In anticipation of the release of The Twilight Saga: New Moon, Time Out Chicago’s Hank Sartin and Time Out New York’s Joshua Rothkopf will be exchanging emails discussing and debating the cultural phenomenon that is Twilight. Today, they muse on the appeal of Edward and Jacob.

To: Joshua Rothkopf

From: Hank Sartin

I’ve been thinking about all the mania around Robert Pattinson and his portrayal of Edward in Twilight. As an actor he reminds me of all the early hype around Hayden Christensen, who was sold as the next big thing circa Life as a House and Shattered Glass. Now he’s doing Jumpers 2. Pattinson’s Edward seems to me like a placeholder—he doesn’t have to do much except look dreamy and aloof, so girls can project their fantasies onto him.

It seems to me that the appeal of Twilight comes largely from the fact that the romance can’t be consummated (and I don’t just mean sexually—it’s all about frustrated love). As I said in my tirade on all things Twilight, I find the opposition of Edward and Jacob suggestive. Jacob has a dark secret too, but there’s none of the stuff about irresistible yet abstract charisma with him. Jacob’s much more normal than the vamps, except when he, you know, turns into a wolf. With options like these, it’s no wonder Bella is confused.

But the more I think about these characters, the more I get their appeal for teen readers and viewers. They’re archetypal and easy to fantasize about, and their darkness makes them more adult. Still doesn’t explain why adults are so taken with them.

Thoughts?

To: Hank Sartin

From: Joshua Rothkopf

Did you read Vanity Fair’s profile of “the Pattz”? He’s extremely uncomfortable with all the scrutiny and would probably agree with you. The role doesn’t have a lot of room for personality. But here’s a fun fact: Tween readers were screaming at Stephenie Meyer during her book readings before an actor was even cast. Revealing, no? In other words, the phenomena is about an idea of the beautiful, unattainable “Edward,” not a celebrity. It’s almost a mark of success on Hollywood’s part that they managed to find a portrayer who wouldn’t get in the way of the girl love.

Which leads me to a theory I have (well, others have it too, but I’ll take credit for it), one that might address your “Why adults too?” question. Consider Edward: attuned to the slightest scent, attracted to Bella’s spirit yet repulsed by her, unbearably gorgeous and stylish. I think the appeal here—for savvier readers—might be same as the one in Clueless that poor Cher had for Christian. Cher is, of course, (wonderfully) naive to Christian’s true nature. Going any further along this psychosexual strand might require several textbooks, and perhaps a therapist or two. But Twilight’s appeal, I think, runs deep and unexplored in straight women. It’s not an abstinence from sex, per se, so much as the desiring of a different kind of partner: the almost-perfect man whom a potent young woman dreams of “turning.”

Boom!