Yes, I am fully aware that Whyville is populated mainly by preteen to early-teen females who are susceptible to fantasies of strong, handsome dudes who have a slight tendency towards violence. That's why they all love "Twilight", am I right?
Now, bear with me as I go through a bit of history. When I was younger - twelve, thirteen or so - I had just begun writing and reading unpublished stories on the Internet. I participated in PbPs, I read fan fiction, I criticized work and had my own criticized. I did this quite regularly for several years. And there was one type of fiction (it was mostly vampire, but non vampire works in this category existed as well) that I noticed resurfaced again and again wherever I went. I shall list the qualities here:
1. The story is written by a female.
2. The story is mainly read by females despite (or because of) the prominent use of male characters.
3. The story is centered around romance.
4. The lead female is usually clumsy, short, or similarly disadvantaged.
5. The lead female is usually headstrong or stubborn, unique, and has her own close circle of female confidants. She does not fall in with the 'popular' crowd.
6. The lead female is usually very attractive and attracts the attentions of unwanted admirers.
7. The lead female is usually one of the weakest characters in the book.
8. The lead male is usually gorgeous.
9. The lead male is usually cold, aloof, or otherwise unaffected by emotion (except in regards to the lead female).
10. The lead male is usually dangerous, having violent tendencies and/or attempts to suppress such.
11. The lead male usually does or comes near inflicting violence on the lead female at one or more points.
12. The lead male usually is or becomes severely attracted to the lead female, but does not or tries not to directly display this emotion.
13. The lead male must protect the lead female from another male of equal or greater strength.
14. The villainous male usually gains possession of the lead female at one point, and the lead male must come to the rescue.
15. The lead male is sometimes believed to be the villain himself.
16. The lead male often 'smirks.'
Does this sound familiar?
Yeah. I bet it does. And guess what - I wrote down this list without having read "Twilight".
And then, after having written that list, I proceeded to read "Twilight" the next day - yesterday. I finished it tonight, Saturday.
And, as a second note of pride, I was probably one of the first people to ever read "Twilight". Before Myers had the book published she posted an excerpt on a website, and I read it. I disliked it even then.
Now, don't get me wrong. "Twilight" does have its good aspects. It is very well written, and I even caught myself noting a couple skilled techniques Myers used here and there. The characters are relatively realistic for that type of fiction, and the plot is intriguing.
But there is a reason this book works, and that is because it follows a formula. It is a formula designed specifically to appeal to the fantasies of females.
Heh. I am so about to piss off every feminist in existence. Here it goes.
Females have an inherent desire to be protected. It is in their nature. They have a desire to receive and give affection, to be romanced, to be the weaker being. They like it when guys are protective. Any of you girls who have had a boyfriend know; you like it when your guy tells you to be safe, when he mutters under his breath "that guy is suspicious," when he bristles at offense to your honor, when he displays a disproportionate amount of concern at a minor injury. This is protection. Guys give it, girls love it. If you want to dispute this, let's take it outside into the BBS.
Secondly - Girls like being weaker. They enjoy it when guys open doors for them, when guys help them up when they've fallen, when guys carry their luggage.
Girls want to give and receive affection. They love being romanced, having little notes, flowers, expressions of pure, lustless attention. They like it when guys pay attention to their body, but not when that's all the guys pay attention to. In fact, if they think that's the only thing a guy is after, that guy is immediately labeled as 'scumbag.' When a guy appears to have little interest in that and only interest in romancing the girl, the girl immediately responds positively.
(As a preliminary defense against the rabid feminists that are sure to begin foaming at the mouth, I will clarify that not all females are the same. I personally see no point in sentimentality or romance, and I am extremely masculine thinker for a sixteen-year-old female, but the list above describes the inherent desire of 'femaleness,' and does not extend to carefully formed personality. Despite my lack of girlishness, I enjoy it when the guy I like opens doors for me. It is not a property of "how girly you are," but rather a property of the fact that you are a girl.)
As for the guy; based on the girl's desires in her nature, the ideal guy would be:
Protective and able to protect. He would be overly concerned about her safety, and superbly able to take care of her safety against all odds.
He would care for the girl when his own nature does not dictate anything of the sort. He would be extremely strong, and yet despite this strength finds a tenderness within himself to care for a creature of weakness.
He would not care overly much about the girl's body, but rather be entranced with her mind. He would love romancing her, showing her in little, sentimental ways his care for her.
So what is "Twilight"? "Twilight" is a book carefully formulated to appeal to female nature. Edward is a character specifically designed to be the woman's 'ideal man,' with most 'ideal man' characteristics exaggerated (super strength, strength resisted in hopes of being 'tender').
And THIS is the key that gave the book its success.
Now, if you are totally fine with the idea of the book unabashedly playing off of the fundamentals of your female nature, then good for you, go read the book. But recognize that Stephanie Myers knew precisely how girls' minds work and deliberately exploited that in order to sell her book. This is what I want you to see - that "Twilight" is a book in which the fundamental male and female desires are recognized and exaggerated to ridiculous lengths. Be aware of this.
Personally, that is why I despise the book. I do not enjoy watching the female gender - or either gender - caricatured and cartooned in such a way. I find it ridiculous that so many people could fall for this blatant exploitation of emotion. I find it appalling that Myers claims that such a silly childhood infatuation, based off teenage hormones and the exaggerated ideals of girls, could take the grand and majestic title of "love."
-Antier
