Twilight Themes

Personal choice pops up as a huge component of all the action in Twilight. The defining aspect of the Cullens – the "good" vampires – is that they've chosen to suppress their natural de...

Twilight is a story of forbidden love. Because Edward is a vampire and Bella a human, Edward technically should consider Bella his prey. While Edward does love Bella, his primal instincts lead him...

Generally, vampires are seen as evil. They're considered "monsters" in cultural lore. Most vampires give in to their desire for human blood, but the Cullens don't. It's not easy for them, but Carli...

Fear is an instinctive reaction for all the characters in Twilight, and all are faced with choosing to embrace or disregard the fears that grip them. For instance, Edward fears for Bella's safety w...

Isolation appears in two forms in Twilight. There's physical isolation – Forks is a small, secluded, rain-soaked town – and emotional isolation. Bella shares with the Cullen family a fe...

Communication is a big deal in Twilight. Edward is accustomed to reading minds, but when he's unable to do this with Bella, he doesn't know quite how to communicate with her. They have to form a ne...

At least initially, Bella and Edward seem to be attracted to one another because of their looks (and smell, too, especially in Edward's case). Bella is baffled that Edward could possibly find her a...

From the Preface we knew that there was going to be some life-and-death business going down in Twilight, but little did we know how often Bella's life would be in danger. Whenever Edward is present...

Vampires are not real. Or, shall we say, we don't think they're real. That makes them supernatural. Author Stephenie Meyer invented an incredible mythology surrounding vampires – their skin s...

Bella and Edward's relationship is ironic when it comes to strength and skill – she's a klutz with zero muscle power, and he's a smooth-stepping superhero (well, "bad guy" from his perspectiv...

Family is central to both Edward and Bella's lives. While Bella has grown up close to her mother, she has an understandably awkward relationship with her father Charlie. Though Charlie gives Bella...

The most common form of hate we see in Twilight is actually self-hate. Edward hates himself for the danger he brings into Bella's life, and he frequently expresses horror at his bloodlust. Remember...

Stephenie Meyer presents Twilight's star, Bella, as a selfless character. Not only does she risk her life to keep her mother safe, but she also endures a lot of personal discomfort for her parents'...

In Twilight, many characters fight their natural instincts. It's natural for vampires to drink human blood, but the Cullens work hard to resist this urge. Edward and Bella's love for each other goe...

Memory in the vampire world works much like it does for humans, it just extends a bit further back in time. But while human memories fade, vampire memories are stronger. Edward doesn't remember his...

Though there is no actual sex in Twilight, sexual attraction and abstinence play a significant role in the novel. Edward and Bella are inexperienced with affairs of the heart, but both feel an unde...