Traditional gender norms play an important role in how text is formulated and presented in popular literature. Regarding gender roles, literary texts often reinforce the roles of men and women. Stephenie Meyer's novel Twilight follows stereotypical gender roles that have already been normalized. This became evident in the reimagined version, Life and Death, which Meyer released for the tenth anniversary of his hit series. In the original text, Twilight, Bella Swan's role is smaller than that of her male counterpart Edward Cullen. However, in the 10th anniversary edition of Life and Death, when Bella Swan becomes Beau Swan and Edward Cullen becomes Edythe Cullen, they are more or less seen as equals. This gender swap changes the overall outcome of the story and how it develops. Stephenie Meyer argues that these stories are about humanity, often depicted as in danger, rather than the stereotype of a “damsel in distress.” However, it is clear, through the switching of gender roles in Life and Death, that the gender of the characters matters and is the basis for how readers' reactions to Bella/Edward differ from their perspectives on Beau/Edyth. plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay In today's society, there is a clear difference between masculinity and femininity. Each term can be defined in various ways within different contexts. In this document we will define each term. One definition of “femininity” is “the quality or nature of the female sex” (Webster's Dictionary). For the purposes of this article the definition of “femininity” will be defined as the “predetermined and fixed qualities believed to constitute a woman's identity or nature”. Characteristics of femininity include things like kindness, empathy, sensitivity, dependency, and submissiveness. As for masculinity, one definition is "having qualities appropriate to or usually associated with a man" (Webster's Dictionary). This will be the definition used in the text to describe the attributions of the male gender implicit in society. Characteristics of masculinity include things like strength, courage, independence, leadership, violence, and dominance. These two terms are often used in correlation to heteronormative relationships. In reference to “The twilight of feminism? Stephenie Meyer's Saga and the Contradictions of Contemporary Girlhood” by Christine Jarvis, contemporary novels often reflect the changing social position of women and changes within heterosexual relationships (Jarvis 103). In the novel Twilight/Life and Death who the hero was was never in question, Edward/Edythe Cullen are always there to prevent or protect their unexpected counterparts Bella/Beau Swan. The characters of Bella and Beau are used as martyrs for reasons of conflict within the novels. Due to the gender change, the only difference is that the location of the conflict changes from a dance studio to the mother's house. The change of location implies that Beau could not dance as a hobby like the original female character Bella Swan. Both Edythe and Edward scoured the town of Forks trying to throw the tracker off the trail of their beloved counterparts. One of the major differences of the text is found in the resolution of the texts. Edward/Edythe must decide whether or not to let Bella/Beau turn into the monster they never wanted to become. Edward Cullen definitely made the decision for Bella Swan, she wouldn't have been a vampire if it had been up to him. The “seventeen-year-old” vampire expresses his disdain at the thought of his significant other becoming immortal. Foras for Edythe, she let her significant other make the choice herself, stating "wait, wait, she deserves a choice." According to Alexandra Owens, Meyer portrays many of the characters in her series using typical gender stereotypes, which hinders the reader's ability to identify with those characters (Owens 124). Women are often depicted within literary texts as being in distress, so much so that the term “Damsel in Distress” was developed. Stephenie Meyer argues that Bella was not a damsel in distress but a human being in distress. This was one of the reasons why the author began the revisited Twilight fantasy. Meyer argues that the story develops not because of gender but because of the presence of humanity. The presence of humanity is received through the predetermined genders of the characters. The best example of this becomes present through Edward Cullen and Bella Swan. Edward Cullen became addicted to keeping his love interest, Bella Swan, safe. For example, Edward becomes seemingly obsessed with the safety of his love interest, including his soul. Unlike Edward, Edythe is less interested in Beau's soul but more in his earthly desires and how they can be satisfied. Bella Swan's character is developing through her adolescence to emotional and sexual maturity by finding her significant other Edward Cullen. Bella is a highly emotional character. However, she also has a strong intellectual side: she enjoys and excels in her academics. In addition to being intelligent, the female protagonist is also described as clumsy, unathletic, insecure and shy. A positive character trait of Bella was the presence of her determination throughout the Twilight novel. This determination, this willpower, is evident both in the Prologue and at the beginning of the first chapter. Bella is determined to stay with Edward. Even though it could be dangerous for you and your family. Beau is similar to his Twilight counterpart, Bella, in personality, but Beau doesn't express himself as well as Bella. Beau is apparently more anal than Bella when it comes to organizing. Overall, he's also less aggressive and his obsession with Edythe is a little more obvious. Bella and Beau are both exceptionally clumsy, falling and tripping over everything they see. Beau is also described as lonely, quiet, insecure but kind-hearted, compassionate and caring towards others. Just like his counterpart Bella, he hates being noticed by others and doesn't like his full name, "Beaufort". Unlike Bella, Beau was bullied as a child, which led him to use his free time to listen to music and read novels, such as his favorite book Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea. Since Beau takes care of his mother, he appears to be more mature and responsible than his peers. Edward Cullen is a complex figure in Twilight, but more because of his story than his development in the novel. His growth is centered around his love for Bella Swan. By falling in love with a human, Edward Cullen goes against his predatory instincts as an immortal. By falling in love with Bella Swan, Edward was forced to reconnect with his humanity. His active choice to be with Bella is a reflection of his upbringing as a vampire, his non-traditional family being committed to hunting animals rather than humans. In finding and falling in love with Bella he found a source of redemption, in his desire to gain humanity. By maintaining his humanity, he is solidifying Bella's sense of normalcy in her life. Edythe is also like Edward Cullen in personality, but seems to be slightly less patient. Edythe can be described as brooding and stubborn, but she is also simultaneously kind and compassionate. Being a vampire, he charms easily