ABSTRACT. Through the following paper, we intend to identify and investigate the notions related to the imaginary versus reality in the work of Stephenie Meyer, to inventory the elements related to the mythical imaginary, and explore the connection established between vampirism and lycanthropy in the famous Twilight saga series. We consider it necessary to map the universe of Twilight, because, from the perspective of our research so far, the aspects mentioned above have not been studied as we propose to do. Thus, we will emphasize the idea of guilt, manifested in some of the fictional characters, especially Edward Cullen and Carlisle, and then go on to explain the fact that the author’s choice of the age of seventeen for her protagonists is not random. This choice of age may be a symbol, a representation of incomplete childhood or prolonged adolescence, emphasizing a lack of maturity as intermediate phase. Furthermore, we want to analyze this series from the perspective of utopia studies, pointing out that we are here dealing with a narrative of the utopian alternate-world type: although for critics the Twilight saga wears the mask of dystopia, we contend that it is rather more plausible to regard it as an educational utopia, falling within the category of possible-world narratives as presented by Umberto Eco in Lector in fabula (1979).

Key words: vampire; werewolf; utopia; dystopia; indoctrination; Mormonism

Stănescu MA (2021) Twilight from the Mormon perspective. Creativity 4(2): 211–225. doi:10.22381/C4220214