Controversy over Twilight Saga Series by Stephanie Meyer
By Mary McCarthy
http://teen-culture.suite101.com/article.cfm/what_teens_are_reading_breaking_dawn
Summary: This article starts by saying how popular Twilight is. She says that is hasn’t been since the Harry Potter series came out that a book has been so demanding. People are having parties and waiting till midnight when they can go purchase a part of the saga. Mary then tells that the first three books are: Twilight, New Moon and Eclipse and the 4th book just released is Breaking Dawn. She gives a little summary of the book telling how Bella Swan, Edward Cullen, and Jacob Black are the three main characters in this saga. She explains how Bella is “torn between a werewolf and a vampire” because she loves them and they love her. She explains that it is this love triangle that is making the world fall in love with these books. Then Mary gets into the controversy of the article. She says everything about this book has been a controversy from the cover image to the ending and everything else in between. She tells how “1.5 million copies were sold in it first day of release.” Though all of this is creating controversy she explains how the major controversy is about the character Bella. They do not think she is a good role model for teenage girls because she is stuck in a love triangle between two “monsters“, and here only decision is which one she wants/needs more and in the end she ends up getting pregnant. She finishes the article by telling how they are making a movie of Twilight and now teens are going to be stuck in the book and the movie.
Analysis: From this article I get a sense that this author is completely against the 4th book Breaking Dawn. She does not say one positive outcome of this book.
Response: I can see where this author is coming from. Bella Swan is probably not the best role model for teens, but I feel that this book is actually more positive than negative. If I were a parent I would be so happy that my teenagers are wanting to read and staying up all night having parties waiting for these books to come out. Yes she does get pregnant, but go to any high school and I can guarantee that there will be pregnant girls there and I don’t think any one of them is going to say “I’m pregnant because Bella Swan is pregnant!” The major point this author is leaving out is Edward and Bella are on their honeymoon when she gets pregnant, so there should not be any controversy with this issue any way.
