Romeo and Juliet - meet Edward and Bella

Story of forbidden love captivates readers, movie-goers

By DONNA HICKMAN
Daily Journal Staff Writer

Is Stephanie Meyer the Jane Austen of this generation? Just as Austen wrote stories of romance in the 1800s in books like “Pride and Prejudice,” Meyer has written the saga of modern young love that’s captivating readers in the “Twilight” series. Of course, there is one big difference. Meyer’s leading man is a vampire. 

“It makes you think maybe there’s another world out there,” said Jessica Stahlman, 13, an eighth grader. “She makes it realistic and you think it might be possible.”

“When I was reading it, I didn’t even realize I was reading a book,” said Morgan McCutchen, 13. “It seemed so real.”

“I like everything about the books because they show an average girl can find love with someone who is not so average,” said Tiffany Stricklin, 18.

“Twilight,” the first of the books in the series, has been made into a movie that’s opening tonight in Farmington’s Kerasotes Showplace Theater. It’s a story of forbidden love — like Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet.”

Just as 17 million of the books have flown off the shelves, it’s expected the movie — a “chick flick” — will attract big crowds. Two of Friday’s Farmington showings were sold out by Thursday.

“There’s still a waiting list for the “Twilight” books,” said Doris Worley, North County Middle School librarian. “Some kids have had to wait so long, by the time the book is available, they’ve already bought it.”

The fascination with the vampire, Edward, reminds Worley of her own youth when she couldn’t wait to get home in time to see the last few minutes of the TV soap opera, “Dark Shadows,” which featured the dashing, mysterious, frightening vampire, Barnabas Collins. She says he fascinated and scared her at the same time.

“Meyer has made up her own ideas about what vampires are like,” explained Tanya Smith, middle school Communication Arts teacher. “She does not lead you to believe the vampire is evil. She’s very creative. I fell in love with Edward, even though he is 17 going on 100!”

Vampires are supposed to be immortal.

Smith said she decided to read the books for herself when so many of her students kept bringing the book to school. Most of them are girls. She said since middle school kids are already thinking about dating and relationships, “Twilight” makes the most of the power of attraction between a boy and a girl, but it’s about love and romance, not sex.

“I did not want to read “Twilight” until some of my friends told me they wanted me to read it,” said Rachel Gann, another middle school student. “I liked it. The author used very good descriptions and I liked the story about two opposites who fell in love.”

Abbi Tyree said it sounds so implausible when you talk about the plot, but when she picked the book up and read a few pages, she was hooked.

The mesmerizing vampire Edward meets the mere mortal Bella in a high school class. Edward fights his attraction to her and she doesn’t know why. As hard as he works to stay away from her, she works just as hard to get close to him. When they finally get together, Edward declares, “So the lion has fallen in love with the lamb.”

It sounds so romantic, but Jason King isn’t so sure.

“If this were real life, it would be an abusive relationship,” said King, a Bismarck High School teacher. “I like the books, but Edward treats Bella abusively. Whenever she tries to speak up for herself, he stops her — telling her he is trying to protect her. He yells at her, but she is so in love, she puts up with it.”

King says as a father, it’s not the kind of relationship he wants his two girls to have, but he says it’s only a book and the story is pure fantasy.

SEMO Family Violence Center Director Carla Crocker has read the books and sees no abuse in the relationship. She said the difference is Bella’s life is in danger from the other vampires and werewolves. She is very clumsy and Edward protects her. She did say, however, when Bella talks about not wanting to live without Edward, that’s not healthy.

“But it’s a book about vampires and werewolves — it’s just make-believe,” she said. “In ‘Cinderella,’ the prince saved the girl and that’s not healthy either — a girl can save herself!”

Stricklin and her friend read the books together with their mothers and they are all going to see “Twilight” together, too. Stahlman said her mother read the book first and fell in love with it before she did.

Amanda Moore and some of her friends plan to join some young friends from church in seeing the movie as it debuts this weekend. She admits, she feels a little funny about it.

“Here we are, these middle -age women going to this teenage movie, but I love the story,” she said. “It’s a dark, mysterious love story.”

Edward protects Bella, said McCutchen.

Edward is gorgeous, like a super model, the girls explain.

Edward is generous, giving Bella extravagant gifts, said Stahlman.

Do they know any boys like him?

“No!” the girls answer emphatically.

“I haven’t found my Edward yet,” said Stricklin.

Donna Hickman is a reporter for the Daily Journal. Contact her at 431-2010, ext. 138 or at dhickman@dailyjournalonline.com.

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