Although Twilight continues to be a pillar of the paranormal romance genre, one aspect of the book series continues to haunt me to this day. In 2005, Stephenie Meyer released Twilight, the very first in a set of four books about a romance between a human girl and an immortal vampire. These novels quickly gained popularity among readers, and in 2008, were adapted into movies starring Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson. I can certainly respect the impact that Twilight has had on literature over the years, but there is one detail that continues to elude me.
A major aspect of the Twilight books and movies is the fact that the Cullens are vampires. As a result, Meyer creates an entire world of lore surrounding vampires. She explains how they sparkle in sunlight, have incredible strength and senses, and form their own society ruled by the Volturi. Yet, there is one aspect of the Cullens’ vampire culture that simply doesn’t add up to me. Though I can see why Meyer made it this way, in the end, I can’t accept that this Twilight detail makes any sense.
I’m Baffled That Edward Cullen Uses His Immortality To Repeat High School In Twilight
I can’t move past the fact that in Twilight, Edward and his family are immortal, and yet, they choose to spend their time in high school. In the world of the books, it seems that Edward and his siblings redo high school to maintain their identities. They look young enough that nearby humans might be suspicious if they do not attend school. Yet, to me, this seems like a problem Meyer could easily have worked around. I understand that Edward needed an easy way to meet Bella, but it seems unrealistic that a vampire would willingly go back to high school.
For some, high school is not a very enjoyable experience. I imagine it is even worse for a vampire. The Cullen family spends four years at Forks High School, completing homework and assignments on subjects that they have likely known for hundreds of years. On top of that, they are also forced to be around humans at all times, which may not be an enjoyable experience for immortals like them. Twilight emphasizes that the Cullens are antisocial, so I see no benefit to them being in high school. Because of this, I find myself constantly irritated by this illogical plotline.
Edward’s Decision To Repeat High School Is Strange Enough To Take You Out Of The Story
I think Edward’s return to high school is bad enough to take readers out of the story altogether. There are so many instances where Meyer crafts interesting worlds and scenarios revolving around vampires and werewolves. The inclusion of high school just lessens the effect of the story overall, since it takes time away from tackling more mystical aspects of the narrative. If the Cullens are so powerful and wise, then it doesn’t make sense for them to be back in high school. If anything, it just holds them back from bigger and better plots.
Meyer needed her main characters in proximity to each other, so she stuck the Cullens in high school without much regard for whether this made sense for their characters.
Furthermore, I think the Cullens’ high school plot exposes Meyer’s writing process in a way that is not enjoyable. When I consider why Meyer put her characters in high school, it becomes clear to me that it is all just a plot device to force Bella and Edward together. Meyer needed her main characters in proximity to each other, so she stuck the Cullens in high school without much regard for whether this made sense for their characters. I can’t help but wonder how Twilight might have been different if Bella had met Edward somewhere else.
Why Edward & The Cullens Use Immortality Like This In Twilight
As previously noted, it seems that the general explanation for the Cullens attending high school is that it maintains their identities in Forks. Edward and his siblings pretend to be regular high school students so that no one suspects them of being strange or irregular. Then again, this happens anyway based on their appearances and dynamics with others. Regardless, in the world of Twilight, the Cullens’ fear of discovery seems to outweigh their own desires to enjoy their immortal lives.
I think it would have been cooler and more logical for the Cullens to be doing other things. Though high school brought Edward and Bella together, there are other ways they could have met. Perhaps the Cullens could have had their own jobs or ingrained themselves into the community in other ways, similar to how Carlisle Cullen was a doctor. Overall, I think this would have made more sense for characters who have been alive for centuries. Yet, in Twilight, high school seems to be the center of the universe, for better or worse.
