Deconstructing Twilight Part Three - Or, Woman Are Cuter When You Compare Them To Angry Kittens and Baby Seals.

Today, on Deconstructing Twilight:

Apparently having a dick means you're allowed to act like one!

There is a strong theme of paternalism in Twilight that limits Bella’s control, and belittles her as weak, fragile and childlike. The way Edward treats her is more reminiscent of a paternal figure than of a lover: ‘...he pulled me around to face him, cradling me in his arms like a small child’ (Meyer 2005, 246), ‘“Don’t you have a coat?” His voice was disapproving’ (Meyer 2005, 147), ‘“I think you should eat something.” Edward’s voice was low, but full of authority’, ‘He walked to the door of the restaurant and held it open with an obstinate expression. Obviously, there would be no further discussion’ (Meyer 2005, 144), ‘“Drink,” he ordered. I sipped at my soda obediently’ (Meyer 2005, 147) ‘“Put on your seat belt,” he commanded’ (Meyer 2005, 141).(I want to make a joke here about how Bella would forget to breathe if Edward didn't order her to do it, but sadly, Meyer already made that joke for me in the books - when Edward kisses Bella, she actually forgets to breathe. Because your body just forgets to do something AUTOMATIC AND NECESSARY FOR STAYING ALIVE when you're drooling over a hot guy. Remember that, children!), Bella is constantly picked up and carried around by Edward and his family – ‘He threw me over his stone shoulder… I protested as he carried me easily down the stairs, but he ignored me.’ (Meyer 2005, page 275). (Seriously - count the number of times the phrase 'he ignored me' or an equivalent is used in these books.) This usually happens without Bella’s consent, which she admits to Alice: ‘“You’re the first one to ask permission,” I smiled.’ (Meyer 2005, 353) revealing that Bella is so lacking in freedom of choice that the Cullens take it upon themselves to pick her up and carry her around without asking. She submissively accepts this to the extent that she is surprised and pleased when finally offered a choice.

Edward is (a) condescending (bastard), making jokes about Bella’s intellectual inferiority – ‘“You are an idiot,” he agreed with a laugh’ (Meyer 2005, 240), ‘“Silly Bella,” he chuckled’ (Meyer 2005, 246), ‘“I think you’ve made your opinion on the subject of my intellect perfectly clear, too.” My eyes narrowed. He smiled apologetically (Meyer 2005, 76), ‘He enunciated every syllable, as if he were talking to somebody mentally handicapped’ (Meyer 2005, 71) – and her irrationality – ‘He chuckled. “I didn’t realise that you were capable of being reasonable” (Meyer 2006, 43) (What's sad is that this genuinely passes for romantic banter in the Twilight world).

Well yeah, Bella is as dumb as a post, but it's still not nice to LAUGH ABOUT IT, you insensitive turd.

What makes this offensive is not just that Edward expresses this attitude, but that Bella agrees with and laughs about it; cheerfully accepting her boyfriend's degradation because she is (a blithering doormat) ‘always on the watch to please’ (Wollstonecraft 1792,132).

Meyer ensures that Bella’s thoughts and actions do nothing to refute the patriarchal assumption that women are unreasonable and dim-witted; her attempts to give herself up to the villain in the first Twilight novel highlight not only her low self-esteem and lack of preservation instincts, but also her stupidity – there is no logical reason given as to why the seven Cullen vampires would not be able or willing to overpower a single rogue vampire (because they're all inexplicably willing to die for Mary Su- uh, I mean Bella). This choice is a plot device to dramatise Bella’s wilful martyrdom, recklessness and helplessness, and place her firmly in the ‘damsel in distress role’ (a role she reprises again in Twilight when Edward saves her from a group of rapists). Bella is passive as Edward rescues her from James, not only uninvolved in the action but unconscious while a group of men dispatch the villain; the female protagonist is removed entirely from the most crucial scene in Twilight’s plot. (And as we've all gathered from the infamous 'there's gonna be a bloodbath! The greatest war ever fought! OMG! Oh, wait, false alarm. Everything's ok now - they've talked it out and the bad guys have turned around and gone home' let-down at the end of Breaking Dawn, Meyer will go to any length to avoid having to write an action scene. Because heaven forbid a big, action-packed climactic battle should ever be shown in the Twilight universe - we might miss another riveting conversation whereupon Edward asks what Bella's favourite colour is and she says it's whatever colour his eyes are and this goes on for pages and pages and...how many trees died to print this?? *bangs head repeatedly against desk*)

Millett states ‘In the matter of conformity patriarchy is a governing ideology without peer; it is probable that no other system has ever exercised such a complete control over its subjects’ (Millet 1969/70, 32). Patriarchal dominance and the marginalisation of women is imposed upon Meyer’s female characters as a pervasive ideology, and they are so conditioned that they do not notice its effect in their lives. Bella does not resist or show awareness of the discrimination she experiences[1]. After moving to Forks she assumes all responsibility of cooking and cleaning for her father; the fact that he has fended for himself for years does not deter her: ‘“You’ll be okay for dinner, right?” “Bells, I fed myself for seventeen years before you got here,” he reminded me. “I don’t know how you survived,” I muttered.’ (Meyer 2005, 129)(How on earth DID Charlie manage to exist for years without Her Holiness deigning to grace him with her feasts of grilled cheese?!) . Instead of cooking because she enjoys it, or even as a gesture of love, it is presented as a matronly duty, the subtext being that this is what a good, devoted daughter should do because a man cannot possibly cook for himself. Bella never offers to clean the car or mow the lawn, and her father does not argue with her offer to cook, and sits and watching sports while Bella works in the kitchen; a stereotypical pigeon-holing of gender roles. The reader’s acceptance is facilitated by Bella’s accepting first person narrative, internalising and normalising of this patriarchal mindset.

Bella not only fails to acknowledge the misogyny, gender inequality and borderline-abuse she experiences, but lacks the desire to question it because she is ‘content’ with her ‘own lot’ (Millett 1968/1970, 57). Edward frequently displays extreme, possessive jealousy, a common trait of the abusive personality[2], and shows aggressive and irrational contempt for any male who comes into contact with Bella. He takes pleasure in dismissing Bella’s potential suitors for her:

Edward’s tone changed, and the threat in his voice was suddenly much more evident as he continued. “To be perfectly honest, she’ll be unavailable every night, as far as anyone but myself is concerned.” (Meyer 2005, 421)

Bella placidly accepts this decree – when Edward asks her if he offended her, she changes the subject. She also allows Edward to assert his will over her in physical ways that contradict his supposed concern for her wellbeing, as shown when he demands to see her home, forcibly dragging her across the parking lot and into his car, ignoring her protests:

“Where do you think you’re going?” he asked, outraged. He was gripping a fistful of my jacket in one hand.
He was towing me toward his car now, pulling me...
“Let go!” I insisted. He ignored me.
“I’ll just drag you back,” he threatened, guessing my plan. (Meyer 2005, 89)

Despite Bella’s perfunctory ‘You are so pushy!’ she does not protest or call for help, and her annoyance with Edward is soon forgotten. Meyer again solidifies her presentation of women as men’s chattels, to be passed around and fought over; creatures so shallow that they are not bothered by such things as gender equality as long as their attention is diverted by something else.

When Bella and Alice dare to disagree with (the whiny, trantrum-throwing little bitchman)Edward, he asserts that his will as the man is sovereign. The following exchange sums up the presentation of women in Twilight – it implies that Bella is his property, and is insensitive and threatening:

“No! Edward! No, you can't do this.”
“I have to, Bella, now please be quiet.”
“There's another option,” Alice said quietly.
Edward turned on her in fury, his voice a blistering snarl.
“There — is — no — other — option!”

His declaration: ‘“If you let anything happen to yourself— anything at all — I'm holding you personally responsible. Do you understand that?”’ is condescending, implying that Bella is stupid, and is emotionally manipulative, as it implies that it is Bella’s fault if she gets kidnapped because she did not do things Edward’s way. Bella’s response to this is meek acquiescence, and when Alice reprimands her brother, the chapter closes with Edward’s response, which clearly puts an end to the women daring to think for themselves: ‘Edward smiled at her. “But keep your opinions to yourself,” he muttered.’ (Meyer 2005, 333-340)

When Edward unapologetically admits that he followed Bella to her house and watched her sleep at night: ‘He was unrepentant. “What else is there to do at night?”’ (ARE YOU KIDDING ME? ANYTHING ELSE!! You psychotic, stalking, creepy-ass fuckwit!) Bella is not outraged that a man has broken into her house, watched her sleep, and secretly followed her around –actions more common to a villainous sexual predator than a romantic hero – she is only upset that she might have said something embarrassing in her sleep.

Edward Cullen: His turn-ons include restraining orders, disabling your car, and talking about murdering you.

Her reaction is not the righteous indignation that we would expect from a strong female character, but instead a coquettish embarrassment that he heard her sleep talk –

“You spied on me?” But somehow I couldn’t infuse my voice with the proper outrage. I was flattered.
“Are you very angry with me?”
“That depends!”
“On?” he urged.
“What you heard!” I wailed. (Meyer 2005, 256) (Never have I wanted to beat a fictional character to death so much. Even better - I'd like to put her in a logical and realistic story, where - as SatireKnight pointed out - allowing The Amazing Rapeman to sneak into your bedroom ends with the discovery of your mutilated corpse. I mean, this series is shouting 'BUT IT'S OK IF THE GUY YOU BARELY KNOW STALKS YOU, BECAUSE HE WUVS YOU!! AND HE'S HOT!!' at its target audience of young teen girls. What the fuck kind of editor let this go to press?!)

Even when Edward’s behaviour is at its most (CREEPY! CREEPY ALERT!! THE SIRENS ARE BLARING!!!) reprehensible, Bella is still too self-conscious over her own actions to rebuke him for his.

Bella’s compliant and forgiving tolerance of Edward’s domineering, bullying and sinister behaviours is troubling. She remarks about his forbidding her to see her friends: ‘I was free to go anywhere I wanted…free to do anything I wanted—except see Jacob’ (Meyer 2007, 39). In Bella’s mind seeing Jacob has become illegal: ‘I knew I wouldn't be allowed to hit a werewolf party...’ (Meyer 2007, 51). She phrases it ‘allowed’ – confirming that she needs Edward’s permission and thereby accepting his control over her. When Bella attempts to sneak out to see Jacob – all of which described as an act of disobedience, as if Edward’s will has become law – she finds that Edward has removed the engine from her car to prevent her from leaving the house (and then sits brooding silently in the backseat in the pitch dark waiting for her, because that's not sinister at all, it's ROMANTIC!!). Bella has the opportunity to become justifiably angry and protest about such inequality, but instead, minutes after storming back up to her bedroom, she has surrendered and opened the window to allow Edward in, conveying the message that it is acceptable for a girl to allow her boyfriend to control her life if he says he knows best. (I truly wanted to throw the book at the wall when I read this. We all knew Bella as a passive idiot, but her attitude just beggars belief:

'He treated me like shit. Oh, well. I'm going to fume ineffectively like a spoiled child for a 60 seconds and then forgive him, or he might not let me have Sexy Snuggle Time tonight.'

I want to insert the picture of the Picard Facepalm here, but even that doesn't do this justice. Ugh.

[1]With very minor exceptions, where she will grumble quietly about Edward’s domineering attitude, but still refuse to confront him about it:
“Allow me,” he suggested. He took the gift from my hand and tore the silver paper off with one fluid movement. He handed the rectangular white box back to me. “Are you sure I can handle lifting the lid?” I muttered, but he ignored me. (Meyer 2006, 42)

[2] http://www.recovery-man.com/abusive/abuse_rel_types.htm [Accessed 23/5/11]

Next time: Meyer turns her attentions to the Bible, so she that can fail religious symbolism as well as regular symbolism, and abuse something other than the poor thesaurus.