Strength
is a word that has many different forms.
People have their own strengths which makes them unique and great in
their own way. Henry Ward Beecher once
said, “Greatness lies not in being strong, but in the right using of
strength.” This quote means someone does
not have to be physically powerful to be considered strong. If that person uses their personal strengths
in the correct way, then they are strong.
Also, some physically strong people are not brave or smart while others
may be smart or brave but not physically strong. The people who are emotionally strong are
just as amazing as the people who could lift a bus. Twilight by Stephenie Meyer can help
prove this quote to be true. Conflicts
and characterizations are literary elements that can be pulled from this novel
to show how true this quote is.
Characterizations
from Twilight can be used to show that strength comes in many different
forms. Twilight begins with a
girl named Bella who moves to Forks with her father. Bella hates Forks at first but she very
quickly falls for a boy named Edward Cullen.
Bella knows there is something different about Edward but not until they
become closer in a relationship does she find out what he really is, a
vampire. Edward and the Cullens resist
killing people by eating animals instead, even though human blood is much more
desirable. Edward falls in love with
Bella but he is a vampire so he constantly craves her blood. Edward says “It was impossible… to stop” (Meyer
460). James, the hunter, bit Bella’s
hand before Edward could stop him so Edward had to suck the vampire venom out
of Bella’s hand and he had to find the strength to stop sucking her blood
despite the delicious taste. Bella falls
deeply in love with Edward although he is a vampire. Edward says, “I don’t scare you?” and Bella
simply replies, “No, you don’t scare me” (Meyer 261). Bella is emotionally strong because she is
brave enough to love Edward even though her life is threatened every time they
are together. Characterizations from Twilight
make the reader see how great Edward and Bella are because they are both very
strong in their own different ways.
Conflicts are another literary element that can prove the quote by Henry
Ward Beecher.
A
conflict from Twilight is the Cullens vs. themselves which is a man vs.
himself conflict. This conflict is
internal because the Cullens force themselves to eat animals and avoid the
temptation of killing humans. Edward
says, “I don’t want to be a monster” (Meyer 187). This quote tells that Edward and his family
want to be good people but it is hard for them.
The strength of the Cullens’ self control is an amazing power and makes
them great people. Another conflict from
Twilight occurs between Edward and Bella which is an external, man vs.
man conflict. Bella is constantly
tempting Edward such as when she kisses Edward for too long and Edward almost
loses it. Edward, although tempted
greatly by this kiss, manages to stop himself from hurting Bella. Edward says, “You’ll be the death of me
Bella” because Bella kissed Edward for too long and Edward had to find the
strength to not hurt her (Meyer 363).
Conflicts from Twilight show that self control is another
strength that can prove someone’s greatness.
“Greatness
lies not in being strong, but in the right using of strength” by Henry Ward
Beecher. The novel Twilight can be used to prove this quote true. Characterizations from Twilight prove
to the reader that Edward and Bella are strong in their own unique ways. Conflicts are another literary element from Twilight
and they show how self control is a great strength that makes a person
great. All people have their own
strengths and if they take advantage of them, they can become great in a unique
way.
