Laura Owen Taught at McNeil for 10 years Sponsored Book Club Co-Organizer of Breaking Dawn book

release party at Borders Read Breaking Dawn 4 times (and, yes, it’s annotated) Have read everything Ms. Meyer’s has

written Moderator for TwilightMoms.com

What Types of Books Do You Like?

Fairy Tales

Mythic Quests

Classics/Shakespeare Dramas and Comedies

Fairy Tale – The Magic Circleby Donna Jo Napoli

Fractured Fairytales –Traditional story with twists.

Hansel and Gretel- two lost childrenThe candy cottage – built in memory

of her daughterEnchanted Mice and Spiders, WitchesGood vs. Evil, right vs. wrong

Myth: The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan

Center of Conflict: Gods’ affairs with mortals

Plot: Hero’s Quest to save world, but also to find himself along the way

Setting:Best Modern American rendezvous with

Aphrodite? Lotus eaters—Las Vegas casino arcadeMyth to explain the Los Angeles earthquakes &

riots Characters:

Perseus is hero, has helpers on questHow would Medusa or Ares best blend in

modern society?

Classics/Shakespeare —The Twilight Saga

by Stephenie Meyer

Twilight = Pride and PrejudiceNew Moon = Romeo & JulietEclipse = Wuthering HeightsBreaking Dawn = Merchants of

Venice & A Midsummer’s Night Dream

The Saga = Jane Eyre

In Breaking Dawn, the much anticipated finale to the best

selling Twilight series, Stephenie Meyer continues toexplore her themes of love and free will, as Bella

andEdward’s love story matures toward matrimony and

Bella isinducted deeper into the secretive vampire world.

Bella’slife continues to be threatened in the Cullen’s on-

goingfeuds with the Quileute tribe werewolves and the

vampireroyalty Volturi. Set in the fairy tale forests of

today’s Forks,Washington, this modern fantasy’s surprising twists

explorethe meaning of the modern family with scenes

whichinclude honeymoon innuendos, birthing scenes, and

averbal battle of wits (symbolized by the chess board

jacketart).

The humor provided by Jacob, Emmett, and Rose balances the

tension and drama, keeping the book from becoming dark.

Divided into three books, each told from a different perspective,

the plot, pacing and voice are different from the previous novels.

Bella’s heightened senses are reflected with the author’s use of

greater imagery. The book is full of allusions to the previous

books in the series, bringing many threads together. Furthermore,

the book is loosely based on Shakespeare’s plays A Midsummer

Night’s Dream and Merchant of Venice. Each book starts with a

quote focused on the theme and a short suspenseful scene based

on the book’s main conflict. The first and third books contain a

table of contents, while the middle book exists as a book within a

book.

Respect is given to the Native American tribes andtolerance for differences is appreciated. Questions of

justice areexplored as Edward and Jacob grow into their roles as

men andleaders. A burgeoning list of characters (vampires andwerewolves) appears in the appendix to help readers

keep trackof the players. As Bella tackles more mature issues in

this novel,the appropriate reading level should be older teens and

adults. Overall, the reader gets many series questions answered

and, with Edward and Jacob at her side, Bella awakens to her

trueself as she finds her place in this world.

A Midsummer Night’s Dream

Misdirection: which couples are going to wind up together at the end?

Power couples: all the major players are matched up

Hermia and her lover Lysander By choosing Lysander over Demetrius (her

father’s choice), she chooses deathMust fight against the natural order to be

together Demetrius chooses Hermia’s second,

Helena by magical means

MSND, cont’dHyppolyta – Queen of the AmazonsSetting – mythical woodlandComedic Twin to Tragedy Romeo

and JulietBottums’ Play-within-the-Play,

Pyramus and Thisbe

Play within the Play Pack is torn apart by

injustice Monster Baby is root Unlikely pairing: Leah

and Jacob Jacob rises to alpha Jacob uses loopholes Jacob doesn’t deny

Sam’s right Rosalie shields Bella Leah’s grand speech 17 Werewolves New Love: Jacob/Nessie

• Covens’ Volturi loyalty is torn apart by injustice • Immortal Child is root• Unlikely pairing: Rosalie and Bella• Edward rises to Alpha• Edward uses wordplay/wit• Edward doesn’t deny Aro’s right• Bella shields Cullens• Garrett’s grand speech• 19 Cullen Supporters• New Love: Garrett/Kate

Merchant of VenicePortia-Bella connection

Female EmpowermentIn cognito

Motifs: Greed/Lawyers: Moneylender and J.

JenksPower: Shylock’s “Pound of Flesh” and

Aro’s JewelsWord Play wins the day

Questions/CommentsWhat type of book do you like?

Fairy tales, Mythical Quests, Classics

Questions about the book?I cannot understand…I noticed/realized…I wonder why….I liked/disliked when….I would change….