THE CASE OF CHARLIE SWAN: FATHERHOOD AND MASCULINITY IN TWILIGHT (2008)
Abstract
The portrayal of fatherhood in Young Adult media often lined up with the idealized masculinity traits that limited the diversity, narrowed the expectations, and diminished the evolving nature of fatherhood. Using gender and masculinity studies along with narratology theory, this study examines the portrayal of fatherhood in the film adaptation of Twilight(2008) by Catherine Hardwicke through the character of Charlie Swan as the father of Bella Swan. This study aims to analyze whether Charlie embodies or challenges traditional masculinity, and how he portrays fatherhood as a previous non-custodial father taking on a present role through his interactions with Bella. The findings reveal that Charlie represents a form of masculinity that went against the idealized model by portraying a quieter and evolving form as he went from an emotionally distant father to subtly supporting one. Through the character’s portrayal, the study argues that Twilight presents a complex model of fatherhood that moves beyond the stereotypical masculine ideal and differs from the common father archetypes in the YA genre despite the limited screentime and the overlooked nature of the character.References
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