Forbidden Love
The primary theme of Breaking Dawn is forbidden love, primarily between Edward and Bella. Multiple love plots form the conflict in the story. The love triangle of Bella, Edward and Jacob has been the major driving point in the Twilight series, but Breaking Dawn provides a resolution to that with the addition of Renessme. The Cullen family and Jacob are averse to the idea of Edward’s child hurting Bella who, however, loves it. In the final book, the Volturi pose Renessme as an abomination which causes the Cullens to unite against them. The theme repeats itself in the relationship of Bella and Renessme and later in the relationship of Jacob and Bella.
Power
Bella is portrayed as a frail, misbalanced girl who always has to be protected against some kind of threat. In Breaking Dawn, however, Bella emerges as a vampire who has supernatural powers and so becomes the biggest threat anyone could ever face. Due to her abilities, she is able to pose as a dangerous opponent to the Volturi who, due to their powerful guard, have never had a fair fight and have come to think of themselves as invincible. The attack against the Cullens is a ruse to gain their powerful members by the Volturi. Bella dismantles their idea of being more powerful. The book cover also resonates the same theme, as Bella is represented as a pawn first and then as the queen later.
Immortality
Immortality is a commonly occurring motif in the Twilight series, since a majority of characters are immortal as the vampires or have supernatural longevity as the werewolves. Bella being a fragile human being is almost always the one who has to be protected against threats. This not only makes her feel helpless but also insignificant. For her, immortality is not a choice. It is a need that comes out of her wish to stay with Edward forever. After her transformation as a vampire she is discovered to have more strength than other older vampires, and powers which are able to render the Volturi low. As Aro mentions, ‘… immortality does become you most extraordinarily, …’ Thus, immortality becomes a means to be the biggest player in the field.
Motherhood
Bella chooses to sacrifice her ability to bear children in order to be with Edward for eternity. Her sacrifice is disapproved by Rosalie but she doesn’t care. Motherhood is shown as something that the protagonist doesn’t want at first but can’t bear to give it later. It is much like her feelings for Edward. Motherhood is, however, supposed to be lethal when the when the child is fathered by a vampire as the resulting fetus is dangerous to the mother. Yet, Bella is able to bear the child and survive the ordeal. This not only improves the vampires’ relations with werewolves later but also completed the perfect family image.
Family
The Twilight universe places a huge importance on families. The Cullens, though not related, live together as a family, the werewolves become a part of huge family themselves due to their similar powers. In the climactic scene in the meadow the Cullens and the Volturi meet to assess each other. At this point, their ties as a family are stressed upon. Vampires are said to be of nomadic nature and hardly stay together or in one place. Cullens are an exception to this and their ties surprise other vampires. Chelsea, a member of Volturi guard, is given a place among the guard to assess the familial ties of the opponent covens and break them.
