Rain Forest: Olympic Peninsula
Sunday, February 28th, 2010
‘Meaning’ Category
How to tell if Edward *really* loves Bella (and if your BF/GF is bitten by you)
Tuesday, March 9th, 2010
Okay, okay, I’ll admit it right up front: this post is based upon an article called “Dating Tips: 10 Signs He’s Smitten,” and yes, I know, that’s kind of pathetic.
But, this is an unusually perceptive list.
Plus, I’m reading through John Granger’s excellent book, Spotlight (for serious readers of the Twilight series; I will post a review later) right now, and didn’t want you to think I had forgotten you in the meantime.
Anyway, a lot of critics of Twilight sound like Jacob — wondering if Bella should have caught that TV show on “controlling, abusive teenage relationships.” They read about Bella being overwhelmed with love for Edward, but they don’t see how Edward is showing any real love in return for her.
So, here’s a 10 tips that help answer if your boyfriend, girlfriend, or vampire-of-destiny are really into you. And the article says, “If he’s done any of the following, there’s no question.” And how can you not trust Yahoo? So, here goes:
1. He talks you up to all his friends. If you’re meeting his friends for the first time and they already know your entire life history — not to mention your favorite movie, ice cream flavor, and guilty pleasure song — chances are he’s hooked on you, and has probably been suffering major harassment at the hands of his buddies in the name of love. (Yeah, he’s totally whipped.)
Edward talks at great length with his family about Bella in Midnight Sun. Of course, the discussion doesn’t go particularly well, but that’s besides the point. Bella is Edward’s life now and he thinks and talks of little else.
2. He enjoys doing the most mundane activities with you. Laundry. Running errands. Napping. Shoe shopping. Congratulations, you’re the most boring couple ever. (Kidding!) But when he acts like the most routine, everyday activities are confetti-filled barrels of fun — because you’re doing them together — there’s definitely something there.
For Edward, this includes helping her cook food (which disgusts him, but he does it anyway), driving Bella to school, sitting with her at lunch time, waiting out her sentence with her inside her small and humble home, and of course the main one: watching over her while she sleeps. And he is never anything but fascinated by that/her.
3. He’d rather talk to you than watch the latest episode of “24″… at least for now. If he shuts down his BlackBerry, Xbox, or most recently scheduled World of Warcraft raid so that he can give you his undivided attention, don’t doubt his devotion. Most women would kill to command that sort of attention at later points in their relationships.
Edward puts off hunting/eating, piano playing, reading, writing in his journals, etc., in order to be with Bella, hanging on her every word, breath, and expression to cross her face.
4. He’s not afraid to say, “I love you.” In fact, he willingly says it in front of both friends and family, and doesn’t balk at PDAs either.
Edward tells Bella of his love frequently, regularly and passionately — and kisses her in front of his whole family — without embarrassment. W-o-w.
5. He misses you. Always. He texts and/or emails regularly to say that he was “thinking about you” or “just wanted to say hi.” Even a “hey, what’s up?” speaks to the depths of the pain he feels when you’re not around. And if he can’t let a day go by without a phone chat? You’re gonna have a tough time getting rid of this one.
“Be safe.” “Take care of my heart — I’ve left it with you.” When he decides to not hunt any further away than absolutely necessary — even Rosalie knows that it terrifies him to be away from Bella — that showed real commitment.
6. He takes it for granted that you have a future together. He says “we” instead of “I” and talks about your future together as if it’s a given. “When you meet my sister you’ll see what I mean” or “My birthday was boring this year. We’ll have to do something fun next year.” He may not have mentioned marriage, but he’s definitely thinking long-term.
Edward tells Bella, simply, “You are my life now.” When Edward thinks long term relationship, he means very long term — like, eternity. And he definitely talks about marriage.
7. He goes the extra mile. He surprises you with candy buttons because he knows they’re your fave. He puts gas in your car or unloads the dishwasher, completely unsolicited. They’re not grand gestures, but he’s making an obvious attempt to do something special for you. Men and women speak different languages when it comes to romance, but when he does something nice for you without being asked, he’s trying. And that speaks volumes.
Too many to mention here (Fishing her car keys out of puddles. Carrying her to the nurse’s office. Getting her out of gym. And so forth.), though Edward does lean toward the “grand” side, like, missile-proof cars. Enormous diamonds. Eternal life.
8. He can’t get over how beautiful you are. If you keep catching him sneaking peeks at you from across the room, he’s totally a goner.
Edward tells Bella she’s beautiful about a zillion times (I counted), even though Bella accepts his compliments, like, twice. And he definitely does some sneaking to see Bella, for instance, constantly sneaking into everyone’s heads at school just to see her as much as possible.
9. He picks you over the boys. His friends are hitting up the local nightclub? Well… he’d rather spend the night in with you and your latest Netflix picks. They’re going to see his favorite basketball team? Well… hmm… lemme think about… what!? Of course I’d rather spend time with you, honey. Yes, he’s smitten.
In Midnight Sun, Edward seriously considers fighting his family over Bella. And he does (briefly), in New Moon.
10. He’s willing to be a total mush. As evidenced by the mixed CD he made for your “month-aversary,” complete with cutesy album title and hand-drawn cover art, and accompanied by a carefully chosen card containing five long paragraphs on why he’s grateful you’re a part of his life.
Ah, the CD. He even played the music himself. Feel free to swoon.
I put together some songs once for my girlfriend because she just wasn’t getting how much I loved her, and she kept getting nervous while I was away (epic fail). The music worked, saying what I couldn’t express properly, and she called me (in tears) to thank me. And now she’s my wife. I showed her this list to talk about number 10, and she just said, “Oh, you did every one of those things.” She is so wonderful, and I love her more and more each day.
So, if there isn’t anyone in your life loving you, committed to you, treating you like this — learn to be more like that yourself. And, trust me, it will work out when the time is right.
What do you think of the list? Can you think of other examples with Edward and Bella? Does she do the same for him? Please comment below!
Clair de Lune
Saturday, February 27th, 2010
Who are Vampires? (a.k.a., Who are We?)
Saturday, February 20th, 2010
In the U.S., National Public Radio recently ran a thoughtful and insightful story about the enduring popularity of vampires.
They could have run a perfectly acceptable story that said, in effect, “Wow, since Twilight made so much money, everyone else is trying to cash in, too!” Since I am not tuned into anything other than Twilight vampires, that would have been fine with me. But they didn’t. They chose to do something more.
You can read/listen to the whole NPR story here. Here’s their conclusion:
“Whether it’s Bill Compton wanting to embrace his humanity in True Blood, or the entire Cullen family rejecting humans as nourishment in the Twilight saga, these modern vamps are all struggling to be moral even though they are predators by nature. Which brings us to a question: Who are we?
“Author Whitley Strieber says we humans are just a different kind of predator.
“‘Our prey is our planet,’ he says. Today’s fear is not the Cold War or AIDS, it’s the fate of the Earth: ‘We sense that there is something wrong with the environment, that the planet itself may not be able to sustain us very long, and so we are beginning to romance death once again.’
“Maybe it gets back to that very American notion that we have laws and constitutions to keep our baser instincts in check. New York Times columnist Ross Douthat wrote recently: ‘We are beasts with self-consciousness, predators with ethics, mortal creatures who yearn for immortality.’
“Exactly. Maybe that’s why vampires aren’t really a fad. Because — except for that all-but-immortal thing — they really are us.”
Hmmm… Other than being careful about “injudicious hunting” and causing the occasional earthquake, I’m not convinced that ecological concerns are at the root of the Twilight series’ appeal, or Meyer’s conception of vampires (perhaps such concerns do effect the copycats television-based vampires?).
Regardless, portrayals of vampires may be influenced by popular concerns of the time, and more particularly, with society’s current concept of itself — who we: are; want to be; or, fear we are becoming.
Certainly, older portrayals of vampires may be less appealing to us today than they were to our forebears — even though Dracula One and Dracula Two are still “creep-tacular.”
So, if we’ve changed, then who are we now? Are we moral? Can we be? And what does our affection and interest in Stephenie Meyer’s vampires say about us today?
Big questions, although we will consider them only briefly here (wait for our upcoming book for more…):
Some philosophers say that people are innately immoral, and only social pressures keep us moral. This is, for example, the philosophical foundation of left-leaning political parties, who support social programs to encourage us to act morally.
Other philosophers say that people are innately moral, and that it is society which corrupts us. This line of thinking is a foundation of right-leaning political parties, who support smaller government to reduce societal pressures on individuals to act immorally.
Now, you may ask:
If those are the philosophical underpinnings of our political parties, why do left-wing democrats support individual citizen’s liberties so strongly?
And if right-wing republicans believe individuals would be “noble savages” if left alone by society, why do they seek to impose numerous societal limits upon citizens?
The reasons are complicated, but briefly, the answer is simply because neither philosophy is correct. Or rather, neither philosophy — people are innately moral or immoral — is complete. And more importantly, both groups of philosophers miss the point. Yet, Stephenie Meyer didn’t.
First, a brief digression. Anyone who has ever cared for two or more newborns can tell you a simple fact; Everyone has different personalities, even when they are moments old. Bella Swan, for instance, was always such a “constant little thing,” according to her father, Charlie.
Here’s a test you can try: Go ask your mother what you were like when you were first born. Then, ask her if your siblings were any different from you. Note the differences. Your mother may even draw a parallel from how you (or your sibling) acted in the first moments of life, with how you are now.
Clearly, there is something greater at work in our personalities and capabilities than simple matters of brain chemistry, nature-versus-nurture dichotomies, or pronouncing that people are innately “good” or “bad.”
And that greater something is the main point: our potential. We are born with personalities and capabilites that empower us to act both morally or immorally. The questions we then face are these:
Which will we choose? To act morally, or immorally?
How far will we take those choices?
Throughout our lives, we may choose to reinforce our moral natures, adding to our wisdom and influence, line-upon-line, until we are capable of acting in powerfully good and moral ways.
Or, during our lives we may choose to reject that path for the immoral, eventually diminishing our capabilities to act in moral ways.
When Bella’s story begins, she enters a mythical world — Forks, Washington — where time as we know it ends, and it is forever twilight, where little changes from year-to-year and where, bathed in living, green shadows, beings live eternally.
When she enters this mythic place, and the life of human, werewolf, or vampire is placed before her, she is forced to make confusing choices to act morally or immorally: Will she choose the petty lifestyles and concerns of many of her peers? Will she take a more convenient, safer path, “only” betraying herself, and choose Jacob with a kiss? Or will she remain true to her heart, and choose a purer love, for Edward?
Will she risk her immortal soul for physical passion? Or will she try to save Edward’s soul by remaining chaste, helping him remain pure and uncorrupted in this one, last way?
And then, once Bella chooses to pursue her “angel” Edward and seek an immortal life, two greater paths are then placed before her. Which type of immortal being will she become?
Will she be like the Cullens — loving, compassionate, caring for the people around them, and as a true “family” remain together eternally?
Or will she be like the Volturi — spiteful, manipulative, destroying others without compunction, and as a corrupt “coven” impersonating royalty only remain together through the machinations of their leaders (particularly Aro, with Chelsea’s binding assistance)?
Two paths of immortal potential lay before her: Will Bella become an angel? Or a devil? The choice is hers to make.
As it is ours.
We may not appear to be immortal here on earth, although some certainly claim we are/have been/will be (forms of “be” are challenging when you talk about the eternal; they just are — like someone who once introduced himself simply as, “I Am.”).
And hasn’t each of us noticed the nagging feeling in the back of our mind and heart that there is something more going on here than meets the eye? The wonder that perhaps something greater awaits us…?
The point is that each of us has an infinite potential for both good or ill.
Given time and fortitude, we could gain the wisdom and perhaps, the influence, of Carlisle Cullen, or Churchill, Gandhi, and Mother Teresa. Over time, their influence grows and grows, enlarging the souls of those who contemplate their profound examples.
Or over time, we could become as evil and loathsome as Aro, or Hitler, bin Laden, or any of the forgotten killers dragged away in chains to waste their lives on Death Row. Eventually their influence is trampled, when the heroes among us make waste of all their efforts, and the entropy of the universe is overcome by the morality of our heroes’ souls.
So the question is not whether we are innately good or innately bad. Of course we are. We all are. Both sides, in one. The real question is whether we will choose — and continue to choose — to live a moral life.
Will we limit (damn?) ourselves as merely predators? Or transcend that easier path to become something more?
Whether you believe this life is a happy accident, or (like Edward) have difficulty accepting this is all a product of chance, the opportunity to have an immortal influence for good awaits.
Like Bella, please choose wisely. And, as Renee once said, “Try to be more careful when you walk, honey, I don’t want to lose you.”
A Response to Criticisms Leveled at Twilight
Friday, February 12th, 2010
I have noticed that there are a lot of Twilight haters out there. [If you are one of them, I suggest reading this wonderful article -- written just for you, and the Twihards who have to deal with you -- by Monica Hesse of the Washington Post.]
As we’ve discussed earlier, dislike, and its resulting criticism, is often tied closely to disagreement with the themes presented in a given story, film, song, or other work of art. If you don’t agree with the moral, you probably won’t like the story very much, and if you do agree with its message, you’ll probably like it more.
Criticisms of Twilight appear to be particularly leveled at Breaking Dawn, the last book in the series. These criticisms may grow as the final Twilight book is made into a film. In Breaking Dawn, the series culminates as our hero, Bella, reaches her high point (or low, if you happen to be a critic). So it may be natural that this book would take the hardest hits.
In any case, criticism of the Twilight series seems to morph over time, and I’d like to address a few recent critical trends:
-
1.) Bella’s story arc is anti-feminist, and thus, presents a bad example for young women. This criticism parallels a closely related one, which is that Bella suffers from low self-esteem, and relies upon her (often, male) friends for support and thus, presents a bad example for young women.
2.) “Breaking Dawn” is confusing because it violates the pre-existing milieu of the entire Twilight series.
3.) Recently, critics assert that the Twilight books are “anti-God.” Okay.
And, 4.) that “Breaking Dawn” book proves conclusively, as a very popular writer* of horror bluntly stated, Stephenie Meyer “can’t write worth a darn.” Ouch.
So let’s take a look at each of these criticisms and see if we can’t alleviate them, at least for some readers.
1.) Is Bella Swan an “anti-feminist” character?
Bella, through adherence to her principles amid changing circumstances (see earlier Meaning of Twilight posts), grows in maturity and becomes the most powerful character in the series, acting independently from Edward and others.
Edward, Jacob (and Carlisle, Charlie, etc.) contribute to the group’s success at times (notably when Edward saves Bella from being hit by a van). But eventually the men inevitably ruin things and it is left to the women — especially Bella — to ultimately work things out, warn about upcoming dangers, repair things, and otherwise save the day in situation after situation. As Alice notes: Edward is, sometimes, a disappointment.
For instance, in New Moon, as Edward wallows in misery while hopelessly misguided off the the right path in Brazil — not finding his quarry, not keeping Bella safe, not preserving his own sanity — it is Bella who finally takes the leap of faith that brings Edward back: she jumps off the La Push cliff.
As a direct consequence, all of the breaches caused by Edward’s foolish disappearance — vampire attacks around Forks, the werewolf pack in constant danger, too-few doctors in the local hospital, Mike ignoring Jessica, etc. — are repaired.
Soon after, because of Bella’s willingness to sacrifice herself rather than Edward to the Volturi’s justice, her life is spared on the condition that she be granted immortality. Thus, her leap leads not only to her immediate success but to her eternal transformation as well.
But — critics say — this was a suicidal act. Indeed, if she had died, it could have been seen in this light. But she doesn’t die, and doesn’t even realize what danger she was in until after she takes the leap. Bella is immediately remorseful afterwards for her foolishness, and for the pain she has — and could have — caused. So while she may be self-destructive, she isn’t suicidal. “You see,” critics say, “Bella is a terrible role model.”
Bella is the hero of the Twilight series. She saves Charlie from loneliness. She helps Renee grow up. She assists Alice in discovering her past, and in fulfilling her lost, human side. She helps Rosalie find peace and joy in caring for her child, and so forth. She is the key to helping each character reach their potential and find happiness.
Most importantly for the story, Bella saves Edward from being a “monster” — and Jacob, too. Both young men are profoundly distressed by their supernatural natures. Bella helps them both to see, and then to achieve, the goodness that their powers enable them to achieve. She transforms them from monsters into men, in the best sense.
Further, Bella saves herself from her awkward adolescence, maturing into an accomplished and powerful woman; she is much more powerful than any other human or immortal in the series, even more powerful than Aro, the pinnacle of vampiric royalty and power. And what is anti-feminist about that?
Since Socrates, who first pointed this out, stories thrive on conflict caused by the flaws (hamartia) of their characters, just like the most popular of Shakespeare’s tragedies, Romeo and Juliet. Accordingly, Bella and the other characters have pronounced flaws in their character, and thus make dramatic mistakes in their lives. “Dramatic” being the key word there. Moreover, the overcoming of these flaws becomes the backbone of this — and any other — story.
More pointedly, unlike real life, in drama the “ends justifies the means,” simply because it is a story and the outcome is assured in the writer’s mind. This is why the concept of destiny is so easily explored in drama; the author “destines” it, and so the characters must fulfill their destiny.
In real life, outcomes are rarely assured, so we must be more cautious — and we are. Usually. “And what if teenage girls start risking suicide because a boy breaks up with them?” critics ask.
I don’t recall anyone voicing fears that teenaged boys would start running off with homeless people when Luke Skywalker ran away from home with Obi-Wan Kenobi. Further, high school English teachers’ insistence that "Romeo and Juliet" form the basis of their curriculum for the past hundred years (or more) doesn’t seem to have resulted in sky-rocketing suicides every year — even among those ever-so-emotionally-fragile teenage girls.
If there is an anti-feminist point of view out there in relation to Twilight, perhaps it is seen among these very criticisms, pre-supposing that young women are incapable of learning a moral lesson via the extreme examples that drama provides.
The related criticism about Bella’s “poor self-esteem” doesn’t hold water either. While Bella can feel self-conscious from time to time — and occasionally agonizes over those feelings — she actually exhibits self-assuredness time and again in the face of physical danger, difficult social situations, spiritual quandries, and intellectual challenges. What she also exhibits, which may be confused by some as low self-esteem, is humility.
Simple, decent humility is a sign of greatness. How does one develop true self-worth? By adhering to one’s principles amid changing circumstances, adapting in upright ways as situations change, just as Bella does (discussed elsewhere in the Meaning of Twilight series). When one does achieve a measure of greatness, does that mean one can lord over others in arrogance and pride? Of course not. Thus, the need for humility, and why it is associated with greatness.
So if Bella is a real, feminine hero, why the harsh criticism of her character — especially among feminists? As we’ve explored earlier, it may be that they simply do not agree with her decisions. Or will not agree. In Breaking Dawn, for instance, the descriptions of the spiritual and physical joys of married intimacy are attacked by critics because they underscore the benefits of pre-marital chastity — benefits which may now be beyond the reach of some readers. And that can be hard to live with. Ugly feelings have a way of seeping into every aspect of a person’s life. Sad. But true. I’m sorry.
2.) Breaking Dawn, though with purposeful differences, is consistent with the rest of the books in the Twilight series.
Surprisingly enough, life goes on beyond the teen years. And contrary to what many teens (and John Hughes) may want you to think, the teen years are hardly the best years that life offers. To the contrary, once a person’s life becomes their own, and as they gain wisdom, people make wiser and wiser choices and increasingly enjoy the cumulative benefits of all those good choices. Unless you choose to act foolishly (failing to follow the Wisdom Cycle), life really does get better as you change and move forward. Really. I promise.
We will likely review this more later, but a key principal of Bella and Edward’s growing maturity is a commitment to be true to one another, to offer one another the best life they can have — which includes largely reserving their intimate life until after marriage. BD offers the payoff of their living according to their principles. Specifically, Bella and Edward are able to develop a profound emotional intimacy with one another throughout their courtship, even though (or perhaps: because) they haven’t actually been physically intimate. Further, despite the adjustments they must make (common in many new marriages), they enjoy a deeply rewarding sex life which celebrates and deepens their emotional intimacy. They don’t miss a thing. And Breaking Dawn underscores exactly that point — that devotion to principle is well worth it.
Despite the need to advance the story quickly through numerous life events which, for most people, symbolize an accomplished mature life — marriage, intimacy, college decisions, career choices, extended family relations, etc. — Breaking Dawn reveals that physical intimacy at any time of life opens a new world of options, including pregnancy, childbirth, and raising a family. Whether those steps make one’s life better, or worse, largely depends on one’s commitments, including the formal commitment of marriage.
Marriage itself shows society that a person has decided they are willing and ready to take serious steps, such as pregnancy. It is for this reason that Bella, humble as she is, is somewhat embarrassed to publicly reveal herself to have matured beyond her years, and well beyond her peers (just imagine how Jessica and Mike would handle a newborn).
3.) The Twilight series is hardly “anti-God.”
The series resolutely and seriously considers the importance of saving one’s (and one another’s) soul. The lead characters take a chaste approach to their romantic relationship specifically to preserve their clean and pure state into the afterlife — a portrayal of rarity in today’s popular culture.
This is a secular book, and God is not specifically mentioned (is He??). Yet Bella discusses and considers the importance of securing a happy afterlife, extensively, and to the very best of her abilities. Like Carlisle, she approaches spiritual matters with a limited understanding, yet with a resolute faith.
On a deeper level, the series explores another relationship people may choose to have with their Maker — to become more like God himself, in order to better act on God’s behalf, whatever that may entail in that person’s life. This happens in two different ways.
First, the characters of Twilight do good to others within the range of their abilities, in a sense acting as “angels.” For example, Edward Cullen, the male lead, is frequently compared with angels. Edward is sometimes said to be as beautiful as an angel, or as dangerous as a destroying angel. Yet he is most often and specifically said to act as a guardian angel. In Midnight Sun, the released yet unfinished story of Twilight from Edward’s point of view, this is made explicit. Edward is like an angel — which may be the actual inspiration for his glowing, sparkling light with which he shines in daylight.
But it is not just who he is that makes Edward angelic; it is what he does. As the story progresses, he puts off the natural man, through his love, to readily sacrifice any and all of his own pleasures and desires — all to serve a higher purpose, as needed. For instance, Edward continually protects Bella, even watching over her in her sleep (something that otherwise would seem awfully forward, if not criminal). Using his unique abilities, he is inspired to help others — ranging from helping Ben and Angela to overcome their shyness to get together, most likely for the rest of their lives, to protecting Bella from her various attackers as best he can.
Conversely, the villainous Volturi use their own supernatural powers only to preserve themselves and their exalted position in evil. Their court serves as an inverted mockery of the Vatican itself. They represent the fallen angels — the devils — of this world.
Thus, the Cullens and the Volturi represent two great possibilities of human nature: To serve the good and thereby become ever more like God, eventually to act as an immortal, veritable angel upon the earth; or, to become overthrown by their own greedy and carnal passions — until they become as vicious and heartless as the very devils themselves.
Second, the good vampire characters — the Cullen family and their closest friends — each posses various qualities of God which ennoble and empower them in doing good for others. They are filled with compassion for humanity (Carlisle). They are enormously caring (Esme). They are glorious (Rosalie) and powerful (Emmett). They see the future (Alice). They know the hearts (Jasper) and minds (Edward) of men, insomuch that they can perceive one’s innate potential (Eleazar). They even control the elements themselves (Benjamin), or alter the course of history as they will (Siobhan). And, of course, they protect the good and the weak (Bella).
In addition, they are immortal. They do not sleep. They are nearly indestructible. They shine with an unearthly glow. They are inconceivably knowledgeable, incredibly smart, and thus are (usually) very wise. They do not have blood, or suffer from human weakness, frailty or fatigue. They can, but rarely, eat. Indeed, their “food” is — though befitting the genre of the vampire tale — sacramental in nature. Their bodies are made perfect and transform into each person’s ideal form through their death as a human and passage into immortality. It is as though the author envisioned the possibility of what a resurrected being would be like (according to many faiths), and after making a few minor changes, called them vampires. (Note: According to the LDS faith, to which the author ascribes, angels are essentially exalted people, and their “wings” as mentioned in scripture are only metaphorical; the Cullens don’t have wings either, and they only “fly” metaphorically — and often.)
4.) The fourth criticism — that Meyer is not a good author — begs a more technical explanation.
Setting aside the possibility of jealousy among critics and peers in the face of Meyer’s enormous success, as well as her obvious talent at creating a vividly engaging milieu, along with her delightful skills in writing dialogue, and her masterful control of what the reader does and doesn’t know, I believe that many readers (especially critics) are confused by the impact of Meyer’s most obvious literary device: first-person perspective. The matter requires a technical explanation.
To simplify, here’s a little story: As a college freshman, I studied Joseph Conrad’s landmark novel, “Lord Jim.” In it, Conrad changes perspective from the first-person view of the lead character after the first few pages, to a third-person narrative, where a semi-omniscient narrator describes the remainder of the story. The book is powerful and inspiring, but problemmatic for English scholars. Historically, the main issue was that Conrad was publishing the book little-by-little, over several months in a magazine, so he couldn’t re-write the first few chapters. So, when the hero makes a terrible mistake at the end of the first-person perspective portion of the book, the narrator takes over as the lead character tries to redeem himself. He is ultimately successful and becomes a true hero — albeit one with a martyr’s complex (though, like Bella, we love him anyway).
Why the change? Because it is extremely difficult — and some (like my professor) might say, impossible — to make a first-person narrator into a hero. Because readers see things through his eyes, we know his flaws, his reasons, and his reasoning, so the hero’s actions are completely understandable, rather than the sort of thing which inspires awe. Thus, authors very rarely use first-person narrators, and when they do, they are either outside observers of the story (as in “Moby Dick”) or anti-heroes we aren’t supposed to revere (as in “Catcher in the Rye”). And this is why the great Joseph Conrad had to bail out on Lord Jim’s perspective, when Jim bailed out of his own troubles.
What Meyer has done in the Twilight series is to create a truly heroic character while relying only upon a first-person narrator — a remarkably compelling addition to the world of English literature.
While Bella marvels at the powers of those around her, she believes herself to be weak, yet triumphs again and again. Only in Breaking Dawn’s denouement does Bella finally, in embarrassed humility, ever even notice that fact. But although Bella’s humility makes her blind to her own greatness, we as the readers do not need to be so blind, especially when we see her extraordinary triumphs. She traps James where he can be killed. She saves Edward from suicide, and is the convincing factor so that the Volturi don’t kill her, Alice and Edward. In Eclipse, she cuts herself at the cliff to entice and distract the attacking vampires. And so on.
However, it appears that many critics, no doubt well accustomed to this once unbreakable “rule” of literature that no hero can be portrayed through their own first-person perspective, fail to see Bella for what she is: a true hero.
Further, Meyer’s critics fail to see her own artistic triumph, even when the pattern remains while Jacob briefly becomes the self-sacrificing hero in Breaking Dawn, and the narration obligingly shifts over to his own first-person view.
Thus, critics’ growing confusion as they progress through the series, as they continue misunderstanding the texts, resulting in their particular dislike for Breaking Dawn.
And their obviously incorrect insistence that Bella is as weak of a female lead as the character herself (also, mistakenly) believes herself to be.
And their failure to recognize Meyer’s work in the Twilight series for what it truly is: a triumph of English literature.
So, thank you, Stephenie (who, as if to drive the point home, takes this concept even further in The Host). Thank you, Bella, our true hero.
And, thank you, dear readers. You may hold your head high.
Yet, in humility, please remember why some people — as described above — will never understand the light that we see, ironically enough, in Twilight.
Please feel free to comment below. And thanks for visiting TwilightNewsSite.com. Tell your friends!
*Yes, it was Stephen King. More on that later but briefly, Meyer’s worldview is that the world is based upon cause and effect — Law of the Harvest, “you reap what you sow.” Hence, the long origin stories of each of the Cullens, Edward and Bella’s discussion on the creation vs. evolution of vampires, etc.
In contrast, the horror genre argues that life has no cause and effect — horrible things just “happen.” Thus, if something bad or difficult arises in your life, you can declaim any responsibility for your own life. Good luck with that.
Thus, the horror worldview says that it’s not your fault if: a magical dome encloses your town; a giant dog attacks your car; or say, you aren’t paying attention walking down the road when an equally inattentive driver hits you with his car from behind.
So I suspect what King really disagrees with isn’t Meyer’s writing ability, but her worldview. And her massive book sales.
Major Themes in the Twilight Series
Thursday, January 14th, 2010
Bella contemplates her future — with Jacob? — and a possibly abrupt end to the Twilight saga.
I promised in our earlier “Meaning of Twilight” series of articles that I would address some major themes in the Twilight saga. There are a number of other significant themes Meyer presents to the reader, some of which could aid a young person striving for maturity, and may contribute to the series’ popularity.
Like most teens, Bella makes numerous observations and judgments about everyone she associates with (e.g., Mike Newton’s hair styles). This is normal behavior for teens, for which they are roundly criticized. And as with most teens, this ability serves an important purpose — by doing this, she hones her ability to appraise the hearts and minds of others. This is, in fact, a crucial ability since they will soon search for (and find) a life partner. So Bella’s observations are a positive thing. For example, Bella realizes that she would “rather die” than end up with Mike Newton.
Bella struggles with her decision of who her boyfriend will be — primarily Edward or Jacob. She does not seem to be fully aware that who she chooses would likely become her life partner — her husband — which raises the reader’s tension throughout the texts. Further complicating her decision (and raising our tension) is that she argues with each of them, frequently, as they hash through their differences of opinion — a normal and healthy process, but it can be stressful nonetheless.
What Bella does seem to understand, at some level, is that a key aspect of her choice will be which of the two you men she admires most — which of them she most wants to be like. Perhaps this is one reason for the popularity of the “Team Edward versus Team Jacob” discussions among fans, who also face the same decision in selecting their own life partners.
Jacob is more enjoyable to be around, perhaps similar to a younger Bella, but he is a less developed person in that he often reverts to “bugging the crap out of” Bella to get his way, and excuses these choices by saying that these behaviors are “just how he is.”
On the other hand, Edward makes major, life-altering choices to help and support Bella, and makes sincere efforts to overcome old habits when they emerge, for example, when anger nearly overwhelms him after Bella is stalked by a group of men in Twilight (In a period of rebellion, Edward used to regularly prey upon men seeking to victimize women).
Ultimately, for Bella, the decision of who her boyfriend (and eventual husband) will be boils down to the fact that while she often appears to appreciate Jacob’s personality, she admires Edward more as a person, and wants to become more like him in the future — and so she wisely makes her choice accordingly. This is underscored by just how much she does become like her final choice…
Supporting this decision is the fact that Edward himself wants to become more like Bella, and does so, as his “human” nature surfaces more and more. In comparison, Jacob often points out that he is better than Bella (jokingly? or not?), or simply demands that Bella accept the person he is — in effect, demanding that Bella become more like him.
[For Team Jacob's benefit, let us point out that Jake matures markedly in Breaking Dawn, and is preparing himself for Renesmee -- to become a better person, to equal her -- much as Edward prepared himself earlier for Bella.]
Perhaps surprisingly, Bella does not consider — at least for us to know — what her college major or future career might be (she has some discussion with Angela while addressing graduation announcements, but summarizes it out of the narrative). Perhaps she realizes that since the average adult changes careers (not just jobs) an average of five times in their life — and jobs can be more a matter of chance than anything else — that stressing too much about a career as a teen may be something of a waste of time. More likely is that since Bella seems to handle money well, she has few fears about making a living, and thus, lesser need to ponder the matter. Further, she is entirely and remarkably successful in her one real avocation that we do know about — as a vampire. Nice work, if you can get it. And as with many people, Bella does stumble into her future “job” as a vampire, discovering that she does well as the Cullen’s preferred liaison with the family attorney, J. Jenks.
Another major and significant theme found throughout the Twilight series is the issue of pre-marital versus post-marital physical intimacy. This is discussed in great depth within the series, and the importance and value of chastity before marriage is revealed and supported.
Bella contemplates the mysteries of intimacy a great deal, and perhaps influenced by her “flaky” mother, initially supposes that pre-marital intimacy is at best, highly desirable, and at worst, no “big deal.” She — and the reader — later discover how wrong this supposition is, as pre-marital intimacy (even kissing) presents enormous risk and dangers:
In a key plot point, Bella nearly loses the love of her life, forever, by merely kissing her “best friend,” Jacob, after he saves her from drowning, while sitting in a parked car (her truck). She realizes that is she does, they could end up being committed romantically to one another, conceivably forever, even though she knows she does not love him romantically. What she doesn’t realize is that they may be secretly observed by Alice Cullen, who if she had seen them kissing, would have likely left immediately, leaving Bella unaware of her presence. Later, Edward would have inevitably moved on, been hopelessly miserable, or died, and Bella would have spent the rest of life having her friend/life partner (frequently) “bugging the crap out of” her.
Conversely, all of Bella’s future joys and happiness — as well as Edward’s, and Jacob’s –are founded upon the fact that she does not kiss Jacob in the truck that night. If Bella had kissed him that one time, all of the threesome’s future happiness — as described later in the books — would have been lost, and the story would have likely ended there, so the reader’s enjoyment would have ended as well. (Team Jacob may complain in comments below.)
In a remarkably direct, religious context, Bella eventually realizes and encourages Edward that their immortal souls are worth much more than the immediate gratification that pre-marital physical intimacy would have brought. How to save one’s soul (or not) is a serious matter, in life and in the text, and it is treated as such throughout.
The irrelevance for a person to date someone other than their true life partner is explicitly brought up in Jacob’s challenge to Quil to date another girl while Claire (the girl he is destined for) grows up. Quil refuses to consider it, finding the possibility irrelevant to his happiness; he “just can’t see it.” This explanation is supported as a wise decision throughout the series.
In comparison, both Sam and Leah are truly miserable throughout the series due to their affair prior to Sam’s discovery of his destined, true love, Emily.
Edward refuses Tanya’s advances before and during the series. This is presumably due, at least in part, to her active sex life with a wide variety of human partners. He maintains this position despite his acknowledgment that her beauty rivals that “of the stars.”
Further, Bella and Edward both must eventually confess to one another any previous physical intimacies with others, in a true-to-life moment. The fact that neither of them had any such trysts is a matter of great comfort and relief to the other, and results in a gratefully brief discussion — for them, and for the reader as well. The issue becomes a source of peace for them in their relationship, and is brought up again and again, rather than a source of fears, irritation, or contention.
When Bella is tricked into kissing Jacob, she falls into misery and immediately doubts her own commitment to Edward, and his commitment to her. In many narratives, characters often commit some sin before they are punished by subsequent (and often, unrelated) events. Similarly Bella — metaphorically at least — is made to “pay” for her transgression throughout the remainder of Eclipse, with her guilt before Edward and the wolf pack, the attack by Victoria, and her painful confrontation with Jacob later.
Bella’s “flaky” mother’s irresponsibility in terms of physical intimacy is also suggested. Renee’s failure to commit to the things which could have brought greater happiness during Bella’s childhood has serious negative effects. It is apparent that Renee has been unable to commit to almost anything in her life, up until she meets Phil prior to the start of the series. Bella’s childhood leaves her troubled, as she grows up in poverty, developing a serious martyr complex (though we love her for it), and with numerous fears and misunderstandings about marriage and committment in life. Bella must work through these misunderstandings later in order to secure her happiness for her own life — perhaps at a greater cost to herself and those around her than if she had been raised with a clearer understanding of committment and physical intimacy (e.g., in her refusal to marry Edward). This is underscored in how Bella’s life with her mother is rather bleak, apparently due in no part to her own failings, since her life quickly becomes wondrous when living with her (apparently now celibate) father, Charlie. In the end, to live happily and committed to her vampire husband, Bella must ostracize her mother from her life, because she simply “wouldn’t understand.” Her mother may never meet her granddaughter, or enjoy the life Charlie does, who finds his true life partner in time, with Sue. Poor Renee; although we enjoy her character, she is her own worst punishment and may progress less than any other major character in the series.
Bella is eventually able to commit to marriage in part because she hasn’t experienced pre-marital intimacy with Edward. She specifically discusses the need for chastity — to do things the “right” way — when she finally accepts the need to publicly acknowlege their engagement in the Meadow. She clearly declares that the true love Edward and Bella share should (must) preclude pre-marital intimacy.
Further, it is revealed later in the narrative that any intercouse with Edward would have resulted in death for Bella through an immediate and rapid pregnancy. It appears likely that if Bella had conceived a pregnancy out of wedlock, Edward’s family may have been unable to provide the incredible level of support that proves ultimately necessary to preserve Bella’s pregnancy and/or life — or at least, much less likely, given Rosalie’s pronounced dislike to her, and her essential role in keeping Bella and her child, Renesmee, alive.
Lastly, the benefits of such a delaying a physical relationship until marriage are revealed by the enthusiastic descriptions of the joys of married intimacy contained in Breaking Dawn. Some of the series’ younger readers have been confused or offended by these descriptions. However, the benefits of pre-marital chastity — which include the unclouded joys of monogamy — are key to Meyer’s theme, and no doubt, will be a revelation to many readers in time.
In contrast, Jacob’s preoccupations of Bella in a sexual context torment him throughout the series, even during childbirth. The fact that these thoughts will be toward his future mother-in-law is particularly disturbing, and most unfortunate. Ugh. If only he had noticed the decidedly maternal tone of Bella’s love for him! Nearly all her affectionate comments to him contain that maternal, motherly love, foreshadowing her future role in his life. With his mother having died, Bella’s love for him could have been a comfort, instead of becoming the burden it did — the burden that he brought upon himself.
So, as we’ve discussed before, people generally enjoy stories more — books, movies, folktales, and so forth — when they agree with their themes. Do you agree with these themes? Do you believe that a single kiss can hold in its balance the entire future of a person’s life? Your life?
If you enjoy Twilight as much as I do, perhaps so. I believe a single kiss does have that power. It certainly did for me, so richly and in so many ways that I can’t possibly describe it.
And if you don’t think it’s true, then perhaps you feel it, inside? Or at least, hope that it may be true? There is much to consider.
Okay, so that’s it — for now — on our “Meaning of Twilight” series. Thank you for reading. There will be more “Edward versus Jacob” contrasts in our next Meaning of Twilight article… Stay tuned, and by all means, please tell your friends!
The Twilight Saga: New Moon — a Response and Review.
Friday, December 25th, 2009
Well, since our last “Meaning” post here at Twilight News Site, we have moved to a new home, got injured doing so, recovered somewhat, (mostly) moved into a delightful new home, and even had enough energy to enjoy a lovely Christmas. By the way, if you missed Stephenie Meyer’s Christmas essay for Ensign magazine, “Hero at the Grocery Store,” you may read it here. We haven’t posted a review of the New Moon film, but as a Christmas present to ourselves, we are setting aside some time this evening to write — which makes this Christmas even more lovely.
In general, the Chris Weitz film, “The Twilight Saga: New Moon,” has received what journalists kindly refer to as “mixed reviews.” Of course, we here at Twilight News Site have read a good many of them — which you’re not supposed to do before writing your review. Otherwise, if you liked it and others didn’t, your review becomes something more of a response to the movie and its criticism — in other words, a defense. Since, as it turns out, that’s exactly what I’d like to write, here goes.
How to Write a Film Review
Oftentimes, film reviewers run out of things to say about the bazillionth movie they’ve watched in their career. Apparently, the phrase, “I was bored, like I usually am watching yet another movie. The end, thank God.” isn’t enough to keep a job as a film reviewer. Yet it seems as though an extended version of that sentiment is, in fact, good enough to maintain a film critic position.
So to extend that thought, when a reviewer is bored, and has little to say about a film, he generally falls into simple plot description. First, they will write a brief sentence or two, telling what (little) they think of the film. Then they fill in their required word count with more and more of the plot until they run out of space. While doing this, they often turn to snark — the poor man’s version of wit — which also helps to fill things out, while temporarily salving one’s poor self-esteem.
Further, if you’re an angry critic, who is frequently annoyed by how much marketing there is, or the fact that a film isn’t specifically targeting elderly gentlemen, or perhaps bothered by indigestion or some other physical ailment, you go ahead and tell the entire plot and throw in the denouement for good measure. If you’re still short on word count, and especially put-out, you might want to add a statement to the effect of “how dare they make a film like this,” which makes you seem correct without having to justify any of your assessments.
Finally, you add a brief paragraph about how — despite all you’ve said above — the actual cinematic qualities of the film were professionally done, and this or that actor did a wonderful job with what they were given. Note: discussing the cinematic qualities is what they teach budding young critics reviews are supposed to contain, and they often try, but it can be difficult when you’ve never actually made a film before. Or television show. Or any other creative endeavor, outside of criticism. If you can call that “creative.”
Trust me on this: the vast majority of reviews of “New Moon” follow the above pattern.
A smaller percentage of reviewers, generally written by female baby boomers, challenge the film as detrimental to the women’s movement. Background for our readers: the women’s movement was a 1960-80s effort by many women to be “liberated.” I don’t know either, but I’m quite sure we’re all enjoying the benefits of their sacrifices today. So, thank you. Sincerely.
However, I’d just like to add a side note to a number of those reviewers that I’m very, very sorry that early promiscuity was not the path to happiness that you were hoping it would be, and that I can understand that the theme of “New Moon,” and the Twilight saga in general, might bring up a great deal of unpleasantness for you. So sorry. Really.
Lastly, I must add that broad attacks against the LDS church in the guise of a movie review would likely be regarded by most people nowadays as “politically incorrect,” a term you should be familiar with. I mean, that joke worked in that X-Men movie — more or less equating mutants with GLTs — so why not here?
Most of the remaining reviews of “New Moon” can be summed as saying, essentially: “Huh?” I applaud these reviewers for their authorial honesty in presenting their actual thoughts while viewing the film. Psychologists have identified three types of marriages: (1) Bad ones, where nothing between the two is ever really figured out (other than mutual agreement to harm one another); (2) Good ones, where they divide up their lives between themselves quite effectively; and surprisingly, a third category, (3) Great ones, where they save one another, and where the two become one. I can understand why some people simply wouldn’t get the Twilight series, which is all about #3. If you have not, will not, and never will truly love someone until you two become one, then no, I don’t think Twilight will make much sense to you.
Lastly, some reviewers said, simply, that they liked it. And then they explained why, referring to the cinematic qualities of the film itself, which as I recall from my college courses on film, was generally what film reviews were supposed to be. This — for those of you keeping score — is one of those reviews.
But then again, I’m not actually a professional film reviewer, so what do I know? Well, I do know a good deal about video production and I do recognized a few obvious truths about making a movie like “New Moon.”
New Moon: A Review
It is hard work to adapt a novel (i.e., hundreds of pages of dialogue, action and character development) into a screenplay (i.e., 90 – 120 pages, i.e., one page of script per minute of screen time). The screenwriter has to pare everything down while adding something(s) exciting enough to make the film a value-add for those who already read the book, without going too far outside of the world-within-the-book — it’s milieu. It is even more difficult to then take that script, hire and manage a few hundred people, short-term, and thereby create a compelling vision of that book and script.
The task is made even more difficult with a book/movie series, where you need to reach people who didn’t see the first film, while not boring those who did. The many fans of the book present a true challenge — to fulfill their sincere passion for each characters’ journey — while needing to produce a film at a marketable length, on-time, and under-budget. Further, you need to add your own vision and cinematic flair to the on-going story, while recognizing that the story can/must be able to be picked up by another director.
And, no doubt, that is made even more difficult when there are millions of rabid fans hounding your every move, you have an extremely limited amount of time to change thousands of man-hours into 2 hours or less of entertainment, and when the previous director has broken all manner of records in their own attempt.
Yet, despite those difficulties, Chris Weitz’s film is a resounding success. Let me be clear here: Not since “Gone with the Wind” has a popular novel been so carefully, lovingly, and brilliantly been brought to the screen.
Like the Twilight series, “Gone with the Wind” was an incredibly popular book in its day, with the film version facing fan such unbridled excitement and expectation rarely seen before or since. Like GWTW, “New Moon” presents a rich and fully-realized world for the beloved characters to inhabit and explore, with a remarkably rich visual palette, sound, and tempo as it briskly gallops from one beloved plot-point to the next.
“New Moon” treats its challenging subject matter with enormous care and affection. Where “Gone with the Wind” occasionally falls into weepy melodrama, in “New Moon,” the director strengthens and reinforces the bittersweet emotions of the characters, each one lost amid feelings so powerful they barely understand them. Viewers themselves are taken along for their own emotional journeys; undoubtedly, many couples will spend hours afterwards remembering their own courtship’s mistakes, success, and the deep (but sometimes forgotten) feelings that have led them to the life they now lead.
The love that the author, screenwriter, actors, and director have for each character — even each line of dialogue — is perfectly clear on the screen as the story unfolds from one breathtaking setting after another, again. Rarely are films so carefully produced. Yet that care never prevents the spontaneous performances of its talented cast members from revealing the raw emotions that drive their characters’ action.
For example, after viewing the film many times — and “New Moon” rewards repeat viewings as few films have — there is a moment which never fails to make my skin crawl and, simultaneously, my tears start. It is a powerful emotional combination I’ve experienced in life many times (e.g., whenever one of my children, or my wife, is hurt), but to be honest, never in the cinema.
Without divulging plot, it is when Kristen Stewart screams — in a captivating performance — “please,” repeatedly, in a climactic scene.
That moment is simply one of the finest in the history of film, an instant classic, a moment to be treasured forever — as performance, vision, sound, and story combine in synergy, with an emotional impact far beyond the sum of their parts or what one would expect from film. It is a masterful and supernal moment, a cinematic moment which transcends the medium, and one which I will always be grateful for.
“New Moon” is an amazing film of breathtaking emotional scope and visual impact, an artistic — and commercial — triumph, and a wonderful gift to Twilight fans, and to the cinema itself.
To Chris Weitz and company: Thank you. You did it.
What makes Bella — and other heroes — “good?”
Tuesday, October 27th, 2009
Bella saving Edward, the vampire, the “monster” — one kiss at a time.
In our previous posts, we’ve looked briefly at why people like stories that offer truthful insights into life. We decided that a major theme of the Twilight saga is how to grow up well, and we looked at some real-life elements to Bella Swan’s personality we can all relate to — or at least, should be able to relate to. So, what other themes does the Twilight series offer?
Most readers would agree that Bella is a good person. Yet describing what it is that makes her good may be a more difficult to describe.
After all, she secretly sleeps with her boyfriend (only literally, but still), takes cold medicine to get to sleep (more on that one later |-\ ), risks her life for all sorts of reasons, and gets married and has a baby while still rather young. Yet, even her (and Stephenie Meyer’s) harshest critics’ most damning criticism is primarily that she’s sort of, well, boring. Ordinary. Like you and me. And of course Bella, herself, would whole-heartedly agree (which, nonetheless, I totally disagree with).
But all that still doesn’t satisfy the question, “What makes Bella into a good person, a real hero?”
She is a very passionate, thoughtful, and an articulate young woman, who delightfully surprises her loved ones, friends & associates (and readers) at every turn. She’s also observant, perceptive, and bright. That’s very important. And, by all accounts — other than her own — she is a lovely girl besides. Yet while those qualities are all very nice, they aren’t quite the same thing as good, as in ethically, morally, and heroically good.
Bella Swan shares another quality which some would say all great characters share, which notably distinguishes her, and other heroes like her. She is committed to her principles. Although her friends might, on occasion, think of her as stubborn, she isn’t just demanding her way because it’s her way, as all truly stubborn and selfish people do. It is because she will not yield on her principles.
Bella has a concrete set of principles she adheres to — primarily, her devoted love for others, her willingness to sacrifice on their behalf, and her overall sense of responsibility. As her mother, Renee notes, commitment was never her problem.
Bella’s commitment to her principles provides the iron rod that her moral fiber clings to — and which guides the story forward. Every positive, major decision she makes is based on her principles, and each positive, major event is in turn based upon those decisions. For example, her devotion to Edward leads her to decide to become a vampire, and helps her overcome her fears of the pain (and in a sense, her death) which would accompany her rebirth into the immortal realm.
Bella’s internal monologue shows her continually measuring herself and her actions in comparison to her principles. And while she adapts her principles to her changing circumstances, with her actions changing in response, the principles themselves remain constant. For example, she weighs her devotion to Edward and Jacob carefully before telling the vampires or werewolves the other’s secrets, even after Edward had abandoned her.
In the end, it is her commitment to principles — her constance — which not only preserves her life but ennobles her character. An example is her willingness to risk harm to herself in order to save others, as in the battle with Victoria and Riley, just like her personal hero, the Third Wife.
Of course, Bella is far from perfect. Her reflexive anger in certain circumstances often causes her regret. For example, whenever someone challenges her as acting irresponsibly, no matter how much she loves them, she inevitably and angrily defends herself. A good example may be when Edward manipulates her into agreeing to visit Renee; first, by suggesting that she requires parental custodial care, and then, by triggering another challenge to her responsibility from Charlie — that she can’t be trusted to be alone with boys. (Edward is brilliant. Conniving, but brilliant.)
Yet the reader continues to appreciate, if not admire, Bella in her mistakes because she does at least try to reason through whether or not the (foolish) action would be a principled one. The most obvious example may be her jumping off the cliff. In her distress, her reasoning is flawed, ill-thought out, and shows a dangerously foolish amount of impatience. But we forgive her for this, not only for her sincere regret afterwards, but because she truly thought it would be the right thing to do, given the current circumstances.
Bella’s principles are so important to her that all of the people she loves most — her father, Edward, Jacob, Alice — reinforce and encourage her in her principles. And the people she likes least, such as Lauren, Jessica, and Leah, challenge them. For examples, look at whenever someone tells Bella what Bella is like.
So, why is this a big deal? What makes her commitment “good?”
The Wisdom Cycle
If you carefully examine every story you’ve ever heard — books, movies, ballads, myths, TV shows, folk tales, whatever — you will detect a common pattern. The thing that makes a character, trapped in an unhappy situation, into a true hero is that they follow these steps:
1. Knowledge: First, they decide they need to learn more, and seek it out. Eventually, they gain the knowledge they seek, like when Bella tries to figure out who/what Edward is at the start of Twilight.
2. Belief: Next, based upon what they’ve learned, they assert their hypothesis, their faith, their trust, their hope — and act on it. Just as Bella did when she decided that Edward was good, and it didn’t matter whether he was a vampire or not.
3. Change: Nobody’s perfect (and although some may except themselves, even Hannah Montana knows that to be true). Plus, everything is always changing, in some way or another. So, heroes change themselves as they act on their new knowledge and beliefs, adapting to the changing needs around them. In Twilight, Bella changes, and falls in love with Edward, counting him dearest among those she is most devoted to, and decides to save him — to help him discover that he is a good person, and not a “monster.”
4. Commitment: Finally, when the hero realizes that their new knowledge, beliefs, and changes are good, they decide to continue and remain true to what they have learned to be true. They commit. And when they do, they become a different person: a true hero. This is when their knowledge transforms into wisdom. This is the often the hardest step, since it represents the culminating step in their progress. For example, when Bella decides to protect Edward and the others she loves by sacrificing herself to a true monster, the antithesis of Edward: James.
I’ll give you a minute to think about those four steps, found in every story you’ve ever heard. Or a few weeks, or months, or years. Go ahead; it’s kind of important. I’ll still be here, waiting for you.
Okay, you’re back? Great. I told you I’d still be here.
You see how this pattern shows up in every story you’ve ever heard? Good — because either the hero follows this “Wisdom Cycle” pattern, or they ultimately fail to become a hero.
So why is that important?
It’s important because the Wisdom Cycle isn’t just how stories work.
It’s how life works.
And you, my dear friend, are that hero. The hero of the story. Your story.
Follow the Wisdom Cycle, and become the hero of your own story, or fail at life. The choice is yours. But please remember that I think you will succeed, or you wouldn’t be here, admiring such a wonderful hero, Bella Swan. She sacrificed her humanity to show you how to overcome all things. Don’t let her sacrifice be in vain.
You can do it. And, you will. I’m sure of it.
Well, that was a long one. I think I’ll need a break to recuperate. But there is more to come.
And, in the meantime, be safe.
Lessons from Bella: A Guide to Living Well
Saturday, October 24th, 2009
With so many people stopping by, its a good thing Bella keeps the house so clean.
We previously discussed how themes of gaining maturity resonate throughout the Twilight saga — and in the hearts and minds of its readers.
Stephenie Meyer is — among other things — the world’s most engaging writer of notes in the forwards and afterwards of her books. They are as delightful (she stiffed her brother-slash-web designer?) as they are unpredictable (“Muse, Muse, Muse, Muse, Muse”).
Among her most surprising notes is when she thanks her husband and children for their willingness to frequently eat out. Apparently, with her writing deadlines, she didn’t have much time left for cooking dinners.
Eating well is, indeed, an important part of living well — something that Bella Swan, the heroine of the Twilight Saga (and her father, Charlie) knows well. How many fans have tried to figure out her recipe for broiled steak & baked potatoes? Spaghetti? Beef stroganoff? Chicken enchiladas? (I have! delicious!!)(and they were good as leftovers, too). The details of Bella’s cooking each night for her and Charlie are so well documented, and obviously based on actual recipes, that one could well imagine a future Twilight companion (cook)book of Bella’s Household Recipes for Young Cooks.
So, Bella lives in a world very, very much like ours when it comes to the prosaic matters of life. These themes are important enough for Meyer that she illuminates them in some detail. They also serve to show that Bella is quite mature for her age, even as she struggles to gain the peace, satisfaction, love and joy that only true maturity will bring — a very important theme of her character’s progression throughout the saga.
So, here are a few “Lessons from Bella:”
1. Bella on How to Cook: Eating well is an important part of enjoying life (just ask Charlie). Bella is comfortable in the kitchen, and knows how to shop for, and cook, a number of delicious and nourishing meals — enough to live off of healthily, without tiresome repetition.
Note for those living outside modern U.S. culture: This is an utterly remarkable skill for a young person living in the U.S. today, and is no doubt a key reason this part of Bella’s talents is left entirely out of the film(s?). In the U.S., it appears that one day we may all join Meyer in eating out every night, with cooking relegated to the same status as sewing — once a necessary skill, now an almost quaint hobby, only for those with a great deal of free time. Or Martha Stewart.
Note for those living within modern U.S. culture: Most young people in most other cultures (yes, particularly girls) know at least as much as Bella does about cooking, and can cook numerous meals competently, if not particularly well, by the time they reach adulthood.
Really.
For an example, see “Bend It Like Beckham,” (SPOILER:) where an Indian mother says confidently of her daughter as she leaves home, “I taught her to cook aloo gobi. The rest is up to God.”
So remember to remove the lid of your spaghetti sauce before you put it in the microwave, and be sure to stir the pasta while it cooks. Have any other authors — not actually writing about cooking — described the process of cooking in such detail? And so compellingly?
Ernest Hemingway…?
2. Bella Swan on Time Management: Prioritize carefully, finishing deadlined tasks (such as homework) as soon as possible, and afterwards, taking time out occasionally to think, to ponder, to rest, and even to simply relax.
Carefully and correctly prioritizing can be a difficult skill to develop, even though it offers such direct rewards. While it may be an important “habit of highly effective people,” it still takes a certain level of maturity to master. Yet, despite her young age, Bella (almost) always puts first things first.
Although students living outside the U.S. may view Bella as a somewhat casual student, most readers within the U.S. would regard her as notably studious. She regularly puts her homework first and rarely, if ever, misses an assignment (other than when unavoidably traveling internationally). For most high school students in the U.S., that is fairly surprising. Mike is an example of what may be the norm here (What? The report is due tomorrow??!!).
Although Bella avoids television and seldom uses the Internet (as a TV producer and web designer, I confess my concern), Bella’s hardworking nature doesn’t prevent her from relaxing and recharging as needed, often with a well-written and enlightening book. Again, at least in the U.S., this is fairly unique — or it was before the Twilight series was published.
3. Bella on How to Clean: Bella knows she is not as neat as she should be, but she is as clean as she needs to be. She cleans the house, does the laundry, and washes the dishes without complaint. Her bedroom… well, like many of us, not so much.
She generally takes care of cleaning jobs promptly, before they result in a bigger mess. For example, we often read of Bella washing her own dishes as soon as she finishes eating (any parent’s dream come true).
Further, she realizes that cleaning is often a sign you care for the others in your household — for example, cleaning while Charlie is at a funeral, even though her friend, Alice, is visiting.
The importance of cleaning may be underscored by the reader’s realization that perhaps if she had cleaned her room beyond what was simply necessary, she might have found the tokens of Edward’s lasting affection that he had left for her there during New Moon — when she needed them most.
So, did Stephenie Meyer mean for the Twilight saga to be taken as a guide to the need for good housekeeping skills? Hardly.
Yet, that doesn’t mean these points aren’t still contained within the texts themselves. And while these prosaic tasks ground Bella’s story within the real world we all live in — where meals must be cooked, where homes could use more cleaning, and where time is always, always limited — Meyer makes these anecdotal details compelling to her readers.
And perhaps, even a little inspiring.
Which reminds me, I really need to pick up in here. Next time, we’ll look at some more substantive themes in the Twilight saga. Feel free to comment below — if your homework is done.
Growing up and the meaning of “Twilight”
Friday, October 23rd, 2009
Bella Swan is mature for her age… Are you?
So, in our previous post on the meaning of the Twilight saga, we discussed that people like stories (books, movies, folktales, whatever) that have a true theme they can relate to, and perhaps, will even help them in their lives.
There are many themes — some major, some minor — found throughout the Twilight saga.
The overarching theme throughout the series could be described as “growing up.” What I mean by that is, throughout the series, the reader has an inside look as Bella (and Jacob) mature from clumsy teen to powerful, successful woman (and man).
Through Bella’s first person perspective (more on that later), Stephenie Meyer discusses a wide range of thoughts on growing into maturity. This may be a key reason for Twilight’s popularity among young people, who face similar decisions for their own lives, with the series serving as something of a guide to adulthood. Meanwhile adults may use the series as a guide to compare and contrast with their own lives and the decisions they have made — and are making.
Meyer makes it very clear that “adulthood” (in age alone) is not the same thing as “maturity,” most notably in the contrasts between Bella and her kind-but-scatterbrained mother, Renee, and also with her peers, including the petty-and-scheming Lauren and Jessica. We eventually see similar contrasts between Jacob and members of the wolf pack, when Jacob takes on the narration.
In Twilight — as in most literature, and perhaps in life — true maturity includes the ability to learn and grow amid changing circumstances, the willingness to act responsibly, and a measure of wisdom — to understand the principles of living well, to see what is going on currently, and to know how to apply those true principles in the current circumstances.
Meyer’s concerns on gaining maturity range from the profound — for example, how to choose a life partner — to the prosaic — how to organize one’s time, how to cook, and how to clean.
We’ll look at specific themes in our next “Meaning of Twilight” post coming soon.
Comments?? Thanks for visiting the Twilight News Site!
Why is Twilight so engaging — and popular?
Tuesday, October 20th, 2009
Hmmm… Bella Swan wonders why her story is so popular.
Why is Twilight so popular? What does that popularity mean about us? And what are we so excited about? In short, what is the “meaning” of Twilight?
The story of Bella and Edward (and Jacob and Charlie and…) is an emotionally rich and excitingly surprising tale, filled with interesting people. But there are lots of great stories out there. So, perhaps the popularity of Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight saga is something more than plot and character.
Perhaps the most important “meaning” of any text is the themes it presents to its reader. Author Stephenie Meyer posits numerous themes which (one may suppose) she believes to be true, and supports these themes well throughout the series, sprinkling glimpses of the reality we all experience within her books’ fantastic milieu to underscore their truth.
The unusual first-person perspective (more on this later) ties these themes — these truths — to the reader’s perspective as well.
So while the engaged, appreciative reader doesn’t truly believe in vampires (usually), they do usually believe in the truths of the Twilight saga’s themes.
As with many great writers, Meyer not only pens compelling narratives, but she also reveals to the reader many insightful and compelling truths about life.
Note that the contrapositive is also true; when the thematic structure of a book or movie appears to be untrue to the reader, the narrative is often less appealing.
This is why you probably like the first Indiana Jones film better than the second (unless you don’t share a Judeo-Christian-Islamic background, and/or have a Hindu background) (Or, if you are averse to blonde women screaming, unlike Steven Spielberg).
Stories, books, songs and films that feature untrue themes can even be found to be morally repugnant. This may be one reason why books with questionable themes, for example, The Diary of Anne Frank — featuring the theme that everyone is inherently and predominantly good — still sells better than Hitler’s Mein Kampf, which has themes too obviously immoral to even describe here. Hitler’s autobiography may be an interesting story, and his overwhelming self-pity intellectually interesting, but most people would still likely enjoy Anne Frank more, since she was a brilliant example of a person who was very good at heart.
We’ll examine specific themes in Twilight in the near future… Feel free to comment below.
