Hi Folks! Today's post is written by one of our beloved General Books students, Ranithi S. Enjoy!
-KLW
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What draws people to Twilight? Could it be the average, self deprecating female protagonist? The enthralling vampire that leaves women with a distaste for mortal men? Or could it be the relentless hunter that never ceases in his quest for complete satisfaction? Any one of these characters could be the reason why The Twilight Saga has seduced so many. Then again, perhaps the allure lies in the actual narrative itself. A thrilling love story with classic elements of good vs. evil that would leave a true romantic craving more. Whatever the reason is, it is obvious that The Twilight Saga presents the reader with an escape from reality. This much appreciated extrication from actuality may conceivably be the reason for its success.
I was first introduced to Twilight by my then-fourteen year old sister. She had read it and, like many of the thousands of people who had come into contact with it before, fell in love with it. Now, the fact that my younger sister was urging me to read any book was a surprise in itself; so naturally, I had to read it.
Before I go on, let me explain something to you – I unfortunately have the attention span equivalent to that of a five year old. If a novel does not grab me within the first ten pages, I will simply set it down and never look back. I started to read Twilight, unaware of the affect that it would have on me. Due to habit, I was expecting to get to the tenth page, set down what I would most likely perceive to be a lackluster, poor excuse for a novel, and go on with my life like I had done so many times in the past.
Before I knew it I was halfway done, wanting to get to the end of the book while simultaneously not wanting the book to end. I had finished the book and joined my sister near the mailbox where we anxiously waited for the sequel (New Moon) to arrive. As I read on, I slowly began to fall deeper in love with each book, managing to find something that I was able to relate to in each novel in the four book series.
This may sound super cheesy, but I was never the same after those books.
The Twilight Saga encouraged me to read more for pleasure, rather than only limit myself to reading the material that my professors assigned for classes (which was a lot, being that I am an English major). Often times, people fall into their respective routines, and live everyday as a complete duplication of the previous day. I fell into this category, (prepare for another cheesy declaration) and it was these books that brought me out of this habitual rerun.
Now that you have read about my experience with Twilight, let me just clarify one thing: I understand and fully accept that the book is not a literary masterpiece. I am okay with the fact that I let myself get caught up in a juvenile, vampire love story. That being said, I will proudly promote this book to anyone that will listen. We have come to live and be members in a society where everyone continually searches to gain something; whether it be acknowledgment from a professor, praise from a boss or co-worker, or acceptance from your surrounding peers. This quest for acceptance often times causes us to lose ourselves, and seek an escape. Many seem to forget that this escape that they so desperately need may lie in the simplicity of a book.
Twilight was my escape. What will yours be?
-RS
