In the first part of a multi-part series on the psychological implications of Harry Potter and Twilight, DEBORAH CHAN explores the consequences of the two series on the female brain.

The Twilight books function as an improvement on Beauty and the Beast for modern times. The institution of marriage is no longer as relevant as it once was, so it would be wiser for a young girl to go for a beast who has already tamed himself (as Edward has) before she sleeps with him. For one, on the off-chance that she does get pregnant, he’ll be more likely to stick around and help her raise the baby,

Bella represents a much more traditional woman, one who dedicates her life to her husband and child.

One thing that I hope modern feminists will concede is that both Bella and Hermione are better role models than, say, Miley Cyrus in the song, “Can’t Be Tamed.” That song is essentially the alpha-straight-male’s nightmare, isn’t it? Jane Goodall discovered that without the taming of unifying social structures, primates will rip each other to shreds. Human beings can be downright beastly. We need to be tamed to function in society. That’s why it’s only socially acceptable for us to bite each other during the “terrible twos.” Clinical psychologists (or, at least, psychoanalysts) say that an adult who throws a temper tantrum is regressing. And, look at what happened to Chris Brown after he so viciously regressed — complete social ostracism.