Twilight Speculation thread

[Mrs.Edward_Cullen<3]

New question:

What is Twilight's most controversial element/storyline?

[navarre]

New question:

What is Twilight's most controversial element/storyline?

Personally, I did not find anything controversial at all. The elements of life/death, mortality vs.immortality were always present in this story.

Choice being the biggest issue of all. Edward having to fight his very nature to keep Bella alive while thirsting for her life's blood. Also having to keep his family, namely Rosalie & Jasper at bay(not killing Bella) while he struggled with the new emotions that were rocking his world.

Bella, once she knew who Edward was and knew that she loved him above ALL things including her life, would make a choice of her own mortality. Growing up, growing old, marrying a human, having children - all part of mortality/humanity vs. living forever with the core of her existence the only person to bring her to life, make her whole & complete. Edward was Bella's "food" - for her soul.

Otherwise, I just did not find these situations, controversial, more like understandable.
That's how I see it.

[Jazz Girl]

New question:

What is Twilight's most controversial element/storyline?

I can't say that I ever found anything about the saga controversial either. I have said often that the mythological element so often comes in and makes application of situations or events from the story impossible to real life. But, at the same time, I understand that fiction can so often effect the attitudes of our culture. I guess the perfect example is the nauseatingly ongoing argument about whether or not Edward and Bella's relationship could be considered abusive. Maybe that could be considered a controversial element, though I and many others have posted novels upon novels about this subject and why even the argument is fairly inapplicable.

From my own personal discussions with others, the theme or storyline of life vs death has raised some eyebrows. I think it relates to what you said, Navarre, about the idea of choosing immortality over mortality. The idea that Bella repeatedly chooses to die to be with Edward is one that raises some questions, I guess. I can understand that, if you look purely at the idea that Bella gave up her natural life to be with him. But, again, the mythology and mysticism involved, at least for me, have always put that act in perspective.

[ringswraith]

I'm not sure you'd consider it controversial, but for me one of the main underlying themes in the Twilight saga is: How much are you willing to give up for love? We see how Bella gives things up to be with Edward- her humanity, her chance at a normal life, the possibility of ever having children (per her discussion with Edward the night before the wedding)... The concept of sacrifice is all over the saga, and not many people are ready and/or willing to dive headfirst into that kind of commitment with someone else.

[roseaurora]

I think its possible to read some controversy into Bella's pregnancy. Was there a pro-life/pro-choice issue underlying the conflict between those who wanted to end her pregnancy and those who wanted her to keep the baby at all cost?

I think its a stretch, but that is is arguably there. I've had discussions about this with a couple friends and some point to the fact that SM is LDS...



How's that for controversy?

I hope this isn't taken too seriously and doesn't open a can of worms, but its the first thing that came to mind when I saw the question...

[who_needs_fangs?]

I thought about how Edward asked Jacob to have Bella's kid, so the controversy was similar in its source to yours; how do people feel about sexual surrogates, though that's not very controversial in comparison to abortion...
Umm... how about "adoption"- Esme's choice vs. "its not your child unless you gave birth to it"- what people claim Rosalie and Bella felt.

[FrighteninLilMonster]

What is Twilight's most controversial element/storyline?

I don't think that there's anything in the books that I found controversial, but a lot of situations have been overanalysed and turned into things of controversy.
Like Bella's pregnancy, as people have said; it's been turned into a pro-life debate, when as far as I could see, it wasn't about abortion or anti-abortion. It was a character choice in a fictional fantasy book.
And the way that people have accused Bella of being an anti-feminist character. I don't think she's that, either; I think she is strong and makes her own choices, I don't believe that she mindlessly follows Edward around like it's been suggested.
And of course, the idea that parents approve of the book because the characters didn't have sex until marriage. Likewise, a character choice in a novel. To me, this wasn't about teenagers refraining from sex, but the choices made by a 108 year old vampire from times of difference values.
I guess that groups of people, helped by the media, take things out of context and dramatise them too much.

[roseaurora]

I had an interesting thought while rereading DHN... in the restaurant when Edward is finally telling Bella the truth and it is just spilling out of him, he brings up the idea that her number has been up since she met him.

Could all Bella's near death experiences been fates way of endangering her life to the point that Carlisle would change her into a vampire? I know its a stretch, but it is interesting that she has so many near death experiences and the Cullen way is to change only those who have no other choice... Of course those experiences were a way to get her to learn about Edward, but looking beyond just that, I thought it was interesting...

[Jazz Girl]

So, one of my favorite things to do while reading the saga is try and fill in the blanks so to speak; take those moments that we can't say for sure what happens and try to puzzle it out. I thought I would pose the question of "what happens when" to see what you all think about my favorite time to speculate.

As Bella is unconscious, we do not know what happens when they arrive at the hospital in Phoenix after Edward saves her in the ballet studio. Talk about and/or describe the "conversation" between Edward and Charlie when Charlie arrives at Bella's bedside.

[navarre]

So, one of my favorite things to do while reading the saga is try and fill in the blanks so to speak; take those moments that we can't say for sure what happens and try to puzzle it out. I thought I would pose the question of "what happens when" to see what you all think about my favorite time to speculate.

As Bella is unconscious, we do not know what happens when they arrive at the hospital in Phoenix after Edward saves her in the ballet studio. Talk about and/or describe the "conversation" between Edward and Charlie when Charlie arrives at Bella's bedside.

Knowing Charlie, he probably did not hold back his feelings that Edward was somehow responsible for his daughter's situation. I would say that Edward, along with Carlisle's help, fed him a line of bull ,which he had to, in order to calm Charlie down. The story that Edward told Bella that he gave Charlie in Twilight - about going down to Phoenix to talk some sense in to her, was pretty much all Edward said.

Also, since we know that Charlie held Carlisle in the highest regard and with the deepest gratitude, I think the storm blew over rather quickly. Just my thinking.