The novel Twilight by Stephanie Meyer has made a sweep across the nation and even the world, making its appearance on multiple best-sellers’ lists. The popular work of fiction adds a creative twist to a typical adolescent love story. It narrates the tale of an ordinary girl who captures the heart of a distant, but visually appealing vampire. The love between the two species that are so alike, yet so utterly unique to the other, is forbidden by the vampire world. The heroine, Bella Swan, and her hero, Edward Cullen, must overcome many obstacles to prove their unending adoration to the reader. There is no doubt that this is a unique and interesting story line, but just how much can Ms. Meyer’s characters and writing style hold up against a critical audience? This novel, for all its fame, displays characters with weak personalities, an amateur writing style, and an atrocious model for influencing teenage girls.
I am a strong believer in the saying “flaws create character.” The vampire, Edward, whom the main character falls in love with, is tall, pale, and handsome. He is lightning fast, musically inclined, a genius in school, and his list of talents is endless. Throughout the novel I continuously questioned what this character possessed that I could relate to, cute quirks to deem him endearing, a single quality to make him real. I came up with nothing. Edward Cullen is described throughout the novel as “made of stone”, and this comparison can be used to accurately depict his entire being. He is like a granite statue that everyone admires for its beauty and grandeur, but is afraid to touch for fear of marring the crystalline surface. He possesses no personality besides perfection.
Stephanie Meyer, although no doubt a talented writer based on her success, lacks the supreme writing style from that of the eighteenth century classics her book is compared to. A great descriptive writer does not bluntly tell the reader how things are, but rather shows them. For example, in Twilight Meyer stated that Edward was handsome. A good writer would have stated the qualities that make him handsome, allowing the reader to make their own inference. Something like, Edward looked my way and the soft topaz of his eyes captured my gaze. The hard, masculine planes of his face transformed as his firm lips pulled into a crooked grin, revealing strait white teeth, would have better depicted his beauty. A reader can instantly tell that Twilight is written as a breeze through book for impressionable teens.
Adolescence is the time period in which one molds oneself. Novels for this audience should set a good example. Bella Swan is a character that no teen girl should strive to be like. The concept of independence is completely foreign to Bella. She is the epitome of the pathetic girlfriend that follows at her boyfriend’s heels like a puppy dog, obeying everything he says. Bella throws all of her friends out of her life for a chance with Edward and cannot function without him. She doesn’t have any strong opinions or beliefs of her own, and doesn’t question Edward’s judgment. She is the prime example of what could be referred to as blindly in love. Is that how society wishes young girls to perform? I think not.
Twilight has been an immensely popular novel, but some of the aspects of it are severely lacking. Edward is too perfect to have an endearing personality, for it is the small flaws that make people who they are. There is room for improvement in Stephanie Meyer’s writing style, and she would benefit from considering the phrase “show, don’t tell.” Bella is a girl who is easily influenced by Edward, and has no mind of her own, which is unfortunate for the young girls who look up to her as their idol. Twilight will remain popular with the young and impressionable but it will never make the list of my favorite books.