In defense of Edward Cullen

I posted something in my Facebook status this weekend about having just finished the Twilight books. This status update sparked a lot of controversy, mostly from guys I know blasting the series. I just have a few things I wanted to say regarding the books, without causing any further controversy on Facebook.

I am always skeptical of things that mass amounts of people like, so naturally I had a lot of trepidation about reading the Twilight books. My sister read them and loved them, and we generally have a lot of the same tastes, so I decided to go for it. I'm a sap for a love story anyway. Now, I have yet to see any of the movies, and I am definitely not a Robert Pattinson fan. I think he's one of the most unattractive "heartthrobs" I've ever seen. I like Taylor Lautner because he has abs that won't quit, but I've never seen him act. I do enjoy Kristen Stewart in the few things I've seen her in, but mostly because I like her angst. So, my judgments on Twilight at this point come strictly from the Stephenie Meyer novels.

Meyer is not a great writer. There are many things about her storytelling that I could find fault with. But her characters are likeable. The only ones who aren't are the Volturi, the coven of vampires that initiate the attacks on Bella, and a few of the nomads. Even Rosalie, who seems pretty hateful at times, comes to be likeable in Breaking Dawn. I mean, don't vampires have to be likeable? Either you love them or you hate them (or alternately both, like Lestat from Interview with a Vampire). Teenage girls wouldn't be obsessed with a series of books about a bunch of evil fucking vampires, now would they?

Someone also said that the books were basically just supernatural romance novels. Let's see. The main characters remain virgins until marriage, and nothing more than kisses are described with any sort of detail. There are no synonyms for "loins" in the books. The whole thing is incredibly chaste, which is the opposite of any romance novel I've ever read.

Here was the disagreement that bothered me the most. Edward Cullen was called "patronizing, obsessive, and violent." I found him to be none of these things. Okay, maybe obsessive. I'll give you that one. But violent? Edward is the least violent character. He sacrifices his very nature in order to be with Bella. He puts her at risk, and I would definitely say that he is selfish, but he is the opposite of violent. Even when he and Bella consummate their marriage, he restrains himself in order to avoid putting her in pain. When Bella is pregnant, every pain the baby causes in her body causes him great emotional anguish. How does that make him violent? I wouldn't call him patronizing either. Bella is clearly the one that makes the rules and demands in the relationship. He doesn't speak down to her, and the one thing he does that causes her the most pain is when he leaves in an attempt to keep her from further danger. I made the comment during this whole thing that every girl wanted an Edward Cullen. This too was shot down. Who doesn't want a man who can always physically protect you thanks to raw strength, who lavishes gifts on you at every opportunity, who constantly tells you how beautiful you are, and who promises to love you forever and can actually live long enough to say that? Sounds pretty perfect to me.

I don't know why this whole thing is bothering me so much. I mean, I really liked the books, but I don't plan on reading them over and over. I will watch the movies, but I don't see myself becoming obsessed with them. I guess what bothers me is just the fact that my opinion was deemed "wrong" by certain people, and they spent so much energy arguing with me over something that I am clearly not going to change my mind about. *sigh* My opinions rarely line up with what's popular, then when they do I still get blasted for it. Whatever.