Suicidal Heroines

I knew it was going to happen eventually. My mother has finally forced me to sit through the second film in the Twilight Saga—New Moon. While I thought the direction and special effects were entertaining, I can't deny how disturbed I was at Bella's antics in the second chapter of this tween-catering franchise.

First, I should probably make a confession. I actually did read these books when they came out a few years ago. They are page-turners, and I finished them all in about a month or two during the summer. Mindless reading, to be sure, but in that special "I'm done with my grad courses and don't want to read anything intellectual ever again" way. But at that time the books were not as popular as they are now, and I think that as a result I wasn't really as bothered by Suicide!Bella as I am now.

The fact that millions (nay, probably billions at this point) of young women look up to this character as a role model is a trifle disturbing to me. I am definitely not in the camp of people who thinks that the films and books should be banned. But it is very depressing nonetheless. What is it about our culture that makes these kinds of heroines attractive?

Bella's entire existence is dependent on her relationship toward men: Edward, her father, and then Jacob as a kind of replacement for Edward after he leaves her, "for her own good."

The film shows several shots of Bella pining in a chair, looking out a window. It's all very emo, and you do feel bad for her. But enough is enough.

Bella continuously acts recklessly, just so she can see an apparition of this paternalistic Edward that tells her not to do whatever it is she is doing. At first it takes the form of her learning to ride a motorcycle - which on it's own is not so bad, except for the fact that Bella is so weak and clumsy and helpless. We just know that it's going to end badly.

The point where everything reaches a sickening level is when Bella jumps from a cliff just so she can see Edward again. Isn't that like, totally romantic? Yeah, I didn't think so either.

I know that a lot of people have railed against how sexist these books are. We have the totally stalker-tastic Edward in the first story, who is made fun of in this now infamous Buffy vs. Edward video—which completely takes the piss out of the broody, overly Byronic stalker-boy:






One of the things that makes me feel queasy is how often Edward proclaims that he must "Take care of Bella." How he must "protect" her. Has she no agency of her own? Is she not a grown woman? At least we don't see him strapping her into her seat belt in this film, but Bella's patheticness makes it just as bad.

What is the only thing that takes away the "hole in her chest?" Jacob. And she ruthlessly strings him along, knowing his feelings toward her, just so she doesn't have to, God forbid, be alone.

We've all been through pain. And we've all acted co-dependently at some point. I don't know, maybe I am being too hard on her. But watching Twilight really makes me yearn for heroines like Buffy.