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Twilight: Okay for younger audiences?
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[deleted user]
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Feb 28, 2012 08:25PM
What's your view on this issue? What do you think is the proper age for someone to read Twilight? Why? What content do you consider inappropriate for younger readers, if any? I'm asking about the whole series, not just the first book. :)
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Oooh... I read it Freshmen year and I know it's geared towards that age but if you are going to read it all the way through it's more for seventeen and higher. Well now that I look back Bella kind of had a bad self image so I wouldn't really recommend it...
I read the first book in 8th grade. It's not too bad then, but when you get deeper into the series, there is a lot of content that I don't think younger readers should read about. In New Moon, I don't like the fact that Bella does dangerous things in order to hear Edward's voice, and I think that creates a bad image for younger girls. Also, I think you should wait until 16 or 17 to read Breaking Dawn. I would never let my sister (9 years old) read that book or see the movie. I think it's too inappropriate for young girls.
Exactly. I forgot about that scene in New Moon. That's what I mean about her and her own self image. Needing someone like that...
Well, she abandoned her friends and family, dropped out of school, got pregnant at 17 or 18 (can't remember the exact age), married Edward just to have sex with him, and just couldn't live without him. She taught no lessons about independence, the importance of education, and that getting pregnant in your teen years isn't the smartest. Yeah, mistakes happen, but Meyer practically glorified it. Bella did everything she could to keep the baby, rather than being worried about how it could ruin her life. She is, in my opinion, one of the worst modern role models.
Hahaha yeah. And that's the problem. All these girls love Edward and these movies/books when really they don't understand that.
I think the relationship between Bella and Edward is extrememly unrealistic and is a horrible role model for people. They're not in love, they're in lust. It's okay to like the story and read the books. That's your choice. I'm just saying that these books set bad examples for people in so many ways (speaking in general).
I honestly never thought too much of it back then. I just really liked romance books and the whole vampire immortality thing. It is not a book young girls should read.
Wednesday wrote: "What's your view on this issue? What do you think is the proper age for someone to read Twilight? Why? What content do you consider inappropriate for younger readers, if any? I'm asking about the w..."Honestly it depends, some younger readers can read more mature content because they are more mature; yet some older readers can't read mature content because they are not mature. Overall I would say it is not appropriate for younger audiences, especially all the way through, because of content at the end and her moral image is bad. I won't repeat what has already been said but the image Bella portrays for young girls/women is wrong (see posts three and five). I don't think, if/when, I have a daughter that I would let her read these until she is in her late teens. Bella acts irresponsible and her relationship with Edward is obsession based which isn't healthy.
I do agree that some younger readers are sometimes more mature than older readers, but not quite as mature to handle Breaking Dawn. My biggest issues are Breaking Dawn and New Moon.
Mod
I loved how Edward asked Bella to wait until they were actually married to have sex. I loved how Bella fought for her baby because many teens with babies would of aborted it and kept on moving. I loved how Edward was protective of Bella because many guys stand by and do nothing when their girlfriends are insulted. I loved that in the end they combined 3 different worlds/famlies and created a new bigger family. I just loved these books.
I think it depends on the type of person the reader is. If you're not bothered by teenage pregnancy and things then obviously you will think that things portrayed in the series are normal. Then again, if you don't like reading about things like that, like I know one of my friends doesnt and she is fourteen and literally shouts, "EWWW!!!" when someone says anything about Breaking Dawn or sex, then you won't want younger readers reading that.I read the first one when I was eleven, and I didn't know what I was getting myself into. I thought the first one was okay, bordering on annoying, and then when I read New Moon it just depressed me after half way through it and I didn't read any more of the series. I didn't like reading about the things Bella was doing at that age I was.
Wednesday wrote: "I do agree that some younger readers are sometimes more mature than older readers, but not quite as mature to handle Breaking Dawn. My biggest issues are Breaking Dawn and New Moon."Right, Breaking Dawn, with the honeymoon and all, is the killer for the mature young audiences. I read them a long time ago so remind me what is bad in New Moon.
Valencia wrote: "I think it's fine for any age to read/watch. With the things you see on tv and hear about on a daily basis Twilight books would be like reading a Disney book. And with the self image thing many gir..."I guess I find it inappropriate for young audiences just because I have seen people think things that are not okay very okay because of this series (I know because when they get defensive they support their idea with the books).
Mod
I don't think it was that bad but it was really depressing. When I think about New Moon I think about a couple in love and the man has to go away to fight a war to protect her but to make it easier on her he just breaks up with her and leaves town. Edward was her world and she saw her future with him and it pushed her into a depression. I know if that was me I would be super sad too for a long time just not as long as her. When you have someone you love and has accepted you for who you are molded into your life that deeply up and leave you you'd be pretty pathetic too.
Valencia wrote: "Irene wrote: "Wednesday wrote: "I do agree that some younger readers are sometimes more mature than older readers, but not quite as mature to handle Breaking Dawn. My biggest issues are Breaking Da..."I guess I was 'insensitive ' to her just because I hated their relationship, throughout the entire series because I felt like they were obsessed with each other and it was lust not love and that she had pushed away her family for a guy.
Irene wrote: "Wednesday wrote: "I do agree that some younger readers are sometimes more mature than older readers, but not quite as mature to handle Breaking Dawn. My biggest issues are Breaking Dawn and New Moo..."
Bella did dangerous things just hear Edward's voice after he left. I think that sends a bad message to girls, especially since Bella practically commited suicide because Edward left her. It has examples of over-dependency.
I do agree that it depends on your own maturity. But, by the same token, your maturity level can be measured by your age. There are certain ways that you haven't matured by a certain age, and while I don't agree with sheltering children from everything inappropriate, I do think there is a right age and maturity to read something like Twilight. I know, if kids don't learn about teen pregnancy through Breaking Dawn, they'll probably learn about somewhere else. Same with sex. But, I would much rather my future children be correctly informed and knowlegable about sex, rather than just having media and friends glorifing it. I want my kids to be safe and smart, but I don't want to hover over everything they do, either. When they get to that age, they'll become curious and may experiment, but I don't want something like Breaking Dawn giving them the wrong image about sex.
Bella did dangerous things just hear Edward's voice after he left. I think that sends a bad message to girls, especially since Bella practically commited suicide because Edward left her. It has examples of over-dependency.
I do agree that it depends on your own maturity. But, by the same token, your maturity level can be measured by your age. There are certain ways that you haven't matured by a certain age, and while I don't agree with sheltering children from everything inappropriate, I do think there is a right age and maturity to read something like Twilight. I know, if kids don't learn about teen pregnancy through Breaking Dawn, they'll probably learn about somewhere else. Same with sex. But, I would much rather my future children be correctly informed and knowlegable about sex, rather than just having media and friends glorifing it. I want my kids to be safe and smart, but I don't want to hover over everything they do, either. When they get to that age, they'll become curious and may experiment, but I don't want something like Breaking Dawn giving them the wrong image about sex.
Wednesday wrote: "Irene wrote: "Wednesday wrote: "I do agree that some younger readers are sometimes more mature than older readers, but not quite as mature to handle Breaking Dawn. My biggest issues are Breaking Da..."Oh yeah, that was another thing that irritated me about her.
True and most books are like that (as far as you need to be older to read due to some sort of content or another) .
Mod
Valencia wrote: "Irene wrote: "Wednesday wrote: "I do agree that some younger readers are sometimes more mature than older readers, but not quite as mature to handle Breaking Dawn. My biggest issues are Breaking Da..."
I guess it's all in your own interpretation. I thought the relationship between Bella and Edward was unrealistic and completely based on lust. I don't like the way Bella threw everything away just to be with Edward. Their relationship was too obsessive, in my opinion.
I guess it's all in your own interpretation. I thought the relationship between Bella and Edward was unrealistic and completely based on lust. I don't like the way Bella threw everything away just to be with Edward. Their relationship was too obsessive, in my opinion.
Wednesday wrote: "Valencia wrote: "Irene wrote: "Wednesday wrote: "I do agree that some younger readers are sometimes more mature than older readers, but not quite as mature to handle Breaking Dawn. My biggest issue..."Right, if it had been real and she had thrown herself at him she would have literally lost everything if they had broke up. She shoved away her friends and they were obsessed with each other.
Valencia wrote: "Oh yeah I understand that. A lot of people feel that she pushed them away (that's been said on some of the posts here too) but she did bring her dad over to see her baby and she had her friends at ..."
Right, but I felt like she pushed them away and kept them in the dark.
Mod
I agree with the obsessiveness but at the same time I feel that she never really had any passions or true reasons to love life and want to live it until she met him. So she put everything she had into their relationship. Like their relationship was like you're passion for life your reason for living like reading you put everything into reading and if anyone told you that you couldn't read or that you're wrong for reading or even if you could read anymore you'd be really upset and if you ever got the read again you would be very possesive of your books.
I think that's just a matter of Bella being a very flat character. She had no other interests, so Edward became her only interest. I would have liked to see her cooking for her and her dad play a bigger role in the book.
Wednesday wrote: "I think that's just a matter of Bella being a very flat character. She had no other interests, so Edward became her only interest. I would have liked to see her cooking for her and her dad play a b..."Yes, or another hobby (she could have been a painter or writer).
I little bit, but I didn't get much passion out of it.
Wednesday wrote: "I think that's just a matter of Bella being a very flat character. She had no other interests, so Edward became her only interest. I would have liked to see her cooking for her and her dad play a b..."Exactly. You hit it on the nail.
It depends, if you are mature enough then good. as long as they know what is right and wrong.
Honestly, I think that if the person is mature enough to 'understand' the story properly than sure, they could probably read it... but I think it should be advised that they don't read Breaking Dawn.
Mod
That goes for any book, well anything actually. Everything in life (jobs, books, music, art, relationships, ect) involves a certain level of maturity to be able to handle and appreciate it. And I doubt authors spend that must time trying to curve their writing around who they think will read their books. Also, no one should say a book is bad/stupid/pointless/ect just because they couldn't understand or apprecitate it. Lets take you for an example @Innocent Lamb I can't say that I don't like you just because I don't understand how you think or the things you write or do. I would just not be mature enough to understand you. It's the same thing with books.
Actually, today my sister asked if she could see Hunger Games on Friday. I immediately said no, because she's 9 and not mature enough to handle as much violence as is in the series. If she were older and more mature, I might consider it, but I think she only wanted to see the movie because it's popular.
I think I read them all when I was about 13-15, and I think that's an appropriate age range. I wouldn't really recommend the book to a 10-year-old, but that's not because of the sex/violence (which I don't think are all that bad anyway, really). I just don't think younger kids really relate to or quite understand themes like forbidden love and whatnot, and that's pretty much all the story is about.
I think they are okay. But I prefer if the child is at least 13 years old and above.
