emBODYed in twilight

I thought the Twilight article on sexuality was pretty interesting to read, which made some insightful interpretations from the book about the message of the female body and sex. However, I have a hang-ups with one argument:

In the 4^th book, Bella, who has wanted to become a vampire ever since she started dating Edward, finally transforms. 

McGeough explains, “Underneath the theme of romance is the story of a girl who wants to belong, and through bodily transformations, Bella is able to find her place of belonging…. Bella’s easy transition into a new body suggests girls can grow into their bodies and have positive experiences with, through, and because of their bodies.

Is McGeough serious? Are we supposed to believe that in becoming a vampire, which is a violent, painful, near-death procedure reminiscent of all-over plastic surgery gone wrong, Bella finds belonging? I doubt young girls take this as a message of learning to grow into their bodies. Instead, I think this message tells a story of a teen doesn’t ever learn too embrace her body nor see the beautiful in it that others can see. Reversely, she may encourage young teens to buy into plastic surgery, bio-cosmetics, tanning booths, diet pills… in order to “fix” what they think is wrong about their bodies. In fact, Bella’s obsessive desire to become a vampire in order to “belong” with Edward shows that she probably places far too much emphasis on appearance instead of personality. She doesn’t comment much on how she feels about Edward’s own damnation – she simply thinks something that looks that good must be good to be with.

I hated the film’s decision to cast Kristen Stewart as Bella (back when I actually was into the book series…). Mostly I found her far too apathetic and disengaged. I couldn’t place myself in her position – Stephanie Meyer wrote Bella as someone detailed enough to be sensitive, proud, and sad, but also vague enough that most girl readers could become Bella momentarily as they read from her point of view (and thus why so many girls fell in love with the symbol Edward Cullen). But Stewart doesn’t have enough charm.  

Body-wise, she seems to lack one – I don’t mean to say that girls aren’t allowed to have stick-straight legs and pointy faces, but book Bella says, “I had always been slender, but soft somehow, obviously not an athlete.” This Bella lacks the softness that could add sensuality, but I especially wonder if the filmmakers played on this generation’s unhealthy obsession with skinny models as examples of beauty, in order to present an appealing Bella to teen girls.

But to end on a positive note: In the film’s make out scene, Bella shows her desire for experiencing sexual pleasure, much like in the books, as McGeough points out. Bella says she’s less “strong” than Edward since he stops first, controlling himself so he doesn’t bite her. But I always took these types of scenes in the books, and more obviously in the movie, as a way of showing Bella’s power, and therefore strength, over Edward, in being able to so easily seduce him, and make him worried about going too far.