Twilight: Getting To The Bottom Of This Teenage Vampire Business
There is a highly-anticipated movie coming out called Twilight. All the blogs are talking about how exciting it is that Twilight is on its way. There's going to be a Twilight trailer at the beginning of Speed Racer as an attempt to boost Speed Racer attendance. Well, I apologize as always to America, but up until a minute ago I thought "what the fuck is Twilight?" and now, after doing my research, the question has become "what is up with kids and vampires?"
Twilight is a YA series about a girl named Isabella who moves to a new town and falls in love with a vampire named Edward. Seriously, you guys, what is it? I really want to know. Is it just residual Buffy enthusiasm being transferred to whatever is available, or is there something deeper at work here?
AIDS
Anything that involves the transmission of blood just seems like an easy metaphor for AIDS anxiety. Too easy of a metaphor? I don't know. I mean, I know the vampire legend has been around a long time, but that doesn't mean that legends can't take on larger, deeper meanings. Not to mention that after the transmission of blood, or the bite, you die. Sounds AIDS-y to me.
XENOPHOBIA
Vampires, of course, are the classic "Other." In the case of Twilight, this probably falls a little flat if it's a love story. Although, again, that's an extension of the Buffy legacy, where she started out murdering them, and then something something love something one of them, I have no idea. I didn't watch Buffy, sorry. If it's a metaphor for being accepting of other people's cultures, no matter how strange they might seem to you at first, then I am all for it because the world is in turmoil! But then again, to love the "Other" is to die.
AGING
The transformation from human into vampire definitely mirrors the adolescent's transformation from child into adult. Vampires are centuries old. They seem sophisticated and wise. They render humans powerless. But there is a great cost to having that sophistication and wisdom. It's more than 30,000 a year if you go to a private college these days. Also, the transition results in death.
WEREWOLVES
Vampire stories are probably not about werewolves, unless it is a gateway metaphor. We deal with our fear of vampires in order to prepare ourselves for dealing with our fear of werewolves.
Posted by Gabe at 10:06 AM
Tags: Buffy | Kristen Stewart | Robert Pattinson | Twilight | Vampires | Werewolves
you should watch buffy it good clean fun.
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The books are classic romances, with an aloof, gorgeous boy who inexplicably falls in love with an ordinary girl and proceeds to rescue her from death many many times. The creepy things about the Twilight books -- yes, I've read them, no, I am not a teenager -- is the no-sex Mormon agenda of the author. I think vampires really just mean SEX to kids: forbidden, dangerous, attractive, WILL KILL YOU if you let your guard down. Despite being very sexy, this series in particular has a strict anti-premarital relations morality.
Also there is a werewolf, too. The vampire's romantic rival. Of course.
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The books are classic romances, with an aloof, gorgeous boy who inexplicably falls in love with an ordinary girl and proceeds to rescue her from death many many times. The creepy things about the Twilight books -- yes, I've read them, no, I am not a teenager -- is the no-sex Mormon agenda of the author. I think vampires really just mean SEX to kids: forbidden, dangerous, attractive, WILL KILL YOU if you let your guard down. Despite being very sexy, this series in particular has a strict anti-premarital relations morality.
Also there is a werewolf, too. The vampire's romantic rival. Of course.
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Buffy rules. The metaphor is that high school *is* hell, literally. And hell's demons are usually easier to deal with than high school. The vampire love interest is about getting involved with exactly the wrong person for you. But Buffy's so much more than that - female empowerment, friendship, coming of age... I could go on and on, but I'll spare you, and urge that you watch it instead.
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I heard these books were really ridiculous so I tried to read one, but I can't finish it. It is so horrible I can not even hate read it.
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Finally someone addresses this terrible affliction that has struck way too many teenagers. Unless your Bela Lugosi, you're not a vampire. They're supposed to be scary/ridiculous, not some teenage pin-up. The metaphor is that high school is hell? Well then why don't you just show that, instead of getting all fantasy retarded.
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Are you freakin crazy? I'm sorry but that whole message just totally pissed me off. I'm a true fan of Twilight & I've read all of the books that are out at this time or maybe it's just that I get VERY defensive about the whole vampire thing...... .... But you need to read the damn books before you go posting dumb messages about it. You're really just embarrassing yourself by writing about something you don't even know about.
.....On another note, screw all you close-minded retards who can't accept anything different or anything that even slightly contradicts general ideas accepted by the general population.
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Holy some of you guys are so stupid! You can't say anything about Twilight, Eclipse, New Moon or Breaking Dawn since half of you posting havent read them! Vampires are interesting they are something new, same with werewolves. If they were real you wouldnt know what to say/do about it. just because you people may not like the idea of Vampires or Werewolves doesnt mean every one else does too. Incase you think the movie will be way better because you dont have to read it, it wont be... the movie is a descrase to Twilight.
I HATE to read with a passion but i got so interested in these books that ive read all of them in about 1 week (not including breaking dawn because it wasnt out yet).
Keep saying what you want about these books but if they are that Vampires and werewolves should never have been thought of or the series is terrible and sucks then you are totally ablivious.
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I agree with Maggie. Vampires have always been sexual since the dawn of time. They bite your neck, suck your blood, stalk you at night...you get the idea. With Edward having to resist his temptation for her blood, it is very much like resisting his temptation to have "relations" with her.
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nah!
yu hav twilight totally wrong!
its amazing!
werewolves are not FEARED
and the cullens are not evil
read it
then come up with yur conclusions!
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What the hell is up with all these people writing Twilight off a 'just another gothic vampire flick'? It's annoying and stupid, and makes it pretty damn clear you haven't read the books. Twilight is a (really good) love story, not just for teenagers. Posts like these just show your ignorance.
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hello
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the twilight is verry cool for me!
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