While I don't quite think that Bella is an "evil temptress" (and think that Eve wasn't really an evil temptress either), I do agree with everything else. My idea of a healthy relationship is one in which neither member places their entire well-being on the other and each knows when to fight his or her own battles. Balla's and Edward's relationship seems much too one-sided.

Are you kidding me..Edward is trying to keep her alive becasue he cant stand to be without her..Bella does not asked to be saved so why say she is a bad influence on younger viewers and she is not a EVIL TEMTRESS...Edward and Bella do not have physical relations untill they are married.And even then she cant tempt him..and she is not trying to give up her life she just wants to be equal to him and he loves her enough to do it towards the end but he wants her to stay human cause he doesnt want to end her life or take her soul that he will never have. SO I GUESS IM TRYING TO SAY I VERY MUCH SO DISAGREE WITH WHAT THIS (CATHERINE STAFFORD)HAS TO SAY.

I agree with some points, i agree with the sexist part. Yes, i agree that they show women as helpless and ineed of a man to fullfill their lives. Although,i did read the books, and i fell in love with them. I do believe every girl want an Edward, and they obsesse over it too. But if you think about it, everyone does want that one person to treat them right, i just think they believe they must find some one exactly like him.

Edward is a perfectionist who honestly needs to get a life, and the same with Bella minus the perfectionist part. The book is like a romance version of : Having A Relationship with A Vampire for Dummies. The interesting part about the book is the vampire culture, everything else is just boring high school chick-novel.

While I disagree with the "evil temptress" label (Bella? Really? She's far too stupid to really be a temptress, unless it's completely unintentional, in which case, well, it's still really implausible), I agree with most of the sexist stuff. Ironically, the author is a woman. But what really irritates me is the fact that Twilight is hailed as a spectacular piece of literature by teens. Ha. Ha ha. Topaz eyes? Give me a break. And I don't like the way she treated the vampire myth, either. For all ye literary types, go read Let the Right One In instead.

You are so right! Bella is obsessed over Edward, Edward is too protective, too many guys like bella, and people say that this is a Mary Sue.

... Maybe she is.

I love Twilight, but I have to agree with some of your points. The idea that Bella needs Edward to survive is craziness, this is not love it is obsession. Also, Edward really is very overly protective and controlling.



However,

If you look past this it really can be a great book.

And soon there will be a new craze, and everyone would have forgotten about Twilight. I'm sure Twilight will not damage the 'future of gender equality.'



Btw, very well written, I found the points incredibly interesting.

I really Love the way you wrote this piece it's really really good, and I agree to a point but I'm WAY to into Twilight to hate the way Edward is. I wish I could find a guy who treats me the way he treats Bella and he's the PERFECT guy to bring to met the parents to. I mean he as GREAT manners so the parents would have a problem with him and you know he'd take good care of you when you're with him, and when you have nobody else to turn to you know you could always turn to him.



Now about the comments....and some of what you said I would like it if you could answer some of my questions please, Thanks T.



I agree with a lot of you.....Girls are capable of doing things themselves BUT we can't do EVERYTHING by ourselves, I mean how would we have children? And how would the family name be cared on?????? Now on to Jacob I don't really like how he is I mean the way he is with Bella Kissing her when he KNOWS she is in love with Edward is just down right dirty (and I would have hit him with a wooden bat if it was me) but that's not the point. The point is Edward is a million times stronger then Bella there for he SHOULD save her when ever he gets the chance....Otherwise she NEVER would have made it to the last book.......SO in the end it's a really good thing Edward does save's her the way he does. And I would like to ask I mean I truly am curious how do you mean Bella is a ( evil temptress ) Cause I really can't get how you came up with that but it may just be me.....cause I know I can a really big dork sometimes. And how is Edward ( abusive ) I don't remember him hitting Bella or any of his family either. I TOTALLY AGREE WITH ( HOLA14) with the whole (Someone that completes us and while I say it goes almost too far in New Moon but also shows that in real love, you're no whole without them.) And it's nice to know that if you haven't found mr. right you can always read Twilight and pretend that the fictional character is there in a book and you can pretend to be Bella...So yeah thanks again loved the way you wrote this.

okay, i get it. Twilight is really huge now. But come on, girls are girls. you guys need to stop fantasizing over edward and this book. I agree with the author. Girls should not be influenced by a girl like bella because lets face it the only true edward out there is Robert pattinson and he is -sad to say- just an actor. Bella is toooooooo dependant on Edward I mean it takes a normal girl a few days to get over a guy. even when they are in love. Bella totally ignored her friends and silenced every body for MONTHS i am not talking one month i am talking PLURAL!!!!!!!!!! I think some author's should come out with a new book of a strong teenage girl in a healthy NORMAL relationship with a NONVAMPIRE guy. 'nough said.

YOU GO GIRL!!!Edward ticks me off and is way to perfect(the whole series is) I love twilight but there is something seriously wrong with the characters. Bella is way too dependent on Edward and I thought it was a nice change in New Moon for her to be with Jacob but he's also way too perfect. What's your opinion on Jacob? Have you read The Host?

I dont agree much with this opinion. The article did open my perspective a little. But i think you need to be a little more open minded. In almost every relationship a girl is dependent on the man. Thats why the man is there. For the girl to lean on. And until you have fully felt love and fallin for it, you cant really judge another

I totally agree with you. It does portray women as the needy gender. While girls are perfectly capable of doing everything by themselves. I think that she portrayed us as the somewhat dumb gender. I one hundred percent agree with you. Great writing. I love your opinion.

When I first read this article, my stomach dropped to the floor. As soon as you threw in the "evil temptress" line, I had to force myself to read further. Then you acused Edward of being abusive, and eventually labeled the saga as sexist. Immedeately I thought, "Perhaps this author has never truly read the books. Maybe she skimmed through it." Even then, I can't believe how anyone could ever make these decisions based on reading the stories.



Let's begin with the tempting Bella you've mentioned. You stated, "Bella is depicted as an evil temptress trying to persuade a morally honorable man into evil, while attempts to keep her virtues intact."

It's obviously true that Edward was trying to keep himself 'good'. This had nothing to do with Bella at first. He was trying to keep himself good from being a monster, from the almost natrual wrong that comes with being a vampire. He didn't want to kill, he didn't ever wanna harm. When he meets Bella, she has the sweetest scent of any human he's ever encountered. Already he is drawn to her. He doesn't want to harm her because he'll then become this monster once again. But Bella, for being herself - not for being a girl - is self concious. She never had the confidence, nor the actual intention of ever seducing or tempting Edward. Throughout the majority of Twilight, Bella stays her-consious-self. That is simply her character. You didn't happen to mention though that she is so brave and has so much good in her that she tries her hardest to keep Edward good, and to keep herself out of situations that her brilliance and goodness definitely outweighs her selfdoubt. Eventually, Edward controlled himself enough to resist her blood, and came to love her. Love her more deeply than what most of us will experience. Bella also loved him, with all that she was. Ever heard of the term, "my better half"? That scratched the surface of what Bella and Edward were, and what they represent. Real love. Loving someone so significantly that you can't help but be overwelmed with joy when they love you back. They become your life. I believe that's how it should be, as well. No wonder they always needed each other.



Before you continued with the sexist portion of the article, you called Edward abusive. Have you not read the wonderful words of his to Bella speaking of how he just wants to her happy, over making her a vampire, over ever harming her? Sure, he became angry sometimes and depressed, the bipolar Edward as most people saw him. But that was because at times he couldn't understand her at all, and he thought he knew what was best for her. He was never abusive or harmful towards her. Actually, he was this way towards himself. He would NEVER want Bella hurt. The one time he did give her a couple bruises was on their honeymoon in Breaking Dawn. And everyone saw that coming. I just can't believe anyone would call him abusive after reading that. He just wanted her safe, he just wanted her happy. That was the only reason he left Bella in New Moon. He wanted her happy. James had broken her bones and bit her in the first book. He was afraid he would one day do that to her. He wanted her happy, he wanted her safe. I cannot say that enough, I truly cannot. He never wanted her dead for him. He wanted, he longed for her to be normal, to grow up and have children. Of course her reaction to (what I can't believe you called) the dump was a bit rough, but I know I have a hard time with losing people myself, and I've never felt something that deep. But eventually they did. Everything worked out perfectly by Breaking Dawn. She became a vampire out of emergenry, so she could live. After all the quirks, she found she was even happier as a vampire. She shone. She was no longer self concious; she felt beautiful.



I must mention again the original doubt was a trait of her character. The theme of soul mates and such was huge as a part with the books. Soul mates, they need each other. It was true for Carlisle, Jasper, and Emmett as well. Edward was basically dying when he was seperated from Bella. It wasn't a sexist thing at all, it was the soul mate concept. As for the matter with Renee, she needed takne care of. Know why? She had been through a divorce. Years, years later there is still stress from a divorce, even when you're remarried and started a new family. Bella had always taken care of Renee up the point of her moving to Forks. Renee was also irresponsible and young at heart. Bella, acting older, had looked over her in such a way. Renee needed Phil, someone to keep her busy and thoughtful. I can't believe anyone would call it sexist. Even Jake needed Bella and later on Reneseme. Everything happened from the plot, from the characters and their personalities, their past and current situations. It was never, ever sexist.



That's just my opinion. I'm a reader sharing the truth for a fantastic series.

I can only partially agree. While I get the whole girls tempt guys thing, it can be turned the other way too. Edward (and his kind for that matter) tempt Bella almost to death. Several times. The relationship goes both ways. But I also have to point out that we were made to have another half. Someone that completes us and while I say it goes almost too far in New Moon but also shows that in real love, you're no whole without them.

I really liked twilight the book, and i appreciate you showing a different view to how Edward is treating Bella, but you gotta admit it was for her own safety,and he is definitely not abusive. so i must disagree with you, but congrats on putting youre opnion out there!

I agree with what you have to say to a point. It is wonderfully written, well voiced and all, but i just cant agree fully. My biggest issue: whats wrong with being dependent on a guy? I've always had a problem with how Bella was so overly obsessed with Edward but really, you make it sound like any dependence or help a girl gets from a guy should be frowned upon. I dont think its wrong for a guy to feel he has to protect his girlfriend in the way Edward did Bella. I do think its wrong how over the top their relationship got, considering they only knew eachother for what, two months? But heres the kicker, its fiction.

Women dont have to be independent to be respected and honored in the world. What about stay at home moms and wives? The devote their entire lives to their husbands and children and the discuss absolutely everything with their hubby's. If two people truely love each other and the guy is slightly more overbearing than desired then so what? Who are you to say the girl is a weakling?

The only exception would be if he were overbearing in an abusive way but I am not referring to that way.

i totally agree!!!!!!!!!!!!!! many of my friend and people i know are obssessed with this series and while the book may have some good points it is not a book i would call the best book of the year it is a love story that is all an unusal vampir one but a vampire/romance novel netherless. great article love your writing style!!!!!

"No offense, but you have never felt love if you don't understand how Bella felt."



Excuse you. I'm in love, and I've been in love. If ANY man treated me the way Edward treated Bella, I'd kick him to the curb faster than you could say Eddie-kins.

WOW!!! That was totally how I feel. I read them and I thought they were good but not totally awesome. And its sad to see all of these girls giving in to a FICTIONAL character. They need to realize that Edward isnt someone that you would actually want. Thank you for finally shining some light in the darkness that the Twilight fans are consumed in.

One word to this article: Bravismo!



I totally agree with you especially with girls "fallin' in love" with the fictional character of Edward. All the girls, that I have met and have read the saga, wants to find their own guy personification of Edward when there is no guy like Edward because he is fiction and made up, not real. In addition, the guys in reality are human and not vampire. I'm afraid if the girls continue to look for "Edward" that there will be more single, hopeless romantic ladies in the future and a generation of ladies with too-high standards for their future mates. Girls just need to understand that there is really no guy that is like Edward, or any other "hot" fictional character for that matter, and they need to put down the new guy standards that have formed around Edward.



I truly agree and celebrate this article. 'Tis a very good opinion and argument. :)