Eating my words... to an extent

Image taken from: http://douggeivett.files.wordpress.com/2008/12/twilight_book_cover.jpg on 30/03/10

So, here we are. I have finally succumbed to the almost viral phenomenon that is the Twilight saga. Whilst trying to decide what I could do to change the English Communication's program for 2010/2011, I was encouraged to go and watch New Moon with friends. After watching that film, my sister-in-law to be was adamant that I should watch the Twilight film so that I was familiar with the original storyline. Watching both of these films, I suddenly gained insight into what I could do with the first term unit for the Year 11, 2010 cohort of girls.

As an English teacher, I think it is essential that everyone should be able to read something for enjoyment. Yet, they should also have the skills and the insight to be able to critique and engage with the content of an author's work. However, before I launch into my views on Stephenie Meyer's work, I need to clarify that my concern regarding the proliferation of the Twilight saga amongst the young women I teach was not that they were enjoying a series (frankly I am thrilled for any of them to be reading at all, so it doesn't really worry me what they are reading). Rather, I was concerned that they were so besotted with the concept of Bella and Edward's relationship that they did not seem to look past the largely superficial romantic elements. After seeing the films, I became convinced that there was much in the storyline to be analysed.

Ultimately, the result of my film based exposure to the story of Bella and Edward was the birth of the unit Sugar vs. Spice: The portrayal of women's roles in relationships throughout popular culture. My vision for this unit, was for students to look beyond the lovey dovey surface of the Twilight books and to search for deeper understanding of what the novel projects about the role women have to play in relationships, namely through the character of Bella.

In order to prepare myself for the upcoming unit, I settled myself in to read all four books. Immediately, I had to concede that the books were better than I had expected. From the beginning, there were a variety of structural elements that caught my attention. Initially, Meyer's development of the story hinted at the use of non-linear techniques, although, for the most part the story was linear and largely formulaic - by the end of the fourth novel the formulaic element had been eliminated but I don't believe this was to Meyer's advantage, rather she moved rapidly into overly dramatic, nonsensical waffle. Despite the fact that I constantly felt like I knew what was coming, I was pleasantly surprised that Stephenie Meyer seemed to be actively attempting to broaden the vocabulary of her audience. Whilst I have read a variety of criticisms of the novels that argue the vocabulary appears forced and unnecessary, I would have to think that any novel/written work that extends a teenager/adults vocab bank should be applauded for it rather than decimated. 

Her central characters do lend themselves to be embraced by readers, however, I do not necessarily believe that they are well-developed. Over the space of four novels, I did not really feel like I learnt anything new about the characters. Rather, I felt like I was simply a passive viewer of what seemed to be inevitable. Given the scope of the series, I felt cheated by Meyer as I believe that she could have easily done more to let me into the psyche of not only her money makers but also the side characters who I felt had a lot more to offer.

Despite these issues, the books have ultimately allowed for a surprising amount of discussion amongst my students and I. With the term now finished, I do have to concede that Stephanie Meyer's novels have allowed me to engage in some excellent analytical debate with my English Communications students. While they still enjoy the books, something which I honestly did not want to ruin for them, they are now far more aware and critical of elements that they feel should be explored more openly by the numerous girls and women who are, at times, clearly obsessed with the novels and the relationship that dominates the storyline. 

While I know that the books are often ridiculed and seen as pieces of friviolous teen pop culture unworthy of study, I sincerely hope that more highschool teachers take the time to discuss the concepts in class. This way, more young women may be able to see that the relationships in Twilight are not necessarily the type to yearn for or that they should be wishing to emulate.