From Twilight to Breaking Dawn

Sandra L. Gravett, Chalice Press

From Twilight to Breaking Dawn takes an academic look at the Twilight books, the series of books about a vampire family and their human friend. The books were written by Stephenie Meyer, a practising Mormon.

Sandra L. Gravett, who is a professor in the Department of Philosophy and Religion at the Appalachian State University, believes that there are many religious symbols and themes in the series. There is the emphasis of blood (Communion) and apples (temptation) and the roles of the characters.

The father, Carlisle, who creates a family of vampires, could symbolise God, the Creator; Edward, is a struggling Christ figure; Bella, is both Mary the Mother and Eve; and Renesmee could be seen as Christ as a child.

I didn’t agree with the imagery Gravett sees but I was impressed by her research and argument.

I was also impressed by her sensible approach to the topic, which was a pleasant change from the number of silly books that came out at the time of the Harry Potter books, claiming that it was riddled with Satanism.

From Twilight to Breaking Dawn also looks at the topics Determinism and Moral Choice, Revelation, the Final Apocalypse, and the Coming of the Kingdom.

Katy Gerner