Twilight: What's the Big Deal?

If you want to make certain girls angry, mention the fact that you don’t like Twilight. There are girls out there who will fight you to the death because you criticized their beloved vampire movie. But the next time you decide to bring out the ammo against these Twilight lovers, it may serve you well to know why Twilight means so much to them.

Don’t get me wrong. I don’t really understand the obsession with Bella Swan and her dashing vampire prince, Edward Cullen. However, the truth behind this story may have you waving a white flag the next time you see an Edward Cullen poster on a locker.

Have you ever read a book or seen a movie that, without a doubt, really interested you? I have, and I can tell you it’s one of those unbelievable feelings. You pick up a book and by the time you finish it, you’re begging for it not to end. The characters have become part of your life, and it’s hard to stop thinking about what happens next. If it’s a movie you loved maybe you buy the soundtrack. If it’s a book, perhaps you go out and buy the sequel. In the end you have found a story that speaks to you with characters you can relate to in your life. That is what Twilight does for some people, especially teenage girls.


I have read the book, and I have to say even though I wasn’t a huge fan I could relate to Bella Swan. Bella is supposed to be like most girls, tired of being a teenager and ignored by the world. She has some issues with her parents; the divorce and her mom’s new minor league baseball playing boyfriend don’t make Bella’s life perfect. So when Bella moves to Forks, Washington to live with her dad and meets a mysterious guy, you kind of wish it would happen to you as well. Now, of course, the guy turns out to be a vampire who also might be considered a stalker (this was the part where I could no longer connect with the story). But the point is made. Bella, to so many girls, is someone who reflects their day- to-day dreams and troubles; she speaks to them.

Forget for a minute that the story revolves around vampirism and a slightly disturbing love story; let’s look at something a lot of girls wish for: true love, or some sort of thing like it. Bella and Edward are in love; Edward will fight for Bella and protect Bella…and does he even know her favorite color? Do they ever really talk or flirt? If you’ve seen the movie, they stare a lot at each other which seems to say it all. Not that I am one to advocate against silence, but to me, this relationship does not symbolize love; to a lot of other girls it is love. Girls dream about falling in love, and they hope that they will meet an Edward Cullen someday; they hope that someone will see them for who they truly are. So can you really begrudge a few dreamers of their fantasy even if it’s with a vampire?

I doubt I’ll read Twilight again, but I think it has some validity. High school is a crazy time in life, and anything, even a cheesy romance novel, can help ease the chaos. So now that you’ve been given the backstage tour behind the Twilight phenomenon, maybe you’ll let your best friend keep that Robert Pattinson toothbrush.