Today’s blog is essentially a continuation of my Friday review of Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight series Friday, with some personal observations of merit or concern for the Christian. Warning: While there are no true spoilers, some of my comments might reveal enough that major points of plot can be discerned.

         Twilight is essentially a romance between a human and a vampire. On first glance, that might seem inappropriate reading material for a Christian. I was surprised, though, to see many truths illustrated and mirrored in the Twilight series.

         One of significant import to a Christian is the Cullens’ choices in regard to their vampire nature. The Cullens have a clear sense that killing humans is wrong. They separated themselves from others of their kind in order to live according to their conscience. This is a vivid picture of the constant struggle that is (or should be!) evident in each Christian. We are to put off the sinful nature and be controlled by the Spirit. In real life, that means there are many times when we chose to resist the pull of “our old nature”, whatever that may mean to each individual Christian, and chose to live in a way that is hard, but right. In a very real sense, the Cullens’ way of life illustrates that dynamic that should be evident in every Christian’s life. This is seen most vividly in the last book, when we get more intimate glimpses into the vampires’ way of life and daily struggles.

         Another, less “weighty” reason I see value in this series is Bella. Bella is portrayed as a regular down-to-earth teenager. Not angry or rebellious, not extreme or radical, just a normal teen with a slightly above normal maturity, or at least life-awareness. This attribute seems appropriate for this story. A flighty, never-a-serious-thought type of girl would never have been attracted to an 80+ year old vampire. In order for that relationship be believable, Bella needs that maturity, that awareness of human nature and that intellectual and emotional honesty with which she observes the world around her. But even with all that maturity, it is obvious that she is essentially a teenager. A teenager experiencing life changes and emotions and dilemmas. A teenager who, even with her maturity, is still floundering and making less-than-stellar choices.

         Whether designed by the author or not, many things about Bella’s circumstances create a rapport with readers that allow for subtle lessons and observations. In fact, the entire story, the little details as well as major plot circumstances, serve as unobtrusive but clear illustrations of truth. By making Bella a supposedly awkward outcast, she forges a bond with the majority of teens everywhere. Bella’s surprise at the ease in which she is accepted into the school and community life is yet another subtle lesson to all those awkward teens that their perception of themselves might be based on old history and not current fact.

         Some would say the fact that Bella’s parents are divorced and her mother remarried are reasons not to read this book. I disagree. I think Bella’s situation actually allows insights that could not be seen if her parents were still together. In this culture marriages are dissolved. It is not right but it is a fact of life. We could write stories that ignore this fact, but should we? As Christians, we are to impact the world for our King. We are to reveal Him to those we see everyday, to those we talk to, to those we come to love and to those we barely know. This is as true for us who are writers as it is for every Christian. If we ignore the true nature of society and create stories based on that supposed ideal, can we really reach those living in the not-so-ideal?

         Yes, Bella’s mom and dad should not have divorced. If they hadn’t, the events of Twilight would have been different, but probably not by much. The Cullens would still have moved back to Forks. Edward would still have had been blindsided by the way Bella’s blood “sang” to him. Most likely, they would still have fallen in love and Bella would have been put in danger. Stephenie Meyer could have written the book with Bella’s parents still married. But that is not story of Twilight. By making Bella the daughter of divorced parents, she has immediately forged a connection with every teen impacted by divorce. And she shows some of the consequences of that divorce: a child too-soon dealing with issues too big, a child torn between two people she loves, a child forced, albeit by her own choice, to choose which parent needs her more.

         The physical attraction between Bella and Edward is handled well. It is there, but it is held in check. Because Edward is 80+ years old, and he has spent most of his vampire life exercising immense control of his desires in other areas, it is believable that he is the one to set the tenor of their level of intimacy. It is commendable that both are virgins when they finally marry, but it concerns me that Edward routinely spends the night with Bella. While it may seem the epitome of romance for a boy to hold the girl he loves while she sleeps, it is not something to be encouraged. Edward might have honed his self-discipline by the years spent resisting his vampire impulse to feed on humans, but it is unlikely any other teenaged boy has the same level of control.

         While I think Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse, and Breaking Dawn make a great series, I recognize that many things in these stories may seem “messy” to Christians. Even if we ignore the vampire aspect of the book, there are still those choices and actions and opinions expressed that are at least slightly off what is pleasing to God. For the most part, though, I think those events and choices make for a compelling and gripping story.

         The truth is, real life, real emotion IS messy. Real life experiences teach us and cause us to mature. Real life experiences engender messy emotions and risk messy choices. Real life experiences give us ample opportunities to choose rightly or wrongly. The emotions we feel may be right or not; they may be fueled by right causes or not; they may motivate right actions or not. That is the nature of the human condition.

         It also seems to be a theme the runs through this entire series. That we all have choices and many times we have to force ourselves to choose the hard thing because it is right. This constant tension, that everlasting struggle to find the best, wisest, most perfect choice, whether in action or emotion or opinion, is a fact of life in this world. And Stephenie Meyer illustrates that well through the “messy” choices made by each of the characters throughout the series.