All Hail The Sparkly One

I’m a casual twilight fan, I’m no twihard . It’s a unique position. I am not in love with a fictional character, I don’t get as involved in the books as I should and while I defend Meyers as a writer (there are plenty more rubbish writers out there and you know it so stop hating on this decent one just cause she got popular), I don’t believe the books are exceptionally well written but when asked if and why I like the series, I got straight answers.

Disclaimer : The following 2 cents will contain broad generalisations either implied or smacked in your face like pie.

I understand the draw twilight has for most fans. I also understand where all the primary hate comes from - Edward Cullen makes most men look bad. Contrary to popular belief, at its core, twilight to teenage girls isn’t special because of the sparkly vampires or the sexual tension. The absolute reciprocation of Bella’s love that Edward is capable of is what draws most of us in. Edward offers Bella something most teenage boys are incapable of, unswerving loyalty and devotion. Even to an emotionally detached, fiercely independent, stony bitch like me, the appeal is undeniable.

This common view that twilight is a concept well marketed to a bunch of silly hormone-ridden sexually repressed girls is misleading and insulting. These girls recognize a good thing when they see it and calling them crazy fangirls of the The Sparkly One is selling them short. The reasons for the adoration Edward Cullen receives aren’t nearly as shallow as most haters would like to think. Edward could have been average looking, with mediocre amounts of inheritance and *gasp* skin that didn’t shine like a thousand diamonds in the sun and there would still be girls at every corner, on every message board and in every movie theatre declaring their love for him. Most people underestimate just how irresistible a man that capable of commitment is. Ever wondered why movies like “The Notebook” had such astronomical success ? Without taking away from the amazing acting and other creative aspects of the film I believe the crowd-puller to be very similar to Twilight’s – The strength and persistence of Noah’s love for Allie. Its not just charming, its downright refreshing to most women. Imagine how much the response to the movie would have varied if say Noah regarded his time spent with Allie as a casual fling, if he told his mates unashamedly how good she was in bed, if he mocked how attached to him she had grown, if the day she left he hooked up with the girl next door cause she made at eyes at him and had a fine ass. In the movie we see Noah write Allie 365 letters before he lets her go. We see him wait for her till he can find closure. Yes Noah also makes the average man look bad. We silly women are big fans of integrity too.

Twilight isn’t about vampires, it isn’t about dark times ,dark people or bright spots. Its Edward and Bella , Bella and Edward. Love being expressed mutually with such conviction and honesty is what fascinates me and most other fans. Girls attach a certain emotional intensity to any romantic association and these girls put on their make up and expect emotional attachment from boys who clearly aren’t ready for them. I hope Stephanie Meyers realizes the significant message she sends out to young women everywhere which helps them realize not to “settle” for someone that has proven through his actions is incapable of fully echoing their sentiments, something that has left a lot of young men running around screaming words like ‘pansy’ and ‘unrealistic’. One can argue that Edward has had 107 years to mature and that his capacity to love is a clear sign of maturity but that doesn’t take away from Meyer’s idea of love that is central to the series.