November 2011
10 posts
“But when a saga popular with pre-adolescent girls peaks romantically on a night that leaves the heroine to wake up covered with bruises in the shape of her husband’s hands — and when that heroine then spends the morning explaining to her husband that she’s incredibly happy even though he injured her, and that it’s not his fault because she understands he couldn’t help it in light of the depth of his passion — that’s profoundly irresponsible.”
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NPR’s Linda Holmes reviews Twilight Breaking Dawn, Pt. 1 (via diandrabird)
Totally agree with this. Meyer doesn’t actually depict the sex scene itself, and can you imagine if she had? “Edward’s hands on my throat almost choked out my breath,” “his grip on my wrists almost made me cry as I looked up into his beautiful, perfect face,” etc….Lots of readers would be really alarmed at this being Bella’s first sexual encounter, and with good reason.
It’s one thing to have a bruise or two afterwards when you’re experienced in sex—maybe because you indicated to your partner that you like it rough—and another thing to look really beaten up after losing your virginity on your wedding night.
By eliding over the actual sex, ostensibly to be more “appropriate,” Meyer effectively normalizes abuse in a way that’s really inappropriate.
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If my laptop had a “THIS” key, it would have fallen off the keyboard from this post alone.
(via hermionejg)
