Twilight series

Stephenie Meyer was a stay-at-home mother with three young children in June 2003, when the idea for Twilight came to her in a dream. The dream was a conversation between a gorgeous vampire and ordinary girl in a sunlit meadow (Chapter 13 Twilight). Though she was a scrap-booker rather than a writer at the time, Meyer felt compelled to write the tale of Edward and Bella; she completed it in three sleep-deprived months. Meyers claims she wrote then, as now, to please herself with no audience in mind. Her sister Emily, who had read the manuscript, encouraged her to pursue publication, and a publisher of young adult fiction indicated an interest. The rest is more than history--it is a phenomenon sprouting 3 sequels, fanfiction galore, a movie franchise, and a devotion to this world of vampires and werewolves akin to that fostered by Harry Potter. Twilight was honored by numerous awards, among them the A.L.A.'s Ten Best Books for Young Adults and Top Ten Books for Reluctant Readers. Meyers has completed the Twilight saga, and continues to write fantasy/sci fi romances.

Born to middle-class, Mormon parents, Stephanie Meyer was raised in Phoenix. She graduated from Brigham Young University with a degree in English Literature. At college, she met her husband Christian, an accountant; she is the mother of three boys and resides in Cave Creek, near Phoenix. She remains a Mormon--abstaining from alcohol, R-rated movies, and caffeine (although she admits to an occasional cherry diet Pepsi). "We have free will," she says, "which is a huge gift from God. If you tie that up with something like, I don't know, cocaine, then you don't really have a lot of freedom anymore."( see Grossman, Lev. Time. 24 Apr. 2008)

Meyer is very open about her writing process and responsive to her fans. Her official website and Oprah appearance on 11/13/09 Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3 give insight into her creative process and her reaction to fame. A Book Lust interview with Nancy Pearl is a bit out of sync, but the video succinctly addresses how she came to write this series. Meyers answers questions from fans (8/22/08), gives advice to young writers, and comments on individual novels on youtube. Two informative print interviews are Times "Ten Questions" from August 2008 and James Blasingame's article reviewing Twilight in Journal of Adolescent and Adult Literacy.

There are many laudable things about the Twilight series and its accouterments. It's a page turner--even I (definitely not a vampire enthusiast) have been reading it under the covers at night! It appeals to women of all ages, creating a community where mothers and daughters can share an experience and ideas as well. It has created readers out of non-readers, and spawned writers through its extensive fanfiction websites where fans write stories about the characters in these books. Best of all, it's a compelling story/romance. (I started liking the series when my long dormant "bodice ripper" genes came to the fore. As Jane Austen and Charlotte Bronte can attest, the most romantic stories of all are those of a hero and heroine desiring each other but restraining their love for noble reasons.) In the love triangle that develops in this series, both Edward (the vampire) and Jason (the werewolf) do their best to put Bella's wishes and well-being above their own. Bella suffers guilt when she inflicts pain on one or the other. In many ways, this series lauds selflessness to the point of martyrdom and extols the virtues of self-control and responsibility.

While I acknowledge that teens relate to the text, I'm not really comfortable with teaching this novel in a whole class setting. The subject matter could be objectionable to some parents (silly, because the love is really chaste and the vampires and werewolves demonstrate human qualities.) While her writing effectively creates suspense, advances the plot, and reveals character through dialogue, Meyer's simple style lacks weight. I found myself laughing at some of the cliche conversations between Bella and Edward. In her interviews, Meyer claims her work is character driven(see Blasingame article). While I believe that's true, I don't believe she conveys the depth of their internal struggles and inner life. The threats come from the outside; Bella's conflict over Jason and Edward seems sophomoric rather than existential in the way of Wuthering Heights. In many ways, Meyer's ideas about racism, humanity, discrimination, and disability become more meaningful when considering the series as a whole. I'm not denigrating Twilight; it engages teen readers in exciting ways. A set of lesson plans and suggestions for teaching Twilight to 9th graders are available online.

I would offer Twilight as a choice book selection in a literary circle, however. It would make a great compare/contrast with Romeo and Juliet, Pride and Prejudice, or any text that raises issues of the Romantic hero. A useful activity would be a Venn diagram comparing Romeo and Juliet and Edward and Bella--obstacles they faced, their characters, their choices. When viewed through the lenses of sexuality, gender, racism, and identity, Twilight raises issues that spark discussion. I would also suggest it for silent sustained reading, especially for "reluctant" female readers.

If I were teaching Twilight, one activity I would include would involve point of view. Although the novel is told in the 3rd person, it is limited to Bella's perceptions. Each student would select a scene he found compelling. He would choose another character present in that scene, brainstorm his character's view of the situation, and re-write the scene from the point of view of their chosen character. The activity could also be done in pairs and presented to the class.

Four questions for SU 611 consideration:

1) The vampires in the Twilight series and the werewolves we meet in New Moon and Eclipse are "monsters" that do not appear monstrous to the reader. How does Meyer's treatment of non-human species inform our concept of what "humanity" means? What are the essential qualities that make us human? Is there a standard of ethics that reaches beyond species? Does Bella's desire to become a vampire mitigate her commitment to human virtues?

2) Teens who relate to a book often find that its themes and characters have a role in constructing their identities and/or view of life. Evaluate the relationship of Edward Cullen and Bella in the context of this statement. Do you think teens see Bella and Edward as realistic or idealized characters? Is the relationship between them believable and/or healthy? What is the nature of their love and how how might it inform gender roles and/or sexual morals of young women? What model of masculine behavior is being sent to young men? Do you see Meyer's emphasis on external beauty/perfection as potentially detrimental?

3) Bella Swan reluctantly comes to Forks to live with her father after her mother's remarriage. Her alienation in a relatively unfamiliar place mirrors the isolation of the Cullen family feels in the human world and the Quileutes in the modern world. How do Meyer's characters construct families to reach beyond their loneliness? How might teens view these nontraditional families? What key qualities hold Meyer's families together?

4) Would you select Twilight as a classroom text? Evaluate the opportunities and challenges this novel might present. What aspects of the book would you focus upon? What lenses do you see as most relevant? What activities/projects do you see as effectively engaging students with the text?