Twilight

[author_by_night]

Twilight fans:

So I'm researching teenager literature and culture due to wanting to try and write in that genre, and it is evident that Twilight is what piques the interest of many teen girls right now.

So whether you're a teen or not, I'm going to put my personal opinion of the books aside and ask - why do you like them?

If you don't like the books, why do you think others do?

ETA: I initially screened comments, but I decided against it. However, I do ask that everyone keep things civil - this is not the place to debate other people's opinions. I'm just curious about yours. 

Comments

[scarlett71177.livejournal.com]

For me, two big things attracted me to the series.

1. The characters. Sure, the books feature 3 or 4 characters fairly prominently, but you get to see so many intimately (less total characters than HP, but you get to know them much better.) There's something for everybody there- strong women, demure women, strong men, reserved men, good guys, bad guys, a cultural background, serious characters, funny ones. She did a good job in that respect. She created a family you really want to be a part of.

2. When I read the books it rekindles the feeling of teenage love, and I've heard other people say the same thing. Since they're written from such an intimate point of view, you're in Bella's head (and later Jacob's) and reading her talk about the love of her life makes the reader remember what it was like to first fall in love.

And let's face it, for most of us, her leading man is just... perfectly imperfect. It's his struggle and the way he loves his leading lady that makes us all swoon. He's so dynamic and the dichotomy of his personality is fascinating. He's a lot like Remus Lupin.

[kennytrent.livejournal.com]

I'm not a fan, however my wife is and she's far from being a teen :)

She likes teh love story/forbidden love aspect. It's romantic and exciting to her with the love triangle and eventual progeression of said love. She also enjoys the fantasy part of it (Vamps and weres) and how they are not made really scary. She's not a fan of horror at all, so she feels she can relate to teh more human natures of the characters. When I get home I'll ask her if theres more to it and reply to this message :)

[kennytrent.livejournal.com]

she said I got it right, except for her being able to relate to Bella's clumbsiness and Edwards over-procteveness of Bella (her over me)

[sixth-light.livejournal.com]

I think it appeals to people because it tells a story teenagers can relate to - you're awkward and insecure, and suddenly this cute guy likes you! And his family like you! (And later - two cute guys like you!) And you're special, and sure, you have to go through some trials and torment first, but everything comes out right in the end. It's a very old but very appealing story.

TBH, I think Twilight is somewhat over-hammered - I mean, yeah, it has issues, but it's not particularly worse than a lot of other stuff out there. It's just more popular.

[blpurdom.livejournal.com]

My daughter read the first two books when she was 10-12 years old and now at 15 finds this fact somewhat embarrassing. She's found Twilight to be a convenient way of screening out new acquaintances with whom she doubts having much in common.

I don't know if these sort of questions are ever asked in the course of examining what attracts fans to a particular fandom, but after speaking to her about how she grew disenchanted with the books my instincts suggest that fans with a conservative leaning may be the norm in this fandom and less conservative readers may be the exception. If you do ask about this sort of thing I'd be curious to find out what you learn from the readers in this regard.

[diana-molloy.livejournal.com]

Unless I misunderstood your point, I must disagree. :)

You don't know me but a_b_n who would have read my journal would probably say that I don't have any conservative leanings. Not if the places I go and things I do are anything to go by. ;) Of course, I could be an exception but I've a male (I don't think it matters but for the record he is straight) friend, equally into a lemon lifestyle, who also liked the books and films. He though hates Bella. Although a large study focusing on that area would be v interesting, then again I'm a bit geeky when it comes to data! :D

As for the original question. I like vampires. I like strong, dominant men (I always rp Edward). My needs are simple. For others i think literature that's accesible and relevant to them but with the inclusion of something dark and sexy will always win teenagers over. Life is a bit mundane when you're 15 and yet here is a 'normal' girl whose life turns extraordinary. A plain (by her words because she is a Sue) girl who nabs the hottest guy that wants no one else and he's also a vampire so it's even more special! Also Bella is identifiable with because she has so many percieved flaws that you're bound to find an identifying one!

[bemkah.livejournal.com]

I agree with the poster above. I could definitely identify with Bella in so many ways. Shy, awkward brunette who trips over her own feet and always has her nose stuck in a book - thats pretty much me really. And I can definitely see the attraction with having that girl become the object of desire of a extremely gorgeous supernatural being who could have whatever girl he wanted - I mean, who hasn't felt unattractive, plain, or awkward at some point in their life? Who hasn't seen a guy and wished they'd show you the least bit of attention even though you think you're way out of their league? It's something that I think is a pretty common fantasy really.

And the genre itself helps. Urban fantasies are fun, because you're taking something that is realistic, familar, comfortable, and adding aspects that are exciting, exotic, interesting and dangerous. It's a completely new layer over something that is pretty mundane, its a new world with different rules. So the human characters provide a kind of stepping point into the new world, and makes it easy to relate to. So yeah, while I can agree that Twilight is not going to win any awards for being fantastically written or whatever, I can definitely see its appeal.

[chocolatepot.livejournal.com]

I think a lot of people like them for the same reason a lot of people (including me of course) like romance novels - they evoke strong emotions. I was reading an Overthinking It article last night that posited that the movies people like best are those that make them feel emotions more strongly, and I can see that in my favorite books as well. Presuming one is reading without critiquing, one can get a rush from Bella's sadness and romantic feelings.

I think part of the reason for Twilight's success is that it's a romance novel that was marketed as not-a-romance-novel, so it didn't have that stigma attached. Romance novels are quite fun, but "everyone knows" that romance novels are misogynist and are targeted at, oh no, middle-aged women, so many people don't bother to look at them. Once you make the characters a bit younger and take the sex out (contrary to popular belief, the appeal of romance novels is not about the sex) and slap a respectable cover on, you've gotten rid of the stigma but kept the interesting bits. Based on my own experience, "girl thinks she's plain but attracts the hottest guy who thinks she's amazing" is an incredibly popular plotline/trope in romance novels.

Personally, I don't think Bella's blankness is what did it. The assertion (which I've seen several times in different places) always seems a bit misogynist to me - as if teenage girls can't identify with a character unless she's exactly the same as them or flat enough that they can project onto her.

[r-a-black.livejournal.com]

You know I'm not a fan, but I do like to consider what the reasons are for people enjoying the books. Have you ever read cleolinda's posts on why she thinks they appeal to people so much? I tend to agree with her a lot.

I think it's a combination of Bella being the Center of the Universe and her having a very gorgeous- not just good looking- man wanting her. If you want to include Jacob as well, then that heightens things, but Edward alone is enough. Bella gets to live out all the inner wishes that most if not all girls go through at some point in their lives: I'm not super-model pretty, or pretty at all, I wish at some point I would stand out to a fantastic guy even in a crowd of other beautiful women. I wish there was someone out there who saw all these special and wonderful things about me that I don't see or recognize. I wish I had someone who was passionately devoted to me, so passionate that it would cause him to do things he's not accustomed to doing. And so on. Then you tack on that "someone" as the most coveted guy in your school/town/country/world and you get a bunch of extra things coming with that. For one, I think making other girls jealous might appeal to some people, especially if you (the reader) often felt physically inferior to these girls. You are so special now that you not only got the attention of a guy, but you got the attention of a guy that so many girls would love to date. It pumps your specialness to an even higher level.

Does any of that make sense? I don't know, lol.