“…So the lamb feel in love with the lion” – Edward Cullen

What intrigues me about Twilight is the role of Bella. As a male I don’t know about all of the responsibilities that come with being a female. I am aware of the gender roles that are present in society and religion and what I see in Twilight directly engages my beliefs. The readings authored by McGeough, Leogrande, Toscana, all address societal and religious perceptions of the female that are exhibited in Twilight. The role of the female is highly visible throughout cultural discourses and can be seen in Bella actions in Twilight.

The reading, Twilight and Transformations of Flesh, expressed how Bella’s behavior exhibited a modern day site for discussion with respect to the female body. In this movie Bella’s body is constantly being threatened. Involuntarily by humans, guys attacking her in an alleyway, or by vampires, Edward and the non-vegetarian vampire. Culturally the female body is supposed to be something that is protected and Edward makes this clear when he saves her from the male predators in the alley. After this initial human threat, Bella consciously puts her body in danger.

The concept of love, the female body, and religion are closely tied to the behavior of Bella in regards to her body. Bella’s quick undying love for Edward is a very obvious call to the irrational nature how a female deals with love and the harm that she may put to her body when in love. Her love for Edward is inherently putting her body in risk of death. Even though he is a “vegetarian”, he has troubles controlling his urges for her sweet smelling blood. As Toscana discusses in her article, Mormon Morality and Immorality in Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight Series, “Love Complicates Choices.” Bella’s love symbolizes one of the main characteristics of Christianity (25). Her love is complicated because she is putting her body in jeopardy. Another discourse of Christian and female body themes centers around the theme of sex. In a cultural role reversal, Bella is the one that is pursuing the male for sex. However, following religious doctrines of chastity, Edward forces her to wait to have sex until marriage. Yet again the female body is being brought into question. In this situation it is not Bella who is deciding what to do with her body but Edward. Her body is being treated as an object and something to give to Edward. Through these actions we can see how religion, love, and the female body are all intertwined within the narrative of Twilight.

Bella’s body serves as a site for cultural and religious discussions around the female body. Twilight gives us insight into the female body representation and how a female’s behavior effects her body’s well being. Also, the perspective of the male is shown. His treatment of the female body as an object and something to be had is shown throughout this movie. Culturally we can see dominant stereotypes of a female’s love endangering her body by selflessly giving it to a male she is in love with. Then there is the aspect of religion and how chastity can be practiced even when the female is the aggressor. Bella follows the Christian theme of devote love and Edward represents the theme of chastity and respect and preservation of the female body.