Pregnancy is not a plot twist, it’s a literary cop out.
There, I said it. This has annoyed me from day one and has become increasingly rampant among SciFi/Fantasy books. Let me tell you why.
Vampires should not be able to impregnate women. It’s that simple. This idea was popularized by Twilight but has been an underlying plot theme in books, television, and film since long before then. Remember Connor, Angel’s son? I unfortunately do. My problem with vampires having children is simple. Since their inception, vampires have been extraordinary humans with one difference, their life source is blood. This doesn’t end at their food source but it is embedded in their formation. Vampires sire by blood, not by human methods. Why should the truly unique things about vampires be diminished by a one night stand? Don’t we have enough of that in real life?
Not all women want kids, but you wouldn’t know that by reading books. Why is it that every notable female character wants kids or has them? I admire Charlaine Harris for having her extraordinarily popular Sookie Stackhouse live in a world where vampires can’t have children. However, though Sookie comes to terms with this fact, she often laments on how she wishes it weren’t true. So much so that she often acts the role of surrogate mom to her second cousin Hunter. We can bring in characters who don’t want kids, like Gail Carriger’s Alessandra Tarabotti, but they ultimately do end up becoming pregnant, coming to terms with it and enjoying their new life as a mother. Rarely do we even see examples of women who don’t want children, get pregnant but ultimately don’t have them.
Why does happily ever after for a female character mean picket fence and 2.5 kids? I have read a lot of books with both male and female protagonists. However, I’ve noticed a growing trend. Throughout all of these stories where women are strong and fierce, their end goal is always settling down. This is not true however for their male counterparts. Male characters can die gloriously in an epic battle or rise to fame as a leader of a nation. Why can’t women do the same?
As a woman of the 21st century, I don’t understand how characters who are supposed to reflect real people are still held down by an antiquated view of what is acceptable for a woman to want. In talking with another LE reviewer about a book, I was reminded that there are many other women who hold their career in esteem and do not want to settle down. Where are these women on the pages of books? Why does literary escapism mean hunting down baddies and going home to your vamp husband and hybrid kid? I think it’s time to ask for more from our authors. Many complain how TV shows simply follow the pattern of angst, relationship, kid. However, is this pattern not the same in books? Haven’t we as women come further than to simply be defined by who our mate or offspring is?
Love this post, Natassia! I never really thought about this but you’re right. I’d offer up Jennifer Estep’s Gin Blanco as a potential counterexample though since she wants to be loved but won’t compromise herself or her values. :)
Amen sister! I may be a parent BUT I don’t have to read about it. I respect characters (and real people I might add) who choose not to become a parent; they don’t have to do that in my opinion to be read worthy. I think it’s just easy for authors to follow the ‘path’ that is set for them, kind of a peer pressure thing. Also, if that is their dream or life, they may not understand or grasp the concept of not wanting children and so don’t write about it. They may be following the rule of write what you know.
Still, it’s annoying that this is always where things end up for most books/series. It’s not the norm in the real world, it shouldn’t be the norm in our imaginary ones LOL.
Here here! Great article.