Big! No, Huge! No, Phenomenal!

Something big is happening. There is a crazy phenomenon engrossing millions of people right now. It started inside our borders but it has become a huge deal and extended worldwide. When I say huge, that may be an understatement. It has provoked discussions, concerns, and emotions. Although it is not normal, it feels as normal as walking down the street. No, I am not talking about the new health care reform! I am talking about the great phenomenon of The Twilight Saga. What exactly is it that has grabbed our attention so deeply and has caused seemingly normal people (myself) to act in crazy ways? Is it the books or the movies? Is it the fictional characters or the actors? Is it the vampires or the werewolves (sorry, spoiler alert)? Lucky you, I am about to answer your questions. Forgive me, this is inevitably going to turn into a "book report." I am channeling my inner student with this one!


I was one of those people that made fun of the Twihards. I hated the concept of a book that has made everyone so crazy. I know that sounds funny for an English major to say, but I hate that more books don't get attention like this. One day I gave in. I finally borrowed the first book, Twilight, from a friend. I started reading it and immediately hated it. The writing seemed dull and simple, definitely written for a younger crowd. The storyline seemed juvenile and the characters too typical. I decided to watch the movie anyway with my mom, who had read the book, and fell in love with the story. I could tell there was so much more to the characters I so quickly fell in love with than what the movie was showing. As soon as the movie was over I ran to my room to read the book. I think I was up all night trying to get through it. The writing style grew on me and oh my did the storyline develop! The characters were presented clearly despite all the complexity involved in the storyline. The next two weeks of my life were spent reading the entire saga. I spent every free moment reading and if I wasn't reading then I was thinking about it. I believe this qualifies me for Twihard status, what do you say?

I've never really followed celebrities beyond looking at people.com during my lunch break; however, I have found myself going on YouTube to look at interviews with the cast of Twilight. Why am I obsessing over a bunch of teens and young adults? I am 24, not 13! Is it because I view them as Edward and Bella or do I really like Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart as actors? I don't know! I am guessing it is simply because I like Edward and Bella so much (Can you tell I am Team Edward yet?). In a time of loneliness, these characters have become my friends and I feel like I really know them. I feel as though I have sat at the lunch table, hiked through the forest, traveled to Italy, jumped off cliffs, prepared to fight, and shared many smiles with them. I feel their pain, I get their jokes, and I can see their interactions. I guess as the real people, Robert and Kristen, make more movies, that I will undoubtedly see, I will be able to better judge if it is just the characters in the novel I like or if the actors really possess some characteristic that makes them so intriguing.

So what is it about this story? The answer is that I don't know. Clearly, I will never come across a vampire or werewolf in my real life so why is the story so attractive? For me, I think it is the intense love and respect between all of the characters. You can't date a vampire and not have to put cultural norms aside and cross the awkward, comfort zone with this person. Even as 17-year-olds, the characters are able to say, "I don't care what they think, I love this person." It sends a great message to love without boundaries and to look deeper than the outwardly appearance in someone. The characters all share a secret that allows the walls to fall and to truly fall in love with one another. Oh how I long for someone to love me the way Edward (or Jacob) loves Bella!

Edward, Bella, and Jacob are in a messy love triangle for most of the Saga and problem after problem tests all those relationships. But, aside from the deep love the characters share and the erratic fiction of vampires and werewolves, is there a point to the 2,000+ pages in this Saga? Absolutely! The author presents several life issues that the characters have to work through. Bella's parents are divorced and she doesn't fit in socially with the kids at her school because of her maturity, The Cullens (vampires) try to be the best people they can to balance out their seemingly horrible nature as vampires and they know the undeniable importance of morality, and the Quiluete's (werewolves) show their protective nature and how overpowering it is to have that drive. All three of these main characters face huge trials to overcome and life changing decisions to make. They shine in maturity and they focus on the larger picture, not just themselves. How many selfless teens do you know?! There is a lot that can be learned just by looking at how such young people (except Edward since he is really 107 or so years old) conduct themselves in the face of adversity and life changing events.

I understand you may be hesitating in picking up the books to read or the movies to watch. If you are debating it I strongly recommend you read the books then watch the movies. The books make you relate to the characters and really get where they are coming from so much better. Then you can truly appreciate the internal struggles each character has to fight with. I love the movies only because I love the story so much. Call me crazy (after all, I am blogging about Twilight) but remember that there is always so much more to a book than simply the words on the page. This story has been taken to the ends of the Earth and the world is going crazy about it, but it also has incredible aspects to it that run deep. With all the fame and glory of the Saga set aside, it is simply a fictional book that has engrossed me because I get a warm feeling when I sit down to enjoy the company of Edward, Bella, Jacob, and all the other characters.