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They say Twilight is the new Harry Potter.
I disagree.
Rather, it is a series of fantasy novels set in a less fantastic world in which a supernatural creature (or two) provide an average teenager with the utmost passionate and unconditional devotion.
It is this, which we teenage girls crave, that makes us so drawn to Edward's honey-voice and melting eyes and stiflingly sweet scent.
The relationship between Edward and Bella is (other than for obvious reasons) rare. Which young female of the 21st century (or any century) doesn't pine for their prince to sweep them off their feet? Perhaps the notion of a perfectly stunning vampire-boy being the prince is a new age thing. Still, I would believe it rare to find a single (as in, not in a relationship) girl who would like to be Bella for a day. Even some of my partnered female friends now have higher expectations of their boyfriends, much to *his* dismay.
Yet there's no need to get all swoony at Robert Pattinson.
I do not consider myself a raving fanatic, I don't have posters of the characters plastered all over my wall, I haven't paid to see the first film, I wait patiently (ok maybe not sooo patiently) for the library reserved list to shorten as it reaches my turn.
But I do find myself encapsulated in a pleasant bubble when I read Meyer's creation, indeed reading New Moon is more exciting than tackling that yet-to-be-knuckled-down essay.
Let the series live on, and sate the 21st century girl's thirst for romance.
We all heard the uproar and whatnot when critics or churchgoers or whoever it was said that C.S.Lewis' children's classic The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe contained biblical undertones when Aslan, the greatly adored magical Lion with amazing guardian skills and powers, gives himself up to the White Witch in order to save all the good side (humans and creatures alike). Then after the White Witch kills him and triumphantly wears his mane (oooh very dramatic), he (to the joy of readers and all good folk) comes back to life and saves the day.
''Aslan is an allegorical representation of Jesus Christ in the Christian religion. The novel's depiction of Christ's death and resurrection is a clear allusion to the biblical story of the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus. Lewis couches an old, familiar story in a new, vibrant setting in order to help us look at the story from a different angle. Specifically, Lewis wants to capture the attention of children. Lewis seeks to remove children from the oppressive church and Sunday school and to transplant them to a new, fantastic world. There, Lewis can introduce basic concepts of the Christian religion, using an exciting background, with fun characters and talking animals. Aslan the lion lives a similar life as Christ the man, but by using this allegorical device, Lewis can present the story to children with far more immediacy and vividness than could be obtained in any but the most breathtaking reading of the Bible.''
(http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/lion/canalysis.html)
Another book, one possibly even more famous than that one if possible, is Harry Potter, specifically the 7th and final installment in the series that hit the world in the face before they knew it.
*warning: plot spoiler below*
In this book, in the end, due to unavoidable circumstances, Harry walks into the face of death to save the good of good, i.e. so that Voldemort kills him in order to kill Voldemort. So Harry falls to the ground, 'dead'. We then read a chapter where his consciousness is with Dumbledore who's also dead, and they talk a bit, then Harry ends up returning to his body and coming back to life, saves good from evil and they love happily ever after.
See any similarities?
Coincidence? Better ask the J.K.Rowling herself:
Was her last book secretly spreading the idea of sacrifice-for-the-greater-good-like-Jesus-is-said-to-have-done or does she just like the story that way?
