Gen Y---the twenty somethings thread

[vampire_elf]

Thanks for sharing your thoughts with me! It's good to be here!

I absolutely agree that Bella is an old soul and that both are very mature and have a deep relationship (that's what I was thinking when I wrote that they seem older t me - I was just to tired to put it into words yesterday ). And it's true that is is most likely what appeals to us twenty smethings.
My impression is that Bella is very much at charge of here life (taking care of her parents and so on). I guess that makes her way more responsible that the average 17 year old.

Also the marriage part. It didn't really bother me that they wanted to get married although Bella is rather young in the book (so I don't know if it's a good example for teenagers?). I didn't quite get Bella's hesitation and reluctance to marry (if she's ready to spend eternity as a vamipre you shouldn't have a problem to committ to a marriage). But they have such a deep commitment that marriage just seems to be the next natural step on the way because they are deeply in love and comitted to each other no matter what. I think this kind of commitment is more natural and logical for people our age who are already married or who are contemplating marriage that for teenagers who just romantize marriage but don't really consider the whole thing.

[lag28wa]

I didn't quite get Bella's hesitation and reluctance to marry (if she's ready to spend eternity as a vamipre you shouldn't have a problem to committ to a marriage). But they have such a deep commitment that marriage just seems to be the next natural step on the way because they are deeply in love and comitted to each other no matter what. I think this kind of commitment is more natural and logical for people our age who are already married or who are contemplating marriage that for teenagers who just romantize marriage but don't really consider the whole thing.

YESSSSS! Exactly. I was getting frustrated with her a couple of times, I'd be sitting there on the couch reading New Moon/Eclipse and I'd have an outburst of "Oh my gosh! JUST MARRY HIM ALREADY!!!" As my husband is watching TV like But you hit it right on the nose with that!!!

[Lieziewiezie]

didn't quite get Bella's hesitation and reluctance to marry (if she's ready to spend eternity as a vamipre you shouldn't have a problem to committ to a marriage). But they have such a deep commitment that marriage just seems to be the next natural step on the way because they are deeply in love and comitted to each other no matter what. I think this kind of commitment is more natural and logical for people our age who are already married or who are contemplating marriage that for teenagers who just romantize marriage but don't really consider the whole thing.

I think Bella's hesitant to get marry because she saw it feel right before her eyes. She does not care about marriage because she knows she wants to be with Edward for the rest of her (eternal) life, and does not think marriage is neccesairy on top of that. I think.
And the main thing that scares her is that she has to be in the spotlight all of the day. Her weddingday. And we know how much she hates the spotlight

[MRK]

didn't quite get Bella's hesitation and reluctance to marry (if she's ready to spend eternity as a vamipre you shouldn't have a problem to committ to a marriage). But they have such a deep commitment that marriage just seems to be the next natural step on the way because they are deeply in love and comitted to each other no matter what. I think this kind of commitment is more natural and logical for people our age who are already married or who are contemplating marriage that for teenagers who just romantize marriage but don't really consider the whole thing.

I think Bella's hesitant to get marry because she saw it feel right before her eyes. She does not care about marriage because she knows she wants to be with Edward for the rest of her (eternal) life, and does not think marriage is neccesairy on top of that. I think.
And the main thing that scares her is that she has to be in the spotlight all of the day. Her weddingday. And we know how much she hates the spotlight

lol...ans she was afraid of her mother....and being labled "that girl"
I think SM had her hold on to that...to show her humaness, would it really matter what she looked like, what her mom would think, who cares if her classmated thought she was pregnant...if she was never gonna see them again. It just was showing how she really wasn't ready to let go...

[Jamie]

I also think it is hard to relate to the younger twilight crowd too...I think it's because as you get older, you just have a different perspective...I think you can see the more adult themes within the books, since you have lived through it. I don't think I would full understand how Bella would be willing to so readily rish her life to save Edwards if I had never felt that strongly about someone. As a 17 year old, I would have sighed at how romantic the notion is, but it wouldn't be more that. Now I know what it is like to not want to live in a world where someone else doesn't exsist...though I am practical enough to know I could go on too...but I would be in a very Bella mood for a long time!

Welcome though, I am glad to see this little group grow!

You are so right. It really is the experiences in my life that make me able to see the book in a more "adult" light.

[MRK]

I put this in the trailer thread, but thought I'd put it in here as well...k...
so I was just randomly thinking...we are all obsessed with the first movie...but when you think about the New Moon movie...how much are we all gonna die when Edward leaves Bella? I honestly don't know if I will be able to handle it without therapy lol...


BTW Jamie...LOVE YOUR SIG...you're so lucky!!!

[kkswmmr114]

I also think it is because Bella is so mature and Edward is 100 years old that makes them seem to be so much older. Many times while I was reading I had to remind myself that these are teenagers I was reading about, not adults.

When it comes to Bella being afraid of marriage, I think she had a right to be hesitant. From the time she could remember all her mother had told her was "Don't get married at a young age." She also saw what a failed marriage is like and I don't think she wanted to have the possibility of that happening. When you don't have a good example of a good marriage, it is hard to believe that something like that exists. She had never been in love before either and I think how fast everything happened really scared her. She had no interest in boys and then all of a sudden she is deeply in love with someone and her future is completely changed almost overnight. Put that together with being brought up without seeing a good marriage and I think that anyone would be scared. She was never really sure of herself anyways, so this is just another example of that I think.

I'm sorry if this does not really make sense, I just got out of test so my mind is drained right now...

[Jamie]

I am in total agreement with you all as well. While Bella was only physically 17 I do believe that she has an older soul because of everything she experienced in her childhood - especially dealing with her mother. The way her mind worked and the things she did on a day to day basis (cook/clean/grocery shop etc) are definitely not on the agenda of most "normal" 17 year olds.

Coming from my personal experience I do know for a fact that having responsibilities that young definitely makes you mature at a faster rate than your peers. Both my parents were pretty absent when it came to parenting. It was a very unhealthy and abusive marriage and they were both so focused on themselves and so emtionally withdrawn, parenting was the last thing on their minds. So me being the oldest got to step in and play parent. I cooked and cleaned, I bathed and dressed and got my younger siblings ready for school and bed, I helped with homework and signed permission slips and set chore schedules and all sorts of stuff that I never should have been responsibile for. I ended up dropping out of school when I was 16 because I just couldn't relate to my peers - I felt so much older than them. I couldn't relate to topics like fashion, makeup, who was hooking up with who, dances and all those other teen things. My world was parenting. My parents divorced when I was 16/17 and my mom tried to step back into the mom role - there was no way that was going to work for me. I was the mom for all those years and in my eyes she didn't deserve it. It took many years and lots of work and tears before we had a good relationship. To this day I have a hard time relating to my sibs as my sibs and not my kids...I am very motherly to them and they still look to me as a parent figure. I married younger (21) and to this day most people never guess that I am as young as I am (24). I still have a hard time relating to people my own age and have always been told I am "very mature for my age".

I think that is why Bella drew me in so much. While we didn't live identical lives - many of the undercurrents were similar and many of her feelings were feelings I have experienced in one way or another. So while many read the book and get caught up in the romanticism and get all giggly over Edward and Jacob – I got caught up in the realism and the feelings that come with being so much older than you really are and the pros and cons of that type of childhood.

Wow I didn’t mean to write so much

[Jamie]

I put this in the trailer thread, but thought I'd put it in here as well...k...
so I was just randomly thinking...we are all obsessed with the first movie...but when you think about the New Moon movie...how much are we all gonna die when Edward leaves Bella? I honestly don't know if I will be able to handle it without therapy lol...


BTW Jamie...LOVE YOUR SIG...you're so lucky!!!

Thanks

In regards to the movie - I am honestly worried about the first one and hadn't even thought of how NM will be. I have a very vivid imagination and basically made a "movie" in my mind while reading the books. I am going to have to try my best to not be critical of the movie. There has just been so many movies made over the years that originated from books and were awful. Many times not doing the book justice at all...I really hope this isn't the case with Twilight. I am really anxious to see if they stick true to the movie or go off on weird tangents or skip over things altogether etc. I am excited to see it but not at the same time if you know what I mean.

Now thinking about New Moon - it will be hard to see Edward leave Bella thankfully all us book readers know the outcome though!

[awesomejen1]

Jamie,
While I am not quite so extreme as you, I had a similar chidhood, My Mom went back to school and work, and my Dad was always working...I took over the care taker role for my brother and myself. I could relate to Bella because I had the old soul too. I think if I had met the person I was meant to be with while in High school, I probably would have been married quickly too, I just didn't get to that since most the guys in my high school were your typical 17 year old guys...no 100 year old Vampires hanging out at Hunter High I also always pictured Bella and Edward as older...maybe because I didn't want to feel so icky day dreaming abotu a 17 year old. (I cannot tell you how happy I am that Robert is not underage...makes it feel ok for me!)

I don't know if SM's religion had anything to do with Bella and Edward getting married so quickly, but here in Utah, it is totally normal for a girl to get married at 18...usually the guy is 23, but whatever. I wonder if an author who hadn't been around that would have written it the same way.