User:Skyes(BYU)/sandbox2

Religion

Mormon doctrine and themes are found throughout Meyer's novels. According to professor of American religious history Jana Riess, a prominent Mormon theme in her novels is agency. In The Host, the Seeker believes that she is saving the human race by perfecting and controlling them which has similarities to the Latter-day Saint belief that Satan's plan for human salvation was to "save" all souls by removing their agency and ability to sin. Seeker plays a Satan-like role in the novel, as Meyer attempts to convey the message that the maintenance of agency is crucial. Additionally Meyer's novels contain the themes of opposition. In The Host, Wanda learns that despite the lows and evils of humanity, beauty and pleasure could not be found on her previous planets because darkness did not exist. Wanda learns in the novel that it is only in facing darkness and sorrow, that light and joy could be experienced, echoing a quotation from the Book of Mormon, "It musts needs be that there is an opposition in all things".

Another Mormon theme in Meyer's novels is apparent in her Twilight series: the distinction between immortality and eternal life. In Meyer's novels, vampires are immortal and have superhuman gifts and abilities; however, the Cullen family longs for things they cannot have. Their circumstances prevent them from forming meaningful relationships with humans or other vampires, isolating them within their small clan. Furthermore, the couples in the Cullen family are unable to procreate which causes severe bitterness in Rosalie who envies Bella's pregnancy. According to Riess, the distinction between eternal life and immortality is represented by Bella, who in Breaking Dawn, has achieved eternal life rather than immortality because she achieved the Mormon tenets of eternal life: immortality and a perfected body, eternal parenthood, and an eternal marriage. Riess indicates that Bella receives immortality in an act of self-sacrifice rather than self-serving as she dies for the birth of her child. Bella is subsequently resurrected in a perfected vampire body. In Mormonism, resurrection occurs in the context of relationships, exemplified by Bella who enjoys her resurrected body in the company of her husband, child, and the rest of the Cullen family. The titles of the novels serve to reinforce this idea. At the beginning of the series, Bella discusses leaving Phoenix and heading to Forks where she says, "[goodbye] to the sun". The titles of the first three novels: Twilight, New Moon, and Eclipse, serve as natural phenomenon in which the sun is darkened. However, the final novel is titled "Breaking Dawn", which symbolizes the beginning of a new day and Bella's transformation into a vampire and subsequent transcendence of her old life. Furthermore, Bella constantly rejects Jacob whom she calls her "personal sun" in favor of Edward who represents cold.

Another theme is overcoming the circumstances and temptations of mortality referred to in the Book of Mormon as overcoming the "natural man" which is exemplified by Meyer's character Edward. As a vampire, Edward's purpose is to be carnal, killing and feeding on human blood. As led by Carlisle, Edward chooses the give up this life and transcend his circumstances by becoming a "vegetarian", choosing to feed only on animals. He chooses to uphold these values despite the daily temptation which only augment when he meets Bella; he finds her blood nearly irresistible. Edward undergoes a transformation in which Bella's trust in Edward allows him to trust his own ability to overcome temptation and keep Bella safe.

In her essay, "Bella and the Choice Made in Eden", Susan Jeffers compares Bella to the LDS interpretation of Eve in the Garden of Eden. In Christian theology, Eve is often viewed as wicked and cursed for selfishly partaking of the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge, causing the Fall, damning all of humanity. However, LDS interprets Eve's choice to partake of the fruit as a deliberate exercise of agency with the knowledge that without becoming mortal, she and Adam would never progress, experience joy or sorrow, or have children. Jeffers compares Bella's quest for progression and to achieve her goals to this LDS interpretation of Eve. Similar to Eve, Bella left a safe life behind to progress and have experiences when she moves from Phoenix to Forks. In Forks, Bella (similar to Eve after she leaves the Garden of Eden) experiences sex, pleasure, and new sensations. Moreover, Eve and Bella both become mothers. According to LDS theology, as a consequence of Eve's righteous actions, she has secured a place for herself in Heaven where she can enjoy a spiritual and physical community. Similarly, Bella achieves a sort of "heaven" where she live forever with her family at the end of her heroic journey. Additionally, throughout the novels, Bella becomes increasingly more independent, making her equal rather than subservient to Edward at the end of the novels as she develops her unique gifts and talents. The interpretation of Bella's choice in comparison to Eve in the Garden of Eden thus would be different based on the religion of the reader. A Mormon who believes that Eve made a correct and necessary choice in the Garden of Eden may qualify Bella's choice as good and necessary to transcend her mortal existence, whereas a traditional Christian reader who believes eating the fruit in the Garden of Eden was original sin, may interpret Bella's choice as bad or self-serving. Jacob Black's character may be interpreted as representative of the traditional Christian perspective as he attempts to dissuade Bella from choosing to become a vampire throughout the series.

While the Twilight series has been interpreted to confirm or defend the Mormon faith, it has also been interpreted to represent a "reinterpretation of Mormon cosmology and theology" in a feministic favor.

Feminism

There is debate as to whether the Twilight series is considered feminist or antifeminist. Women's studies scholar Donna Ashcraft states that although characters in the novels display both traditional and non-traditional gender roles, the emphasis of traditional gender roles makes the series nonfeminist. However, she clarifies that the series is not anti-feminist, because it is not hostile towards feminism. Despite growing to become more strong and independent throughout the novels, Bella's feminine characteristics including being a caretaker for her father, having little to no career aspirations, putting undue emphasis on her romantic relationships, and desire for motherhood are more indicative of traditional female gender roles. Ashcraft finds themes in the book as relating to motherhood concerning; for example, several female vampires, particular Rosalie feel morose about their inability to have children and Rosalie rebukes Bella's desire to become a vampire at the expense of becoming a mother. While Bella expresses little interest in having children at the beginning of the series, after becoming pregnant, being a mother becomes one of her highest priorities and passions. Additionally Ashcraft remarked issues with Bella's excessively self-sacrificial nature, especially as relating to her parenting, as exemplified by her willingness to bear a half-vampire baby she had no physical ability to carry as well as her self-destructive and suicidal behavior in New Moon. Meyer's character Leah, becomes the first female werewolf in the tribe's history, yet she is primarily concerned with the fact that she cannot have children. While Meyer may not have written her female characters with the intention that her readers would see them as role models or attempt to emulate them, Ashcraft argues that social learning theory makes that nearly unavoidable. Ashcraft continues that Bella is a poor role model according to Erikson's stages of psychosocial development because the audience of Twilight is primarily teenaged females who are trying to develop their identity apart from parents and romantic partners, yet Bella appears to have developed little identity outside of Edward.

Feminists also criticize the Twilight novels for portraying Bella as a damsel in distress constantly in need of men rescuing her such as when Edward saves her from the sliding car, when the werewolves save her from Laurent, and Edward saves her from being killed by her unborn child by turning her into a vampire. While Bella has moments of heroism such as saving Edward in New Moon and saving the Cullens from the Volturi at the end of the series, Bella represents the victim rather than the heroin more than 3 out of the four novels. Bella is described as weak throughout the series, even compared to a "soap bubble" and a "porcelain doll" by Edward and Jacob respectively. Males throughout the series are described as being "protective" over women and Edward often acts as if he makes choices for Bella, rather than Bella making them for herself. Edward's behavior has been interpreted as "controlling" and "paternalistic" and Bella interprets it as a sign of love and affection. While some interpret Bella and Edward's relationship as ideal love, critics, feminists, and psychologists describe Edward's actions as abusive rather than out of love. Ashcraft also mentions disturbing scenes that romanticize suicide and show readers that suicide is an appropriate response to a broken heart.