Date of Award

Spring 4-2025

Document Type

Research Paper

Department

Whittier Scholars Program

First Advisor

Bernabe Rodriguez

Abstract

In this project, I take a closer look at the racial dynamics in The Twilight Saga. I focus on how the series centers whiteness—making it seem normal and invisible—while pushing non-white characters, especially Indigenous ones, to the side.

I talk about how Twilight doesn’t just ignore race—it builds a world where whiteness is ideal. It creates a clear racial ladder, putting white characters at the top, and showing non-white characters, like the Quileute werewolves, in very limited and harmful ways. These werewolves are based on a real Native American tribe—but the books and movies took from their culture without asking or giving credit or support. This has had real effects on the Quileute people.

I also connect Twilight to a bigger issue: the way fantasy stories often use race to create simple, harmful ideas about who is good, who is wild, who is powerful, and who is not. By looking at how Twilight tells its story, I want to show how the media shapes how we see race—and why we need more diverse and fair storytelling, especially in popular genres like fantasy.

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