Every Thirsty Thursday will feature a thought-provoking topic, some more deep-seeded than others, but all designed to reach deep into the soul of the Twilighter thirsty for more.
This week, we peruse the blurred Twilight lines between teen and adult.
The Twilight series beat out the Harry Potter series and the Diary of a Wimpy Kid books for the Favorite Book category at the 2009 Kid’s Choice Awards. This award sends the message to viewers, both teen and mom, that Twilight is a book appropriate enough for kids.
But how young is too young to enjoy the Saga?
A recent poll at Hey, Monkey asked almost exactly the same question in regard to the Twilight movie:.jpg)
While the majority of voters found that the movie was appropriate for viewers 10 and older, the truth is that the Saga is also overwhelmingly popular among adults.
The “Editing-Room” even chose the popular Twilight movie to spoof, and the content is definitely NOT appropriate for young readers. In this tame excerpt, the author, Rod Hilton, mocks both Stephenie Meyer’s Mormon religion and Bella’s place as a “hollow” teen figure:
INT. GLASS MANSION
KRISTEN meets ROBERT’S VAMPIRE FAMILY.
PETER FACINELLI
Welcome to our ridiculously expensive home. I’m the father figure of this family because I’m the one who turned them all into vampires. There’s something disturbing about the idea that I’ve only turned teenagers into vampires, but let’s ignore that.
KRISTEN STEWART
Wow, you guys are so close. What keeps this family together so well?
PETER FACINELLI
Funny you should ask. Let me tell you about Count Joseph Von Smith. One day a vampire named Moronula appeared to him and told him to find these golden stakes buried in a coffin…
NIKKI REED
Knock it off, dad. So, Kristen, there must be something really special about you for Robert to take such a liking to you and risk the lives of his entire family. Tell us about yourself.
KRISTEN STEWART
Me? Oh, no. I’m just a hollow placeholder for all of the teenage girls in the audience to project their personalities onto. I have none of my own whatsoever.
Though the script in its entirety is quite amusing for the adult sense of humor, the unfortunate fact is that anything with the name Twilight attached is an automatic draw for kids as well. A group of kids recently used Hilton’s script to perform their own play, complete with expletives:
Disturbing as it is to hear kids swearing on film, this remains a perfect example of how Twilight affects adults in a bit of unadulterated fun with an altered comedic script, and children in an inappropriate light by acting that script out.
Because Twilight draws in such a mega audience of children and adults alike, the lines, consequently, tend to become extremely blurred. The idea of “forbidden love” strikes a passionate note for adults, while the same relationship between Bella and Edward conjures up images of a first, almost puppy love for children.
At what age did your child read the Twilight Saga? In what ways have you seen the lines become blurred between you and your child with regard to the series?
Comments
My daughter was 11 when she read the first 3 books, then had to wait b/c BD wasn't released until she was 12. I do feel like she is an exception to the rule though, b/c she has always been a reader and read ahead of her age. My younger daughter is only 9 and I wouldn't let her start reading them yet, although she has seen the movie, but that is just by default of being the younger sister! My oldest is 13 now and she has always been a bit mature for her age, so we were able to talk about the saga after I read it, and I didn't feel that she had been too young to start reading it, mainly b/c Stephenie wrote it in such a way that it was appropriate for tweens/teens yet gave the adults just enough to get our hearts racing and blood boiling! I will admit that b/c I have become a Twilighter, it freaked my DD out a bit that we found something that both of us were in to, of course I have enjoyed it b/c it gives us a connection at a time that she is trying to break away from me and grow up.
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