Twilight Fans/Haters: Edward Cullen: Abusive Boyfriend?

[Misty]

I'm a big Twilight-Hater. And yes I have read all 4 books, and I found them offensive and ridiculous. The books are Anti-feminist, because Bella is very weak and she thinks she is worth nothing without Edward, which is when she tries to commit suicide when Edward dumps her.

Also, Edward is abusive and controlling because he never lets Bella see her friends, he stalks her, he manipulates her into doing things she doesn't want to do. And it scares me that girls say Edward is "the perfect boyfriend." And I agree with Joan, that some girls are going crazy over this saga.

Also I hate the movies too, because the actors can't act, and I hate Taylor Lautner even though alot of girls love him. And also, the vampires in the books shouldn't be called vampires, because they don't have fangs, they don't drink blood, and they don't burn in the sunlight, and since when are vampires vegetarians?

I'm sorry if I offended anyone and I didn't mean too, but it's just how I feel about them.

 

[Washburne]

In case some people don't know my stand on Twilight I might say it again. I'm no lover but neither am I a hater. I haven't read any book, don't follow the hype (which I'm happy about) and I've seen the first two movies. My opinion of the movies are they they're ok, no more no less and New moon was the better one.

If people see Edward as the perfect boyfriend is one thing if it's young girls if you ask me. Is he a good model for a boyfriend? From what I've heard no. But then again I don't think the average young teeneage has the best judgement in the world. 😉 I might insult some people by saying so but I stand by it. And I did say average which is far from everyone. Not like boys are any better. If a girl shows a lot of skin, have big plastic breasts and acts like a bimbo they sure are in the thoughts of the average teenage boy. Like it or not, when it comes to teenagers hormones decide more than the brain. You can just hope it improves with time.

I'm confident that the more mature (state of mind, not age) fans of Twilight don't see him as the perfect boyfriend. They can still love the story. Maybe my faith in them is naive. I don't know. The hate about Twilight and their fans is getting boring. Not that you're not allowed to hate it. Seeing it everywhere gets tiresome though. You feel that you can bash it all you want because you think it's bad? When I'm sure you don't have a problem with people bashing things you like if they think it's bad. Criticism can be made in different ways.

One question to those who read the books. Edward might have bad traits/behavior but doesn't he have some good as well?

 

[Wishing Oceans]

In case some people don't know my stand on Twilight I might say it again. I'm no lover but neither am I a hater. I haven't read any book, don't follow the hype (which I'm happy about) and I've seen the first two movies. My opinion of the movies are they they're ok, no more no less and New moon was the better one.

The books are a lot worse imo. 😉

If people see Edward as the perfect boyfriend is one thing if it's young girls if you ask me. Is he a good model for a boyfriend? From what I've heard no. But then again I don't think the average young teeneage has the best judgement in the world. 😉 I might insult some people by saying so but I stand by it. And I did say average which is far from everyone. Not like boys are any better. If a girl shows a lot of skin, have big plastic breasts and acts like a bimbo they sure are in the thoughts of the average teenage boy. Like it or not, when it comes to teenagers hormones decide more than the brain. You can just hope it improves with time.

To be honest, this paragraph confused me. (sw)

I agree that most young people aren't the best judges in the world, but imo the abusive characteristics of Edward were just too in-your-face obvious to blow off. I mean, really, he took apart her car to stop her from seeing her best friend. What gives him the right to do that? Nothing.

I'm confident that the more mature (state of mind, not age) fans of Twilight don't see him as the perfect boyfriend. They can still love the story. Maybe my faith in them is naive. I don't know. The hate about Twilight and their fans is getting boring. Not that you're not allowed to hate it. Seeing it everywhere gets tiresome though. You feel that you can bash it all you want because you think it's bad? When I'm sure you don't have a problem with people bashing things you like if they think it's bad. Criticism can be made in different ways.

I agree. I mean, Ms. Meyer obviously didn't mean to make Edward abusive, and she probably didn't mean to make Bella a feminist's nightmare. Twilight is just a lonely woman's fantasy romance world, really. Where the beautiful vampire loves the girl-next-door so much he'll do anything to protect her.

But at the same time, it's not the older and more mature Twilight fans that I worry about... Well, not hugely anyway. 😛 It's the younger ones, the immature ones, the impressionable ones. If they get the idea that Edward (Or even Jacob, Jacob had many faults as well.) is the "Perfect boyfriend", then they're going to get a very messed up idea of what a healthy relationship is. And I don't want that for the gals (and the occasional gay guy) of my generation.

Eh, most Twilight haters just hate how annoying some of the crazy fans get. I hate it because I simply CANNOT comprehend how a story of so little substance ever got so much hype. It's just beyond me.

You feel that you can bash it all you want because you think it's bad?

First off: The word "bashing" is usually defined as "To engage in harsh, accusatory, threatening criticism." (http://www.yourdictionary.com/bash ) Now, while I feel that pointless posts that contain mindless sentences that don't go deeper than "OMG! TWILIGHT IS SOOOOOOOO BAD! PPL WHO HATE TWILIGHT ARE SUCH MORONS!" are just rude and unnecessary, what I find most "Haters" doing is politely and intellectually explaining why they don't like Twilight, what they think the faults of Twilight are, and why they wouldn't recommend the book.

And I definitely think that people have a right to express their dislike of something. Just like people who do like something have to the right to express how much they love it.

One question to those who read the books. Edward might have bad traits/behavior but doesn't he have some good as well?

Not really. If I really thought about then maybe he would, but to be honest, Edward is a pretty 2-dimensional/flat character. Any "good" thing that he does easily has something bad in it's context.

 

[Washburne]

To be honest, this paragraph confused me. (sw)

I just meant that teenagers have always been attracted to "bad" rolemodels. It's not something specific for Twilight fans. I didn't mean it as Edward is a good role model. I can hardly say that or the other since I haven't read the books. So all I'm saying and has been saying is just in general. I hoped people would get that when I explained how much I knew about Twilight.

But at the same time, it's not the older and more mature Twilight fans that I worry about... Well, not hugely anyway. 😛 It's the younger ones, the immature ones, the impressionable ones. If they get the idea that Edward (Or even Jacob, Jacob had many faults as well.) is the "Perfect boyfriend", then they're going to get a very messed up idea of what a healthy relationship is. And I don't want that for the gals (and the occasional gay guy) of my generation.

If I were you (which I'm clearly not😉 ) I would worry a whole lot more about the "real" people seen on tv and how popular they are. I'm sure you know who I have in mind.

And I definitely think that people have a right to express their dislike of something. Just like people who do like something have to the right to express how much they love it.

Of course. In my mind depending on how you do it.That's actually why I used the word bash. I don't think we disagree on this matter.

Eh, most Twilight haters just hate how annoying some of the crazy fans get.

Believe me I know. So the hate goes out to the fans and not the actual story. That people usually just dislike. And if you hate someone's behavior the best thing to do is to act the same way, just with the opposite opinion... Way to show that you're smarter and more mature than the people you "hate". I mean you in the general sense. I really dislike that word. No wonder people take things personal when it's not meant like it. Or is it easier for people having english as their native language?

I hate it because I simply CANNOT comprehend how a story of so little substance ever got so much hype. It's just beyond me.

So, do you hate everything that you don't understand? I mean comprehand (a certain Firefly quote just came to mind.). Entertaining books, movies, or tv-shows don't have to have much substance to be popular. Do they all have to be hated? Or is it just the annoying fans again?

---------- Post added at 11:02 AM ---------- Previous post was at 11:01 AM ----------

Not really. If I really thought about then maybe he would, but to be honest, Edward is a pretty 2-dimensional/flat character. Any "good" thing that he does easily has something bad in it's context.

And now if some people that like Twilight would answer so we had something to compare with.

 

[Nymphetamine]

Edward is my least favorite character in the Twilight Saga. He's not that perfect like how's he discribed in the book and I would never have him as my boyfriend, because he treatens to kill himself, he said he didn't mean to hurt Bella, but he leaves town and act like they never met each other and he's always over protective.

 

[Ms.Trick]

Wow, the article is frigging good and says everything there is to say!

I loved Twilight before it got fashionable but when it suddenly became THE new thing, I slowly started to open my eyes.
I loved Edward, I was always thinking "I wish I had a boyfriend like him"
When it became successful, there were a lot of reportage in which girls were interviewed to know why did they love Edward so much.
It was mostly because "he is strong and beautiful and sexy and a vampire and deeply in love with Bella. It would be great to have a boyfriend who loves you so much!".
I was thinking "Well those are not the only reasons why I like him"
So I started to think:

" Soooo, yeah, he is described as attractive and handsome, and he saved Bella when she almost got raped by a few guys...But he was there to save her because he was following her around! But he followed her for her own good! But...he shouldn't do it in a sneaky way, it's kind of weird...I mean it's like "Oh thanks for saving me, even if you only knew because you was stalking me"
So you see, he is a good guy who takes care of a girl!

If only he could let Bella take more decisions by herself, without forcing her to change her mind or tricking her into doing what she doesn't want to do when it's too late for her not to do it!

Then he leaves, but it's for her own good but...It's not normal how she is devastated for months. I wouln't mind a boyfriend like Edward but it is kinda weird and unhealthy that she was so dependant on him :confused2: She was able to live without him before meeting him, she had a life before him and now he is like her only reason to live?

Then he comes back in her life and she forgive him completly, like nothing happened?
And he doensn't let her see Jake? Sorry Ed, you left, live with consequences, idiot!

And Bella wanted to become a vampire and Carlisle said he could transform her (or was it Alice?) and then Edward says to Bella "I can do it myself if you do what I want: marry me. And we'll have sex, when you marry me, not before, I don't want to hurt you".

So, Bella could have been transformed without getting married, and then she could have had sex with Edward without a risk that he hurt her.
But Edward managed to have her entirely for himself.
That's seems kinda manipulative :confused2:"


Then I understood that Edward'dark sides were way too dark for and that I would never want to have a boyfriend like that.

Jake is way better, he is not so manipulative and he's a better person in general, who respects Bella much more!

 

[caritas08]

Twilight wouldn't bother me if the audience was all adults but so many young children love the series it truly bothers me that the 6 and 7 year olds who read it (yes I know many children that young who read it) are going to consider Bella a role model and the Edward/Bella relationship a normal healthy one. With so many women in abusive relationships it really bothers me that this series has so much influence on little girls.

 

[Willow Rosenberg]

I read the books, and actually thought that the relationships portrayed were 'messed up' intentionally; the characters were dependent on each other...what's that saying 'love is a drug'. It's almost what it felt like to me at times, the way Bella & Edward behaved, it was like they had to have their 'fix'.

I didn't read them as a 'perfect romance' series. Maybe that's because I'm older, but the books never said to me this is the way love should be. It said to me, this is how love can make you sometimes, crazy, ecstatic, depressed, jealous, etc.

I still enjoyed them though because love isn't always sunshine & roses etc, sometimes it's intense, passionate, with big highs and big lows. You don't always see the dangers and to me, that's what these books pointed out. Neither Edward, Bella or Jacob are perfect, far from it, they all have flaws.

I still enjoyed the series but like everything else I watch or read, I take it with a pinch of salt.

I have teenagers and a seven year old daughter, and they see Twilight for what it is, fantasy, nothing more, nothing less, it's fiction. All the 15-17 year old girls I know who like Twilight, like the actors, rather than the characters who they know aren't real. They are not as easily influenced as you might think, well, at least the ones I know aren't 'lol' 🙂

Oh, and my seven year old daughter, thinks Bella whines to much 'lol' She certainly doesn't see her as a role model. She hasn't read the books but she has watched the films with me. She is very astute, and certainly knows and recognises that the behaviour of some of the characters isn't always as it should be. Maybe she is an exception but I certainly don't worry about her getting the wrong impression from them, she knows it's just a 'story' even at her age. 😉

Oh yes, and she's none to shy to tell me during the films when someone steps out of line 'lol'

 

[LizzieRainbow]

I like Twilight but when i took a step away from the book and looked at Edward Cullens character it made me realise he is not the perfect boyfriend at all!
He has the appearence of doing anything for Bella but the way he does is by basically being a stalker. I re-read the books and whe i did so i though about what i would feel if a guy did what Edward did and in all honesty i wouldn't like it. I wouldn't want a guy sneaking into my room while im sleeping or stopping me from seeing my friends. Edward Cuullen is basically a stalker and i do not see that as a perfect boyfriend.