Kathleen’s Comments (group member since Sep 02, 2008)

Kathleen’s comments from the LDS supporting Stephenie Meyer group.

Thank you, Jennifer.

I remember that article. Thanks for pointing out who wrote it. It's a great lesson for all of us at any time of the year.

Well, by metaphor, I mean that Stephenie is saying things about teenage boys and using Edward to represent them. I don't think she is saying things about teenage boys, but there are people who are all angry at her because they think she is. I think she is saying things about vampires. Meyer does not expect readers to take him as a symbol (metaphor) for teenage boys. She expects people to take him as a vampire.

When Orson Scott Card talks about writers using metaphors in science fiction and fantasy, he means that what a mainstream writer uses metaphors they are not expected to be taken literally. Example: "His eyes fell to the table" would mean that he looked down at the table in regular fiction, but in fantasy, it could mean they actually fell to the table.

Another example: "The baggage train snaked its way across the tarmac" in regular fiction would mean that it moved in a zig-zag manner, but in science fiction, it could mean that the baggage train actually was a snake moving across the tarmac.

Those two examples are metaphorical statements in regular fiction, but they could be literal statements in science fiction or fantasy or horror.

I have about decided that part of the problem some people have with the Twilight books is that they are taking Edward as a metaphor for teenage boys with raging hormones.

The thing is (and Orson Scott Card discusses problems with metaphors in science fiction and fantasy in his book HOW TO WRITE SCIENCE FICTION AND FANTASY--which I need to list in my Good Reads, come to think of it) that Edward is most emphatically NOT a metaphor for anything. He is a vampire with raging bloodlust.

If he were a metaphor, then I could see where there might be a problem.

Since he's not a metaphor, the next question might be, "Can teenage girls tell the difference between real, live teenage boys and imaginary vampires?" I submit that those who have problems with the books because they think Edward is a metaphor also don't believe teenage girls can tell the difference between what is real and what is imaginary.

And that's too bad, because I think they can tell the difference.

I want to apologize for making this group sound exclusive. My intention was to create a group that would let Stephenie Meyer know that there are people in her church who are glad she is writing and selling her books and support her in that.

I did not intend to discourage anyone who is not LDS from also offering their support.

So, if you would like to join, we promise not to try to convert you to our church, and we'd love to have you add your name in Stephenie Meyer's support.