‘Twilight’ series turns to film

It’s the year’s guiltiest literary pleasure: Stephenie Meyer’s series of teenage vampire romance novels, “Twilight.”

The four-installment saga has captured the hearts of adolescent girls nationwide, even charming a few shameless college students into some under-the-table perusal of “Twilight,” “New Moon,” “Eclipse” and this summer’s bestseller, “Breaking Dawn.”

“I was very skeptical to read the books in the first place,” freshman Felicia Wisniewski said. “I’ve never been one for much fantasy past that of J.K. Rowling’s work, and a vampire love story seemed like a bit much.”

The romance – pitted between vampire Edward Cullen and human Bella Swan – is indeed a bit hard for less easily swayed readers to swallow, as some find the role of the story’s heroine a little less than admirable.

“Bella seemed to lose some of her personal strength when she and Edward are together,” Wisniewski said. “She can’t seem to function easily without him, and she doesn’t seem as independent as she was (at the beginning of the novel).”

Junior Drake Holtson agreed, though more strongly.

“Bella has no agency for the first three books,” he said. “She doesn’t impact the world around her.”

Though this lack of autonomy is a red flag for some “Twilight” fans, others maintain that Bella’s perfect-priestess-like role is simply part of the magic of the series.

“It’s the whole point of the story,” said Robert Pattinson, who stars as Edward in the upcoming film adaptation of “Twilight.” “(Bella) starts out being this completely logical person.”

Upon meeting Edward, however, Bella begins a metamorphosis that is out of her hands, he continued.

“It’s a very specific character,” Pattinson said. “I don’t think (Meyer) meant her to be a role model for anyone.”

Wisniewski said she agreed, saying Meyer’s intent wasn’t to provoke radical change.

“Daydreams and stories don’t deserve the criticism they are usually given,” she said.
And daydreams the “Twilight” novels are. The series, after all, is classified as teen literature.

But it’s in that very classification that critics and fans alike – Holtson included – see the danger of Bella’s influence.

“The series seems to be directed toward teenage girls,” Holtson said. “It encourages them to don passive personas and wait for prince charming to come and rescue them from all their problems.

“Not that I necessarily have a problem with that,” he added. “It’s just not very progressive.“

Nonetheless, Holtson and like-minded “Twilight” aficionados have some incentive to cling to hope for the redemption of Bella’s character. The film adaptation of the series’ first novel of the same title is due for a Nov. 21 release, and Pattinson promised some differences between Kristen Stewart’s portrayal of Bella and the Bella of the written series.

“I think Kristen is very, very strong,” Pattinson said. “When I went into the audition I thought the girl was going to be some damsel-in-distress-type of character, and Kristen, she really wasn’t that. She has a hardness to her, a sort of fierceness and intelligence. She seems to have just as much hidden depth as Edward does. So I guess that’s kind of different in the movie.”

Proof of this is evident in the film’s teaser trailer.

“It seems like Kristen Stewart is giving her more grit and character than she’s portrayed in the books,” Holtson said. “The clips that I’ve seen have shown a Bella who is angry and determined, as opposed to just upset or swooning, which dominate her narrative during the first book.”

As for the Nov. 21 release of “Twilight” in theaters, Holtson found himself excited, if apprehensively so.

“I’m looking forward to the movie, but I do feel guilty about it, just because it’s directed toward teenage girls,” Holtson said. “I’m hoping that the production company has decided to cut out this really just saccharine, emo teen romantic drabble in interest of filling theaters.”

And if the drabble remains, Holtson maintains that at least one aspect of the film will redeem it.

“Let’s be honest,” Holtson said. “Robert Pattinson is a little gorgeous.”