Review Article by Kellee Uhr
Hjarvard, media and religion
Stig Hjarvard’s article ‘The Mediatization of Religion’ (2008) explores religious change through media consumption and the ways social groups establish religious view and apply it into the everyday. Through the process of mediatization, western societies that have deregulated media industries subsume religious issues and representations into mass media. This process leads to ‘banal religion’, where the disempowering of recognised religious institutions leads to a dominance of a hybridised belief system that blends folk religions, tradition religious symbols and pop culture characterisation. Hjarvard uses the process of banal religion as way to translate the implications of media consumption leading to religious and spiritual guidance and a sense of community.
The increased presence of generalised religious themes in the media through social activities such as ritual, worship, mourning and celebration (2008, p. 10) are examples of the de-secularisation of media and a renegotiation of sacred activities that broaden the scope of meaning and interaction. The growth of supernatural themes in popular culture is assisting this change. The representations of the supernatural world have developed into a rich exploration of characters and narratives, making the supernatural appear natural (2008, p. 9). The seriality of weekly televised drama, computer games and film assist in making religious themes through the supernatural a familiar phenomenon. Media and pop culture have developed into its own institution in contemporary society and as a consequence, other institutions such as religion become dependent on these communication and representation tools and have to rely on them to communicate with the broader community. The media becomes the formal authority to provide information and moral orientation while still entertaining the community and exploring narrative about society itself (2008, p. 13).
Hjarvard’s uses three theoretical frameworks to explore media as an agent for religious change, media as conduit, media as language and media as environment. By reconceptualising Michael Billing’s ‘banal nationalism’, Hjarvard creates ‘banal religion’ as a way to explain the mediatised expression of belief through popular culture and entertainment. It is through this process that the repercussions of the media become relevant, where individual religious and spiritual concerns become consumer entertainment and original meaning becomes blurred. The entertainment agenda is of higher priority than spiritual expression. When considering the representation of institutionalised religion through the media, it is important to consider Hjarvard’s argument.
Hoover and understanding transition
Hoover’s chapter explores the dominance of media as a centralized and dominant social and cultural force and how this position has changed recently from a ‘mass’ phenomenon to a more fractured, specialist audience base. This has allowed media to diversify and commodify its marketplace to explore a variety of themes and narratives. The nature of religion is also undergoing a transition period, moving from unified systems to a more individualised, wholly spiritual condition. Hoover explores the media’s symbolic inventory and integration into large social and cultural themes and values (2006, p. 56).
Hoover explores four media contexts where religion is present: news and journalism, religious broadcasting and televangelism, religious publishing and entertainment media. By outlining these four areas, Hoover emphasises where religion exists in its own right in media. It is the convergence of media and religion that is the key argument in Hoover’s chapter. Contemporary religion doesn’t exist in media culture and social practice in a totalising term, the media is a more diverse, atomised and targeted medium of communication. This ‘new religious scholarship’ requires a fundamental shift in how we engage with entertainment media and religion itself (2006, p. 71). Hoover argues that the line between secular media and religious media is increasingly more blurred and it is the development of a new ‘religious/symbolic marketplace’ in the media that has gone relatively unnoticed by religious authorities and institutions (2006, pp 74-76).
Hoover argues that a ‘seeking’ sensibility of the audience is attuned to culture and therefore, media but also to one’s own individual life trajectory and history. By outlining key ‘personalities’ of contemporary religion (born-again Christians, mainstream believers, metaphysical believers and seekers, dogmatists and secularists) to outline an evolving religious culture Hoover emphasises the transitory nature of religion not only to media communication and consumption but also to community and society as a whole. The relationship between religion and spiritual belief, media communication and personal worldview is a constantly evolving concept with each element influencing the other.
Arnaudin and Mormon Vampires
Arnaudin critically analyses the popular culture phenomenon, The Twilight Saga and its links to Mormonism and Mormon literature. Author Stephanie Meyer is a devout Mormon, born and raised. Arnaudin argues that due to Meyer’s faith, and its inherent presence in her daily life, The Twilight Saga books and subsequent films all explore key elements of the religion while not being simply religious scripture or advertising. By never explicitly mentioning the faith, Meyer creates a world that is spiritual but not specifically institutionalised.
Arnaudlin takes keys aspects of the characters and makes comparisons to scripture and narratives from Mormon literature. Discussions between the vampires, the Cullen family, are filled with notions of redemption, souls and the meaning of life. Arnaudlin argues that regardless of characterisation, the central themes of the series are the existence of souls and the value of good deeds, agency, sex and marriage, family structure and conversion. Arnaudlin also argues that references to Meyers’ faith in The Twilight Saga are so subtle that it has allowed for the series to reach a broader audience that are unaware of her faith and simply view the phenomenon as entertainment with supernatural themes.
The use of supernatural characters overshadows the obvious themes of Mormonism in The Twilight Saga. To the audience, the supernatural and its relation to the natural are key point of interest. By placing questions of life and spirituality into the storylines, Meyer only fuels the mediatization of religion and acts as an inherent feature of Meyers writing style and faith.
Conclusion
Contemporary religion and spirituality is incorporated in everyday media, from popular culture, news coverage and entertainment. Through a rise in supernatural themes, media explore new concepts of religion and often use this as a way to disguise traditional religious institutional messages. Hoover and Hjarvard argue that media and popular culture can never be devoid of the spiritual as these mediums themselves brand religion and spirituality. Consumerism and consumption of media and culture are so linked to contemporary life that books and films such as Twilight are popular. The Twilight phenomenon is an example of the supernatural being used as a natural framework to explore and express religion and spirituality.
Bibliography
Arnaudin, E.B. “Mormon Vampires: The Twilight Saga and Religious Literacy” Master’s paper. University of North Carolina, 2008.
Hjarvard, S. “The Mediatization of Religion: A Theory of the Media as Agents of Religious Change.” Northern Lights. 6.1 (2008): 9-16.
Hoover, S.M. “Media and Religion in Transition.” in Religion in the Media Age, London: Routledge, 2006.
Showing posts with label Vampires. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Vampires. Show all posts
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Monday, November 2, 2009
The Religion of Twilight: By Hadassah Meadows
Stephanie Meyer’s Twilight series has become an integral part of modern popular culture, and has the potential to become a ‘religion’ for devoted fans.
After capturing the imagination of people all over the world, the Twilight series has been recognised as a pillar of popular culture (Pennsylvania State University: 2009), uniting boys and girls, men and women in a love of the teenage love story between ‘plain Jane’ and an impossibly beautiful vampire. Within this essay I will examine some reasons why the Twilight series has captured the imagination of so many people, and it’s potential to replace mainstream religion with a ‘vampiric’ counterpart. The fascination with vampires will be explored, as well as other factors within Twilight’s appeal. The portrayal of vampires within film and popular culture will also be discussed in regard to the Twilight series.
Stephanie Meyer’s Twilight saga has taken the world by storm, creating a furore of media attention. The latest instalment in the Twilight ‘franchise’ is Summit Entertainment’s New Moon (IMDB: 2009), set to be released on the 20 November 2009. Meyer claims her inspiration for the series came to her in a dream, in which a beautifully pale and sparkly vampire spoke to a plain and ordinary girl in a meadow of his dilemma between love for her and the desire to drink her blood (Leitich Smith 1: 2006). Twilight was published in 2005, and quickly became a bestseller, making it to #5 on the New York Times Bestseller List only one month after the book’s release (New York Times: 2007). Twilight remained at number one for forty-two weeks, and the sequel, New Moon, remained at number one for forty-three weeks (New York Times: 2007). Twilight has reached an estimated thirty million readers and the film secured the number one spot on 2008 (Bell 1: 2009). Twilight’s popular attraction has many critics puzzled as the literature itself has been dubbed as quite poor (Cozzetto 1: 2009). It is Twilight’s content which holds the real pulling power, offering audiences an escape from their everyday lives, the hope of faithful, everlasting love, restrained desire, and the thrilling power of the supernatural. These elements of the series will be explored in further depth below.
Toted as a ‘tween’ and teen sensation, the statistics offer a differing perspective. Fandango.com published results of a survey of over 5000 Twilight viewers, with some startling results. Forty-two percent of respondents were over twenty-five years of age, twenty-five percent of respondents said they were going to view Twilight with their mother or daughter, and eighty-three percent planned to see the film a second time (Fandango.com: 2008). The reasons behind Twilight’s mass appeal must be explored to understand why it has captured the imagination of such a large audience.
Twilight’s basic plot is a typical Cinderella story – a plain and undeserving girl captures the heart of the popular and handsome prince whose love transforms her into something worthy of his devotion. The difference in this case is that instead of a rich and handsome prince Charming, the male protagonist is a rich and handsome vampire charming. Meyer’s use of the “vampire” has drawn in a ‘sub-cultural’ audience who devour anything in literature, film and popular culture related to vampires. Twilight’s vampire appeal may account for a large portion of its audiences according to Gelder, who answers the question ‘why vampires?’ by explaining that
“the answer lies primarily in their unfailing ability to fascinate. That is, they evoke a response that is not entirely “rational’ – a response that may sit somewhere in between disbelief and, in fact, a suspension of belief,” (2: 1994). Gelder continues by explaining that “vampires are both textual and extra-textual creatures; one can even ‘know’ about them (and irrationally wish to know more about them) without actually reading vampire fiction or watching vampire films. In this sense, they are ‘in’ culture; and they may well have (or be mobilised to have) ‘real’ affects,” (Gelder 2:1994).
Human fascination with vampires has been suggested to pander to the basest instincts within humanity, and vampires are what humanity could become if shed of all moral inhibitions (Locke 62: The Online Journal of Undergraduate Literary Criticism and Theory). Throughout history, the mythology of vampires has been twisted, inevitably, around religion. The old legends and folklore oft describe vampires as being demons and imply that their existence is a product of the Devil.
The image of Edward Cullen is another factor of Twilight’s appeal. Not only is Edward a perfect gentleman, who shows passion and restraint, but he is also described as “devastatingly, inhumanly beautiful,” (Twilight 19: 2005). Edward is musically talented, intelligent (demonstrated in Bella’s first encounter with him in the science lab), rich, kind, generous, self-sacrificial, romantic and relatively stable. He also possesses supernatural abilities such as impossible speed and strength, perfect balance, the ability to read minds and a heightened sense of empathy (Twilight: 2005). This image of Edward has become part of the Twilight ‘franchise.’ Posters, books, magazines, television advertisements, cinemas, and clothing all containing the image of Edward Cullen are readily available. Edward’s appeal is largely based in his supernatural abilities and his relationship with the supernatural, which is portrayed as something sinister, monstrous and undesirable within Twilight.
Bella’s obsession with Edward is closely followed by her obsession with his lifestyle, and from a very early point in the saga Bella decides she wants to partake in Edward’s lifestyle, essentially becoming ‘undead.’ Within the series, Edward expresses on many occasions his disgust with himself, and experiences a strong sense of self-loathing for the creature that he is (Twilight: 2005). This is evidenced in Edward’s statement to Bella, as he incredulously asks Bella, ''you don't care if I'm a monster? If I'm not human?'' (Twilight 187: 2005). Edward’s disgust for himself epitomises the ideology of the supernatural as ‘bad’ within the Twilight series. Despite Meyer creating the main plotlines around supernatural happenings, there is a definite sense of humanity being precious and almost sacred, and any deviations from normal humanity – such as vampires, and later in the series, werewolves – are reviled as unnatural and the characters otherworldliness is a ‘burden that must be borne.’ Unlike many other supernatural stories, the characters in Twilight live in a type of denial of their ‘unhumanity.’ The Cullen family shun their vampiric tendencies and live only on the blood of animals, maintaining the preciousness of human life. They inhibit their natural abilities to move faster and think quickly, to blend in with the humans around them. This shunning of the supernatural contrasted with Bella’s morbid fascination of it is held in tension within the saga, and is a central complication between Edward and Bella, as Edward refuses to give Bella her wish of becoming a vampire. The power the vampires possess could be unlimited and used for their own advantage and even to dominate humanity, yet they show moral restraint and seem to have a higher moral code than Bella or even other humans. This dichotomy between the vampire’s high moral ethic and the negative portrayal of their supernatural existence is another aspect of Meyer’s character development within the series.
Twilight provides a popular cultural alternative to mainstream religion, and has quickly become a replacement to some of its audience. A religion based around Twilight has cropped up recently and is being called ‘Cullenism.’ Cullenists believe that “just like any other religion, there is some spirituality to be had out of the Twilight series,” (Bell 1: 2009). The basic set of beliefs in Cullenism is the belief that “Edward and the rest of the Twilight characters are real,” that “the Twilight series should be worshipped," and that "if you are good in life, you will be blessed with eternity with the Cullens." Cullenists are also expected to read some of the books on a daily basis, "like the Bible" and make a pilgrimage to Forks,” (Bell 1: 2009). The deities are the Cullens, and should be worshipped. The religion of Twilight provides a community (often online) of like-minded individuals who share similar beliefs, opinions and values, for both the devout fan and the firm adherent to Cullenism. As a religion, Twilight successfully offers an alternative to sexually hungry, and often aimless teenagers who often desire a more ‘attractive’ appeal to their religion (Schofield Clark 78: 2000).
The portrayal of vampires within film and pop culture is not a new portrayal in any way. Peter Dendle, an associate professor of English at Penn State Mont Alto who studies early medieval demonology and folklore, says “vampires have been around for quite some time, but go through phases of popularity, much like fashion trends. Vampire-like creatures are known from as early as the earliest recorded writings. In Greek literature, there is not a Dracula or Twilight character, but the idea of a soul-sapping, life-drawing creature in human or animal form is very old,” (Pennsylvania State University 1: 2009).
Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu’s Carmilla, published in 1872, was one of the first vampire novellas, predating Bram Stoker’s Dracula by twenty-five years. Film creations of vampire tales came swiftly after, with The Vampire released in 1913 (IMDB: 2009) and then Nosferatu in 1922 directed by Friedrich Wilhelm Murnau in Germany (IMDB: 2009). Since then, there have been many and varied portrayals of vampires within film and popular culture, often associated with being sexually predatory or sexually alluring. “In the 19th century, Bram Stoker's gothic novel, "Dracula," discreetly sexualized the vampire with a male predator drawing life out of a maidenly woman. Dendle says ‘Stoker used metaphors for sexuality, in a century when it was difficult to write about it explicitly,’” (Pennsylvania State University 1: 2009).
Film is only a small aspect of the media within popular culture, and Twilight has effectively transcended the divide between Hollywood and popular media. In his book, Mass-Mediated Culture, Michael Real provides an example of how popular culture shapes individuals and society as a whole. He argues that “Mass-mediated culture primarily serves the interests of the relatively small political-economic power elite that sits atop the social pyramid. It does so by programming mass consciousness....For example, while allegedly ‘giving people what they want,’ commercial television maximises private corporate profit, restricts choices, fragments consciousness, and masks alienation,” (Cited in Forbes 6: 2005). Twilight has successfully seeped into Western popular culture, much like any other cult following or money-making venture peddled by the media’s elite. The difference with the Twilight series is that was initially overlooked by conventional media, and passed via word of mouth and the internet (Miller 1: 2008). The lag in time for MTV to pick up on the vampire craze is something Miller points out as supporting the initial media lag in support of Twilight.
The success of Twilight’s transition from book, to film, to franchise is what has made it a pillar of popular culture and youth popular culture. Twilight’s permeation through every type of media is what makes it successful, according to Laura Miller (1: 2008). The cultish tendencies of Twilight fanatics who religiously dedicate themselves to the ideologies and concepts within Twilight take it out of the realm of popular culture and media, and into the realm of religion. Twilight provides an alternative to mainstream religion, which is often considered boring and mundane. The Twilight series offers a religion with a little more ‘bite.’
Reference List
Cozzetto, Christina. Twilight Book Review. Date Accessed: 28 October 2009. Available at: http://thebrownspectator.com/twilight/
Bell, Amanda. 2009. Twilight series spawns religion. Date Accessed: 29 October 2009. Available at: http://www.examiner.com/x-4908-Twilight-Examiner~y2009m4d2-Twilight-series-spawns-religion-Edward-Cullen-is-real-members-should-read-the-books-like-a-Bible
Forbes, Bruce David and Mahan, Jeffrey H. 2005. Religion and Popular Culture in America. Berkeley: University of California Press.
Frayling, Christopher. 1992. Vampyres: Lord Byron to Count Dracula.
Freeland, Cynthia A. 2000. The Naked and the Undead: Evil and the Appeal of Horror. Westview Press.
Gelder, Ken. 1994. Reading the Vampire. Routledge Press: New York.
Gordon. 1999. The Vampire Book: The Encyclopedia of the Undead. Visible Ink Press.
Greydanus, Steven, D. 2009. Twilight Appeal: The cult of Edward Cullen and vampire love in Stephanie Meyer’s novels and the new film. Date Accessed: 28 October 2009. Available at: http://www.decentfilms.com/sections/articles/twilight.html
Holte, James Craig. 1997. Dracula in the Dark: The Dracula Film Adaptations. Greenwood Press.
Kirk, Connie Ann. 2009. Got Blood? Vampires in Literature, Film, and Popular Culture. Date Accessed: 28 October 2009. Available at: http://www.examiner.com/x-11613-Books-on-Film-Examiner~y2009m9d15-Got-Blood-Vampires-in-Literature-Film-and-Popular-Culture-class-gets-media-attention
Latham, Rob. 2002. Consuming Youth: Vampires, Cyborgs and the culture of consumption. University of Chicago Press. Chicago.
Leatherdale, C. 1993. Dracula: The Novel and the Legend. Desert Island Books.Melton, J.
Leitich Smith, Cynthia. Author Interview: Stephanie Meyer on Twilight. Date accessed: 29 October 2009. Available at: http://cynthialeitichsmith.blogspot.com/2006/03/author-interview-stephenie-meyer-on.html
Lerner, Nathan. 2008. Twilight: A Cult Phenomenon. Date Accessed: 29 October 2009. Available at: http://features.csmonitor.com/books/2008/11/24/twilight-a-cult-phenomenon/
Locke, Andrea. 2009. Theocrit: The online journal of undergraduate literary criticism and theory 1.1 (Spring 2009): 62 -68.
Marketwatch – Twilight Statistics. Date Accessed: 28 October 2009. Available at: http://twilightersanonymous.com/market-watch-twilight-statistics.html
Miller, Laura. 2008. Touched by a Vampire. Date Accessed: 28 October 2009. Available at: http://www.salon.com/books/review/2008/07/30/Twilight/
New York Times. 2007. Children’s Books Bestsellers Lists. Date Accessed: 27 October 2009. Available at: http://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/17/books/bestseller/0617bestchildren.html?scp=10&sq=the+new+girl+falls+love+vampire&st=nyt
Schofield Clark, Lynn. 2000. “U.S.Adolescents, the Media, and the ‘Funky’ Side of Religion,” Journal of Communication 52, no. 4.
Silver, Alain and Ursini, James. The Vampire Film. Date Accessed: 28 October 2009. Available at: http://www6.district125.k12.il.us/~raronoff/Files/Film%20Genres/Vampires/vampirefilm.pdf
Vampire Mania a perpetual fad in pop culture. 2009. Pennsylvania State Unversity. Date Accessed: 30 October 2009. Available at: http://www.physorg.com/news175891178.html
After capturing the imagination of people all over the world, the Twilight series has been recognised as a pillar of popular culture (Pennsylvania State University: 2009), uniting boys and girls, men and women in a love of the teenage love story between ‘plain Jane’ and an impossibly beautiful vampire. Within this essay I will examine some reasons why the Twilight series has captured the imagination of so many people, and it’s potential to replace mainstream religion with a ‘vampiric’ counterpart. The fascination with vampires will be explored, as well as other factors within Twilight’s appeal. The portrayal of vampires within film and popular culture will also be discussed in regard to the Twilight series.
Stephanie Meyer’s Twilight saga has taken the world by storm, creating a furore of media attention. The latest instalment in the Twilight ‘franchise’ is Summit Entertainment’s New Moon (IMDB: 2009), set to be released on the 20 November 2009. Meyer claims her inspiration for the series came to her in a dream, in which a beautifully pale and sparkly vampire spoke to a plain and ordinary girl in a meadow of his dilemma between love for her and the desire to drink her blood (Leitich Smith 1: 2006). Twilight was published in 2005, and quickly became a bestseller, making it to #5 on the New York Times Bestseller List only one month after the book’s release (New York Times: 2007). Twilight remained at number one for forty-two weeks, and the sequel, New Moon, remained at number one for forty-three weeks (New York Times: 2007). Twilight has reached an estimated thirty million readers and the film secured the number one spot on 2008 (Bell 1: 2009). Twilight’s popular attraction has many critics puzzled as the literature itself has been dubbed as quite poor (Cozzetto 1: 2009). It is Twilight’s content which holds the real pulling power, offering audiences an escape from their everyday lives, the hope of faithful, everlasting love, restrained desire, and the thrilling power of the supernatural. These elements of the series will be explored in further depth below.
Toted as a ‘tween’ and teen sensation, the statistics offer a differing perspective. Fandango.com published results of a survey of over 5000 Twilight viewers, with some startling results. Forty-two percent of respondents were over twenty-five years of age, twenty-five percent of respondents said they were going to view Twilight with their mother or daughter, and eighty-three percent planned to see the film a second time (Fandango.com: 2008). The reasons behind Twilight’s mass appeal must be explored to understand why it has captured the imagination of such a large audience.
Twilight’s basic plot is a typical Cinderella story – a plain and undeserving girl captures the heart of the popular and handsome prince whose love transforms her into something worthy of his devotion. The difference in this case is that instead of a rich and handsome prince Charming, the male protagonist is a rich and handsome vampire charming. Meyer’s use of the “vampire” has drawn in a ‘sub-cultural’ audience who devour anything in literature, film and popular culture related to vampires. Twilight’s vampire appeal may account for a large portion of its audiences according to Gelder, who answers the question ‘why vampires?’ by explaining that
“the answer lies primarily in their unfailing ability to fascinate. That is, they evoke a response that is not entirely “rational’ – a response that may sit somewhere in between disbelief and, in fact, a suspension of belief,” (2: 1994). Gelder continues by explaining that “vampires are both textual and extra-textual creatures; one can even ‘know’ about them (and irrationally wish to know more about them) without actually reading vampire fiction or watching vampire films. In this sense, they are ‘in’ culture; and they may well have (or be mobilised to have) ‘real’ affects,” (Gelder 2:1994).
Human fascination with vampires has been suggested to pander to the basest instincts within humanity, and vampires are what humanity could become if shed of all moral inhibitions (Locke 62: The Online Journal of Undergraduate Literary Criticism and Theory). Throughout history, the mythology of vampires has been twisted, inevitably, around religion. The old legends and folklore oft describe vampires as being demons and imply that their existence is a product of the Devil.
The image of Edward Cullen is another factor of Twilight’s appeal. Not only is Edward a perfect gentleman, who shows passion and restraint, but he is also described as “devastatingly, inhumanly beautiful,” (Twilight 19: 2005). Edward is musically talented, intelligent (demonstrated in Bella’s first encounter with him in the science lab), rich, kind, generous, self-sacrificial, romantic and relatively stable. He also possesses supernatural abilities such as impossible speed and strength, perfect balance, the ability to read minds and a heightened sense of empathy (Twilight: 2005). This image of Edward has become part of the Twilight ‘franchise.’ Posters, books, magazines, television advertisements, cinemas, and clothing all containing the image of Edward Cullen are readily available. Edward’s appeal is largely based in his supernatural abilities and his relationship with the supernatural, which is portrayed as something sinister, monstrous and undesirable within Twilight.
Bella’s obsession with Edward is closely followed by her obsession with his lifestyle, and from a very early point in the saga Bella decides she wants to partake in Edward’s lifestyle, essentially becoming ‘undead.’ Within the series, Edward expresses on many occasions his disgust with himself, and experiences a strong sense of self-loathing for the creature that he is (Twilight: 2005). This is evidenced in Edward’s statement to Bella, as he incredulously asks Bella, ''you don't care if I'm a monster? If I'm not human?'' (Twilight 187: 2005). Edward’s disgust for himself epitomises the ideology of the supernatural as ‘bad’ within the Twilight series. Despite Meyer creating the main plotlines around supernatural happenings, there is a definite sense of humanity being precious and almost sacred, and any deviations from normal humanity – such as vampires, and later in the series, werewolves – are reviled as unnatural and the characters otherworldliness is a ‘burden that must be borne.’ Unlike many other supernatural stories, the characters in Twilight live in a type of denial of their ‘unhumanity.’ The Cullen family shun their vampiric tendencies and live only on the blood of animals, maintaining the preciousness of human life. They inhibit their natural abilities to move faster and think quickly, to blend in with the humans around them. This shunning of the supernatural contrasted with Bella’s morbid fascination of it is held in tension within the saga, and is a central complication between Edward and Bella, as Edward refuses to give Bella her wish of becoming a vampire. The power the vampires possess could be unlimited and used for their own advantage and even to dominate humanity, yet they show moral restraint and seem to have a higher moral code than Bella or even other humans. This dichotomy between the vampire’s high moral ethic and the negative portrayal of their supernatural existence is another aspect of Meyer’s character development within the series.
Twilight provides a popular cultural alternative to mainstream religion, and has quickly become a replacement to some of its audience. A religion based around Twilight has cropped up recently and is being called ‘Cullenism.’ Cullenists believe that “just like any other religion, there is some spirituality to be had out of the Twilight series,” (Bell 1: 2009). The basic set of beliefs in Cullenism is the belief that “Edward and the rest of the Twilight characters are real,” that “the Twilight series should be worshipped," and that "if you are good in life, you will be blessed with eternity with the Cullens." Cullenists are also expected to read some of the books on a daily basis, "like the Bible" and make a pilgrimage to Forks,” (Bell 1: 2009). The deities are the Cullens, and should be worshipped. The religion of Twilight provides a community (often online) of like-minded individuals who share similar beliefs, opinions and values, for both the devout fan and the firm adherent to Cullenism. As a religion, Twilight successfully offers an alternative to sexually hungry, and often aimless teenagers who often desire a more ‘attractive’ appeal to their religion (Schofield Clark 78: 2000).
The portrayal of vampires within film and pop culture is not a new portrayal in any way. Peter Dendle, an associate professor of English at Penn State Mont Alto who studies early medieval demonology and folklore, says “vampires have been around for quite some time, but go through phases of popularity, much like fashion trends. Vampire-like creatures are known from as early as the earliest recorded writings. In Greek literature, there is not a Dracula or Twilight character, but the idea of a soul-sapping, life-drawing creature in human or animal form is very old,” (Pennsylvania State University 1: 2009).
Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu’s Carmilla, published in 1872, was one of the first vampire novellas, predating Bram Stoker’s Dracula by twenty-five years. Film creations of vampire tales came swiftly after, with The Vampire released in 1913 (IMDB: 2009) and then Nosferatu in 1922 directed by Friedrich Wilhelm Murnau in Germany (IMDB: 2009). Since then, there have been many and varied portrayals of vampires within film and popular culture, often associated with being sexually predatory or sexually alluring. “In the 19th century, Bram Stoker's gothic novel, "Dracula," discreetly sexualized the vampire with a male predator drawing life out of a maidenly woman. Dendle says ‘Stoker used metaphors for sexuality, in a century when it was difficult to write about it explicitly,’” (Pennsylvania State University 1: 2009).
Film is only a small aspect of the media within popular culture, and Twilight has effectively transcended the divide between Hollywood and popular media. In his book, Mass-Mediated Culture, Michael Real provides an example of how popular culture shapes individuals and society as a whole. He argues that “Mass-mediated culture primarily serves the interests of the relatively small political-economic power elite that sits atop the social pyramid. It does so by programming mass consciousness....For example, while allegedly ‘giving people what they want,’ commercial television maximises private corporate profit, restricts choices, fragments consciousness, and masks alienation,” (Cited in Forbes 6: 2005). Twilight has successfully seeped into Western popular culture, much like any other cult following or money-making venture peddled by the media’s elite. The difference with the Twilight series is that was initially overlooked by conventional media, and passed via word of mouth and the internet (Miller 1: 2008). The lag in time for MTV to pick up on the vampire craze is something Miller points out as supporting the initial media lag in support of Twilight.
The success of Twilight’s transition from book, to film, to franchise is what has made it a pillar of popular culture and youth popular culture. Twilight’s permeation through every type of media is what makes it successful, according to Laura Miller (1: 2008). The cultish tendencies of Twilight fanatics who religiously dedicate themselves to the ideologies and concepts within Twilight take it out of the realm of popular culture and media, and into the realm of religion. Twilight provides an alternative to mainstream religion, which is often considered boring and mundane. The Twilight series offers a religion with a little more ‘bite.’
Reference List
Cozzetto, Christina. Twilight Book Review. Date Accessed: 28 October 2009. Available at: http://thebrownspectator.com/twilight/
Bell, Amanda. 2009. Twilight series spawns religion. Date Accessed: 29 October 2009. Available at: http://www.examiner.com/x-4908-Twilight-Examiner~y2009m4d2-Twilight-series-spawns-religion-Edward-Cullen-is-real-members-should-read-the-books-like-a-Bible
Forbes, Bruce David and Mahan, Jeffrey H. 2005. Religion and Popular Culture in America. Berkeley: University of California Press.
Frayling, Christopher. 1992. Vampyres: Lord Byron to Count Dracula.
Freeland, Cynthia A. 2000. The Naked and the Undead: Evil and the Appeal of Horror. Westview Press.
Gelder, Ken. 1994. Reading the Vampire. Routledge Press: New York.
Gordon. 1999. The Vampire Book: The Encyclopedia of the Undead. Visible Ink Press.
Greydanus, Steven, D. 2009. Twilight Appeal: The cult of Edward Cullen and vampire love in Stephanie Meyer’s novels and the new film. Date Accessed: 28 October 2009. Available at: http://www.decentfilms.com/sections/articles/twilight.html
Holte, James Craig. 1997. Dracula in the Dark: The Dracula Film Adaptations. Greenwood Press.
Kirk, Connie Ann. 2009. Got Blood? Vampires in Literature, Film, and Popular Culture. Date Accessed: 28 October 2009. Available at: http://www.examiner.com/x-11613-Books-on-Film-Examiner~y2009m9d15-Got-Blood-Vampires-in-Literature-Film-and-Popular-Culture-class-gets-media-attention
Latham, Rob. 2002. Consuming Youth: Vampires, Cyborgs and the culture of consumption. University of Chicago Press. Chicago.
Leatherdale, C. 1993. Dracula: The Novel and the Legend. Desert Island Books.Melton, J.
Leitich Smith, Cynthia. Author Interview: Stephanie Meyer on Twilight. Date accessed: 29 October 2009. Available at: http://cynthialeitichsmith.blogspot.com/2006/03/author-interview-stephenie-meyer-on.html
Lerner, Nathan. 2008. Twilight: A Cult Phenomenon. Date Accessed: 29 October 2009. Available at: http://features.csmonitor.com/books/2008/11/24/twilight-a-cult-phenomenon/
Locke, Andrea. 2009. Theocrit: The online journal of undergraduate literary criticism and theory 1.1 (Spring 2009): 62 -68.
Marketwatch – Twilight Statistics. Date Accessed: 28 October 2009. Available at: http://twilightersanonymous.com/market-watch-twilight-statistics.html
Miller, Laura. 2008. Touched by a Vampire. Date Accessed: 28 October 2009. Available at: http://www.salon.com/books/review/2008/07/30/Twilight/
New York Times. 2007. Children’s Books Bestsellers Lists. Date Accessed: 27 October 2009. Available at: http://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/17/books/bestseller/0617bestchildren.html?scp=10&sq=the+new+girl+falls+love+vampire&st=nyt
Schofield Clark, Lynn. 2000. “U.S.Adolescents, the Media, and the ‘Funky’ Side of Religion,” Journal of Communication 52, no. 4.
Silver, Alain and Ursini, James. The Vampire Film. Date Accessed: 28 October 2009. Available at: http://www6.district125.k12.il.us/~raronoff/Files/Film%20Genres/Vampires/vampirefilm.pdf
Vampire Mania a perpetual fad in pop culture. 2009. Pennsylvania State Unversity. Date Accessed: 30 October 2009. Available at: http://www.physorg.com/news175891178.html
Friday, October 31, 2008
Buffy and the power within - Tallulah Grey
Joss Whedon’s Buffy the Vampire Slayer, while it can be seen as a leader in the modern occult phenomenon, has also helped break down barriers and demolish stereotypes that have in the past severely damaged our views and beliefs. Buffy has become a source of power for many individuals and groups which had previously lacked either the strength, the will or the faith to stand up and be counted. Buffy is, in its very essence, counter-hegemonic: going against the tide in every way. Buffy Summers becomes a Patron Saint of feminine strength, and her best friend Willow becomes quite literally a Goddess.
The standard in television is usually a hero: a young man with some sort of power, whether it be intelligence, strength or the ability to breathe fire or jump back in time. This hero either works alone or with a small group of companions. Romantic entanglements are short-lived, especially for the romantic character, who often dies almost immediately after a relationship is begun. Villains are irredeemable, and sometimes in some way demonic. Buffy breaks the mould in many ways.
The hero is a heroine: a teenage girl gifted (or cursed) with the task of being the Slayer. Normally the Slayer is a one-man (or in this case woman) show, but Buffy has a group of friends who help her. Each of her friends embodies a different strength: Giles has the knowledge, Willow has the magic as well as the tech-savvies to hack into any system, Anya has the experience, Cordelia has the guts, and Xander has the heart. Buffy’s romantic relationships, while often ending in heartbreak and, on occasion, violent death, last for much longer than most television heroes seem to be able to manage. While Buffy’s villains are almost always literally demonized, they usually have a human aspect. In most cases, they love someone or something, and this leads to either their salvation or destruction. (Wilcox 3 – 17)
The article “Willow’s Queer Transformations on Buffy the Vampire Slayer” by Susan Driver deals with issues of “coming of age, coming out, [and] becoming powerful.” (Driver 91) Using the character Willow Rosenberg as an example, Driver discusses lesbians in the media, or the lack thereof. Driver states that often in television, while male coming out plotlines can be drawn out and complex, lesbian characters get pushed to the backburner, getting ignored unless necessary for a bit of “erotic fascination”. (Driver 92) “On rare occasions when girls are portrayed, they become reduced to an immature phase of bisexual indecision”, (Driver 92) suggesting that the media is implying that teenage girls are less likely to have as much of a decisive will as their male companions. When Willow came out, teenage girls flocked to this new guide through a complex and confusing time in their lives. Willow’s relationships had as much screen time as the heterosexual relationships in Buffy, and she had just as much depth as, if not more than, any other main character. Her arc was overwhelmingly powerful. “Willow went from innocent and geeky and adorable to confident and intelligent, and then to frighteningly evil but still sexy, and then to unsure” (Driver 95) and from there to an all-powerful Goddess.
One of Willow’s most attractive aspects is her imperfection. In high school, she is not the sexy girl who stood out from the crowd. She’s just another teenager wearing dorky clothes, not knowing where her life is going to take her. A twenty-year old girl, Helen, is quoted in Driver’s article as to why a character like Willow is so necessary to the young queer community.
“I work at Taco Time. I don’t have a girlfriend, and haven’t in over three years. I wear normal, boring clothing and dirty shoes. I listen to Broadway musicals and obsess over TV shows. I love my friends, but don’t fall in love with them. Every person I’d like to be with doesn’t necessarily want me back, and vice versa. I have an accepting family where there is no drama whatsoever related to being gay. I’m not a sex object used to please the male viewers. I am a real person who happens to like girls.” (Driver 96)
Rather than waking up one morning to discover a new set of truths, Willow, like many other teenage girls, “become[s] ‘gay’ slowly and patiently, beyond the linear progression and finality.” (Driver 97) Again, this is important, as a realistic view of gay women helps to not only give young questioning women the confidence to believe in themselves and truly understand their feelings, but also to educate a society in which young lesbians are still often considered to be seeking attention, or just simply experimenting. Willow becomes a beacon of hope for a more accepting future.
Returning now to Buffy herself, it is easy to read the Slayer as a metaphor for female power. A beautiful, sassy young woman with super strength and a destiny, while being an attractive feature in any television program, becomes a symbol. “In Buffy, we see no heaven, no God, no Christ,” (Erickson, 114) just the demons and the girl here to save us. None of the main characters in Buffy are particularly religious. Buffy herself, although she has died and gone to what she thought might be heaven, is still unsure of the existence of any higher power. It is mentioned on occasion that Willow is Jewish, but as she delves further into the world of witchcraft this life is left behind and she becomes her own symbol of power. On occasion a character will quote the Bible, but it is almost always a demon or vampire doing so. Does this make a statement regarding fundamental religion, or perhaps those who are drawn to it? Religion is wisely ignored during Buffy whenever possible. While Buffy is a show that relies heavily on occult and religious imagery, there is never a need to shove these images down our throats, although at times Buffy may feel the need to shove one of these religious images, such as a crucifix, down a vampire’s throat.
Buffy has become a symbol of strength and power for those unable to stand up for themselves. Throughout so much of history, women have not had equal rights to men, and it is only in the past hundred years that this has begun to change. In our supposed enlightened and free western society, there are still many women who are downtrodden and controlled. Even some who do not realize it are manipulated by their families, friends or partners. They become less than their potential. Buffy gives us all the opportunity to take the power back, and to fight those who have crushed our spirits. Whether we’re men or women, straight, gay or undecided, black, white or purple, living or undead, Buffy shows us that we all have the power to be strong.
References
Driver, S. “Willow’s Queer Transformations on Buffy the Vampire Slayer: coming of age, coming out, becoming powerful.” in “Queer girls and popular culture: reading, resisting, and creating media”, New York, Peter Lang, 2007, ch.3 pp.91-126.
Erickson, G. “Sometimes you need a story: American Christianity, Vampires and Buffy” in “Fighting the Forces: what’s at stake in Buffy the Vampire Slayer”, Oxford, Rowman and Littlefield, 2002, pp. 108 – 119.
Pender, P. “Kicking Ass is Comfort Food”
Playden, Z. “What You Are, What’s to Come: feminisms, citizenship and the divine” in “Reading the vampire slayer: an unofficial critical companion to Buffy and Angel”, London, Tauris Parke, 2001, ch.6, pp.120-147.
Wilcox, V. “Who died and made her the boss? Patterns of Mortality in Buffy” in “Fighting the Forces: what’s at stake in Buffy the Vampire Slayer”, Oxford, Rowman and Littlefield, 2002, pp. 3 – 17.
The standard in television is usually a hero: a young man with some sort of power, whether it be intelligence, strength or the ability to breathe fire or jump back in time. This hero either works alone or with a small group of companions. Romantic entanglements are short-lived, especially for the romantic character, who often dies almost immediately after a relationship is begun. Villains are irredeemable, and sometimes in some way demonic. Buffy breaks the mould in many ways.
The hero is a heroine: a teenage girl gifted (or cursed) with the task of being the Slayer. Normally the Slayer is a one-man (or in this case woman) show, but Buffy has a group of friends who help her. Each of her friends embodies a different strength: Giles has the knowledge, Willow has the magic as well as the tech-savvies to hack into any system, Anya has the experience, Cordelia has the guts, and Xander has the heart. Buffy’s romantic relationships, while often ending in heartbreak and, on occasion, violent death, last for much longer than most television heroes seem to be able to manage. While Buffy’s villains are almost always literally demonized, they usually have a human aspect. In most cases, they love someone or something, and this leads to either their salvation or destruction. (Wilcox 3 – 17)
The article “Willow’s Queer Transformations on Buffy the Vampire Slayer” by Susan Driver deals with issues of “coming of age, coming out, [and] becoming powerful.” (Driver 91) Using the character Willow Rosenberg as an example, Driver discusses lesbians in the media, or the lack thereof. Driver states that often in television, while male coming out plotlines can be drawn out and complex, lesbian characters get pushed to the backburner, getting ignored unless necessary for a bit of “erotic fascination”. (Driver 92) “On rare occasions when girls are portrayed, they become reduced to an immature phase of bisexual indecision”, (Driver 92) suggesting that the media is implying that teenage girls are less likely to have as much of a decisive will as their male companions. When Willow came out, teenage girls flocked to this new guide through a complex and confusing time in their lives. Willow’s relationships had as much screen time as the heterosexual relationships in Buffy, and she had just as much depth as, if not more than, any other main character. Her arc was overwhelmingly powerful. “Willow went from innocent and geeky and adorable to confident and intelligent, and then to frighteningly evil but still sexy, and then to unsure” (Driver 95) and from there to an all-powerful Goddess.
One of Willow’s most attractive aspects is her imperfection. In high school, she is not the sexy girl who stood out from the crowd. She’s just another teenager wearing dorky clothes, not knowing where her life is going to take her. A twenty-year old girl, Helen, is quoted in Driver’s article as to why a character like Willow is so necessary to the young queer community.
“I work at Taco Time. I don’t have a girlfriend, and haven’t in over three years. I wear normal, boring clothing and dirty shoes. I listen to Broadway musicals and obsess over TV shows. I love my friends, but don’t fall in love with them. Every person I’d like to be with doesn’t necessarily want me back, and vice versa. I have an accepting family where there is no drama whatsoever related to being gay. I’m not a sex object used to please the male viewers. I am a real person who happens to like girls.” (Driver 96)
Rather than waking up one morning to discover a new set of truths, Willow, like many other teenage girls, “become[s] ‘gay’ slowly and patiently, beyond the linear progression and finality.” (Driver 97) Again, this is important, as a realistic view of gay women helps to not only give young questioning women the confidence to believe in themselves and truly understand their feelings, but also to educate a society in which young lesbians are still often considered to be seeking attention, or just simply experimenting. Willow becomes a beacon of hope for a more accepting future.
Returning now to Buffy herself, it is easy to read the Slayer as a metaphor for female power. A beautiful, sassy young woman with super strength and a destiny, while being an attractive feature in any television program, becomes a symbol. “In Buffy, we see no heaven, no God, no Christ,” (Erickson, 114) just the demons and the girl here to save us. None of the main characters in Buffy are particularly religious. Buffy herself, although she has died and gone to what she thought might be heaven, is still unsure of the existence of any higher power. It is mentioned on occasion that Willow is Jewish, but as she delves further into the world of witchcraft this life is left behind and she becomes her own symbol of power. On occasion a character will quote the Bible, but it is almost always a demon or vampire doing so. Does this make a statement regarding fundamental religion, or perhaps those who are drawn to it? Religion is wisely ignored during Buffy whenever possible. While Buffy is a show that relies heavily on occult and religious imagery, there is never a need to shove these images down our throats, although at times Buffy may feel the need to shove one of these religious images, such as a crucifix, down a vampire’s throat.
Buffy has become a symbol of strength and power for those unable to stand up for themselves. Throughout so much of history, women have not had equal rights to men, and it is only in the past hundred years that this has begun to change. In our supposed enlightened and free western society, there are still many women who are downtrodden and controlled. Even some who do not realize it are manipulated by their families, friends or partners. They become less than their potential. Buffy gives us all the opportunity to take the power back, and to fight those who have crushed our spirits. Whether we’re men or women, straight, gay or undecided, black, white or purple, living or undead, Buffy shows us that we all have the power to be strong.
References
Driver, S. “Willow’s Queer Transformations on Buffy the Vampire Slayer: coming of age, coming out, becoming powerful.” in “Queer girls and popular culture: reading, resisting, and creating media”, New York, Peter Lang, 2007, ch.3 pp.91-126.
Erickson, G. “Sometimes you need a story: American Christianity, Vampires and Buffy” in “Fighting the Forces: what’s at stake in Buffy the Vampire Slayer”, Oxford, Rowman and Littlefield, 2002, pp. 108 – 119.
Pender, P. “Kicking Ass is Comfort Food”
Playden, Z. “What You Are, What’s to Come: feminisms, citizenship and the divine” in “Reading the vampire slayer: an unofficial critical companion to Buffy and Angel”, London, Tauris Parke, 2001, ch.6, pp.120-147.
Wilcox, V. “Who died and made her the boss? Patterns of Mortality in Buffy” in “Fighting the Forces: what’s at stake in Buffy the Vampire Slayer”, Oxford, Rowman and Littlefield, 2002, pp. 3 – 17.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)