Synopses & Reviews
The first look at the philosophy behind Stephenie Meyer's bestselling
Twilight series
Bella and Edward, and their family and friends, have faced countless dangers and philosophical dilemmas in Stephenie Meyer's Twilight novels. This book is the first to explore them, drawing on the wisdom of philosophical heavyweights to answer essential questions such as: What do the struggles of "vegetarian" vampires who control their biological urge for human blood say about free will? Are vampires morally absolved if they kill only animals and not people? From a feminist perspective, is Edward a romantic hero or is he just a stalker? Is Jacob "better" for Bella than Edward?
As absorbing as the Meyer novels themselves, Twilight and Philosophy:
- Gives you a new perspective on Twilight characters, storylines, and themes
- Helps you gain fresh insights into the Twilight novels and movies
- Features an irresistible combination of vampires, romance, and philosophy
Twilight and Philosophy is a must-have companion for every Twilight fan, whether you're new to the series or have followed it since the beginning.
Synopsis
Stephenie Meyer's wildly popular "Twilight" is a young adult vampire romance series, in which teenaged Bella falls for a vampire, Edward, and is drawn into his and his family's morally gray universe. Bella, Edward, and their family and friends have faced countless dangers and philosophical dilemmas in the four novels of the series, and this is the first book to parse them. "Twilight and Philosophy" will answer these and many other questions: What do the struggles of Edward and his family of "vegetarian" vampires to control their biological urge for human blood say about free will? Are vampires morally absolved if they kill only animals and not people? Why does Plato think that Bella should choose Jacob, a werewolf and rival for her affections? Should Edward use his natural ability to read minds? From a feminist perspective, can Edward be a romantic hero or is he just a stalker?
Synopsis
twilight and Philosophy
PHILOSOPHY/POP CULTURE
What can vampires tell us about the meaning of life?
Is Edward a romantic hero or a dangerous stalker?
Is Bella a feminist? Is Stephenie Meyer?
How does Stephenie Meyer's Mormonism fit into the fantastical world of Twilight?
Is Jacob "better" for Bella than Edward?
The answers to these philosophical questions and more can be found inside Twilight and Philosophy: Vampires, Vegetarians, and the Pursuit of Immortality. With everything from Taoism to mind reading to the place of God in a world of vampires, this book offers some very tasty philosophy for both the living and the undead to sink their teeth into. Whether you're on Team Edward or Team Jacob, whether you loved or hated Breaking Dawn, this book is for you
To learn more about the Blackwell Philosophy and Pop Culture series, visit www.andphilosophy.com
Synopsis
What can vampires tell us about the meaning of life?Is Edward a romantic hero or a dangerous stalker?
Is Bella a feminist? Is Stephenie Meyer?
How does Stephenie Meyer's Mormonism fit into the fantastical world of Twilight?
Is Jacob "better" for Bella than Edward?
The answers to these philosophical questions and more can be found inside Twilight and Philosophy: Vampires, Vegetarians, and the Pursuit of Immortality. With everything from Taoism to mind reading to the place of God in a world of vampires, this book offers some very tasty philosophy for both the living and the undead to sink their teeth into. Whether you're on Team Edward or Team Jacob, whether you loved or hated Breaking Dawn, this book is for you!
About the Author
Rebecca Housel coedited X-Men and Philosophy. A former professor of English and popular culture in western New York, she now serves on editorial advisory boards for the Journal of Popular Culture and the Journal of American Culture. Also an author of middle-grade fiction, she is currently working on a new young adult novel.
J. Jeremy Wisnewski is an assistant professor of philosophy at Hartwick College, the coeditor of X-Men and Philosophy, and the editor of Family Guy and Philosophy and The Office and Philosophy.
William Irwin is a professor of philosophy at King's College. He originated the philosophy and popular culture genre of books as coeditor of the bestselling The Simpsons and Philosophy and has overseen recent titles, including Batman and Philosophy, House and Philosophy, and Watchmen and Philosophy.
Table of Contents
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS: Supernatural Humans We Can’t Live Without.
Introduction: Undead Wisdom.
PART ONE TWILIGHT.
1 You Look Good Enough to Eat: Love, Madness, and the Food Analogy (George A. Dunn).
2 Dying to Eat: The Vegetarian Ethics of Twilight (Jean Kazez).
3 Can a Vampire Be a Person? (Nicolas Michaud).
4 Carlisle: More Compassionate Than a Speeding Bullet? (Andrew Terjesen and Jenny Terjesen).
PART TWO NEW MOON.
5 Vampire-Dämmerung: What Can Twilight Tell Us about God? (Peter S. Fosl and Eli Fosl).
6 To Bite or Not to Bite: Twilight, Immortality, and the Meaning of Life (Brendan Shea).
7 Mind Reading and Morality: The Moral Hazards of Being Edward (Eric Silverman).
8 Love and Authority among Wolves (Sara Worley).
PART THREE ECLIPSE.
9 Bella Swan and Sarah Palin: All the Old Myths Are Not True (Naomi Zack).
10 Vampire Love: The Second Sex Negotiates the Twenty-first Century (Bonnie Mann).
11 Edward Cullen and Bella Swan: Byronic and Feminist Heroes . . . or Not (Abigail E. Myers).
12 Undead Patriarchy and the Possibility of Love (Leah McClimans and J. Jeremy Wisnewski).
13 The “Real” Danger: Fact vs. Fiction for the Girl Audience (Rebecca Housel).
PART FOUR BREAKING DAWN.
14 Twilight of an Idol: Our Fatal Attraction to Vampires (Jennifer L. McMahon).
15 Bella’s Vampire Semiotics (Dennis Knepp).
16 Space, Time, and Vampire Ontology (Philip Puszczalowski).
17 For the Strength of Bella? Meyer, Vampires, and Mormonism (Marc E. Shaw).
18 The Tao of Jacob (Rebecca Housel).