The song for this chapter is Lonely People by America
[audio:https://twilightguy.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/07/lonelypeople.mp3]
Due to some research by Maureen Johnson, I realized that my busyness is quite common this time of year: nearly every writer I know is undergoing revisions, and is getting behind on everything else in the process. But, I managed to sneak away and tackle the dreaded Chapter 3 in New Moon…
I have never had a chapter that carried so much warning. In fact, my last chapter post had more comments on THIS chapter than on Chapter 2. You people have left me filled with dread of what I’m going to find in here.
First off, Bella’s caught the I’m-better-than-you-because-I’m-a-vampire disease:
It seemed strangely childish. Maybe I just wasn’t in the mood for normal human behavior today. Those pitiful, weakling creatures, sniveling like worms…
But then, things immediately get serious. I notice that Edward is different in this chapter, so much that I’m beginning to feel early on what could be coming. He seems indifferent and unaffected, as if he’s walking in a daze and really isn’t feeling anything. There is a numbness in his voice that seems to tell me that something is bothering him very deeply. I feel that it is the growing pressure on him that every moment he is near Bella, he is putting her in more danger. Seeing what happened in the chapter before, with Jasper, only seemed to strengthen this in Edward’s mind: not only him, but his entire family, is different, and dangerous to Bella.
Edward is in turmoil. Part of him wants so deeply to stay with Bella, because he loves her. The other part feels that if he really does love her, then he would leave, and let her have a normal life.
This chapter is so sad. It is different. I remember a Bella and Edward in Twilight who loved each other, and who were talking all the time: it just never seemed to end, their dialogue through the whole book. You can tell a lot about two people from the way they talk to each other. It seemed endless, the sweet words they exchanged for no reason, the jokes between them about vampires and humans. Their conversations were really what made them who they were.
But suddenly, Edward seems to have become a brick wall. He is no longer the same person, but brooding and depressed, even around Bella. I feel as if all the love is gone.
And then, it all comes down to Edward’s three words:
“Bella, we’re leaving.”
Through all the time of reading Twilight, I did not realize how attached I had become to the idea of Bella and Edward being together. This book, as you’ve read in my bio, is my first vampire romance novel. So I am not one to become attached to two characters being together.
But for some reason, there is a deep and vast connection between Bella and Edward that left me very down as I sped through the rest of the pages in this chapter. It was like a deep gloom had settled over my room.
I realized that I did not pick up the second book in this series to read about Bella, the main character. I didn’t pick it up to read about Edward either. I picked it up to read about Bella and Edward. To me, they were so close, they were nearly one. I wouldn’t have read this book if there was only one of them, going off on adventures as a vampire or a human. And now that one of them is gone, it is like half of the main character has been split away as well.
I hope you’ll forgive me for not posting anything funny this time. It’s really hard to find something funny in a chapter that leaves me so sullen. I will be honest and say that by the ending of it, I was beginning to feel very down; and also uneasy, as I realized I had become attached to these characters when I had tried so hard to keep a sane mind about me.
Somehow, right after Edward left, I really did start to care even deeper about what happened to Bella, and had a deep urge to want to comfort her; while the rational side of me roared in my ear: It’s only a blasted book! Sometimes, we do not listen to our rational sides; or more commonly, do not want to listen to our rational sides.
I don’t think I have ever read a chapter as long as Chapter 3. After thirty-one pages, it would be very easy to rationalize stopping. However, when I got to the last page of the chapter, and instinctively began turning the pages again, I realized that I was literally paging through the months, skipping ahead in time after Edward disappeared from Bella’s life.
Because I’m rambling already, and I’m still in the middle of Chapter 4, I will be posting about it very very early tomorrow (think 5 minutes past midnight again). And to all the commenters: you were right. I really couldn’t stop at the end of Chapter 3 this time.
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400 Responses
I KNEW IT!!!!! Can’t wait till the next post. I think I might just cry…
The saddest chapter I have read in all my life 🙁
Yay First comment! I know how you feel about Bella and Edward being together. I threw my book at a wall.
Nevermind about the first comment…oh well another day…
You aren’t the only who felt that way when they read that chapter for the first time. I felt as if there was really no more reason for anything at all…
Then my phone rang. lol
i have been waiting soo long for you to read this chapter. i really wanted to see what you though, and how you felt.
p.s. i dont think anyone will blame you for not being funny on thins one, i know i dont
Basically my reaction..except not quite so eloquent.
I did cry for an endless amount of time.
It really is amazing how attached you can become to some characters and to one particular story.
It still blows my mind.
Can’t wait to read more.
The chapter is so sad, there are no funny pictures/ cartoons this post! A true test for readers on how attached we have become to Stephenie’s characters. However, what goes down must come up in this case, and just keep reading. Don’t be discouraged by a sad portion of the book. It’s still amazing – what makes the series so incredible is the fact it can BE so sad at times, and yet you must read on to see what becomes of the characters, our beloved Edward/Bella being.
Ugh, it was awful when I read this chapter. I was at school and listening to Everything Changes by Staind on my iPod. I started crying. It was embarassing, but I was just so darn mad at that over-protective vampire!
I cant wait to see your reaction to chapter four. Bella is somewhat really….different. But im not spoiling it.
Well said, Kaleb.
I feel sad just reading about you reading it.
When i read that chapter i started crying like so hard. i know thats probably really gay and all but Bella and Edward are supposed to be together and when he suddenly leaves it breaks my heart for Bella.Then i realized that Jacob would make a move on her and now he should die 🙂
God i read this chapter today and tried really hard not to blubber over the characters but it is SO true. you get attached to them and when i first read it i almost threw the book at the wall because i was so sad. anyway it’s one of the saddest chapters ever. thank god there is only one like it :))
I couldn’t say it better myself about losing 1/2 a person…”half of the main character has been split away as well.” The middle of New Moon; although good, was so difficult for me not to skip forward to if/when Edward would come back.
Reading your thoughts on the chapter reminded me just how depressing it was to read it myself. Carol, you aren’t the only one about to cry again… Yeah, the book does get better, it does get interesting… We all know it happened for a reason, but it still stunk that it had to happen at all. New Moon is definitely my least favourite book of the three out so far.
I started crying when I read this chapter. And i’m glad you said the thing about not listening to our rational sides. Which I don’t when i’m reading a good book.
Good luck with the rest of the book.
Awwww…. 🙁
It’s amazing how attach you become to fictional characters. So much that you refuse to believe they’re fictional. lol. Unlike most, I didn’t cry. I was waaaay too mad at Edward leaving for me to cry.
By the way, I was on your site since 11:50 waiting for you to post this and I still didn’t get first comment. Oh well. 🙂
It is refreshing to hear a guy say exactly how I felt when I read this. It means that it is a normal human reaction, to care and connect with Bella & Edward, not just us girls being overly girly.
and also, there will forever be a mark on my copy of New Moon…
i threw it against the wall..hard
i agree. we all come to the point where we feel like we are practically a part of their relationship. we really do see them as one character and we feel for them. for the next several (and i really mean several) chapters, i didnt even want to finish the book.
i literally started crying while reading this chapter! every time i read it. even though i know everything is going to be ok in the end.
i really wanted to skip through the book until i found Edward again. but i didn’t because i knew if i did that i would miss really important things. like Jacob coming into the story more.
While reading this chapter (and some of
its following chapters) I went into
depression. I never realized I could get
so attached so characters in a book.
I still think you should have chosen
The Moment I Said It by Imogen Heap.
It just fits the chapter so well. Ah,
oh well.
This was one of the hardest chapters in a book I have ever read. I think I was close to shouting when Edward left. It’s strange how emotionally attached you can become to fictional characters. But it’s really a testament to how tangible Stephanie has created her characters to be. I did really want to crawl into the book and give Bella a hug. Keep reading!
My dear Kaleb let me tell you why this post is so wonderful.
For some reason I’ve had a hard time verbalizing why I was effected by this chapter of the book and now here you are laying it all out for me 🙂 It’s true that you begin to look at Bella and Edward as a whole and when you remove one you find at first you don’t really know what to do with that. I also think that SM’s idea of giving the months their own seperate pages was absolutely genius.
Anyway keep up the great work 🙂
some*
I think we all felt that way when we read this chapter. It really is amazing how attached we get to (fictional) characters.
Just remember, as depressing as this chapter was for all of us, we’re still in love with it. There’s (obviously) good things to come.
sorry to say, but you are going to feel very humorless for awhile in New Moon. It caught me by surprise how much this affected me. When it was over I felt it like it was kind of happening to me. But I promise it does get better!
I cried when I had read this chapter, and it only gets worse before it gets better in this book. At least in my opinion.
…and now you truly understand the pull of these books, because if one character is missing or hurt or suffering, the reader suffers along with them. I cried at the end of Chapter Three, not knowing what was coming.
New Moon is a different book. And vital all the same.
Ah, everybody’s “What I did the first time I read the third chapter of New Moon” stories are coming out. I personally locked myself in my bathroom until I recovered enough to keep going…
I’m with you, the first time I read the book through this whole chapter before he left I was wondering what was up, it was so un-Edward to be like that to Bella. After reading it a couple more times now I can’t help but want to know what would of happened if Bella would of talked to him all the times she thought about it instead of just letting him work through it. I don’t know, the first time I read it I was so mad at Edward and sad for Bella, but now I just wonder what could of happened…I guess I get a little to involved with the characters sometimes and I know this chapter need to happen for the rest of the story to be as good, but it’s still disturbing.
Ok, sorry for the long post, just been wanting to see what you’d say about it for awhile and it’s amazing how you see it like most people do, losing half the main character.
Just reading your post makes me down. Don’t worry about being attached to the characters, it’s like impossible not to.
The book may get harder for you to read, well it did for me. I needed moral support from my friends not to throw the book out my window. I’m glad you jumped into chapter 4, can’t wait to read your post tomorrow.
I know that after I read this chapter, unfortunately I had to stop, due in part to the fact that I want atleast three hours of sleep before work, but also because Bella’s pain was so real to me, and not from personal experience just from how well written it was, that I couldn’t read on, and I actually felt depressed for the day until I was able to read on.
I know this possibly means that I am officially insane because it is just a book, but I don’t even care.
I loved the way you put what you felt when you read the chapter. When I read it the first time, I had just found out earlier that day that my drama teacher was leaving and so I was already crying and upset so this chapter just sent me farther into depression (excuse my wording) Just rereading the book and knowing what was coming up had me tearing up again and, yes, I did cry. But hang in there. The book gets so much better.
Thank you for the wonderful post.
Whoa now, hey Kaleb! I don’t think I’ve ever actually written a comment on your site, but I definitely need to reply to the post for this chapter!
Okay, let me start by saying…Is it insanely stupid that I accidentally began to type “www.newmoonguy…” into my browser, when you already explained that the site would have the same name? Ha ha, because I totally did.
Okay, in response to something you wrote, I have the teeniest and tiniest of spoilers, which honestly isn’t much of a spoiler because I’m pretty sure it’s impossible not to have heard at this point, but in case you don’t want to see it, feel free to skip this next part haha…
“…and had a deep urge to want to comfort her…” My friend, meet Jacob Black. 😀 haha
“Sometimes, we do not listen to our rational sides; or more commonly, do not want to listen to our rational sides.” Okay, I know you’re just on Chapter Four, but this is /such/ a perfect description of New Moon.
As always, awesome analysis, and best of luck getting through the sad parts!
aww kaleb…i know, it’s so hard when edward leaves :/ and it’s nice to know that it’s not just us girls who were bothered by him leaving, that a guy can feel some sympathy too.
ps. maureen johnson ftw!
I can’t find anything to say to tease you, either. I know exactly how you feel. It’s insane how close we’ve all become to our favorite couple, isn’t it? When the relationship that gave us all hope ended, it was like a million hearts breaking at once. It was a horrid feeling to go through that chapter because I know how that feels. To have the other half of your soul ripped out of your chest…. It hurts.
When you flip through those months, you begin to wonder about what truely happened. Did someone die? Did they become a completely different person? This is my absolute favorite book of the entire series because of the feeling that it introduces to the readers. Stephenie Meyer admitted to crying while she wrote it. She didn’t want Edward to go, but he wanted to. He had to for his love’s safety.
This is the most painful chapters of the entire series, and yet, it’s in my top five of favorites simply because of the raw emotion. The way you tore the chapter apart and analyzed each piece was brilliant. It’s the one chapter all of us Twilighters have been dreading for you, but now that you’ve read it, I really do believe that you’ve seen why we love this book. It isn’t just words to the fans. Bella and Edward are real, and we love them. Oh, by the way, please don’t doubt your sanity. That makes me feel like a total nut-case. lol 🙂
this chapter had to be the hardest thing i have gone through in my entire life. (no joke) stephenie writes it so well, that its like i’m living it. after i read it and started looking at the pages with the months on them, i had to put down the book, grab twilight, sit in my closet, and cry. i just sat there bawling with twilight tucked up against me for a couple of hours. i swear, i became so attached to these characters that it hurt so much to see my beloved edward go away. i couldn’t function. after a while, i started to think “gal! this is just a book! who freakin gives a crap what happens?! its not real!” but you are right, when you get so attached, you tend to forget about your rational side.
i almost didn’t read the rest of new moon, but my friends encouraged me, and so i did. i’ll tell you this, sometimes things have to get terribly bad just to get good again.
It’s interesting how attached we become to these fictional characters. We care about them, so when something so devastating happens, it’s real. I was sooo upset when I read this the first time. And I still get upset. This chapter definitely sets a new mood for the whole story.
I didn’t want to like Twilight. I don’t like Rowling and I went into the Twilight series completely intending to judge it rationally. I was a little embarrassed at first how much the characters affected me, too, but New Moon really does make you connect with Bella and how broken she feels.
I know exactly what you meant about becoming sullen after this chapter. I was depressed for a full three days before realizing it was because of New Moon. I didn’t want to keep reading, but I had to..You know what I mean.
We really don’t realize how attached we become to fictional characters.
I know what you mean. I so cried when I read those words. I hated Stephenie for doing that to us– to them. Bella and Edward are so amazing together you can’t help but feel for them and all they go through.
I know exactly what you mean! I was so sullen after this chapter, and I hated that I had become so attached to the book that it made me that sad.
I still don’t understand why these books make everyone so obsessive, and i fight it like mad, but its true. I am obsessed with twilight, thanks to the emotional turmoil these books put me through.
Edward is gone 😀
Best.
Part.
Ever.
Of the series, I mean.
Why does everbody like Edward??
I just don’t get it.
Does that make me less of a girl?
I remember after I told my mother that Twilight had a sequel, (she was so happy, but pissed that she started dreaming about vampires :D) that she came down the next morning after I gave her New Moon looking startled. That deer in the headlights look, ya know?
She said that those pages, where you turn and the months fly by … were so emotionally surprising and deep and … she couldn’t finish the sentence. I nodded understandingly and kept eating my cereal purusing through Twilight, which I had desperately missed in it’s 2 day absence.
For the record I would like to state that I, unlike half the world it seems, was never a Twihard from the start. Oh, I knew OF the books, seeing them on shelves, but just thought they were another teen romance and walked on to better books, or so I though. I only discovered the series this past February after reading about the movie online. (I’m a fan of Kristin Stewart) I read the first book and then the other two over the course of 3 days. I literally locked myself in my room and read one entire weekend.
Going back to New Moon … I, however, was not told what to expect from the second book because my friend who lent them to me did not really LOVE the books, she just liked them. (How sad) So I had no warning about the fact that Edward leaves. I am proud to admit, I did NOT skip the pages where he’s gone. I got teary eyed, and plowed on through, hoping to see him again. Along the way, however, I found myself falling … again. I happily consider New Moon to be my favorite because it introduces a whole new set of characters to love and forces Bella to grow and realize just how MUCH she loves Edward. Oh, you read about it and as the reader you can feel it, but it’s only when the love is not THERE, beside you, do you, I think, realize how much you care about them.
I kept waiting for you to reach THIS chapter. Saddest chapter in the entire series so far. I cried. My friends cried. Basically anyone who was not a boy CRIED.
It’s funny, actually, because when my best friend was reading it, she called me on the phone when she as in the middle of chapter two.
“Have you cried yet?!” I asked.
And she scoffed. “No. Why would I cry?”
Later, I left my phone at home, and she called it back. She was crying, and calling me to tell me this.
I still laugh at her for that. =]
But anyways, I won’t tell you anything about the book. Just all through that book, I was wondering…
Will he come back?????
You felt the exact same thing that most of us did. Becuse Edward really was a huge part of Bella. When i read this chapter i cry like you have no idea, and i felt like my world was crashing so badly, exactly as what was happening to Bells. I have become so attached to the book that Bella’s depression also had an affect on me.
P.S. I woke up from a really nice dream just to come to my computer and comment!! You have a power Kaleb!!
Aww…. what did we tell you? I’d like to say… something… but I can’t give anything away. I know how you feel, though. (We all do.) And each time I read it, it’s the same. Really. Being sentimental (and a girl) I’m always positively bawling (it’s a bit embarassing, really) and your analyzations intrigue me- I’d never thought of it that way, but now that I do, I realize you’re right. Bella and Edward are an entity of their own. (And that’s why we’re so obsessed with these books, even though the ‘nonbelievers’ are screaming “IT’S JUST A BOOK!” Pshh. They probably told people the end of Harry Potter, too.)
I hope you read New Moon quickly, but, a word to the wise, first-time readers: take your time too. (I know, I’m contradicting myself) Just don’t skip over parts, read them and learn about the *ahem* new characters. Kay, this has gone on long enough.