Reflections

During the 16 weeks of doing this blog it has been educational, fun and interesting. I learned first and foremost how to write a blog. It might be strange to say this but I am not technology savvy like my peers. Yes I have facebook and yes I know how to write and email but I don't necessarily jump on the bandwagon when new things come out. When blogs came out I wasn't really interested or had the time. I love to write stories though and when this assignment was assigned, I was really excited. To write about anything we wanted for a class assignment was a dream come true.

The topic I chose to write about was the popularity of Twilight. The process has been fun. I truly enjoy the movies but of course everything that comes with it is so intense and crazy. The research process has been attention grabbing. I knew a lot of the stories such as the teens biting each other and kids forming their own wolf packs but it's always fun to read the stories. It was fascinating to know how much the world has changed in their thinking. So many things have become the norm and it is so not normal. I didn't have an emotional journey but I learned a lot.

It's fine doing the traditional papers but it's so much more fun when things are switched up. The online format was refreshing. What I learned from using this format of writing is that it has the same feel of assigning a researched paper. You have to pick a topic, research and write about it. But the only difference is it makes the writer excited every day, at least it did for me. Using the online research database to find my information was great. What I also learned from using the online format instead of the traditional format is how to use the internet better. As I said before, I had never used a blog before so learning how to use one was fun.

Overall this experience was fun. I wish more teachers would use this format to teach. It was fun and I am glad I was able to take part in this assignment

What We Have Learned

"I'm from a different era; things were alot less complicated. And if I met you back then I would've courted you, I would've taken you on chaperoned strolls, ice tea on the porch. I may have stolen a kiss or two but only after asking your father's permission- and I would've got down on one knee. And I would've presented you with a ring. This was my mother's. Isabella Swan, I promise to love you every moment of forever. Would you do the extraordinary honor of marrying me?"
                                                                                           -Edward Cullen

This quote is significant to Twilight because it tells so much. Edward is a vampire from a different age. In his time and the modern time he is a gentleman and a gentle lover to Bella. He would do anything for her. He loves her, she loves him. This quote is Twilight, a love story.

Hello bloggers, it's Kathy here. This will be the last blog I post about the Twilight mania. I had a fun time writing this post and it will be missed. Now let us recap on what we learned these past few months.

Twilight became one of the most popular franchises to date. It banks millions and has billion of adoring fans. The Twilight series follows the love story of Edward and Bella and their ups and downs and sometimes dangerous adventures together. The Twilight series has not only affected the characters but teens and adults all around the world. Series of new worthy events have plagued our television sets such as teens taking on a new trend of biting each other and forming their own wolf packs. Twilight has been a good thing as well. It can be a great tool for parents to talk to their teens about some really important information.

With all the being said, one has to wonder when all this craze will last. It is like many other pop culture trends that have to strike while the iron is hot and then sizzle. Or will it be around, like some people say, and haunt us forever? I believe it will be around long after Twilight is over. Some signs of that are people in our generation naming their children Edward, Bella and Jacob. Another sign that I believe Twilight will be around a little bit longer is the younger generation will soon be experiencing this. But then again like Harry Potter, which is almost over, it could come to an end. Like it or not Twilight has effected everything around us and has changed us forever.

Twilight hasn't made any significant change in my life. But it has brought me pure entertainment from a fan stand point and also laughter from looking at my friends indulge themselves completely in this craze. It has been a fun ride and it will be somewhat of a relief when it's all over and the world can get back to being somewhat normal.

Chen, D. et. al. (2010, May 10). More parents naming their children after Twilight Characters. Slashfilms.com. Retrieved December 10, 2010 from: http://www.slashfilms.com/

Parents and Their Kids

Twilight has affected our culture permanently in such a strong and sometimes negative way but can be a positive thing as well.  Some themes of Twilight are forgiveness, trust, friendship and love. 

“I thought I had explained it clearly before, Bella. I cannot live in a world where you don’t exist,”

-Edward Cullen, Twilight

What comes to my mind when I think about the positivity that Twilight brings is all the good openings parents can use when they talk to their teenagers about what goes on in their everyday life. For example in New Moon, Bella was trying to hurt herself just so she can see Edward. She became somewhat obsessed. The topics that come up in that situation are obsession and suicide. Those are some pretty heavy subjects that parent’s need to talk about with their kids. I believe being a teenager is harder than when I was a teenager.  When I was a teenager my life was fairly easy. I went to a Christian school, I didn’t have much bullying with texts and Facebook and I didn’t have many boy problems or girl’s gossiping behind my back. Teenagers today have a lot to deal with. A great way for them to escape is reading and reading the Twilight series.

That can be a positive.  Parents need to be a part of their kids’ lives. They need to know who their friends are. Which classes in school they enjoy or hate and they also need to know what they are reading. So many bad things can happen if parents don’t have all around knowledge of the child. By talking things out, it truly helps and even if your kid doesn’t seem like they want to talk, they really do. So in the end Twilight is only not and good read but is helpful for teenagers and their parents.

(2009). Talking with kids about tough issues. Childrennow.org. Retrieved November 7, 2010 from http://www.childrennow.org/index.php/learn/talking_with_kids/

Pop Culture & Lifestyles

Stephanie Meyers, I am sure didn’t realize what kind of mania she was going to release when she wrote Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse and Breaking Dawn. She like J. K. Rowling was just doing what she loved to do. Dipping into their imaginations and writing novel hit after novel hit, only to produce a massive fan base from the books and then the movies. It is truly mind boggling.

Now everyone wants to hop on the money train. They want to strike while the iron is hot. Vampire Diaries and True Blood are two of the most popular shows that are on The CW and HBO.

Vampire Diaries has somewhat the same story line as Twilight. Human girl falls in love with vampire. Vampire Diaries is The CW’s top rated drama. The show’s premier ranked in 5.7 million viewers and the second season still pulled in many viewers.

The HBO hit True Blood is about humans and vampires living together in a small fictional Louisiana town. And of course the two main characters fall in love; One being a human woman and a vampire. True Blood is still pulling in many viewers. True Blood’s fourth season premiers the summer of 2011.

So why are these shows so popular? And how do they affect our lifestyle? Vampires are a part of pop culture and the reasons for the popularity are vampires aren’t so scary anymore. Back in day vampires were killers, drinking victims’ blood and terrorizing towns, now vampires can be loving and understanding which appeal to the opposite sex. For example, in Twilight, the Cullen’s don’t drink the blood of humans but of animals. Edward falls madly in love with Bella and he refuses to turn her into a vampire to save her soul. How romantic.  Another reason for vampire popularity is people’s fascination with mythology. People love the idea of vampires controlling humans and loving them.

The Twilight franchise along with the other vampire shows can take a toll on the everyday life of the young people who watch it. It affects them mentally, emotionally and even physically. When teenager read vampire books it alters their minds. According to Maria Nikolayev of Cambridge University “We don't know exactly how literature affects the brain, but we know that it does.” Young teens who reads these types of books; their brains process information differently than an adult brain and they are prone to act out more emotionally than to think of their consequences thoroughly. For example in New Moon, Edward leaves Bella and she is so desperate to see him she starts acting out recklessly, such as jumping off a cliff just to see his face. Teens do what they read and see. It’s somewhat frightening of how this affects their thinking, which sometimes, they do not think rationally and clearly.

I personally believe that most teens do not do this. It depends on your environment. If parents stay connected to their teens and know what they are reading and watching I believe it helps them to see what is real and not. Parents must communicate with their kids. My parents were never nosy parents. I felt I could tell them anything even till this day. I like to read fantasy myself like Harry Potter but I know the difference and it does not affect my life in a harmful way.

I do believe vampires are here to stay as long as authors keep writing good novels, directors keep making great love stories and television keeps making hits. It’s now a part of our culture and lives.

 How to Understand Vampire Popularity in Modern Times. eHow.com. Retrieved October 21, 2010 from:http://www.ehow.com/how_5416842_understand-vampire-popularity-modern-times.html

(2010, September 19). Vampire books like Twilight may be affecting teens' minds. Daindia.com. Retrieved October 28, 2010 from: http://www.dnaindia.com/lifestyle/report_vampire-books-like-twilight-may-be-affecting-teens-minds_1440082

                 

He Turns Into a Wolf?

“You see, the cold ones are the natural enemies of the wolf—well, not the wolf, really, but the wolves that turn into men, like our ancestors. You would call them werewolves”

                                                                                  -Jacob Black

What do you think about when hear the word werewolf?  What comes to everyone’s mind is a man transforming into a terrifying beast on a full moon. They are mythical creatures just like vampires. But in the Twilight series the werewolves or as they are called the Wolf Pack are made to protect the humans from the vampires. Apart of the Wolf Pack is Jacob Black, family friend to Bella. He is described as a gangly teenage who grows into a muscular young man that transforms into a wolf. His bond with Bella is more of a friendship than a romance though throughout the book/movie, he does develop a crush on her.

I actually like Jacob Black. He’s fierce, loyal, kind and loving. He’s one of those friends you want around you. He’s one of those people who would stand by you no matter what.  That’s why I understand the Wolf Pack. The pack is members of the Quileute tribe. To protect the humans from vampires, the pack bands together. Each member of the tribe is a different color wolf.  The pack reminds of me of family.

Families help each other out. Families protect you; are there for you when you need them. I can understand how teens can relate to the Wolf Pack. When kids go to school, they want to make friends. They want to belong to a group. A pack, if you want to call it that. Teens in Arizona actually form their own packs. They aren’t harming anyone or causing a disturbance but they are getting a lot attention. Each pack has a leader and they wear contact lenses and wolf tails. It is a bit weird but I feel if they aren’t causing any trouble and they just want to belong then we shouldn’t judge them. Twilight has lightened the flame in these kids. If they didn’t something to copy after, they wouldn’t be doing these things.

Davis, E. et. al. (2010, May 27). Freaky Finds: Teenagers Now Forming Their Own Wolf Packs. Fandango.com. Retrieved October 2, 2010 from: http://www.fandango.com/movieblog/freaky-finds-teenagers-now-forming-their-own-wolf-packs-597449.html

She Is Really in Love with a Vampire

                                                               

“About three things I was absolutely positive. First, Edward was a vampire. Second, there was part of him, and I didn’t know how potent that part might be, that thirsted for my blood. And third, I was unconditionally and irrevocably in love with him.”

-Bella Swan, Twilight

            That is a quote from the book/movie Twilight. Now you must be wondering how this makes sense. First Bella is talking about Edward being a vampire. Ok if it were me, we wouldn’t even be together. Second Bella mentions that Edward wants to drink her blood. Why isn’t she running for the hills and lastly Bella is unconditionally and irrevocably in love with Edward. Well that seals the deal. Bella loves Edward and that’s what connects the audience to the characters. Love. People love, love stories, especially teens. Teenagers are influenced by what they read or watch. They like to fantasize that they are Bella and that guys out there are all like Edward. He’s a gentleman, sensitive, charming, good looking and a vampire; a vampire that Bella wants to be with. She actually wants to be a vampire so she can be with him forever.

            Teens love this, a passionate love story where nothing stands in the way of the characters. I understand when you’re young and you want to be loved, you will do anything to have that. I’m not arguing against the fact that they are in love. It actually makes the books/movies less gory and dark when you add a love story. My only concern is how far Bella is willing to go to be with Edward. She is willing to give up her family, friends and her life (vampires don’t have souls) to be with Edward.

            Teens reading these books probably think it’s romantic and cool. As I said before teens want to be like Bella and Edward, meaning they want to imitate their relationship. A new teen trend, which is disturbing, involves teens biting each other’s necks. Teen are actually biting each other for fun. It’s not only unnatural but it can also lead to disease such as hepatitis, syphilis and HIV. Teens claim they bite each other to show affection and possession. Some teens also cut themselves so they can share their own blood with each other. They say it makes them closer, their blood runs through each other’s veins, they become one.

            It’s the new times we are living in. What happened to the good old days when couples would just carve their names into a tree or hold hands while on a moonlight stroll? Twilight has opened teen’s eyes to new and somewhat scary ways to show love.

           

Meyer, S. (2005, October) Twilight. Retrieved September 19, 2010 from: <http://en.wikipedia.org/Twilight_(novel)

Chang, J. et. al. (2010, July 9) ‘Twilight’ effect: Are teens biting one another because of on-screen vampires? ABCNews.com. Retrieved September 18, 2010 from:<http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/twilight-movie-effect-teens-biting-vampire-fascination/story?id=11122324&page=1.

The Beginning

Hey Bloggers, Kathryn here.

How many of you have read or seen Twilight? Everyone? I thought so. Twilight has become part of Pop culture and it was pretty much taken over everything, in my opinion. During these following weeks I plan to delve in the massive popularity of vampires, werewolves and everything having to do with this craze.


I chose this specific topic because I can say I have personally witness the craze; not myself but friends of mine. I thought when I saw the first Twilight it was just another Hollywood movie. Little did I know there was already a massive fan base from the books: Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse and Breaking Dawn. Well all my friends including my brother told me I was missing out on all this good reading. I’m glad I saw and loved the movie first because I have to say, I couldn’t get into the books. (Sorry fans).

Like the Harry Potter franchise, Twilight got bigger and bigger. And then it took off. Twilight including True Blood and Vampire Dairies has captured the lives of tweens, teens and older folks all over the world. But is it getting out of control.

Growing up I was made to believe that vampires and werewolves were scary. It was something you didn’t want to mess with but now these movies make it ok. I hope during this, we will all how this has affected people’s lives.