Popular Culture: Beliefs, Myths, and Icons

Popular Culture: Twilight Saga

            The Twilight Saga started out as a series of 4 books about a small town in Washington where supernatural things happened every day. The main supernatural beings in the series are vampires and spirit walkers (werewolves). The local Quileute tribe turn into wolves when there is a threat to the land that the tribe lives on, and that threat is vampires (Meyer). The Cullen’s are a family of 7 vampires that have chosen to live in Forks, WA and try to blend in with the human population (Meyer). The interactions between the town’s people, Quileute’s, and Cullen’s speak too many of the myths and beliefs about vampires and werewolves (Meyer).

Popular Beliefs

            The popular beliefs about vampires and werewolves are far too many to discuss. The main beliefs I am aware of are; vampires suck human blood, burst into flames in the sun light, are pale, and have fangs; werewolves turn into a wolf during the full moon, they are savage beasts, and like eating human flesh. In the Twilight Saga some of these beliefs are not supported because the Cullen’s do not drink human blood they drink animal blood to satisfy their needs and even go as far as to call them self’s “vegetarian” (Meyer). The spirit walkers in Twilight Saga do not eat human flesh and they turn into wolves when ever they need to, so it goes against the popular beliefs. The most significant belief that Twilight contradicts is that vampires burn up in the sun light, because in this series they sparkle like diamonds all over their skin instead of burning up. This out of all of the belief contradictions I think was hardest for people to accept.

Myths

            There are many myths that surround vampires and werewolves. I think that the most popular are that either of these creatures actually existed in this world, they kill humans, and their supernatural abilities like speed or strength. These myths have been perpetuated thru history by recorded documentation of the existence of such things. I find it very hard to believe that this can be all real, but there is always that possibility. The Twilight series contradicts several of those beliefs, but also does support the supernatural abilities that both the Cullen’s and Quileute have speed, strength, and other specialized abilities.

Icons

            Some of the most popular icons of vampires are Dracula, Lestat de Lioncourt from Interview with the Vampire, Blade, Selene from Underworld, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and Edward Cullen from Twilight. I believe that there will be many more in the coming years with all of the vampire book series that have become so popular with the younger generation. The most popular werewolf icons are The Wolfman, Teen Wolf, Lycans from Underworld, Jacob from Twilight, and David Kessler from An American Werewolf in London.  I believe that the Twilight Saga has had an impact on many different people and there will forever be Twihards who live for “Team Edward” or “Team Jacob” long after this movie series is over.