Monday, December 10, 2012

How Do You Feel about Love Triangles?

By Julie Daines


All, right. Let's get right down to it. In YA literature, love triangles are everywhere. Example from Twilight: the Edward-Bella-Jacob triangle.

I want to know how you feel about love triangles. Do you like them? Hate them? Don't really care? Depends on how it's written?

As a genreal rule, I don't like them. I don't mind so much if it's simply a case of two people liking the same person. What I hate is when that one person strings along the other two.

I have to fall back on the Twilight example. Bella likes Edward, and she seems set in her feelings towards him. But she also sort of likes Jacob, even though she claims there is no chance she'll ever end up with him. Instead of kindly cutting him loose, she strings him along. We see this kind of thing all the time in YA lit.

I think the reason I can't stand this type of scenario is because it makes the character doing the stringing appear unfaithful, cruel, and selfish. Why would either of the guys put up with that? The story loses credibility and my sympathy for the characters.

What are your thoughts on the love triangle?

1 comment:

Paul W. West, Author said...

I'm not so sure I agree. I can see what you're saying, but girls stringing along two (or more) boys is a reality.

Why boys fall for it I think is because of the competitive nature of boys. They all hope they can win the prize - in this case, the girl.

Why Girls do it I think is because girls often tend to be vane and love popularity. Having two or more boys "eating out of her hand," so to speak, feeds her ego.

Like I said, its reality. Take it from one who has been a victim.