While ambling across the Internet yesterday afternoon, I came across this article, discussing the feminist criticisms of the Twlight Saga. Sort of; it’s more about the movie, and it musters some very odd arguments and refutes them in very weak ways. Stringing together random plot points and trotting out your decision to keep your last name after marriage as your feminist credential is not really a very well-constructed, thoughtful consideration of the feminist issues surrounding the books, but at least it’s a try. The end conclusion: Twilight isn’t antifeminist. The article itself is nothing special, but what is interesting is the comments, if one wants to take the time to sift through them, and that’s why I brought the article up. You don’t actually need to read it, in other words.

Some commenters actually tried to engage with the material and to address some of the feminist critiques of the books. Others were just apologist, some didn’t make sense…and others all, more or less, said “relax, it’s just fiction!” These comments usually went on to say that people were making too much of a fuss, and that fiction isn’t very important, and that people’s lives aren’t shaped by fiction. “If you don’t like the books,” people say, “don’t read them.” Fair enough, but I think people are missing the point; criticism, in my opinion, is always valid, and it should be welcome, because critics aren’t trying to ban something or stop people from having fun, they are trying to raise important issues.

I totally disagree with the sentiment that fiction is not worthy of attention. I think that fiction is actually hugely important, and anyone who thinks otherwise is a complete fool. Fiction is never “just fiction,” because fiction is about what we know, and it’s about how we are, and it’s about what we do with our lives. Fiction has fractured friendships, brought down empires, sparked dialogue which has lasted for centuries. To say that fiction has no meaning is simply straight up wrong.

Thinking about some of my favourite books, I can’t help but think of their influence on me, and I’m willing to bet that most of you probably have some favourite works of fiction which have had an impact on you, if not changed your life. The Sparrow taught me that everyone has the capacity for courage to stand up for what they believe in, and that standing up for what is right is the most important thing you can do. The Chronicles of Narnia taught me to believe in the possibilities of the imagination. Watership Down taught me compassion and respect for other living beings. This is the Way the World Ends pushed me to wonder about what I would do if, you know. The world ended. I can think of countless more examples of works of fiction which have influenced me in huge, earthshaking ways.

Why else would classics remain in print? Classics of fiction are still considered relevant enough for inclusion on college syllabi, and for lively discussions and scholarly papers which continuously uncover new reads of old stories. If fiction isn’t important, why has Robinson Crusoe been in print for almost 300 years? The Tale of Genji has been read since the twelfth century. Tell Daniel Defoe and Murasaki Shikibu that fiction isn’t important.

I realize that people are reading fewer books these days, and that the total annual output of books is actually shrinking, per capita (says my father the English professor), but surely people should be able to recognize the power and importance of fiction. Hell, the wild popularity of the Harry Potter series and the Twilight Saga kind of speaks for itself; it’s funny, to me, to hear fans of these series telling me that fiction isn’t important, just because they don’t like seeing their favourite books criticized.

The very fact that people are criticizing these books and looking at the characters and the roles they play means that fiction is still very much relevant, and still very important. If it wasn’t, we wouldn’t be having such passionate discussions. Twilight fans losing their heads over suggestions that the series is perhaps not very favorable to women illustrates my point so very elegantly I almost don’t feel the need to belabour it.