The Twilight series has been widely criticized for its portrayal of women. Much of this criticism stems from the fact that the books do not pass the Bechdel test. The Bechdel test is a simple test which measures the presence of women in fiction. To pass the test, a work of fiction must have at least two named women who talk to each other about something other than a man. The Twilight series fails this test, as the vast majority of conversations between women revolve around men.
This is not to say that men are not important to the Twilight series. On the contrary, the books are very much about the relationships between men and women. However, these relationships are often portrayed in a way that is damaging to women. For example, the main character, Bella, is constantly putting herself in danger in order to be close to her boyfriend, Edward. This ultimately leads to her getting hurt or even killed on several occasions. In addition, the Twilight series has been accused of romanticizing stalking and abuse, as Edward often stalks and watches Bella without her knowledge.
However, it is important to remember that the Bechdel test is a very simplistic measure. There are many works of fiction that pass the test but still have problematic portrayals of women. For example, the Harry Potter series passes the Bechdel test, but manyhave criticized it for its portrayal of women as damsels in distress who often need to be saved by the male characters. The Twilight series may not pass the Bechdel test, but that does not mean that it is automatically a bad series.
What is the plot of the Twilight series?
The Twilight series is a set of five vampire-themed fantasy romance novels by author Stephenie Meyer. Released between 2005 and 2008, the novels chart the course of protagonist Bella Swan's relationship with vampire Edward Cullen, from Bella's initial resistance and disgust at Edward's cold, unnerving gaze to her eventual consent to turn into a vampire herself in order to stay with him forever. The series is told primarily from Bella's perspective, with the epilogue of the final novel narrated by Alice Cullen, Edward's sister.
The first novel, Twilight, was published in 2005 and introduces seventeen-year-old Bella Swan, who moves from her home in Phoenix, Arizona, to Forks, Washington, to live with her father Charlie after her mother, Renée, remarries a man named James. Bella attends high school and quickly becomes best friends with a girl named Jessica, who introduces her to a boy named Mike Newton. Bella is startled one day when she sees a group of boys in her school, one of whom is Edward Cullen, flinging a tennis ball at superhuman speed against a cement wall.
As Bella gets to know Edward, she realizes that he only goes to school because he is legally required to until he turns eighteen, after which he plans to leave Forks. Edward is pale and beautiful, with strange, glittering eyes, and he seems to despise Bella at first. However, he eventually warms up to her and the two become good friends. Bella falls in love with Edward, even though she knows that he is keeping a secret from her.
Edward finally reveals to Bella that he and his family are vampires who drink animal blood to survive, and that he has been resisting the urge to kill and drink Bella's blood because he enjoys her company and finds her scent intoxicating. Bella initially finds this hard to believe, but Edward's extraordinary abilities-such as his ability to run at high speeds, his perfect eyesight, and his inhuman strength-soon convince her that he is telling the truth.
Bella becomes increasingly aware of the dangers of being in a relationship with a vampire, but she cannot resist her love for Edward and eventually agrees to become a vampire herself so that they can be together forever. The final novel in the series, Breaking Dawn, focuses on Bella's transformation into a vampire and her married life with Edward, as well as the birth of their daughter, Renesmee.
The Twilight series has
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Bechdel test in literature?
The Bechdel test is a measure of the representation of women in fiction. It asks whether a work features at least two women who talk to each other about something other than a man.
What is Alison Bechdel test?
It is a pop-cultural evaluation test which focuses on four primary aspects of women’s lives in the media: their relationships with other women, romantic and sexual experiences, occupational choices and representations in media.
What makes a movie pass the Bechdel test?
In order for a movie to pass the Bechdel Test, it must feature two women speaking to each other about something other than men. This can be anything from discussing cars to solving mysteries.
How many Bechdel test movies are there?
There are 117 Bechdel test movies.
What is the Bechdel test?
1) Is there at least one woman in the cast who speaks explicitly about her own experience (not a man)? 2) Do those women talk to each other about things other than men? 3) Are the conversations substantive and interesting?
