Bible for that.  There are flawed people everywhere (yes you who don’t like Twilight and are still reading, you are flawed, you didn’t follow directions). And Stephenie Meyer was a mom of three young children who hadn’t written anything in years.  She was inspired by a dream and wrote a best seller.  I wish I could turn some of my crazy vivid dreams into a best seller.  Don’t you? She created a whole new mythology.  If you don’t like Twilight or Stephenie (which all of you do because you are still reading this) don’t spend your money and time on it.  Leave everyone else alone. Stop the Hate.

So, sorry unnamed blog lady…. If my daughter wants to read Twilight or (gasp) turns out like Bella, I’d be just fine with that.