Paper
Macco Mack
Mr. Lewis
Engl1301-005
27 March 2013
Anti-Feministic Leaders In the essay “Taking a bite out of Twilight” Carmen Siering makes points that Bella, the main character in Twilight, is anti-feministic. Siering shows this through telling the reader that Bella needs either Edward or Jacob to survive, that Edward has to keep the relationship abstinent, and saying that Bella can’t make good decisions on her own. A strong feminist character wouldn’t need little to no help from a male character, but that is not the case for Bella throughout the series. Siering points out to the reader that Bella needs the protection of one of the stronger male characters “Edward isn’t just protective, though, but often over-protective of Bella” (par 7). The audience can tell that Siering was making that the point that good feminist characters don’t need to be protected by a man and that they can take care of themselves when the going gets tough. Another characteristic of a strong female is to be able to control herself and her body. Bella has a problem of control when she is in a situation with Edward which makes Edward have to step in and stop her. “From their very first kiss, she is fighting to control her awakening sexuality” (par 4). Siering shows that without Edwards’s restraint the young couple wouldn’t have been able to stay abstinent. “With Edward as the keeper of the couple’s purity…but shouldn’t the decision about when a couple is ready to move forward sexually be one they make together?” (Par 5)
Siering also show that Bella is not a leader but is a follower of the male characters. Strong leaders are able to make good decisions which is something that Bella does not do very well. “Some fans may argue that Bella is a strong character and that she makes her own decisions, but the few decisions she does make are usually shown to be bad ones, and they nearly always lead to someone (generally Edward) having to save her” (par 9). Even when leaders don’t make the
Mr. Lewis
Engl1301-005
27 March 2013
Anti-Feministic Leaders In the essay “Taking a bite out of Twilight” Carmen Siering makes points that Bella, the main character in Twilight, is anti-feministic. Siering shows this through telling the reader that Bella needs either Edward or Jacob to survive, that Edward has to keep the relationship abstinent, and saying that Bella can’t make good decisions on her own. A strong feminist character wouldn’t need little to no help from a male character, but that is not the case for Bella throughout the series. Siering points out to the reader that Bella needs the protection of one of the stronger male characters “Edward isn’t just protective, though, but often over-protective of Bella” (par 7). The audience can tell that Siering was making that the point that good feminist characters don’t need to be protected by a man and that they can take care of themselves when the going gets tough. Another characteristic of a strong female is to be able to control herself and her body. Bella has a problem of control when she is in a situation with Edward which makes Edward have to step in and stop her. “From their very first kiss, she is fighting to control her awakening sexuality” (par 4). Siering shows that without Edwards’s restraint the young couple wouldn’t have been able to stay abstinent. “With Edward as the keeper of the couple’s purity…but shouldn’t the decision about when a couple is ready to move forward sexually be one they make together?” (Par 5)
Siering also show that Bella is not a leader but is a follower of the male characters. Strong leaders are able to make good decisions which is something that Bella does not do very well. “Some fans may argue that Bella is a strong character and that she makes her own decisions, but the few decisions she does make are usually shown to be bad ones, and they nearly always lead to someone (generally Edward) having to save her” (par 9). Even when leaders don’t make the
Cited: Siering, Carmen D. “Taking a bite out of Twilight”, From inquiry to Academic Writing 2nd ed. Stuart, Greene and April Lindinsky, Boston: Bedford.2012.438-441.print.