The fact that Bella has become (for better or more likely for a whole lot worse) a role model for women today absolutely terrifies me for the example it sets, for the unhealthy relationship precedents it establishes. Not only is this psychologically unhealthy and totally unbalanced as a relationship dynamic, but it absolutely sets her up as the perfect victim of an abusive relationship. She allows Edward to make her decisions for her, tell her what is best, and totally abdicates responsibility for her life. Bella doesn’t just want to be taken care of…she seems to crave someone to totally run her life. My issue with this particular wish in Twilight is that it’s taken to the extreme (seems like most of my issues with this book are about things being taken to the extreme). It’s nice to have someone want to do it, whether you want it all the time or not. Ward’s Black Dagger Brotherhood–the idea that the heroes are going to take care of their women whether their women want to be taken care of or not. It’s one of the things that I actually love about J.R. For those of us with lots of responsibility in our lives, it might be nice to flirt with the fantasy of a millionaire tycoon who would hire us a maid, a nanny, a personal chef, and get us out of our shitty day job. Now on its own, this is not such a horrible wish. Okay…something I would find totally creepy in real life, but I can see how some women would perhaps long for that if their own lives were the total antithesis where they were not the center of anyone’s focus. If romance (and for argument’s sake, we’re calling both of these romance) is about wish fulfillment, what wish is being fulfilled?īeing the center of the hero’s focus to the point of obsession (and yes, it was totally obsession…Edward being a total creeper and watching her while she slept and she didn’t know it? Ew). So, back to the whole Twilight/Fifty Shades thing.
THAT is my wish-fulfillment fantasy in romance. I get a charge out of seeing them prove their strength through impossible odds, showing that they can pull through, they can do what has to be done, because women are awesome like that. There is a little Buffy in everything I write and in everything I love to read and watch. Buffy is the epitome of the independent, capable heroine. You need to be able to take care of yourself. And I find that appealing because in real life you cannot count on some man to do everything for you.
She did not wait around for some man to do the job because that was not the way of the Slayer. Buffy kicked ass, took names, and took care of herself and everybody else. I read paranormal romance predominantly, and I read it for the kick-ass heroines who manage to save the world. But that’s not the part of the wish that appeals to me in romance. Yes, I can definitely see the wish fulfillment in that. Heroine is the center of some perfect, hot sexy guy’s attention and, depending on heat level, is in for some mind-blowing, stupendous nookie. I’ve often heard it said that romance as a genre is about wish fulfillment. It still makes the popularity of such tales somewhat mystifying. This is the way of the world and is as it should be. We all know that not everyone will like every book. Either way, if Twilight was the base, then I’d probably hate it, period. Now Fifty Shades I really can’t speak to as I have not (and will not) read it, and all I really know about it is what I’ve gleaned from listening to the big stink it has raised, first as being an alleged Twilight ripoff (I understand it began as fanfic and then the author changed the names?), and then as being a generally sucky and controversial book. She does not feel like the heroine of her own story to me other than the fact that the world seems to revolve around her. I find her weak, whiny, passive, and generally cannot in any way relate to her. It’s no secret that I despise Bella as a heroine. We were talking about the popularity of Twilight and Fifty Shades of Gray. I actually said to Mhairi this morning (with whom I was discussing the topic) that I probably shouldn’t post about it, but it’s on my mind and I can’t seem to shake it.
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