In my opinion, Twilight is the embodiment of fall. It has all of the cozy fall components accompanied by unwelcome seasonal depression. The films are able to capture that solemn element in their use of the infamous blue hue in Twilight and the passage of time in The Twilight Saga: New Moon.
As Twitter made me aware, October 1st marks Bella Swan depression awareness month. I have always loved the way New Moon demonstrated the passage of time. I would still say Twilight is my favorite novel in the saga, but the emotion New Moon demonstrates is what draws me to it. What a powerful way to show emptiness: leaving the pages blank, with only the name of the month in the center.
I really enjoy thinking of Stephanie Meyer’s process for writing these pages. It seems so obvious to write nothing in the absence of feeling and yet it isn’t. Authors are praised for their descriptions of pain and sorrow. They use every gutwrenching word in their vocabulary to describe how their character is feeling.
In The Twilight Saga: New Moon, however, Meyer uses no words at all. And yet, you can still sense exactly how Bella is feeling: numb to the world around her and filled with sadness, the repetition of her days is symbolized by the months passing her by.
Image via Pinterest
The way the movie portrays this scene guts me from the inside out. Bella’s blank stare, the repetitive circling motion of the camera, watching life go on from outside the window, seasons passing, and don’t even get me started on the soundtrack for this scene.
New Moon embodies feelings that I know all too well and struggle with myself this time of year. Her numbness comes from being heartbroken, but at its core, the depression she experiences truly resonates.
But why am I drawn to the series specifically this time of year? Maybe it’s the undeniable relatability of the sadness that Bella feels during these months. Maybe it’s Forks, the beauty of its forests and rain. Maybe it’s the season for relationships and the love between Edward and Bella erupts something deep inside me (clearly I am Team Edward).
All of these components together feel like fall, like the change of seasons in the palm of my hand. It allows me to feel like I am not alone in my experience and that it does get better.
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