Student Question

What are the key elements of the plot in "Twilight"?

Quick answer:

"Twilight" follows Bella Swan, who moves to Forks and falls in love with Edward Cullen, a vampire. Bella learns of Edward and his family's secret, and the plot intensifies when Bella becomes a target for a group of tracker vampires. The climax occurs when Bella is attacked by James, one of the tracker vampires, but is saved by Edward and his family. The story concludes with Bella recovering from her injuries and attending the prom with Edward, leaving open questions about their future.

Expert Answers

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Twilight” is about Bella who goes to Forks on the Olympic Peninsula to be with her father. At school, she wonders about a group who sits together in the cafeteria but never eat. As she grows to know, and then love, Edward, she learns their secret. They are all rescued vampires, part of a family headed by Carlisle, renounce human prey. They welcome Bella, but when a group of tracker vampires fixate on her, the family is drawn into a pursuit to protect Bella. The plot follows events in a linear fashion. except at the very beginning: the Introduction serves as a teaser which starts with the most exciting part of the story, the climax, so that readers want to know more. Rising action is when Bella runs to escape James from the tracker vampires that threaten her. The climax is when James attacks Bella begins to rough her up. Just before he goes in for the kill Edward and the Cullens arrive and save her life.

Falling action is after the attack and Bella wakes up in the hospital, eventually goes home to heal and Edward takes Bella to the prom. The resolution is when James is killed by Emmet and Jasper. Edward has to suck Bella’s blood to remove James’ venom to save Bella.

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What are the exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution of Twilight?

The exposition of a story introduces us to the characters and sets up the conflict of the plot. In Stephenie Meyer's Twilight this occurs at the beginning of the story when we meet Bella Swan and learn that she is going to live with her father in Forks. The exposition continues with Bella's first day of school, when she meets Edward Cullen and cannot understand why he seems to hate her so much. Herein lies the conflict. Bella is greatly attracted to Edward, and she cannot stop thinking about him. That attraction sets her on a dangerous yet beautiful path.

The story's action rises in the interactions between Bella and Edward and in Bella's research into who Edward and his family really are, especially after Edward stops Tyler's van from crushing Bella during an accident. By the time Edward rescues Bella in Port Angeles, Bella is pretty sure she knows that Edward is a vampire. The rising action continues as Bella and Edward tentatively begin their relationship, spending more and more time together, and as Edward's family deals with this new area of his life.

The story approaches its climax when another group of vampires shows up in the area and James fixes on Bella as his prey. The climax arrives when James attacks Bella at the dance studio, almost killing her but also putting enough venom into Bella to change her into a vampire. Edward exercises the utmost self-control and removes the venom from her system.

The action falls after that as Bella recovers from her injuries and the Cullens and Bella go to prom. The story doesn't entirely resolve, however, for a question still hangs between Edward and Bella about how they can pursue their relationship and if Bella will eventually become a vampire.

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