Lucinda, you said exactly how I felt when reading the books :) On Nov 12, 2007 6:25 PM, Lucinda Marcello <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> Tena, > I guess what captivated me was the young man's actions towards a young, > normal high school woman. I thought it refreshing that they had a > friendship > that was not sexual but loving, deep, and potentially more involved. > > I saw respect from Edward toward Bella as who she was. I did relate to > Bella > as a high school girl with pressures to belong, but also I connected with > Edward. We have had experiences with guys who were not thoughtful, kind, > and > supportive. (women, too) Yet, today I know many men who are wonderful > since > I come from a family of men, and had all sons. I work with some great male > co-workers. > > So from my perspective, I liked that Edward was a beautiful soul--forget > his > looks. And he had a positive, protective relationship with Bella without > making her an object. I love how she wanted to become what he was yet he > loved her right where she was at, no pressure. Sweet. I have probably > posted > too much. > > Now I am thinking of how teachers and students read fiction, how we each > bring our experiences to the table, and how one book/movie can reach us > and > not reach others. Or maybe the discussion is so powerful, thought > provoking > that we rethink it. I know I have thought deeper about this text and I > thank > you so much for your comments. > > It is not a perfect book or series but from where I sit, it seemed very > special. > All the best, Lucinda > > - Original Message ----- > From: "TLP" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > To: "A list for improving literacy with focus on middle grades." > <[email protected]> > Sent: Monday, November 12, 2007 6:45 PM > Subject: Re: [LIT] Twilight-loved it! > > > Thanks for the input. I must admit I got a little tired of the "beautiful" > Edward. Again too much focus on the looks. I had a hard time figuring out > exactly what the relationship was about other than common girl/beautiful > boy! I'll try to finish this final book with a more open mind! > > On Nov 12, 2007 5:30 PM, Lucinda Marcello <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > This type of book would never have interested me in the past since I > love > > realistic and historical fiction, plus non-fiction including > > autobiographies > > & biographies. I like it real. > > > > But I found myself caught up in the characters of this novel. Stephanie > > Meyer, the author, is a young mother from Phoenix. The easy way for an > > author would have been to make it all gore and blood with this subject. > > Surprisingly I loved the conflict in this story of an average young > woman > > falling for a beautiful young man, who happened to be a vampire. I love > > how > > she created tension between Bella and Edward, Bella wanting to join him > > and > > Edward, the gentleman, loving her as she was. I appreciated how he > > respected > > Bella and how Meyer did not "sex it up". When I finished the series in a > > few > > short weeks, I missed the characters. I thought Meyer did a stellar job > > creating a world of escape and love in an unlikely place (high school) > > with > > unlikely characters (average teen girl & vampire friend). > > > > She is writing a fourth book for this series. My students--girls and > boys, > > are reading and loving this series. It has become one of my all time > > favorites, as well. Check Meyer out at You Tube. > > http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1SQ9bJIhcJ0 > > > > Lucinda 7th grade Language Arts teacher, Tucson > > > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > > From: "Heather Poland" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > To: "A list for improving literacy with focus on middle grades." > > <[email protected]> > > Sent: Monday, November 12, 2007 3:04 PM > > Subject: Re: [LIT] Twilight > > > > > > I *love* Twilight! It is one of my all time favorite books. As for the > > message to girl, I can see where you are coming from. But I think the > > books > > are more complex than just the "I'd do anything for this one boy" sort > of > > thing. I am also a fan of Vampire lit, so the theme of this sort of > > ultimate > > sacrifice for love runs throughout any vampire story, which is probably > > why > > I'm ok with it. I think it's a great fantasy though, and Twilight is > very > > well written. I like that book the best out of the three. > > > > On Nov 12, 2007 1:57 PM, TLP <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > > > I am reading "Eclipse" by Stephanie Myers as I had a student who > wanted > > me > > > to read the series. I've read "Twilight" and "New Moon." > > > I have found it interesting but too romance novelish for my liking. > > Plus, > > > I > > > had been reluctant to read "Vampire" lit! However, it has some > redeeming > > > qualities. Yet, I am a bit concerned about the message sent to girls > and > > > young women about relationships and love. The breakdowns and drama is > > over > > > the top and I am uncomfortable with the notion that ultimate sacrifice > > is > > > romanticized. Has anyone else read these books? > > > > > > -- > > > Tena > > > _______________________________________________ > > > The Literacy Workshop ListServ http://www.literacyworkshop.org > > > > > > To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to > > > http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/lit_literacyworkshop.org. > > > > > > Search the LIT archives at http://snipurl.com/LITArchive > > > > > > > > > > > -- > > - Heather > > > > "The world of books is the most remarkable creation of > > man. Nothing else that he builds ever lasts. Monuments > > fall; nations perish; civilizations grow old and die out; > > new races build others. But in the world of books are > > volumes that have seen this happen again and again and yet > > live on. Still young, still as fresh as the day they were > > written, still telling men's hearts of the hearts of men > > centuries dead." --Clarence Day > > > > "While the rhetoric is highly effective, remarkably little > > good evidence exists that there's any educational substance > > behind the accountability and testing movement." > > —Peter Sacks, Standardized Minds > > > > "When our children fail competency tests the schools lose > > funding. When our missiles fail tests, we increase > > funding. " > > —Dennis Kucinich, Democratic Presidential Candidate > > _______________________________________________ > > The Literacy Workshop ListServ http://www.literacyworkshop.org > > > > To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to > > http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/lit_literacyworkshop.org. > > > > Search the LIT archives at http://snipurl.com/LITArchive > > > > > > -- > > No virus found in this incoming message. > > Checked by AVG Free Edition. > > Version: 7.5.503 / Virus Database: 269.15.30/1126 - Release Date: > > 11/12/2007 > > 12:56 PM > > > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > The Literacy Workshop ListServ http://www.literacyworkshop.org > > > > To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to > > http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/lit_literacyworkshop.org. > > > > Search the LIT archives at http://snipurl.com/LITArchive > > > > > > -- > Tena > _______________________________________________ > The Literacy Workshop ListServ http://www.literacyworkshop.org > > To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to > http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/lit_literacyworkshop.org. > > Search the LIT archives at http://snipurl.com/LITArchive > > > -- > No virus found in this incoming message. > Checked by AVG Free Edition. > Version: 7.5.503 / Virus Database: 269.15.30/1126 - Release Date: > 11/12/2007 > 12:56 PM > > > > _______________________________________________ > The Literacy Workshop ListServ http://www.literacyworkshop.org > > To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to > http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/lit_literacyworkshop.org. > > Search the LIT archives at http://snipurl.com/LITArchive > -- - Heather "The world of books is the most remarkable creation of man. Nothing else that he builds ever lasts. Monuments fall; nations perish; civilizations grow old and die out; new races build others. But in the world of books are volumes that have seen this happen again and again and yet live on. Still young, still as fresh as the day they were written, still telling men's hearts of the hearts of men centuries dead." --Clarence Day "While the rhetoric is highly effective, remarkably little good evidence exists that there's any educational substance behind the accountability and testing movement." —Peter Sacks, Standardized Minds "When our children fail competency tests the schools lose funding. When our missiles fail tests, we increase funding. " —Dennis Kucinich, Democratic Presidential Candidate _______________________________________________ The Literacy Workshop ListServ http://www.literacyworkshop.org To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/lit_literacyworkshop.org. Search the LIT archives at http://snipurl.com/LITArchive
