Quite possibly one of the most controversial opinions one can have in the literary world is the belief that “Twilight” by Stephenie Meyer was a good work of fiction. This isn’t without reason, “Twilight” is quite possibly one of the worst pieces of fiction ever written, and just how it got so popular is something scientists have yet to figure out. Not only was the series poorly written, it was also uniquely misogynistic, glorified harmful and toxic relationships, and tokenized the Quileute Tribe to the point of dehumanization, along with making a fictionalized member of the tribe fall in love with a literal child (it’s never a good time to be a part of Team Jacob).
However, if you peel back the layers of religious dogmatism, at its very core, “Twilight” is actually a good story. At least, it could be.
Despite the critiques characters often get due to being written in a cringy or often pretentious manner, the cast of characters in “Twilight” are incredibly interesting and have their own internal and external conflicts that could be better expanded upon if they were written by someone else and could have been the series’ driving force. The series’ titular character is the prime example of this. She was a bookish, awkward person longing for a place to belong while struggling to overcome her own trauma. These are traits and plot points that are rife with the potential to tell a wonderful story about someone learning to grow into themselves and finding a place to call home. Edward Cullen himself could have been her mirror in that regard, someone who is also struggling to fit in and feel at home in their own skin.
To take it a step further, if written well, both characters could have been examples, or metaphors in Edward’s case, of living with a mental illness and struggling to overcome trauma. If Stephenie Meyer were a different person, the ups and downs in their relationship wouldn’t have been treated like tabloid drama but steppingstones for having important conversations about boundaries and proper communication in a relationship.
Bella’s story could have been one of overcoming trauma, finding a place where she belongs and reconnecting with her family alongside finding a new one. It’s an immense shame that it was written the way it was written, but that is what fanfiction is for. Hopefully the next piece of fiction “Twilight” will inspire will be one to right all the wrongs Meyer has made and finally give us the peace of mind that the biggest piece of culturally defining vampire fiction written in the 21st century is not something that allowed a fully grown wolfman to imprint on a baby.
