ESSAY TOPICS / BOOK REPORT IDEAS

1.) Imagine if this novel had the same themes and plot, but did not involve vampires. Would anything be lost as a result? Would anything be gained? Choose a key scene from the novel involving vampirism and imagine how it could be done without that motif.

2.) What if the main roles were reversed? That is, what if Bella was a vampire and Edward a human? How would this change the story? What would essentially remain the same? Why is that, and what does that tell us about motif of vampirism?

3.) What attitudes and beliefs define the nature of romantic love in this book? In what ways are those beliefs positive, in what ways negative? Cite specific examples. Is everyone capable of a deeply satisfying romantic connection? Why or why not?

4.) How does class and status work in the book? Would the Cullens be as glamorous if they were middle class or even poor? What if Bella was more affluent than the Cullens - would the horror work? What about the romance? Why or why not?

5.) How do the different cultural references - both popular and classic - enrich the reading of the novel? How do they reflect the characters, or how the characters interact with each other? Cite specific examples throughout the book.

6.) If this book was not a series, would the ending of this first volume still be satisfying? Why or why not? How does a book series influence our reading of any single volume?

7.) Is this book believably scary? Cite specific scenes that you found most in keeping with the horror genre? How about romantic? Again, cite specific scenes that seem most romantic. Is this book more believably horror or romance? Does one ever undercut the other; if so, how?

8.) Imagine how the humans besides Bella see her and the Cullen family. Are they doing anything truly unusual, or are they able to blend in enough not to receive too much notice? Cite specific events in the book, as well as reactions by humans in the book.

9.) Examine the nature of vampirism in the novel. How does it fit traditional vampire stories, how does it not? What is the function in keeping or discarding various aspects of vampire lore in the novel? Just how flexible is the vampire - as a metaphor, as a cultural icon?

10.) Closely examine the family structure and relationships in each of the major families: the Swans / Dwyers, the Cullens, the Blacks? How do the different families interact? What is the result? What do they have in common what is different?

ANSWER KEY

1.) a
2.) b
3.) c
4.) a
5.) d
6.) c
7.) a
8.) c
9.) b
10.) b
11.) d
12.) d
13.) c
14.) a
15.) b

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