Twilight
Re-reading the first chapter of Twilight, I notice several well-constructed clues about the story to come. Even the name of the town “Forks”, is clever, the tone like a Du Maurier novel. Forks will be Bella’s “fork” in the road. I also admire the choice of name for Bella. “Belle” is a French term which means a pronoun or noun that is characteristic of feminine/lady/beautiful. This presents Bella as a classical romantic heroine in counterpoint to the romantic archetype of Edward Cullen.
I have admired some great authors of creepy vampire stories in my time, the best of Anne Rice and Stephen King among them to come. The prose of “Twilight” is very accessible, there are no overblown passages and big words, or purple prose. Bella is in a position to experience Edward and observe him closely. You quickly realize that Bella’s instinct and Edwards’ drive them together.
Bella moves to Forks, and there is no phony “television show” treatment of this. The themes of the newcomers reminded me of ‘Salem’s Lot, and the fact that Forks, Washington has more cloud cover than any area of the nation was a big tipoff why the residents were “comfortable” there. As the “outsider”, like in (King’s) Salem’s Lot when Ben returns, Bella sees things like Edward’s eyes which members of the Forks community ignore.
I also liked the tone of the first person narrative that recognized that Bella was isolated and that this was an awkward but accepted fact between her mother and father. Bella does not discuss a college future, she has no bouncy siblings, she seems barely connected to her world. Her character and existence seem very foreshortened at the point the story begins, and her life opens up like a flower when she intersects with Edward. Forks is like the descent of Persephone to the underworld.
The metaphysical overtones of ”Death Takes a Holiday” seemed very present in this character. The universal acknowledgement, even by Bella, that she is going toward a different goal in life, is very real. By the end of the story, the female heroine’s “love affair” with Death, personified here by Edward, will be fully realized. The main conflict is the same; Will Bella “choose” for her romantic fate to continue as human, or choose Death/the Afterlife?
May 1, 2009
#1
I love Twilight and I think that this series is a huge success. I love Edward and Bella’s relationship watching them communicate. He’s not like the other guys (not to mention the fact that he’s a vampire). Like I mean he’s caring and he wants Bella to be happy. Most of the guys I know are rude, and not caring. If there were more guys like Edward and more relationships like Edward and Bella (not the vampire/human thing part) then there would be less broken hearts. Everyone could be happy. And thats what I think the main thing this story focuses on. Not the fact that shes mortal and he’s immortal but the fact that there love is what keeps them going, and thats the most beautiful thing. The fact that nothing can keep them apart, and how much they care and love each other unconditionally. I think that so beautiful. I love this series, and THE GENIUS STEPHANIE MYERS!