The Twilight Saga and Life Lessons

The "Twilight" saga by author Stephenie Meyer is famous for the reader's inside joke of asking one another if they are "Team Edward" or "Team Jacob," but the series presents more critical questions for its readers to ask themselves. Like all fiction, the make-believe world and characters react to the conflicts presented to them by the plot. Authors famously push their own agendas, but readers are not bound by any obligation to agree. The "Twilight" saga novels pose a few important questions to readers. While the novels are geared towards young adult women, these life questions are faced by just about everyone through the course of their life.

1. What does it mean to have a soul? "If you believed as he did. Could you take away his soul ? Carlisle Cullen, New Moon, Chapter 2 pg. 37

Once lead character Bella Swan realizes that her love interest is in fact a vampire, she is forced to reckon with the possibility that he may not have a soul. Vampire Edward Cullen is quite certain that he has no soul and that should Bella become a vampire as he is, she would lose hers. Through her discussion with character Carlisle Cullen, readers are given some chance to think about what it means to them to have a soul. Some readers may decide they do not believe in having a soul in the first place. But, if there were any spiritual part of the human condition what draws the line between keeping and losing it?

2. How do we remain autonomous individuals within a family and relationship? "I couldn't allow him to have this level of influence over me. It was pathetic. More than pathetic, it was unhealthy." Bella Swan, Twilight, Chapter 4, p.74

Everyone must make choices in their life that benefit them yet pose costs to the ones they love. For some, this means setting aside their individual needs for the family or spouse. There is the chance the cost will be one's individuality. Critics of the Twilight Saga note the demanding and possessive nature of Edward Cullen. His actions appear to stifle Bella Swan. Yet, as the story is told first person from her point of view, we see the choices that she recognizes. We hear her voice directly exposing the reasons for her choices. In the end she stays true to herself. However, doing so also poses threats and risks to her family. Would each of us make choices to be with someone we love even if it meant our family could never see us again? Could we pursue a path that would put loved one's in danger to follow our heart? While the fictional context of the story is fantastical, readers can think about how they might prioritize their individual needs and desires against those of friends, family and lovers.

3. What is love? "I loved him, much more than I should, and yet, still nowhere near enough. I was in love with him, but it was not enough to change anything; it was only enough to hurt us both more. To hurt him worse than I ever had." Bella Swan, Eclipse, Chapter 23, p.528

We all hope to find and know love in our lives. Is the love expressed in the novel real? Some argue that is not, however, again each reader can ask themselves how it would differ for them in real life. Who would they love and why? What would they expect from someone who claims to love them back? What qualities are most important to them?

Fictional literature takes us to a make believe place where real life is mirrored in sometimes fantastical ways. The beauty of the story is that we do not have to agree with the characters choices, or their viewpoints. It is possible to disagree with the author's premise entirely. However, the examples posed to us as the plot unfolds allow us to think of what we would do, what is most important to each of us, how would we have reacted. Readers can learn just as much about themselves through their reasons for disagreement as they can through the shared perception of a character. Love or hate the Twilight saga, Bella Swan or Edward Cullen, the novels reflect on important life questions.