My relationship with Edward Cullen

Since the release of the movie Twilight in November 2008, the book and the movie has caught the imagination and unwavering loyalty of millions of girls worldwide. The book is a part of the Twilight saga, which has seen 4 books published so far, written by Stephenie Meyer. They are – Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse, and Breaking Dawn. Recently, Meyer has written a book ‘The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner: An Eclipse Novella’, which will be available in bookstores on 5^th June this year. The complicated and seemingly impossible love story of Bella Swan and Edward Cullen is the brainchild of Meyer. Many vampire books have been published; however, Meyer takes this particular love story to another level.

I didn’t even know of the books until the movie came out in 2008. I was sitting in the cafeteria with my friends at lunch when I saw the video of the song ‘Decode’ by Paramore. The song had glimpses from the movie Twilight and it caught my interest instantly. I went to see the movie the day it came out and I fell, like a million other girls, under the hypnotic spell of Edward Cullen. I found out that there are four books that make up the series, and I just had to read all the books. It was not just a choice anymore; it felt absolutely necessary to me to read all the books and know for a fact that Edward and Bella would stay together till the end. But to my dismay, reading the books did not have the effect on me that I had expected. I had hoped that I would get over Edward and realize that they are just books that are meant to entertain and to enable the reader to escape from the real world for a few hours once in a while. The books definitely did that for me; in fact, they had me completely enthralled. The problem was that I did not lose interest over Edward. I read the books over and over, and each time, they affected me as though I had never read the book before. My family and friends are flabbergasted over the lure that the books and Edward have over me. Unfortunately for them, even I cannot explain or comprehend the attraction. It is not as though I believe in the existence of vampires. But, the books offer something that isn’t just about the existence of mythical creatures. The love that Bella and Edward experience is so strong and moving that one cannot help but respond to it at some level.

It is this love that never fails to attract the interest of girls. Girls tend to be romantics at heart; I, too, am a hopeless romantic. What the character of Edward offers is the ideal image of what a guy should be. I am not referring to his extraordinary good looks or his gorgeous body or his strength; although, they are definitely a plus. Edward’s love for Bella is eternal; no matter what happens, he will always love her. Moreover, he does everything in his power to make her happy and Bella’s love for Edward is the same. This description is ridiculously attractive at an age where so many marriages end in divorce. So, what Edward and Bella offer to the world is hope, hope in the existence of such a love. It might be foolish to take this kind of love seriously; but, isn’t love supposed to render people foolish? It has made me hope that a love like that might be possible.

Edward is also my safe harbor. I had not realized this until someone else made this observation. If I am in love with a fictional character, there is no way that he can upset me by breaking my heart. Hence, I am able to love him and even though it is unrequited, it does not bother me because I love a person who does not exist! At times though, my love for him is requited because when I read the books, I am not just watching everything through Bella’s eyes; I am Bella. Her pain becomes my pain, her happiness becomes my happiness, and her love becomes my love. Perhaps, Edward is not every girl’s safe harbor. But, I can safely assume that every girl who reads the book experiences the complete joy of being in love with Edward and having it reciprocated.