The movie representation of Bella Swan and Edward Cullen of "Twilight"
As far as story is considered in the book form of the Twilight series, it has generated a lot of attention and ongoing fandom — it wouldn’t need movie versions to bring in more readers. With so much attention brought to it by the culture at large, I’m surprised that I haven’t heard much of a response to Twilight from Christian culture enthusiasts. Maybe Christians don’t know about it because they avoid the series assuming its merits are obviously questionable. After all, it’s a teenage vampire romance. What person in their right mind would accept such disgusting absurdity?
A lot of people — and not just unbelievers. Morally conservative and religious readers are attracted to the Twilight series as reading for most ages because, for a cultural abnormality of fiction for modern times, Twilight promotes a sense of abstinence in sexual relations before marriage. This moral curve to the romantic drama makes for a more appealing read, some claim. Besides this debatable plus for teen fiction, it’s also a well-written book (Kudos to Stephenie Meyer for the quality storytelling and writing style).
What would a biblical analysis of Twilight gather? Is there redemption and Truth to be found in this popular, culture-driving story of love between a human and a vampire?
Fiction & Moral Ambiguity
The most notable controversial youth fiction in the last decade is probably the Harry Potter series. I have not watched the films or read the books, but on biblical principle I find them generally in disagreement with biblical values. The morally capricious — some magic good, some bad — presuppositions of the series is wrought with scruples. From what I have been told by friends familiar with the series, it’s version of morality roughly matches the objective standards of the real world. Still, at the foundation of Harry Potter, it has a moral compass that doesn’t acknowledge the Biblical God as the governor of the universe. This is objectionable in that it can mislead weak-minded readers and movie watchers with unbiblical standards of morality.
However, this is true with any piece of fiction under scrutiny. Reality needs to be realistic — consistent with the laws of God and His nature. But does fiction? Let’s say for argument sake that fiction does not need to perfectly match the set of God’s universal truths. After all, most all fiction has lapses in realism in one form or another. If we can forgive the basic details that don’t match up with reality — like locations, people, and events that simply don’t exist in the real world (understood as fictitious elements) — then we should be able to handle other types of fallacies found in fiction related to science and God’s use of nature.
Not to mention that in most stories you don’t have a story without some sort of villain braking God’s law. The hero, faced with inner struggle and outer adversity, overcomes the wrongs of the villain throughout the story. So we grant that braking God’s law is necessary to tell most stories. It is acceptable for the villain, side characters, and even the hero to sin at times. Acknowledging sin offers opportunities to deal with the sin. If no one sins, there’s nothing to fix. If there’s nothing to fix, your short on good story material.
Much more could be written about this, but I will move on with these ideas in mind as part of my premise to the rest of this post.
Summary of Twilight
[Spoiler warning] Bella Swan is a 17-year-old living with her mother in Phoenix, Arizona. Out of necessity, Bella moves to live with her father in Fork, Washington (population 3,221). What Bella expects to be the most disappointing time of her youth — finishing high school in a small town of strangers and living with her unfamiliar father — turns out to be a major turning point when she get’s to know Edward Cullen. Edward, also 17, miraculously saves her from a car accident and becoming a rape victim.
As Bella gets to know Edward, who appears to be in great pain and distress to be around her, she learns he’s a vampire denying his natural “hunger” and special attraction to take Bella and drink her you-know-what. Edward can hardly resist her smell, and this is especially unusual for him. However, while suffering through the temptation and not giving into his fleshly desires, Edward gets to know Bella and fall in love with her. The feeling is mutual as Bella is impressed by Edward’s character, persona, and stunning angelic handsomeness.
Once they realize they love each other, the air in their awkward relationship is cleared, but they don’t know how to go about a realistic relationship. How does a vampire and a human make a love relationship work? Bella and Edward wonder.
Meanwhile, not-so good natured vampires are passing through Forks, Washington, and they are attracted to Bella’s scent as much as any vampire would be. Edward and his family of morally conservative vampires try to protect Bella’s life, but Bella comes to realize the only way the wicked vampires will not harm her family is if she will surrender to them to be brutally devoured. Bella chooses to lay down her life for her loved ones.
This covers all but the resolution of the climax, subplots, and the happy ending.
Monsters — vampires, to be specific.
Vampires in the book Twilight are not the preoccupation in the story. There is next to no vampire violence depicted. The philosophy of the primary vampire characters is one of the most noble features in the story. Edward, the love interest vampire, acknowledges that harming people physically is morally wrong (with the exception of self-defense and defending others), and taking a person’s life in cannibalism is especially wicked. Edward is not alone in these views of morality as a vampire. Edward lives with a family of vampires that are what they jokingly call “vegetarians” because they only eat animals
I find it interesting the vampires understand that man and beast are not equals. It is not murder to kill animals in Twilight. This value is consistent with the biblical worldview of living creatures. Also, while the story repeatedly stresses that humans and vampires are very different biologically from each other, they both have a spirit, soul, and body. Humans become vampires when venom gets into the human blood stream. The human’s spirit and soul remain the same while the body goes through metamorphosis into that of a vampire. At one point in the book, Edward credits the Creator of the Universe with making this happen. Why, Edward doesn’t know, but he accepts the Creator’s work for what it is.
With the never ending development of fiction, it is important to consider what defines monsters and how they relate to worldview. No matter how seemingly realistic a fantasy with mythological creatures can be should we forget context. Each story should be evaluated by its own merits. Meaning, if we look at another genre, say, westerns, you cannot assume that all westerns teach the same values. You cannot assume that a western will be “clean” and exclusively entertain you with good morals. People tend to think some genres have “safer” characteristics than others, but no genre is inherently good or evil. It’s the lessons in each unique story that matters most.
A monster, or in this case, a vampire story may have redemptive qualities. Then again, it may not. Granted, I more cautiously read monster/horror stories than I would other genres. They tend to be more ill-willed than upright. And yet, there are great monster stories like the classic The Strange Case of Doctor Jekyll and Mister Hyde.
This is the end of Part 1. Click here to read the end (Part 2) of this review »
I admit that I have sinned as a high school English teacher. I have not read “Twilight”…. I suppose I should, just to be “culturally current.”
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) And I admit fully that the major reason I haven’t read “Twilight” is due to the vampire theme (that, and it sounds like a kissy book). So I admit my inconsistency, and I will probably read them based on your recommendation. If I’m exposing myself to demonic influence, it’s your fault. 
) But then, I’ve read Harry Potter, so what’s the difference?
In fact, it was on that basis that I initially read the Harry Potter series. After a couple of tries, it wasn’t until the end of the second book that I “got it.” I understood the hype, but I also began to relate to it on a deeper level as a Christian English teacher. I saw it in the terms of biblical Truth.
As far as the portrayal of magic goes, I did not see it as “morally ambiguous.” Good magic and bad magic were not portrayed as equal. Good was clearly superior and was obviously going to prevail. In addition, good magic was inherently good, while bad magic was foundationally weak. I saw it in terms of spiritual warfare, in which the kingdoms of light and darkness are battling, but not in terms of equality, though it seems at times on earth that evil is the stronger. Such is the portrayal in Harry Potter.
In the final book, the Christian parallels become obvious, besides the discovery of the Bible by Harry in his parents’ destroyed house. In order to destroy the evil that resides within (not just without), Harry must willingly sacrifice his life. Because he lays down his life for his friends, he is returned to life, much like Aslan in “The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe.” Sounds kind of familiar….
As far as the argument that the series would awaken an interest in the occult, I don’t think it would in and of itself. However, the unauthorized merchandizing of books on how to be a wizard, or how to cast spells, etc. might do so. But that fault cannot be laid at the doorstep of Harry Potter, at least explicitly.
I remember when both the Narnia books and “The Lord of the Rings” were considered inappropriate for Christians, despite the fact that both authors were devout Christians. Rowling has stated that her intention in writing the books was to seek out her faith in Christ. I do not know where her search finally led her, but I do know how she ended the series, on a definite Christ-figure parallel.
Would any of this be evident to the 10-year-old reader? I doubt it. I admit that I am reading the books as an adult, Christian, English teacher, so I don’t know that I would either recommend these books for children without a lot of adult interaction. In other words, “I’m a professional. Don’t try this at home.”
As far as this all refers to “Twilight,” I guess I’m missing how exactly vampires are okay and wizards are not. To be technical, both have their roots in Satan worship (in a loose definition). What I’m hearing you say is, “I’ve read Twilight and it is not morally ambiguous, and I have not ready Harry Potter and only know what I’ve heard about it, but I’m still proclaiming it as morally ambiguous.” I guess I have problems with the stance of, in the words of Steve Martin’s “Grandmother’s Song,” “Criticize things you don’t know about.”
In the end, I suppose the question is: All Truth is God’s Truth, no matter where it’s found. But is there a point whether the framework, be it wizards or vampires, negates that Truth?
I just love your blog posts on this topic! I for one, enjoy Twilight and the rest of the series. It captured my attention because there was this dichotomy of innocence/evil and then it was so cotemporary in that it was set in a highschool, there was prom, meeting new friends- it took me back.
The morals seen in the book, may be due to the author herself. She is a Mormon(very different from us Christians), nonetheless she believes in a Creator and disagrees with explicit sex in novels.
I had Mormons visit me a few months back while I was sitting in my front porch swing bench. We talked for a couple hours, then we agreed to meet again. We ended up meeting four times, and in that time I learned a great deal about Mormonism. It is amazing to me how inconsistent the men were I spoke with. An incredible amount of their religion is dependent on the testimony of a very few, and the other part of their faith in dependent on fluctuating relativism. I admire there faith, but not their sense.
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