tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2622477097361465.post8252197859573920594..comments2024-03-10T00:27:43.883-08:00Comments on <center>Aimee L. Salter</center>: Writers Debate The Twilight Effect - Post #2 for the OpponentsAimeeLSalterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17763596557256341788noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2622477097361465.post-10727656753520295382011-02-03T16:59:59.161-08:002011-02-03T16:59:59.161-08:00I love the discussion we're getting into today...I love the discussion we're getting into today. It would be great if you all would come back tomorrow to take a look at the advocates view and give your opinions. I'm curious how that would sit against this viewpoint.AimeeLSalterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17763596557256341788noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2622477097361465.post-48345601561864549742011-02-03T16:11:59.259-08:002011-02-03T16:11:59.259-08:00I agree 100% with Kate. Another place I noticed th...I agree 100% with Kate. Another place I noticed the issue of race was with Zafrina being introduced in Breaking Dawn. She is coupled with a few very dangerous and deranged vampires from around the world, but as Meyer describes her as the only dark skinned vampire in attendance, she is also the only vampire that Vamp Bella is afraid of. She is also the only vampire that Bella leaves Renesmee with unsupervised. Zafrina immediately becomes the black nanny. This made no sense to me what so ever. <br /><br />This quite possibly could be a direct reflection of Meyer's life (I don't spend time with the woman so I don't know) but I did find it rather disturbing. <br /><br />And as far as the lack of "fiction written for the wide consumption of an adolescent audience, lacks representation of a lot of areas that are really important", I have to say there are plenty of books that cover all planes of diversity, unfortunately they aren't DISTRIBUTED and MARKETED for wide consumption. Seek and you shall find.Rebekahhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01974040722134662851noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2622477097361465.post-87625040250490560982011-02-03T14:20:09.496-08:002011-02-03T14:20:09.496-08:00Kim,
I think it may just boil down to a differenc...Kim,<br /><br />I think it may just boil down to a difference of interpretation. When I read it again and Jacob is explaining Quil imprinting on Claire on page 176 in Eclipse, he says "There's nothing <i>romantic</i> about it at all" and then "Quil will be the best, kindest big brother any kid ever had." The most interesting thing about it, to me at least, is everyone's opinion on it. No one seems to even be on the fence, they either think it's nifty or appalling. A quick Google search will show that.<br /><br />Also, I found this interesting blog that would probably serve as a good mention for this series of posts called "Mark Reads Twilight" and it's completely hysterical.Uriah Odellhttp://www.mruriah.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2622477097361465.post-84005523351963690032011-02-03T13:29:45.826-08:002011-02-03T13:29:45.826-08:00Hi, Uriah I still think that Edward and Bella'...Hi, Uriah I still think that Edward and Bella's love is seen as a spiritual connection. Jacob and Renessmee is more of a biological thing. Bella's child and Jacob have no choice to be together. It's in their genes and about the future offspring of the tribe. Later in Breaking Dawn, Leah worries about her own body as she appears to no longer be able to have children. This shows that for them procreation is higher then finding a connection with another human and being in love with them. <br /> Edward still managed to leave Bella in the second book, New Moon. Even if it did 'torture him' he should have been able to see how dependent Bella was upon him. Up until she makes friends with Jacob she sinks into a deep depression that doesn't indicate that Edward and Bella's relationship is healthy. <br />Also the Quileutes are a lot like animals. Ultimately Bella rejects their closeness to nature in favour of the accumulation of material possessions which they will do for eternity. She does reject Edward's gifts as to frivolous but eventually much as with the marriage proposal, she submits. The whole point of creating civilisation when any nation colonised another was to force their ideals onto another culture. In our eyes, now, we might not consider a life living near a forest the way Jacob does. This is what happens to Bella.<br />She starts out as a somewhat independent heroine (well a little anyway) suddenly she is swept away into the perfect life. This is a world of wealth, beauty and many opportunities she will never receive until she is willing to change. She must accept a life of White Privilege. <br />Jacob is aware of how the other word see him. He is always attempting to appear as though he is different from his own people He half laughs at his own legends trying to make sure that Bella is not offended by his way of life. <br />When Jacob talks about imprinting it does sound romantic but then when we see he is in love with a baby, it's a little gross. If an older man (in reality) said he felt drawn to a baby because of destiny we'd still question it. To be honest I'd really just love to get some quotes to back these points up if I can. <br />This is just my own personal opinion anyway but I will try and back it up if you like.Kimhttp://kimmyered.wordpress.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2622477097361465.post-41454633550921410542011-02-03T11:47:28.350-08:002011-02-03T11:47:28.350-08:00Kim, I'm curious: after learning of imprinting...Kim, I'm curious: after learning of imprinting in the books, did you go back and think of how things were with Bella and Edward at the beginning? It seems to me that they had the same experience as Jacob when he finally imprinted, how they were drawn together, as if nothing else in the world seemed to matter any longer now that they'd found each other.<br /><br />And in response to the above by Kate, I'm curious: They tell authors to write what they know. As Stephanie Meyer is a white Mormon who very likely has no experience with the queer community at all (and if any, then very little), can this possibly excuse her from the expectation of writing about such things and including such characters? I certainly wouldn't want to read a book written by a white, middle class mother of three in a heterosexual marriage who's possibly nary even contemplated kissing another member of the same sex to write a book about a gay young man.Uriah Odellhttp://www.mruriah.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2622477097361465.post-53325306186756153622011-02-03T06:33:11.467-08:002011-02-03T06:33:11.467-08:00Hi, I'm really enjoying the posts and the Twil...Hi, I'm really enjoying the posts and the Twilight theme. I have to agree with this post and also raise that Jacob is seen as the unworthy suitor when compared to Edward. He has had a limited education, lives in poor surroundings and is next to being an animal. He is good enough to be a friend but still will never match up to the wealth of Edward. Jacob is also volatile and sexually assaults Bella in Eclipse which is rarely mentioned. This could have been a real chance to explore the history of Native Americans and have a character resembling a human being. It was interesting to see Jacob as one of the main characters. Eventually, though, he descends into the beast we expect him to be. (Much like most other characters of race.) Even imprinting in the book seems animalistic when compared to Edward and Bella’s choice of being in love.Kimhttp://kimmyered.wordpress.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2622477097361465.post-10178086345065715372011-02-03T05:50:55.039-08:002011-02-03T05:50:55.039-08:00Great post, Kate (and thanks for posting Aimee!) T...Great post, Kate (and thanks for posting Aimee!) There's been a lot of writing about how Meyers books are a commentary on Mormonism (and the ideal Mormon family being white and sparkly) - but to me commentary would imply critique - and I'm not so sure she's involved in any active critique. I do think vampires are sometimes used in popular culture to critique racial politics, but I'm not sure how effectively that critique is being done at any level, and to me Meyers is one of the worst offenders: http://storiesaregoodmedicine.blogspot.com/2010/12/white-vamps-black-witches-race-politics.htmlSayantanihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11408914738803274489noreply@blogger.com