Comments on: A Compilation of Reviews for Twilight (books and film) http://www.andthesethygifts.com/2008/11/22/a-compilation-of-reviews-for-twilight/ Lent 2010 Mon, 15 Mar 2010 23:53:36 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Deborah http://www.andthesethygifts.com/2008/11/22/a-compilation-of-reviews-for-twilight/comment-page-1/#comment-66012 Deborah Fri, 20 Mar 2009 00:42:19 +0000 http://www.andthesethygifts.com/2008/11/22/a-compilation-of-reviews-for-the-twilight-series/#comment-66012 Regarding the Twilight Saga... My daughter and all her friends started reading these last year. I let her know I didn't approve, but I didn't stop her from reading. However, I read the entire series myself to be prepared for any questions. What I found was not what I expected. I was worried about sexual inappropriateness for my 14-year-old. There was some of that. But what I wasn't prepared for was Meyer's allegory for LDS beliefs. This series lays out many LDS teachings by representing them in unlikely ways: *Dreams = links to tribe of Joseph/Joseph Smith/ongoing revelations *Meadow = reference to grove where Joseph Smith received revelations from an angel, Moroni *Cullens = Nephites/LDS Church *Vampire = glorified body/becoming godlike *Drinking animal blood = pure diet *Ephraim Black = link to tribe of Ephraim (decendants of Jospeh, believed to have birthright over tribe of Judah) *Quileutes = Lamanites (ancestors of Native Americans) *Imprinting = promised marriage *Mental preparation - learning the LDS faith *Cliffdiving = baptism by immersion *Esme Island = LDS Temple *Honeymoon = Endownment Ceremony *Birth Scene = Sealing Ceremony for Celestial (eternal) Marriage *Becoming a vampire = resurrection/becoming immortal *Charlie's "need to know" status = milk before meat method of teaching LDS doctrine *Renee's distance = shunning for her divorce/leaving church(?) *Alistair = Anglican Church *Stephen & Vladimir = Orthodox Church *Volturi = Catholic Church *Denali's = LDS branch *Wanderer's = missionaries/other sects An interesting analysis of Twilight by Edwin Arnaudin can be found at: http://etd.ils.unc.edu/dspace/handle/1901/469 Regarding the Twilight Saga…

My daughter and all her friends started reading these last year. I let her know I didn’t approve, but I didn’t stop her from reading. However, I read the entire series myself to be prepared for any questions.

What I found was not what I expected. I was worried about sexual inappropriateness for my 14-year-old. There was some of that. But what I wasn’t prepared for was Meyer’s allegory for LDS beliefs.

This series lays out many LDS teachings by representing them in unlikely ways:

*Dreams = links to tribe of Joseph/Joseph Smith/ongoing revelations
*Meadow = reference to grove where Joseph Smith received revelations from an angel, Moroni
*Cullens = Nephites/LDS Church
*Vampire = glorified body/becoming godlike
*Drinking animal blood = pure diet
*Ephraim Black = link to tribe of Ephraim (decendants of Jospeh, believed to have birthright over tribe of Judah)
*Quileutes = Lamanites (ancestors of Native Americans)
*Imprinting = promised marriage
*Mental preparation – learning the LDS faith
*Cliffdiving = baptism by immersion
*Esme Island = LDS Temple
*Honeymoon = Endownment Ceremony
*Birth Scene = Sealing Ceremony for Celestial (eternal) Marriage
*Becoming a vampire = resurrection/becoming immortal
*Charlie’s “need to know” status = milk before meat method of teaching LDS doctrine
*Renee’s distance = shunning for her divorce/leaving church(?)
*Alistair = Anglican Church
*Stephen & Vladimir = Orthodox Church
*Volturi = Catholic Church
*Denali’s = LDS branch
*Wanderer’s = missionaries/other sects

An interesting analysis of Twilight by Edwin Arnaudin can be found at: http://etd.ils.unc.edu/dspace/handle/1901/469

]]> By: Caral from SoCal http://www.andthesethygifts.com/2008/11/22/a-compilation-of-reviews-for-twilight/comment-page-1/#comment-62827 Caral from SoCal Tue, 23 Dec 2008 08:19:00 +0000 http://www.andthesethygifts.com/2008/11/22/a-compilation-of-reviews-for-the-twilight-series/#comment-62827 Thanks, Stef. Yes, my dd was encouraged by a friend to read the books. Her friend loaned all 4 of them to her. She began reading, but mid-first book thought that something just wasn't right - her spiritual radar really went off. She asked me about them, and I did a quick speed read of all 4. The heroine in these books cares nothing for her soul, for eternity - lies to her mom...So, how does this all line up with our scriptural injunction to "Think on that which is holy, pure, just, ...etc>?" You are so right -there is just too much actual good literature out there to waste time on this. Thanks, Stef. Yes, my dd was encouraged by a friend to read the books. Her friend loaned all 4 of them to her. She began reading, but mid-first book thought that something just wasn’t right – her spiritual radar really went off. She asked me about them, and I did a quick speed read of all 4. The heroine in these books cares nothing for her soul, for eternity – lies to her mom…So, how does this all line up with our scriptural injunction to “Think on that which is holy, pure, just, …etc>?” You are so right -there is just too much actual good literature out there to waste time on this.

]]> By: Amie http://www.andthesethygifts.com/2008/11/22/a-compilation-of-reviews-for-twilight/comment-page-1/#comment-61264 Amie Tue, 25 Nov 2008 20:37:18 +0000 http://www.andthesethygifts.com/2008/11/22/a-compilation-of-reviews-for-the-twilight-series/#comment-61264 Hi Stef - thanks for posting the reviews to check out. I am the one that wrote the blog in Mary M's comment. Thanks for posting it. I think you are right to be on guard, if and when you read them. They are engaging, and a quick read...but in no way comparable to the other fine authors you listed. Hi Stef – thanks for posting the reviews to check out. I am the one that wrote the blog in Mary M’s comment. Thanks for posting it. I think you are right to be on guard, if and when you read them. They are engaging, and a quick read…but in no way comparable to the other fine authors you listed.

]]> By: Mary M http://www.andthesethygifts.com/2008/11/22/a-compilation-of-reviews-for-twilight/comment-page-1/#comment-61200 Mary M Mon, 24 Nov 2008 21:52:40 +0000 http://www.andthesethygifts.com/2008/11/22/a-compilation-of-reviews-for-the-twilight-series/#comment-61200 This is a great compilation, Stef. I'm glad you put it together. I was rereading the new posts at Spec Unica today and saw this link in a comment. Having grown up in a highly LDS community, I found it very interesting. Haven't seen that others are addressing this aspect, but it seems very plausible. http://writetools.wordpress.com/2008/11/22/twilight-preaches-mormonism/ This is a great compilation, Stef. I’m glad you put it together. I was rereading the new posts at Spec Unica today and saw this link in a comment. Having grown up in a highly LDS community, I found it very interesting. Haven’t seen that others are addressing this aspect, but it seems very plausible.
http://writetools.wordpress.com/2008/11/22/twilight-preaches-mormonism/

]]> By: Nancy P. http://www.andthesethygifts.com/2008/11/22/a-compilation-of-reviews-for-twilight/comment-page-1/#comment-61195 Nancy P. Mon, 24 Nov 2008 17:09:05 +0000 http://www.andthesethygifts.com/2008/11/22/a-compilation-of-reviews-for-the-twilight-series/#comment-61195 Stef, Thanks for the link to my review! I'm jealous, Carole, that you were in Bath recently. I haven't been there and to Jane sites since the 1980s. Would love to bring my girls there when they are a little older. Stef, Thanks for the link to my review! I’m jealous, Carole, that you were in Bath recently. I haven’t been there and to Jane sites since the 1980s. Would love to bring my girls there when they are a little older.

]]> By: Carole in Wales http://www.andthesethygifts.com/2008/11/22/a-compilation-of-reviews-for-twilight/comment-page-1/#comment-61121 Carole in Wales Sun, 23 Nov 2008 14:09:51 +0000 http://www.andthesethygifts.com/2008/11/22/a-compilation-of-reviews-for-the-twilight-series/#comment-61121 Thank you so much, Stef! I had not heard of these books until I read your review. Interestingly, my dd brought up the books today as her friend is reading them and wants to share them with my dd. This was a great place to come and find out about these books. Perhaps we will try a little Jane Austen (we just visited her home in Bath ... what a great introduction to solid literature). Thank you so much, Stef! I had not heard of these books until I read your review. Interestingly, my dd brought up the books today as her friend is reading them and wants to share them with my dd. This was a great place to come and find out about these books. Perhaps we will try a little Jane Austen (we just visited her home in Bath … what a great introduction to solid literature).

]]> By: Marilyn http://www.andthesethygifts.com/2008/11/22/a-compilation-of-reviews-for-twilight/comment-page-1/#comment-61089 Marilyn Sun, 23 Nov 2008 00:22:40 +0000 http://www.andthesethygifts.com/2008/11/22/a-compilation-of-reviews-for-the-twilight-series/#comment-61089 Thanks for this Stef. I was just doing a post and found that you had written this. I have linked you. Gosh - with this and the Levi ads etc - I sometimes think the world is going crazy! Thanks for this Stef. I was just doing a post and found that you had written this. I have linked you. Gosh – with this and the Levi ads etc – I sometimes think the world is going crazy!

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