In celebration of fall, I have no choice but to re-watch The Twilight Saga once again. The Twilight movies always get me in the best mood for fall, even if it’s not nearly cold or rainy enough. Re-watching Twilight always makes me think about re-reading the books, too. Personally, I prefer the books more. The small details in Bella’s character and the plot line make the story seem more alive. I’ve always felt that Bella in the books has a stronger personality. Don’t get me wrong, she is just as awkward, but her sarcastic comments and stubbornness are portrayed in a way that gives her a backbone she doesn’t have in the movies. Being able to read her thought process also helps, as it showcases her intelligence and attention to detail around her, versus the movies that, in my opinion, dumb her down a bit.
Although these little details do make the books that much better, it’s the extra scenes and moments that really made me fall in love with the books. My favorite scene from the whole saga, which sadly isn’t shown in the movies, is set after Edward and Bella have become friends but before she finds out about his vampire secret. Edward plans to ditch class and invites Bella, but she refuses, and once she makes it to Biology class, she finds out they will be taking their own blood samples. Bella is fine until Mike’s finger is pricked and she smells the blood; almost instantly, she begins to feel nauseous and dizzy. The teacher notices and gets Mike to take her to the nurse’s office, but halfway there, she has to lie down on the floor due to how sick she feels. That’s where Edward comes storming in, thinking Mike had somehow killed her and was standing over her dead body. The whole situation was hilarious, and it was a huge letdown that it wasn’t in the films. Another scene that was just as funny, and not included in the movies, was Bella’s attempt to flirt with Jacob. This happens not too long after the previous scene. It starts at La Push beach, where she is trying to figure out Edward’s secret and attempts to flirt with Jacob to get an answer out of him. She tries to bat her eyelashes at him and look at him all doe-eyed. Bella’s descriptive thoughts in this situation were so awkward that they were funny. How she had the strength to confess her attempt at flirting to Edward, I will never know.
These scenes are all necessary to the heartwarming and comical aspect of the books. With all of the heartbreak and anticipation in the series, it’s these moments that keep me invested. And on the topic of heartbreak, one of the things about the movies that always frustrated me was the portrayal of Bella’s emotional state after she saves Edward from the Volturi and they resume their relationship. I always thought that Bella forgave Edward too easily, but the books emphasize her anger much better than the films. Her stubbornness and deep friendship with Jacob are clearly portrayed. She starts to put her feelings before Edwards and has more confidence in her own decision-making. While I love the aesthetics and visuals of the films, the books will always have my heart.