Comments on: On Critical Reception of Harry Potter and Twilight: “It’s Deja Vu All Over Again” (Part 3: Artifact)

By: Arabella Figg

Arabella Figg — Fri, 15 Jul 2011 04:09:49 +0000

Amy, I second the Spotlight recommendation. You will have an even greater appreciation for the Saga. Some of the material you’ll find here, so do explore!

By: Elizabeth

Elizabeth — Fri, 15 Jul 2011 01:43:36 +0000

Thanks for joining in, Amy! Actually, if you’ll check back through our previous posts, you’ll see that your observations are much more in line with ours (particulalry mine) than some of those that were reported in this post! We often post stories that we find pretty way out, just to see what everyone else(like you!) thinks! If you really want some great Twilight insight, do check out Spotlight! It’s fanatastic, and it sounds like it will be up your alley!

By: Amy

Amy — Fri, 15 Jul 2011 01:16:44 +0000

I’ve been reading your articles and I have to say this one bothered me a little. I don’t agree with many of the assessments here. Bella wasn’t needy and waiting for a man to rescue her. Bella was actually very dismissive of the men around her. She was drawn to Edward because he’s her mate and vice versa. There is a supernatural component to their relationship that people seem to ignore. The story is based on the idea that were fated to be together, as though she were born to be a vampire and Edward’s life partner.

Also, in regards to being drawn in by his wealth. That couldn’t be farther from the truth. Bella didn’t care that he was wealthy and had a really hard time accepting anything from him that was expensive or reflected his wealth. She loved him because of who he was. He was a vampire that that went against his nature to be something that he considered better. He didn’t want to be a monster. She was drawn to that. She didn’t understand why he berated himself for giving in to his natural inclinations. Also, she loved that he was gentle, kind, charming, and loving towards her. He saved her life on several occasions. He was a heroic figure to her. She was drawn to that. Does that make her anti-feminist that she fell in love with her hero? It’s possible. However, I thought feminism was about a fight for parity in housing, employment and education. I didn’t know that feminism meant that women were supposed to be dictated to about what they should find attractive in a man and what they need in a relationship with a man, or another woman for that matter.

In regards to equating the shape-shifting Quileutes to “magical Negroes,” I truly resent that statement. Quileutes real life legends is as follows, according to Wikipedia which, admittedly, could be wrong: “The beliefs of the Quileute People have changed over time. They originally were a very spiritual people. The boys would go on quests to find their supernatural power once they reached puberty, if they wanted to. Yet, at a certain age, the power would wear off, or stop being put to use. They would perform the first salmon ceremony to ensure a good season.”

According to this, they are spiritual people who believe they have supernatural power. It is not so far-fetched that Stephenie Meyer wrote them as shape-shifting spirit warriors. They are in the shape of “a beast” because that beast is strong enough to defeat the cold as ice, marble-like vampires and protect their people. Yes, their main objective is to protect THEIR people. It just so happens that their protection of their land benefits the surrounding area.

Why aren’t white folks upset that they’re being depicted as cold-blooded, parasitic creatures that have no heart? The Quileutes are practically elitists. They feel superior to the Cullens and they are NOT SUBHUMAN. They are superhuman. The Cullens are the ones who are subhuman. In fact, Jacob’s argument to Bella was that she would not have to lose her humanity if she gave in to her love for him and she did love him.

It wasn’t a matter of Edward being better than Jacob. It was a matter of Bella and Edward having this fated and supernatural connection. I just don’t see things the way they’re being discussed here. Maybe I’m off track.

By: Forks High School Professor · Critical Responses to Rowling and Meyer

Forks High School Professor · Critical Responses to Rowling and Meyer — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 07:11:17 +0000

[...] for part 3 on artifact criticism, click here, [...]

By: Elizabeth

Elizabeth — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 10:46:26 +0000

I’ll be interested to see your take after you finish Breaking Dawn!
The Pretty Woman fanatasy is interesting to me, as I never thought much of the movie, but a woman I really admired as role model just loved it, and said it was her fantasy. “You want to be a prostitute?” I asked.
“No, I want some rich guy to give me his credit cards and turn me loose on Rodeo Drive.”
The princess fixation, along with the attendant rescuing prince, is bigger than ever, too, prompting mothers like me to constantly point out to our daughters the qualties that princesses have other than looks (Belle’s intellect, etc.) Fortunately, Bella is more Belle than the super passive Sleeping Beauty! By the end, she’s much more like the heroic Mulan (sorry, Disney is big at my house).
Yet Bella’s resistence to being spoiled may deflect some of this fantasy connection. Interestingly, she actually accepts some of the material perks of being with Edward around the same time that she develops into rescuer/hero instead of victim.

By: Tinuvielas

Tinuvielas — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 09:30:26 +0000

I’m still reading both the saga and these threads in chronological order, in order to be able to join and contribute sensibly to the more recent discussion going on.

Can’t refrain from a little comment here though on Meyers’ books’ reinforcing or recreating “the traditional feminine fantasy of being delivered from obscurity by a dazzling, powerful man, of needing to do no more to prove or find yourself than win his devotion, of being guarded from all life’s vicissitudes by his boundless strength and wealth”. I have to say that I agree with this assessment, and that I’m very curious if I find anything further up that redeems Meyers’ books in this respect. This unquenchable feminine fantasy and its roots in Jane Austen’s times (and the literature of that time) are one of the things that struck me most when reading Twilight – how come it’s still so appealing, not only to me, who have been steeped in “Pretty woman”-stories, but also to modern, young girls like my niece?

I plan to comment more in-depth (I hope…) in this vein, citing Luhmann (influential German sociologist, I guess you’ve heard of him – love as a sociological discourse, or code of behaviour) when I get around to it, and if I find a suitable thread…

By: juliababyjen

juliababyjen — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 22:07:48 +0000

I still can’t believe these people think only tweenies read these books! At every HP book premiere party I was at, there were people of all ages there, both male and female. I would definitely say there were more adults. And by the way, my mom is who turned me on to the Twilight books. And she’s almost 60!

By: IstariErangua

IstariErangua — Sun, 15 Feb 2009 02:10:36 +0000

Again, not having read Twilight (but not having been spoiled, as everyone has told me all about it) not as much to say here, but just as a matter of personal preference (and maybe many girls will think I’m weird for this) I prefer werewolves to vampires, if only because of the attitude of superiority that so many vampires are portrayed as having. I’m trying my hand at writing a story about a werewolf, nothing fancy, just playing around with an amalgamation of ideas from some of my favorite literature, including a view on werewolves that keeps them from being the mindless beasts, and though there are vampires in my story, I’m finding that I’ll probably end up writing them as the characters rather reminiscent of Slytherins, the arrogant snobs that are the reason I tend to dislike vampires. If anyone here has read Terry Pratchett’s Discworld books, his view of werewolves, particularly Angua from the Watch, is my favorite.

By: Arabella Figg

Arabella Figg — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 06:24:55 +0000

I just read the David English comment. My, my, has he got his literary undies in a twist. How self-agrandizingly snotty can you get? I should send Fullatricks HIS way…

By: Arabella Figg

Arabella Figg — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 06:18:40 +0000

John, I too only had time to skim this this morning. There’s so much to comment on and I see you have part 4 up. I hope to add my two bits soon.

I just got “two bits” from Fullatricks…