Edward Versus Harry
Featured, Film — By Kristin McGee on July 26, 2010 at 8:00 am
Two weeks ago I stood in line at midnight to see the latest Twilight Saga release, Eclipse. In line were an array of angtsy teenagers, swooning college students, and obsessed housewives. Behind me, two thirty-somethings casually debated the sex appeal of the film’s dueling heartthrobs: Edward, a 104 year-old vampire immortalized in the body of a teenager, and Jacob, a 16 year-old werewolf with underwear-model abs. Standing amongst a throng of adolescents holding thick books and wearing homemade t-shirts took me back to the releases from that other literary phenomenon, Harry Potter.
Comparisons between the two outrageously popular fantasy series are tough to avoid. Each series gained popularity in print before crossing to the silver screen. The worldwide success of both placed its previously unknown female author on the Forbes celebrity top 100 list. Each film introduces a unique sport: Potter, quidditch; and Twilight, vampire baseball. Both franchises even feature Robert Pattinson as a strong-jawed hero. Yet there is one key difference: Twilight was never blacklisted by evangelicals.
In fact, many Christians are happy about Twilight’s popularity because Stephenie Meyer, a Mormon, soaks her novels with messages of abstinence, the right-to-life, and the reality of hell. Compared to other popular vampire series like HBO’s TrueBlood, Twilight is above reproach. Meyers’ story doesn’t include sex, drugs, or language. It’s simply a chaste romance.
Despite this, Twilight has far more potential for damaging young people than Potter ever did. Edward and Jacob take turns offering Bella pronouncements like, “I will never hurt you”, “I promise to love you forever” and “You’re in every thought I have”. Villains take turns devising elaborate plans to end her life. Here lies the trouble of Twilight—all the good guys want to date Bella, and all the bad guys want to kill her. Everything is about Bella. And because Bella is a shallow character written so teenage girls can step into her bland first-person narration and act out the romantic fantasy themselves, everything is about you, the reader.
When reading Twilight, I get to hang out in a world that revolves around me, a world in which seventeen-year-old romantic love is of the utmost importance, a world where you sink into a deep depression and try to kill yourself when your boyfriend leaves you. Twilight perpetuates unrealistic, selfish and even dangerous ideas about love. With suicide a leading cause of death among young people and depression a nation-wide epidemic, worrying a book may turn teens into wizards seems far less rational than worrying a book may push them toward a self-absorbed, lovelorn and disappointed existence.
24 Comments
I agree that Potter owns Twilight in just about every literary quality–level of myth, character development, theme complexity, plotting–as well as that more nebulous quality of moral or spiritual message.
But although this discussion of which series is more worthy is an interesting and profitable one, I don’t think it should be the basis of deciding whether teens *should* read either Twilight or Harry Potter. T.S. Eliot argued that the best thing a young reader can do is read as widely as possible. The more divergent views one reads, the less any one particular author has an influence. Rather, the young reader learns to take in, sift, and evaluate the ideas of a book for himself or herself.
How much better is this model than the one most conservative parents follow (in my experience as a Christian school teacher)–where they set themselves as their teens’ gatekeeper, and try to allow only books with “moral” content (with the unintentional result–as you pointed out–that they often overlook more insidious ideas while condemning the obvious, and sometimes harmless ones). Any parent who is concerned about either J.K. Rowling or Stephenie Meyer should encourage their teen to read them both… AND Suzanne Collins and C.S. Lewis and George MacDonald and Libba Bray and Orson Scott Card and Scott Westerfeld and as many others as they can find.
Devon,
Totally agree with you. My parents didn’t restrict my reading, and I think I’m the better for it.
My point (i hope) was that Christians should be intelligent about the things we chose to speak out on. So far, our track record isn’t so hot. I should also have said that evangelicals wouldn’t be right to restrict Twilight either.
You mentioned Suzanne Collins. Are you a fan? Mockingjay is set to ship to my house August 24th.
Devon, I’m intrigued by your comment about parents who “set themselves as their teens’ gatekeeper”. Do you not believe that parents are their kids’ gatekeeper?
@Kristen I LOVE the Hunger Games. I read and discussed it with my sophomore class. So many thought-provoking questions… AND nothing in it that will earn me a nasty call from a parent.
(We American Christians don’t mind a little underage violence, after all).
@JamesW Actually, I do take issue with the gatekeeper mentality as regards art. First, I think it shows a mistaken belief that children can be kept pure and innocent by sheltering them. Second, it usually leads to the child hiding things from their parents. Third, as I mentioned in my first comment, parents mostly restrict the wrong things anyway. Fourth, it’s frankly a lazy way to parent–as it requires very little in the way of interaction.
A better metaphor for the parent’s role, in my opinion, is tour guide. One who leads you to the most worthwhile places, is available for questions, can point out dangers and difficulties, and experiences the sights right alongside you.
I just noticed that on ESPN.com’s Web Gems, one of the few Internet things I let my 8- and 6-yr-old sons go to without me being in the room, has an interesting ad. You see, before getting to see the best plays from the night before’s slate of baseball games, there’s a little commercial before the video. This one was for a movie in which Steve Carrell says he wants to have lots of dirty sex (his word choice), then a woman tells him she wants him to lick melted cheese off of her body.
So, as much as I like to come here to BSW and learn by seeing things from a new perspective, and even have my views bent a little bit from time to time, I’m going to respectfully disagree with your notion that I’m not supposed to filter out stuff like the melted cheese dirty sex ad from my young kids, even though it’s “art”. I find your argument unconvincing, and I think I’ll keep being the gatekeeper.
@JamesW You have a good point. But I think Devon would argue Steve Carrel’s commercial isn’t art.
Yes, that’s precisely what Devon would argue.
whether or not a steve C movie is art, or Twilight is art, is beside the real point of whether or not it’s up to the parents to be the gatekeeper and decide what their kids will be exposed to.
I dont worry about either Twilight or Harry Potter, as a Christian mother, I use them for conversation.
I wrote a post on my blog about Twilight and porn,
http://www.carolesmithturner.com/2010/07/twilight-and-porn.html
Carol: we’ve got your essay on our list, too, and hoping to run it soon.
I haven’t seen “Twilight” but with all the Hype I rented “New Moon” (figured if I liked it I would see Twilight).
I was really touched to the point of tears. I related much to Bella’s reaction to Edward leaving her with how I have reacted the times the Lord felt distant. Even the part where she picked up when she was in danger how He would be there and communicate, and how she now would look for stuff like that to have that connection again. It was too close to my own story, her reactions, responses. Oh, and that waking up hard of breathing. How many times have I said, “Lord, I cannot breath without you.” I was in tears at the memory and really felt like I could relate.
It was a wonderful treat for me and one I treasured, but that’s my story. As for self-absorption…I think deep desires are healthy to be explored and taken to the throne of God, but yes, as with anything we should keep a check on it with the Lord so that we don’t lose sight the larger picture and others’ needs in the process.
My pastor once said something like God’s wisdom in not showing us how wonderful it will be now because we would all jump in front of buses. I laughed one of those laughs that are heartwrenching at the same time. Having tastes I knew what He was talking about. And you are right, it does lead to depression at times…I don’t think that is necessarily bad in that context…but yes, as with anything again, it can become self-absorbing. I’ve seen that side.
Think this is what Paul meant when He spoke of wanting to go and be with the Lord, but also seeing the need to stay to help others.
I know you are writing more regarding male / female relationship, just saying this is what “New Moon” did for me and now I am really looking forward to “Twilight” and what may await me there.
Thanks for sharing. I do get your point and it is a valid one. I just find that sometimes things written regarding similar topics seem to steer away from what may be a call to draw closer to God so that He can fulfill the deep desires of our hearts.
jo:
I think that’s great that you could relate to how Bella was feeling, but I think the important point to be made is that deep emotions like that are reserved for the Lord, not to be attributed to teenage (or 104-year-old vampire) boys.
To send the message that an Earthly romantic relationship should make you feel like that when it ends is an irresponsible one. While someone like me, in her early 20s, may be able to tell the difference, a young teenager might not. In fact, I stumbled upon a question posed on yahoo from a teenager asking how she can ever settle for anyone when Edward is so perfect. I was disheartened to hear this, because it’s one thing to generalize the idea that teenagers are thinking this, another one to actually see it being expressed.
If you like stories that help you relate your walk with the Lord, I highly recommend watching the TV series Joan of Arcadia, which at least puts God (albeit in human visage) in the place of, say, Edward. “Death be Not Whatever” is an especially moving episode in which “God” has a conversation with Joan about being angry with him and why he made us to feel so much and allows so much pain. It’s a great series that gives a physical and vocal representation of God as comforter, teacher, and the Almighty.
I read the Twilight novels because the youth and kids and some adults in our church were reading them. IMHO it is:
1. great argument for the need for a mom and dad both being present to raise a child.
2. a lesson in picking the WRONG guy which every 16 year old girl should grab hold of an not let go.
Peace
Alan
Great piece, and I agree in general that anything that gets kids to want to read, especially in the 21st century when reading has so much competition for kids’ time and minds, should be encouraged.
However, I’d caution anyone against judging any parent regarding restricting them from reading Potter or anything else. Being a parent is extremely difficult at times, and one of the difficulties is navigating through the gray areas when acting as a gatekeeper. None of us would argue with a parent who, for example, kept his 8-yr-old from watching Porky’s. Movies or books at one end of the spectrum are no-brainers.
But no two families allow exactly the same thing. I’m going to allow my kids to see or read things that other parents won’t, and vice versa. When we start to make judgments about how wrong other parents are wrong if they err on the side of caution, we’re crossing a line.
The me-centeredness is an interesting point. I have also heard that the relationship between Bella and Edward is abusive:
http://io9.com/5413428/official-twilights-bella–edward-are-in-an-abusive-relationship
Yes, which is even more concerning. Because in context, it is somewhat understandable, but when young girls start thinking this is normal, expected, and what passionate love looks like, we are getting into dangerous territory.
Not to write her book for her (it’s her book, it’s fantasy, let it be fantasy), but it would have been great if Bella (or someone) at least expressed genuine concern in the book. Not just jealousy or seemingly uninformed concern from her parents. Her father was worried, but it was brushed off because he didn’t know the whole story (why Edward left, that Edward isn’t just a huge jerk who doesn’t care about Bella.)
It would have been great if Bella had taken a real stand and we actually see her think through and decide to be with Edward. Instead, she just says she has no choice, because she can’t live without him. That’s what abused women say. They can’t live without their men no matter what the man says or does or what the consequences of the relationship are.
As a Christian I don’t advocate either films. None of them teach lessons of true self worth. They are merely stories and I think that is the problem: we have treated these books as more than stories. We think that we can live out the themes depicted and be ok. I could never love a Bella, I could never be an Edward or a Jacob, but I CAN be child of God. I CAN be like David, I CAN be like Paul, because those people actually existed. These popular, multi-million books are works of fiction and could never touch our true capacity to be more than these silly fictional characters that have achieved nothing other than being our puppets of entertainment.
Strongly disagree with your generalized opinion of fiction, Andrew. Jesus didn’t mind using stories to make His points known to people, and I’m convinced that He has gifted many people with the gift of storytelling today. Scripture says that all of creation glorifies God. All of it. That means rocks and waterfalls and electric eels, even though they don’t say the name “Jesus”. So if rocks can glorify God with being who they are, then people who tell stories can glorify God with their gift, as well. And many of these stories do exactly that.
I think parents often spend too much time trying to censor the world instead of teaching their children to stand firm in their belief and faith when faced with secular entertainment (and the secular world in general.)
I’m surprised more parents haven’t been vocal about Twilight. I understand that what they know is that abstinence is featured and Meyers is a Mormon, but I think that shows that many don’t do their homework.
You hear the word “magic” and condemn the series…unless it’s written by a known born-again Christian and well-respected theologist (i.e. C.S. Lewis and the Chronicles of Narnia.) You hear “abstinence” and let it slide.
How about actually reading the book? Or at least a detailed summary?
This isn’t to say Twilight is all bad. It’s great escapist fantasy fiction. But my concern is the regard young girls are placing the series in. As the article above states, there are dangerous messages and standards being presented, not to mention the writing isn’t of the highest order. Which is fine, it’s young adult/juvenile fiction, but for a teenager to think this is the best book ever? I worry for the future of literature and its future standards.
Maybe this is a little shallow, but I just think it’s odd that no one is ever happy in Twilight. Even when they’re madly in love, it’s entirely serious bordering on miserable. They don’t do anything or talk about anything. They just look at each other really intensely. I find myself wondering what it is that they are fighting so hard to save.
You know, the issue I take with the series is the obssesive nature of the relationship between Bella and Edward, and even with Bella and Jacob.
I was in an obsessive relationship. It was never abusive but I was obsessed with this boy. It has been years and I am still disentangling my heart from that feeling of dying when he left. It started as a teen but went into my early 20s and now I’m in my 30s.
To me it’s showing this prettied up version of that and it’s just not pretty.
Also, in any other series (Bridget Jones just as an example) the audience CHEERS the person that says to the girl, “I love you, just as you are” and in this series we’re cheering on a relationship in which a girl, a teen girl, has to sever relationships with her family in order to be able to be with this guy that’s obsessed with her.
It’s just to much for me and I’m not a teen girl still developing my view of healthy relationships.
Thank you for sharing this. I bet the reason it got so deep rooted for you is because as a teen you had no idea how unhealthy obsession/obsessive relationships are. It probably just seemed normal, until one day you realized the deep hold it had on you. I’m certain that most teen girls don’t understand how unhealthy that kind of obsession is, and it’s sad to see a book series promote that kind of behavior. I know it’s fiction but I’m an adult with a realistic perspective… I hope it doesn’t have damaging effects on younger minds.
Was just reading this article again and realized I forgot to mention an important aspect (although someone else may have already as I haven’t been through most of the responses). What I was leading up to in my story is something I see similar in that very popular motto, “It’s not about me”. Wrong. I believe Jesus would have come and died just for me. I believe it is about me too. I believe God is a very personal and intimate God who sees me. Just yesterday I kept repeating this story to my parents how when I see something I really like all of a sudden I find this what seems to be hard thing to find, but it is there at a bargain. I was so grateful how God sees even those seemingly small things I really like and makes them available to me. I think I won’t find it and will have to settle and there it is. I’m amazed at his attention to detail when it comes to me.
The comment, “It’s not about me” saddens me because to me it sounds like I am just a number to God on some assembly line. “It’s not about me” is a corporate statement and a very good one. When when it comes to my personal relationship with God, He sees me and makes it about Him and me. For the corporate pictures He asks me to trust me and my needs in his hands as He uses me for the larger picture.
I JUST FIND DANGER AND LOSSES CAN OCCUR WHEN WE TAKE OUR PORTIONS AND LOOK TO TRADE ONE FOR THE OTHER INSTEAD OF SEEING THE REVELANCE IN EACH AND HOW THE FIT INTO THE WHOLE OF JESUS.
When I read this article which brings up some very good points, it just reminded me of my exploration of that famous motto with the Lord.
Thanks,
Jo