cirquedumort97 Metabolical i agree with you completely. Edward Cullen is just too "perfect" but in truth he is just a very shiny surface covering lots of flaws. Have you ever heard the saying "Never trust a shiny surface, they're the ones that conceal the most flaws." I think this is the perfect saying for twilight. Bella is also part of the problem though. She doesn't like to say no to him and she always lets him tell her what to do. She is also one of (if not the) most selfish and manipulative person i have ever read about. Even if she's not real. Twilight isn't even a book about *love* it's a story about lust and blood and a trend that an author dreamed about. The people in the book are far too perfect making the book both stupid and unrealistic.

sweetasdestiny while i do agree that some young girls simply cannot separate fantasy from reality i have to say that this article is highly delusional. The twilight saga offers a highly passionate and beautiful love story without crossing that x rated boundary line that has become accepted in todays society. Edwards character possesess deeply protective behavior but is not at all abuses. he would do anything to keep the character Bella safe. He would rather die than live in a world without her. He would definitely rather die that hurt her himself. And you guys do realize that this is a piece of fiction and there is not some monstrous, animal killing vampire on the rampage..........really do you? because i'm worried about your sanity. I would also like to defend Stephanie Meyer. She is a wonderful and brilliant, descriptive and intelectual writer and has worked very hard on these novels. she has more talent than most of us can ever dream of.while i do understand your concerns, they are alarmingly misplaced. if you would like to be proactive i suggest that you take a look and the stats or just a look at your kids. by fourteen most of these kids are doing highly illegal drugs, having sex and posting their naked bodies all over the internet via myspace, Twilight should be the least of our worries.

sweetasdestiny abbusive*

AllistarKinsley Hahah edwards so mean and such an idiot

kristenedward13 very mean!! but, edward is just a character in a story i bet everyone everyone knows that.He isnt a bad romodel!! hes just an actor seriously!!!! gosh!! edward is brillant and very nice!! i mean sweet!!!!

Cinders Edward is not an actor. Robert Pattinson is an actor. Edward is a character. And people are influenced by what they read every day of their lives, so it's important. If people weren't influenced by what they read, there'd be no point to Martin Luther's revolution, or to Thomas Paine passing out his pamphlets on common sense. What people read will change their perspective. Twilight changed my perspective. I thought women had come a long way when it came to standing up for themselves. Then I read Twilight. I'm not a hater. I reserve that word for things I find truly deplorable. And Twilight is not deplorable. It's just little embararssing. Look, read it. Love it. Be a big fan of it. But look at it critically.

JadePanther I read the twilight books and I never really hated them or loved them. You're article makes a lot of sense, though, especially since you backed up you're statements with quotes. I think that twilight is not a good book to read if you are going to make Edward or Bella you're role models. However, if you keep in mind while you're reading it that they are not good role models, then I think it's okay to read twilight. Also, like you said, it's good to get kids to read (I have two little brothers that are struggling to find books they enjoy) because it's fun once you find the kind of books you like and it's academically and sometimes emotionally (maybe?) beneficial for the reader. That's just my opinion, though...

HecateA congrats for the excellent article! I never considered Edward "abusive". I mean, he loves Bella, of a disturbing and dependant love (love non the less thought), and he'd never harm her on purpose. He just needs a slap on the cheek from someone and a long long explanation about the 21rst century. Now don't get me wrong, I am no fan of Twilight, I think things like Jacob's dumb blond joke, Rosaline's aggresivity and Alice's flowery personality are keeping the thing alive, but abuse is when a man doesn't like his wife. I'll say this again, twilight isn't my thing GO HP!

Cinders "he'd never harm her on purpose" is what several women say of their abusive partners. In fact, even abusers feel terrible guilt afterwards, often trying very hard to make up for it. And it's not even that they don't necessarily love their partner, it's that they, themselves, do not know how to be in a serious relationship, and act out, especially when they feel they are losing control in the relationship. An abusive relationship is a very complicated dynamic. Women often find it very difficult to leave, because they still love their partners even though their partner is abusive. And they know that their partner loves them, too, even though both of their loves are warped and codependent. A man beats his wife if she threatens to leave, so her response is not to leave. But a man doesn't beat his wife because he doesn't like her.

rAsberrStrarS this is kinda right-but Team Edward all the way 4 me ;)

AllyUnderground Brilliant article. To all those who say 'There's no sign of Edward being abusive', remember that the novels (apart from a short section in BD) are all written from Bella's perspective. Women who are in abusive relationships - and men, too, as we see in the part from Jacob's point of view - are often in denial about it. I have a friend whose boyfriend has slashed her tyres after an argument and spat in her face when she dared to disagree with him, and she is CONSTANTLY making excuses for his behaviour. She simply does not believe that she is being abused. I loved Twilight on my first couple of readings, but the more I thought about it, the more disturbing I found the dynamics between the characters. Yes, vampires and werewolves are fictional, but that doesn't cancel out the subtext. (And Teal_Star - women can't fight in wars? Really? What are all the female soldiers, Army strippers?)

Kylie90210 Love this.

RealLuvAlwaysBL Cinder, I know this was not supposed to be funny neccesarily but I laughed. Mostly I laughed at the fact that I was (and still am to a certain extent) engrossed in these books and the relationship of B/S. I went from laughing to shaking my head bc you are so right. My friends and I have talked about this very issue countless times -- with the vamp craze at the forefront -- and it is so scary to think that these are the "ideals." True Blood's Bill, Vampire Diaries Stefen...they are all the same (though on the whole I think that Elena of VD has the most gusto and therefore the least obnoxious of the female leads). In anycase, I think this is a really great article. There is a serious need for one on Bella, as I think she is quite possibly the most ridiculous heroine ever. She oozes dependency issues, manipulative behavior -- basically she's unstable. That is the biggest issue I see in movies/books/tv shows today. 90% of the couples exhibit unhealthy relationships. Whether it is cheating (break up to make up), jealosy, dependency, rushing into love, etc. there are very few that would truly last or not combust into flames five years down the line. I'm rambling now but writers as a whole need to be more aware of this and quit with the nonsense. * One thing from the movie that I'll give Edward props for was in Eclipse when he watched Bella and Jacob kiss/ her tell him she loved him. Edward was refreshing in his void of jealousy. Bella on the other hand made herself look like the biggest idiot.

annebisarek5 Wow, that is the stupidest article that I have read in a while. The story is fiction. The idea behind reading books are to mostly get lost in that world for a while not analzye every move each character makes according to the local psychiatrist. Your comments really ruin a good read. How disappointing that this was how you chose to spend your time. By the way, most abusive men do not announce their flaws they usually act on them instead of admitting the problem ie... problems with temper and then he calms himself down and finds a way to have Lonnie arrested in a human way instead of acting on his vampire instinct which is to kill. Bella is a 17 year old girl and her emotions in the book are extreme in some areas as most girls this age are. She is not manipulative, she is a young girl in love. Edward stalking her is romantic because of the way he wants to be with her not because he is a bad guy. He even compares his behavior to being like a peeping tom in someways, continues through her window while she is asleep to make sure she is safe. His whole exsistence especially around her is regret for who he is and the sometimes violent responses he has towards life, people whatever because he is a vampire. So maybe there is more than one very negative way to interpret this love story.

Cinders There are several points in your comment which I could address personally, but I think Dearheart's comment here does that for me. See "It's fictional!" (first comment after article). There is one specific point I would like to make, however. "Edward stalking her is romantic because of the way he wants to be with her not because he is a bad guy. He even compares his behavior to being like a peeping tom in someways, continues through her window while she is asleep to make sure she is safe." (underlines added for emphasis) A) Stalkers want to "be with" the girls they stalk, too. B) In what world is being a "peeping tom" a good and/or attractive thing to be? How is it any worse than being a stalker? C) If I ever caught someone watching me through my window while I was sleeping, whether I knew him, had a crush on him, or not, I would call the police. "... because he is a vampire." - This is not an excuse. Edward and Bella provide an example of a relationship for young girls, and because their relationship is unhealthy, they will seek out a similar relationship. And odds are, they won't meet vampires. They might meet alcoholics, though. So let me take that whole sentence of yours and change "vampire" for "alcoholic" - "His whole existence especially around her is regret for who he is and the sometimes violent responses he has towards life, people whatever because he is an alcoholic." - Does that sound worse to you? Why? Because I said "alcoholic" instead of "vampire?" And if it doesn't sound worse, if it sounds just fine, well then that also proves my point about how books and literature can influence people's opinions.

C-Patz Just because Edward is protective doesn't mean he is abusive? I would love someone to care and love me like that. Abusive is when he hits her and makes threats to kill her. That is abusive. I am a huge Twilight fan and I'm Team Edward and I have to admit I do go gaga over him cause I love him. But I doesn't mean we all want abusive partners. He is just not abusive. And he is hot :) x

starshaped Uh oh, no wonder so many people tell me my boyfriend is like Edward. Maybe I should be worried....

Cinders "Abusive is when he hits her and makes threats to kill her. That is abusive." This is a misconception about the concept of abuse. One can be emotionally and psychologically abusive without ever laying a finger on a spouse. Even threats of violence can be abuse.

Renarimae C-Patz: Like what Cinders said, a man doesn't have to hit or death threat a woman to be abusive. There are four of many types of abuse; physical (hitting, punching, kicking, etc.), emotional (insulting, putting down, forcefulness, etc.), psychological (verbal aggression, dominant behaviors, jealousy, etc.), and sexual (unwanted touching, exposure, sexual harassment, molestation, rape, etc.) So really, abuse is not just physical.

caspersgirl05 Example #1: Edward is expressing to Bella the best way he knows how that as a vampire it’s not only easy to be agitated but that Edward doesn’t like being that way. You should have posted the entire passage. Example #2: I can’t think of one person who doesn’t feel jealousy at one point or another. You can tell throughout the series that Edward does not like Jacob, sometimes that’s because of Jacobs outward feelings toward Bella, sometimes that’s due to the treaty and history between the Cullen’s and the Quillette’s, sometimes that because Edward beats himself up for leaving and Jacob stepping in. (Which, may I remind you, Edward left in hopes that Bella would eventually move on “as if he never existed” so that Bella would stop being put in danger by being in Edward’s world.) Example #3: Anyone who has been cheated on, abused in any way or abandoned by someone they care about will always have that question lingering in the back of their mind. It’s just a matter of how they act on it. Example #4: Edward does not have a background involving physical, emotional, or sexual abuse, abandonment, or acoa issues. I would like to see where you came to your conclusion on that. The series (including the illustrated guide) describe Edwards’ background very clearly. Born in early 1900’s, loving family, close to mother, family died of Spanish influenza, Edward ‘reborn’ as vampire to a man who refuses to hurt people and devotes his life to helping people as a doctor. Edward hates himself, yes, but that is internalized and that is hatred toward being a vampire not his other traits. Example #5: I viewed his expectations of a relationship as very old fashioned because of the time period he is from. Yes, there are parts throughout the series that Edward omits information when talking with Bella, again though that can be looked at as 1. Being the protector from his time period (which even Bella calls him out on) and 2. I don’t know one person who hasn’t hidden something bad from someone they care about because they want to fix it before it’s even known about. I’ve dated people who have don’t that because they don’t want me to stress. I don’t see evidence of your conclusion for #5. Example #6: The example you use is only displaying that he is constantly in fear of Bella being hurt/killed because she has decided to be a part of his world. The series states over and over that Edward does not like that he is a vampire, he feels his soul and value as a being is compromised. At one point he strayed away from his family because he felt that in order to do good he would kill people who did bad (i.e. rapists, child abusers/predators..) and then returned back to his family because he could not bear the thought of killing humans. So yes, he has low self-esteem. Tell me one person on earth who doesn’t have low self-esteem about one thing or another; may it be trivial or not. Example #7: Who doesn’t? Who doesn’t enjoy that euphoric feeling of being in the first few months of a new relationship? And yes, hundreds of thousands of relationships say they are in love within the first 3-5 months. Hundreds of thousands of relationships are engaged within 8-10 months and go on to be married. Edward is the one out of him and Bella who will not have sex until marriage (as an example of him not rushing into things). Example #9: The passage you chose to use as an example is taken out of context; Bella has just passed out at school. I’m not convinced that if my friend (let alone someone I cared that deeply for) had just passed out that I would let them drive themselves home either. From another angle, Bella is extremely stubborn and that is shown throughout the entire series. So yes, Edward pulled her toward his car to give her a ride home. He did not stand and scream at her, he did him throw her over his shoulder, he did not guilt her into anything. If you read further past that passage you find out that Bella was excited to have that time with him, she just simply hates being taken care of. (Because she was the caretaker in the relationship between herself and her mother.) Example #10: Edward wants Bella to remain human, Edward wants to be married, Edward wants Bella to be safe, and Edward will not have sex until they are married. I’m not seeing unrealistic expectations or demands… Example #11: This one confused me, while I agree that they are alone frequently I also think that they are with his family often too. I found the interpretation to be because Bella has a much easier time fitting in around them than they do fitting into her world. With that being said Edward makes sure that Bella experiences everything she possibly can (i.e. Prom, Graduation). Example #12: I don’t feel it was Stephanie Meyer’s Mormon background, I feel Stephanie created a character from the early 1900’s. Edward even says in the 3rd movie “If I had met you back then I would have courted you. We would have taken chaperoned strolls and had tea on the porch. I would have stolen a kiss or two but only after asking your father’s permission would I have gotten down on one knee…” He’s old fashioned in his thinking, simple as that. You’ll also note that throughout the series Edward opens doors for Bella, and obliges her requests of no gifts and many other notable moments. Example #13: As I’ve mentioned Edward was against having sex with Bella. He knew there was a danger and did not want to push the limits. On their honeymoon Bella pushed for it again, Edward has a hard time saying no to Bella and told her that the minute she felt pain or he sensed that she was hurting he was stopping. Have you never been in a rough and tumble passionate night and accidently knocked something over or thrown pillows across the room or woken up feeling sore – but a good sore? I have, and while Edward spent a better part of that morning beating himself up – Bella became furious with him because she woke up in a euphoric feeling that he was ruining. It has been noted throughout the series that Bella is exceptionally pale for a human so it is of no shock that she bruises easily either. Example #14: This is from that same passage where Edward is driving Bella home after she passed out at school (the passage discussed in example #9). The “I’ll just drag you back” is an exasperation ‘threat’ due to Bella’s stubbornness. Again, I believe I would say the same to a friend who just passed out because I would not want them driving home either. Example #15: You say this was the impression you got from the movie but you’ve been using passages from the books as examples. Do you have any to support this one? I’ll agree that yes he becomes quiet often but Bella usually calls him out on it. And it’s usually because he’s either seeing one of Alice’s visions, listening for someone’s thoughts and then thinking about them or he’s angry at himself. Example #16: The series jokes that the Cullen family call themselves ‘vegetarians’ because they do not hunt people. In the movies you can see the character’s actually smile when talking about it. Their inside joke implies that they are fully aware of what a vegetarian is. Edward also explains to Bella that they are careful not to ‘hunt’ in such a way that would obstruct the food chain. It is implied, but not stated definitively, that other animals (predators) eat the rest of the remains. I have heard young girls use phrases like “I want Edward to stalk me!” or “I wish Edward would show up in my room.” and I believe these girls are not saying these things for face value but rather for the desire to have someone love them that much. Who hasn’t gotten lost in a movie or a book and thought ‘Why isn’t it like that in real life?’ ‘Why can’t I become a princess after 15 years of never knowing my father who’s mother shows up in my converted firehouse to give me lessons and take me back to the castle in my country that I will one day run?’ (Princess Diaries) Yes, young readers need to remember that these characters are just that – characters (just like in Buffy or Ella Enchanted). I’d like you to remember though that anyone could argue negative views of any book. I just hope that people take the time to back their arguments up with accurate passages and full explanations.

noellencc I have not read the books, but Edward's character in the movies irked me so much that I ended up here. I don't have an unreal expectation for men, I'm happily married at 26 and my husband is by no means perfect, he has a healthy temper, but if he treated me the way Edward treats Bella at times just being "brooding" and "dark" I would be livid. I know that he's a "vampire" and it's fantasy, so in certain aspects I can suspend disbelief, but I still can't believe so many young girls love Edward. In my opinion Jacob is a much more sympathetic character and I wanted to slap Bella for not realizing it!teenagers.

Nuttypeanut Not to mention that he watches her sleep....

Earthling123 edwardbellafan2 -- have you forgotten that this is a site where everybody can express their own opinion? All Cinders was doing was expressing her opinion. Cinders, great article! Excellent points.

sfrias So true! It is a bad example for young girls to follow when it comes to relationships and love. No young girl should expect any, and i mean any relationship with another person to be like that. I hope more people read and agree with you.

AngieCxx I don't know how to explain this.... But I can kinda see it from Isabella's perspective? Like, I know why she let herself be controlled. Because she was in love. I've been there, in the exact same place, apart from the fact that my boyfriend was not a vampire. But the point is, if you're really, really in love with someone, if you trust them completely, you'll do anything for them. And I mean anything. You'd let yourself be controlled. I did. He pushed me around as much as Edward did Isabella. And you know what? I didn't mind. He did stay in my room at night, and he was an insanely jealous person. He never took it out on me, though. He knew what I was entitled to, and could see anyone I wanted. He was too concerned for my safety to let me drive anywhere in a car which didn't have top-notch safety features. He even bought me a car to drive, which he deemed 'safe.' But, he only did those things because he loved me. He would step aside if I ever put up a real fight. And I actually did, for some things. But he'd never fight with me unless it REALLY bugged him. So, when I read Twilight, I was actually startled by the similarity of the relationship, But, believe it or not, I was happy. And, because I know people will ask, no, we didn't break up. But neither am I currently sitting in his house as his proud wife, with mini Angels and Edwards (Yes, his name WAS Edward. I teased him often enough about it.) And neither are we still dating. Make what you will of that. Oh, and we were together four years, and he never once laid a finger on me without my consent. ~Angel