My Essay, by CSmith 11/24/09

Dear Internets - I know you're truly swamped with Twilight/New Moon/Team Edward junk right now, so my pithy statements mean nothing in this black hole of l33t commented information. [sidebar - l33t? I am so sick of seeing writin lik dis u no y? cuz its fuckin TRASHY. grow up, internet] I feel, however, that I must write for 2 reasons. 1) I miss writing essays the night before they're due and totally loving the outcome anyway and 2) I have some super strong feelings about literacy and behavioral effects. So, I give you my non ALA-formatted statements.

The fantasy genre has by turns entertained, educated, and emotionally connected to modern readers. The last decade has seen a boom in young adult book consumption due to international success story Harry Potter, and - due to a very successful movie adaptation - The Lord of the Rings. Fans of these books joined their heroes on cross-country adventures and coming-of-age friendships. Readers felt a kinship to the awkward Potter, who had to grow into his destiny and even his own history in 7 short adolescent years; and/or forged a bond to the intrepidly courageous Frodo (or Sam, for some of us) who put his entire life behind him for one world-saving endeavor. Authors Rowling and Tolkein created rich mythologies, varied cultures, and dimensional characters and relationships within these pages, leaving no stone unturned and no law of their (created) nature broken.

Stephanie Meyer's Twilight "saga" has also been wildly popular for the last couple of years. The forbidden romance between the real world and unreal is irresistible for authors, since it can be both imaginative and passionate. Vampires especially have experienced a re-birth through Meyer since her creation of the Cullen clan reinvented* the "vegetarian" vampire to ones who consciously choose not to attack humans and hunt wild animals instead. The romance between "everygirl" teen Bella Swan and Edward "emo-death" Cullen is one of limits both social and magical, and readers are inevitably forced to wonder for the umpteenth time "How will a vampire-human relationship work?"

Unlike Tolkein and Rowling, however, Meyer uses neither imagination nor credible detail. Where Rowling paints vivid main characters and relationships, Meyer recycles words, emotions and plotlines over 4 books - not to mention the first-person self-deprecation of Bella's character. Frodo experiences doubt in his quest to destroy the Ring, mostly substantiated by the Ring itself - but never is it as whiny and truly fishy as Bella's. Her self-loathing is as credible as that of that person who enjoys constant reinforcement, "No, seriously, you're really pretty. I love your haircut, stop saying you hate it. etc"

Some might say that it's unfair to pit the 17 year old Bella against the characters from Potter and LOTR. I will say only that Harry faced down Voldemort at 17. Faced certain death. AND got the girl. With really only one book of emo whining (OOTP) and Merry, who started with the maturity level of a college freshman, becomes a rousing leader in recruiting the Ents to war and insists on fighting by Eowyn's side against the Witch King. /drops mic/

I could go on and on about Meyer's terrible writing style, but I'll just wrap up with this: an Author creates the rules of the world they're writing about. She built her mythologies over 3 books. Then promptly obliterated them in the 4th. Totally. Forgot. or Ignored. Everything. /drops mic/**

Briefly, let's look at substance. Specifically, relationships since there's just too much ground to cover. (I swear I could write a friggin' book as long as Eclipse felt about how bad Twilight is...)

In all three books, relationships take a main seat in the action.

Harry forges friendships, frenemyships, and romantic relationships with the other students, teachers, and families in the Wizarding world. His home life is devoid of love as his aunt and uncle give him only the basic necessities of survival, and sound abuse besides. The overriding theme of his story, the "life lesson" if you will, is that love is the most potent, powerful thing in the world. In the fight against evil, all efforts would come to naught if Harry didn't have Ron, Hermione and Ginny at his back, and Dumbledore's, Sirius's, and his parents' sacrifices for his own life. While he can sometimes be a dick (again OOTP), there is something about Harry's charisma and deep emotion that inspires those around him to bond with him and work to protect him, and through him their own world.

The Fellowship of the Ring is not one group of friends, but a series of friendships (likely and unlikely) and a similar "common good" mentality that bands the questing group on a mission together. Races at odds with each other (elves and dwarves, men and halflings) are working against a common enemy to restore balance to the world as they know it - and so lose their racial biases in the process. Gimli and Legolas's unlikely friendship is the best example of this - they reluctantly join the Fellowship each to represent his own people and end up being one of the best orc-slaying teams on the field. It's not only unlikely friendships in the Fellowship, though, there are also familial friendships like Sam and Frodo. Frodo says it himself - without Sam, there would be no Frodo. Without Sam, the quest would have ended almost as soon as it had begun after Frodo slipped from Boromir's hands. Without the love Sam poured out into Frodo, into the void the Ring was leaving for that love, Frodo could not have succeeded. Also, Gandalf's sacrifice (my hands are starting to hurt). I'll let Megan chime in on the Hero-Mythiness of it all - but that's about as much as I want to cover.

Twilight is about Bella's relationship to Edward and Bella's relationship to Jacob and Bella's relationship to... Bella. The driving force of feeling is her almost destructive love for Edward. There is no greater good to be seen, except that the Cullen's are, like, OK for vampires. They're ok people who happen to be uber rich. Done. Families aren't even that important to the story. The Cullen Clan keeps saying things like "we're a family, family first, etc" but they all sort of melt into the background of what could have been an interesting story. Jacob's werewolf clan? Totally a boys' club of testosterone and macho (even that one chick who joined the clan and ruined everything or something). Bella's family? Mom ignores her because it's convenient and Dad's awkward so it's ok to toss that all out the window for a guy. Because that's really all it's about - there are evils and conflicts and dark stuff, but all of it takes a backseat to the sparkling godliness of Edward. And whoops! all conflict resolved by the last page anyway. Hooray! No one had to die! (Seriously? I can suggest a knockoff or two...)

Now, I'm aware that not everyone who read LOTR participates in LARP quests, or speaks elvish, or calls their future children hobbits because they will exhibit the characteristics of these little people. I'm aware that not everyone who read the big HP now owns a digital wand with which they practice spells (swish and FLICK!) or worships satanic demon gods (what?) or throw Wizarding World dress-up parties. I'm aware that anything that gets people, especially young people, reading and enjoying reading is inherently a "good thing."

HOWEVER - I believe that the content and substance of what young people read affects them. The magical worlds of HP and LOTR take a supporting role to the substance of the books - to a look at healthy, life-giving relationships and the power of Good and Love. I worry that the content of Twilight - an impressionable, self-loathing teenage girl finding meaning by falling in love with an emotionally unstable and overprotective pair of young men - is unhealthy for the youth community to read. What sort of message does it send? Besides wait until marriage to have sex (AT 18!), what does Twilight teach its readers about love, friendship, and life? That nothing else matters but the one you believe you love. That you're only worth what the one you love tells you you are. That well-meaning friendships don't mean anything with the one you love. That family doesn't mean anything unless it's the one you love's family who just wants to protect you. I don't think that every teenage girl out there who reads Twilight will immediately give it up to the brooding kid in the corner - but many will emerge from the reading experience with very skewed, unhealthy ideas about what love means. And will give it up to the brooding kid in the corner.

In conclusion, I wish Twilight only the best movie success. Whatever. But for the love of God - how could we ban HP from public libraries and now be teaching this drivel in school? I need answers. Also, an A on this paper. Thanks.

*reinvented - see totally stole the idea from every vampire romance before her.

** sorry, I learned persuasive debate techniques from rap-offs. Yo' momma!