‘Where Have All The Monsters Gone? Long Time Passing’: The Aesthetics of Absence and Generic Subversion in New Moon

Abstract

moment Edward leaves Bella in The Saga: (2009; dir. Weitz), the narrative changes from a cause-effect structure, apparent in Twilight, and consistent through the beginning of New to an episodic structure. narrative does not return to a cause-effect structure until Edward’s ghostly form re-appears as a warning to Bella, and particularly when Jacob is introduced in the film. This episodic segment is fluidly integrated into the overarching plotline through formal aesthetics, which conversely differ from that of the rest of the film, both before and after. aim of this paper will be to perform a formalist aesthetic analysis of this segment to pinpoint how these structural shifts are accomplished aesthetically, and how its form stands as a contrast to the rest of the film. This paper will also include a brief aesthetic comparison between New and Twilight as well as The Saga: Eclipse (2010; dir. Slade), to draw comparisons between the outstanding episodic segment in Moon and how the film relates overall to developments in the franchise. This will demonstrate the significant and unique role that this segment plays in the overall narrative development of the franchise.