The song for this chapter is Writing To Reach You by Travis (suggested by Anita)
[audio:https://twilightguy.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/10/writingtoreachyou.mp3]
I felt absolutely stupid when I first started on Eclipse. I took the book off my shelf and immediately started to search for my bookmark (a slip of paper that coincidentally is also my grocery list). For some reason today, I simply could not find the blasted bookmark, and it wasn’t until I had flipped the book over and fanned all the pages for this piece of paper that I realized I didn’t even have a bookmark in this one yet, because I was just starting it.
It was the first mystery I have faced in reading Eclipse, and it wasn’t even in the book. What a wonderful start.
Because I am going straight from New Moon to Eclipse, I know all of the back story right off the top of my head. Jacob is still upset over Bella choosing Edward over him in the previous book. I decided also that as Jacob is obviously having troubles completing his thoughts, it was my duty to play mad-libs and finish his sentences for him:
Bella,
I don’t know why you’re making Charlie carry notes to Billy like we’re in second grade — if I wanted to talk to you I would answer the carrier pigeons pecking at my window. You made the choice here, okay? You can’t have it both ways when Desperado Dave and his posse enlist you. What part of ‘mortal enemies’ is too complicated for you to understand in that crazy brain of yours? Look, I know I’m being a jerk, but there’s just no way around the fact that you’re now a highway bandit with a $10,000 reward on your head. We can’t be friends when you’re spending all your time with a bunch of cattle thieves, bank robbers and highwaymen.
It just makes it worse when I think about you too much, so don’t write anymore ransom notes to my father, or I’ll tell the sheriff where your hideout is.
Jacob
Surely that was what Stephenie had intended Jacob to be writing.
Still, though, Jacob is obviously in turmoil. After all, Bella is strongly attached to Edward Cullen: a vampire, mortal enemies with Jacob because of his species. Think of it as if your best friend has fallen madly in love with the local axe-weilding crazy, no matter how much you try to convince him or her otherwise. This is basically what is going through Jacob’s mind, so I do have some understanding of why he is so much against Bella being with Edward.
I was taken aback by the primitivity of the Swan’s meals. Have they not heard of the greatest invention since sliced bread: microwave lasagna? It is a meal that no one can ever tire of, requires no stirring/pots/smoke, and is ready in 23.5 minutes. It is such the epitome of effortless cooking (aka most college meals) that thieves were obliged to remove boxes of it from my freezer sans permission (as everyone and their cousin has heard by now due to my endless ranting on the situation).
I loved how casual this sentence was:
Afternoons were the hardest part of my day. Ever since my former best friend (and werewolf), Jacob Black, had informed me about the motorcycle I’d been riding […]
Alternate version:
Afternoons were the hardest part of my day. Ever since my former best friend (and green singing frog), Kermit, had informed me that my fly-repellant was ruining his chances of decent dinners […]
I suppose after a while being around vampires and werewolves will become everyday to anyone. Bella has been through so many things in the past year that go deep into the supernatural, so I’m sure by now she is either wondering what will pop up out of the woods next (if I wrote the next book: gnomes) or if it is all a very large dream.
Having been to Juneau, Alaska, I was told multiples of times by local residents statements that confirm Bella’s claim of being overcast 321 days per year. I, however, visited the place on one of those glorious, rare times when the sun was shining o’er the sea with all its might, and caught views such as this and these. Even on those sunny days, you can see that it is properly enough overcast for a vampire to survive undiscovered. And besides that, humans can’t complain about those glorious views.
Though Bella’s grounding since the incidents in New Moon has finally been lifted, it is obvious that Charlie does not trust Edward as far as he can throw him. And I don’t exactly blame him: for Edward, Bella has thrown herself off cliffs, gone traipsing out of town on more than one occasion, and had hallucinations and nightmares on his accord. If I was Charlie Swan, I would be duly concerned.
But the fact is that in reading the book, we have the ability to get into Edward’s head, and we know that no matter how often it may seem that he is a threat to Bella, we know he wouldn’t ever let himself hurt her. This is insight Charlie does not have. This is also one of the biggest conflicts caused in Bella’s mind: for she truly wants to be friends with Jacob, but cannot keep him and Edward at the same time. Bella knows for sure that Edward will never hurt her, but Jacob does not; Bella also knows that Jacob will never hurt her, but Edward does not. It is like moving two positive ends of magnets closer — yes, they can be forced together, but they will always be pushing each other away.
So I see many troubled times ahead. Edward has decreed he will not let Bella see Jacob, fearing for her safety near a pack of werewolves lacking anger management. Bella has proclaimed she is going no matter what Edward says. The trouble between the true love and best friend has started yet again — and on top of that, there is a newborn vampire on the loose. Welcome to Forks.
Question for the comments: If you were Bella’s parent, would you think Edward was safer for her, or Jacob?
——NOTES——
– I am now taking song suggestions for Eclipse! Send in your songs with the link in the sidebar (–>) or at this page.
– I am putting together features of Twilight-inspired bands. If you are a band who writes music for Twilight, please send me your info on this page.
Using mcse dumps and 642-873 sample test, pass EX0-101 exam on first try guaranteed.
201 Responses
If I were Charlie, from what I’d seen, I would pick Jacob, for the same reasons he did. Not only is he a family friend, but Edward just randomly got up and left, leaving Jacob and Charlie to pick up all the pieces, in their own different ways, of course.
Even though Jacob took her out to do dangerous stunts, I don’t think Charlie would change his mind. Bella is physically hurt nearly every day, Jacob or no Jacob, and to be blunt, I think Charlie would be more scared of what Edward could do to her emotionally.
Even if he did know that Edward was a vampire and Jacob was a werewolf, I think that he would still choose Jacob over Edward. Even though the werewolf thing would be terrifying to watch, I’m sure, at least humans aren’t on their diet.
Yes, Edward certainly makes her more happy, but I think that lots of people are misreading the question. It’s not about happiness here, it’s about security. Yes, emotional security is a part of that, but not it’s entirety.
Oh, and one more thing. Edward’s not the only one who tries to protect Bella. Jacob did too. Remember when Alice tried to take Bella to the Volturi? He made some comment about her taking Bella to Italy like a bottle of wine to a party. His heart’s in the right place. And he makes Bella happy, too.
You know what? I find it very hard to answer these questions objectively. Because the book is written in Bella’s point-of-view, we only see her total adoration of Edward, which makes us completely biased. But I try.
Which you can tell, because usually, I am 100% team Edward for everything.
okay, after reading the other comments:
jake has self-control! he would never hurt bella by phasing into a wolf. that don´t means he´s safe for bella but still… he even can control himself much better than the other wolves…
and i don´t think when bella comes home(after riding the motorcycles) charlie blames jacob. he just thinks she´s hurt due to her being so clumsy..
i guess charlie thinks the motorcycle-thing is more bella´s fault, ´cause Jacob brought charlie the motorcycle at the end of new moon, so charlie thinks jake is responsible…
and after all you have to cónsider that jake is a 16-year-old teenager and edward is older than a century…
Alright, if i were a parent, and my daughter had been deeply depressed over loosing this Edward, I would be extremely concerned. If my daughter woke every night screaming due to a nightmare from loosing her boyfriend, because he “stopped loving her” i would be really ticked at him. I also would not find myself liking the boy who replaced the original and she came home constantly hurt (physically) I would become worried when she became dependent on the second boy because when she was away from him she would become depressed about boy #1.
Honestly, I was the mother of such a girl, I would bane her from dating entirely. She needs to be able to be whole herself without the reliance on a boyfriend to make her happy.
Note: this is all from the surface level of what a parent would see. Of course i love Edward more than anything, and i know all his intentions were for the good, but if i was the mother of a girl and didn’t see the meat of the matter, i wouldn’t want anyone near her–Mike Newton isn’t even safe enough for me.
i know i know my poor future children. But at least i realize that i’m protective.
All in all i know that Edward is the ideal, but if my daughter were to go through all that i wouldn’t want Edward or Jacob for her.
Happy Reading!
I’ve always found that your analysis of the chapters gave me more insight as well.
When I read what you wrote about the magnets I was laughing hysterically. Just wait until you get farther into Eclipse and you’ll see why that’s so funny.
good thoughts on the first chapter, kaleb. i love what your views on what jacob intended to write in that note. although i am on team edward, meaning i prefer edward over jacob, i still feel that, as a parent i would think jacob would be a better choice for my daughter because in my eyes edward did more to hurt her and i feel edward doesnt care because he left her. there is so much more in eclipse that is to come, cant wait!
Magnets? Kaleb, you certainly are perceptive.
Edward Edward Edward Edward Edward…. oh. Uhm. Right, I’m ‘posed to be Charlie here. Well, lets look at each boy’s pros and cons.
Jacob– cons: butt ugly, arrogant, childish, fleas.
pros: Charlie’s known him for years
Edward– cons: is an outcast in the community
pros: hot, polite, sexy, caring, gorgeous.
Now lets see? EDWARD WINS
And YAY on starting Eclipse!
Wow. So yeah there actaully is a magnet anology later in the book for the two of them. I thought that was funny how you thought of that. Loves the madlibing of Jacob by the way. Hi-lariosness.
Oh and picking Edward all the way.
from Charlie’s pov Jacob gets Bella into motorcycles and cliff diving but Edward left her and she freaked out so I would want her to be with neither of them, maybe mike newton would seem the safest, from a parents pov that is!
Nice madlibs…
Yeah I reallyn tried to pull myself out of my Team EDWARD! head for a minute and slid into Chief Swans shoes. I think I would think Jacob is safer…because Bella hasn’t hurt herself or run away or anything for Jacob…nothing weird has come up or anything the Charlie knows about anyway.
Edward is much, much safer. Jacob can snap at any moment if he gets angry and turn INTO A WOLF. Edward may have the desire to bite her, but he’s awesome with self control, much more than Jacob. And I think turning into a wolf instantly is more sudden and dangerous than a desire.
Oh, goodness! The magnets! If you only knew! *explodes in a fit of mischievous giggles*
Your grocery list is your bookmark? Cool! I always use my old bus pass. Anyways, as for your question, Jacob’s probably the healthier choice, mentally, Edward’s the safer choice. Not only would Bella not have a gaping metaphorical hole in her chest, Edward’s also the protective, responsible one who didn’t fix up a motorcycle for her or promise to take her cliff diving. I think Charlie just wants Billy as an in-law.
Once again, you made me laugh. As for the magnets, I think you are on SMs brain wave frequency.
Who would Charlie choose? For all the obvious reasons already stated, I think he would prefer Jacob. But, if it was in his hands to choose for Bella, he would choose Edward. Not because of his manners or money, but because he knows that Bella takes after him and he still hasn’t recovered from Renee leaving him 17 years ago. If Charlie is objective, he will see that Edward and Bella have the same level of commitment that he did when he married Renee.
Love the madlibs, this book will give you more opportunities for humor.
If I were Bella’s mother (Having read all the way through Eclipse which is tied for my favorite Twilight book!)
I would think that they were both bad for her, but I’d probably rather her stay with Edward because Edward appreciates Bella’s opinion and thoughts more, and that is VERY important.
i would want NEITHER of them dating bella if i was bella’s parent and was aware of the existence of vampires and werewolves.
if edward is overcome with the smell of bella’s blood he will kill her. thats it.
but if jacob got angry and turned into a werewolf he could also kill her BUT if you look at emily and sam all he did was give her a REALLY bad scar. if that happened between bella and jacob she would live but either way there is a risk plus edward has gone TWO books without killing her so…..
The magent thing: that’s the second or third time you’ve talked about something before you read it…I’m getting suspicious…
I am decidedly Team Edward, but if I was Charlie, with his limited insight, I would DEFINITELY want Bella with Jacob, he seems a lot safer and healthier for her from Charlie’s perspective.
Loved your endings to Jacob’s lines!
Magnets OMG! (insert giggle here) Edward is soooo much better for Bella. (sorry jacob fans =P )
Magnets, eh? You’re psychic. I swear you are. Or did you read ahead? HMMMM. (I’m kidding.)
And to answer your question: This is coming from a Team Jacob person, Edward is safer for Bella. Though she’d probably be better off without both of them in her life.
kk.
so, as most everyone has said, if i were Charlie, knowing only what he knows of the current situation, and seeing all that he has seen, i would go totally with Jake – until i ran into a certain incident in Breaking Dawn….
If i were Renee, i would go with Edward because of the way he makes Bella so happy, and the obvious… i don’t know, way they are together, i guess you could say.
Now, if i were being unbiased and out of the loop, I have no idea who i would choose. But, as i am not – thank God – I could say that i would go 100% Edward all the way, because he is Edward, and i am just a helpless victim left to deal with his perfection, and everything else.
What’s a girl to do?
ps.
how did you think of that?! i never would have thought of it that way untill…
well, bye for now.
Me.
Edward, you can see how much he loves her. You can also tell he’d never forgive himself if he hurt her.
Re: your question, if I were Bella’s parent, I would’ve discussed the whole Edward thing w/ her thoroughly to understand what happened when he left, didn’t call or write, and then she left & came back w/ him. I’d have a more open relationship w/ her than Charlie or Renee, so I’d be more well-informed and I’d try to understand why Edward is so important to her. All Charlie knows is that there was a misunderstanding and he’s ticked because this guy hurt his daughter. Plus, Jacob is a close family friend. Since Edward is so polite and seems to come from a nice family and Bella has such strong feelings for him, I’d be okay w/ her choosing him. Jacob is okay, but he’s younger than her and she did get into a lot of trouble while spending time w/ him. Plus, there are things he does in “Eclipse” that I really do not like. Edward is the more sophisticated, cautious one and all he cares about is Bella’s safety & her happiness.
Great post Kaleb! It was definitely one of my favorite posts of yours.
I’m curious… what did you think of the poem from Robert Frost at the very beginning? You know, “Fire and Ice.”
I really think that Charlie doesn’t want ANYONE with Bella; he’s the classic ‘father-type’ that wants to protect his daughter. What was it that Bella said? Uh, something about he’s afraid that she will get asked out, but he’s also afraid that she won’t–that it’s gotta be hard to be a father.
He definetly makes it clear that he doesn’t approve of Edward, but if I was in his place, I’d probably be ok with either, so long as they treated my daughter amazingly.
And if I knew EVERYTHING I’d HAVE to go with Edward (of course.)
You gotta love how Charlie is completely oblivious to the whole deal, yet he thinks he knows everything. If he only knew Jacob routinely takes off his clothes and transforms into a large shaggy beast. But then again, if he knew that Edward prefers mountain lion dinners, who knows? He would probably lock Bella up in her room and start taking a fancy to Mike Newton.
Ahh, Mike. It always comes back to you, doesn’t it?
okay, to answer your question: If I was her parent and didn’t know the whole story about vamps/werewolves, ect. than Jacob would probably be the most logical choice. Expecially after Bella’s extreme depression after Edward leaving. If I was Charlie, I would definitally not want Edward around anymore. Because all Charlie knows is that he left her, Bella basically tried to kill herself because of that, and she STILL takes him back, even though (to Charlie) Jake is safer, has never abandoned her, and is a family friend. But, Jake let her ride a motorcycle, introduced her to cliff diving, and has a temper.
So if I was Charlie I would want Bella to be with Mike Newton, lol. Nice, safe, not reckless, normal, golden retriever Mike Newton. Not sure about how Renee would see it, but that’s what I think Charlie would want after all this (pre-BD that is) drama. After BD is a different story…
long answers are FUN!
but of course, knowing the whole story means that there isn’t really a choice because Edward is obviously The One 🙂
Oh, I almost forgot; If I was Charlie, I’d want Bella with Mike Newton, I think, as far as safety goes… but what fun would that be??? 😀
I think Charlie should go to cooking school.
Other than that… Charlie would always pick Jacob for Bella. But he would never want her to be without the one she really loved.
If I were Charlie, and didn’t know any of the super natural stuff. I’d say Jacob. Because from my point of view all I’ve seen this far is
Edward: my daughter keeps randomly skipping town to be with him (even after he dumped her), and she jumped off a cliff!
Jacob: comes home a little scratched up sometimes. Dang is Bella clumsy, But Jacob always makes sure she’s patched up.
if i was a parent of bella, i don’t think i’d be able to choose for her. she knows her own mind and is really stubborn, so i’d just sit in the back seat crazy with worry and hope everything would turn out all right…
loved the magnet thing, stick with it, it’s pretty important to the rest of the book- again, it’s like you can read minds or something.
can’t wait for the next post!
if bella were my daughter, i’d lock her away in a tower. if she brings vampires and werewolves out of their holes, i’m sure she could draw out a dragon to complete the whole picture… no boys till she’s over 39. and no make up either…
EDWARD IS DEFINITELY SAFER FOR BELLA!!!!! FOR THE OBLIVIOUS REASONS THAT HE CAN PROTECT HER FROM ANYTHING!!!!
Jazz (Team Cullen!)
Honestly, for the very reasons you suggested, I would trust my child more with Jacob (if I had one). That isn’t to say I hate Edward at all, it’s just that I can see things from both sides and Jacob seems SAFER.
Whereas Charlie may trust Carisle as a doctor, he doesn’t know the Cullen family. Having his daughter constantly in an emotional state of turmoil or disappearing without words is taking it’s toll on the man. When taking that into consideration, it’s easy to see why Charlie feels more at ease with Bella together with Jacob.
Charlie has known the Blacks forever and its good friends with Jacob’s father. Because of this communication, if anything happens to Bella, Charlie knows Billy will alert him immediately and won’t have trouble finding them. If I were Charlie, I would want my daughter with people I know and trust.
I think you are pulling our leg with the magnet thing. theres no way you would just say that without already knowing.
I think JACOB is safer for many reasons, but mostly because I like him better and Edward can be a right bastard.
sheesh, the magnet thing: I think the reason I came up with it is that it is such an obvious comparison. Does the magnet stuff you’re saying happen in this book or Breaking Dawn? At least I can know how good of psychic powers I have 😀
Well I think that Charlie thinks both Edward and Jacob are good kids, I think that the problem are the combinations Bella+anyone=trouble, disaster, etc
I think that if Charlie had a choice he would pick Jacob bc he knows his dad a lot better but of course he is bias
Now Renee she would be like pick whoever you want they’re both nice boys and yeah don’t listen to your dad he’ll pick Jacob
“It is like moving two positive ends of magnets closer — yes, they can be forced together, but they will always be pushing each other away.”
^Creepy much?
haha I had to do a double take when I read that.
Edward, obviously. Jacob does to much dangerous and risky things. And LOL the bookmark thing made my day. xD
Wow – looks like long posts mean long comments!
Kaleb – the magnets comparison happens in Eclipse and is eerily very, very similar to what you said above.
As a parent, I would be very wary of Edward – bringing out that sort of behaviour in my kid. But you can’t ban them from seeing the people they want to see – esp. at 18. So he’s compromising by letting her see Edward but keeping a close eye on things (or at least he thinks he’s keeping a close eye on things!).
Great post – can’t wait for your others!
If I were Charlie, I would have to go with Mike Newton for my daughter’sboyfriend, unfortunatly, since Bella apparently would rather die then be with Mike Newton and then I would have no dinner by the time I got home, so I would say Jacob because then if he messed with my daughter I would sick Billy on him, or just shoot him (cus I’m Chief Swan and I have a gun! Muhaha) because I doubt shooting a vampire would be as satisfing as a werewolf.
First off, the bookmark thing was hilarious and hit home for me. I’ve done that quite frequently.
Second off, your thoughts/madlibbing were hysterical. That’s obviously what Stephenie was thinking when she wrote that. (insert sarcasm here)
To answer the first question you posed in the blog, it would depend on which parent I was. If I were Charlie, I would clearly pick Jacob considering I’ve seen him grow up, I love his family, and after seeing what Edward did to my daughter after he left, Jacob would appear to be the safer choice. If I were Renee, however, I have no real emotional ties to either of them, but Bella talks about Edward more frequently and he seems perfect for her the way she describes him. Plus I don’t know the entire story of what happened when Edward left except she was in a zombie phase. She (Renee) seems quick to forgive anyway.
And finally(!), regarding your other question about the magnets thing, it was a fantastic analogy and it appears in Eclipse, but not in the same way that you used it. I’ll leave it at that. You’ll see it soon enough. 🙂
Really loved this post; it was very reminiscent of your very first ones. Full of humor and what-not. 🙂
And way to call the magnets thing! It happens later on in Eclipse; boy, are you good!
If I was Charlie, I would probably say Jake. Only because Billy’s a close friend of mine and I’d know Jake better. But at the same time, Charlie’s seen how essential Edward’s presence in Bella’s life is, so there has to be that balance.
Honestly, if my daughter told me that her two choices were between a vampire and a werewolf, I would have her committed.
xD
HOWEVER…I do believe that Edward is the safer choice-and I don’t just say that because he’s Edward. While Jake loves Bella, it’s still not to the extent that Edward loves Bella. She is his absolute life-his everything. Everything Edward has ever done for her, good or bad, has been for her good ever since he started loving her. Before that point is a different story, but irrelavent now. Jacob is a wonderful person, but more uncontrollable. He would be more able to ever hurt Bella, simply by accident. He is well controlled, but not quite so much as Edward is. Look at Sam-he hurt Emily by accident, even though he was imprinted on her, and loved her more than anything else. Who’s to say the same could never happen with Jacob?
🙂
The bookmark story made me laugh, because I actually have done the same exact thing!
Good call on the magnets, as you can proabably already tell!
And to answer your question, I don’t have a kid yet but I think Bella is better off with Edward because he has better self control and he needs Bella too much to lose her. He also can protect her in more situations than Jacob can.
Keep reading! I love your take on these books!
To answer your question I believe that Edward Cullen because of the fact that he will do anything for Bella.
By the way good job on the post:)
Did anyone else catch that fact that Kaleb used the metaphor of 2 magnets? Maybe he’s got a little Alice in him (or has alread yread the books and has been lying to us the entire time!!!).
Anyhoo, it would depend if I knew about all the supernatural hubub going on in Edward and Jacob’s life. I would probably just want Bella to be happy.
I loved how you filled in the blanks in Jacob’s note! How hilarious!!! I loved it! I always wondered what he was trying to say but couldn’t.
Now on to the question you asked….
Now, if Charlie knew everything about the two boys that have taken an interest in his daughter, he wouldn’t be having either of them in his or her lives. There are reasons for this… Here, I shall explain the obvious.
Edward is a vampire who lusts after Bella’s blood. Although he resists the thirst, there are still the dangerous “what if…” scenarios that-if Charlie knew everything about vampires- would never be able to look past. Therefore, he would never allow Bella to be with her soulmate, Edward.
And then there’s Jacob. He is also dangerous for many reasons and Charlie would never be able to look past the issues- even though Jacob is his best friend’s son- and let him be his daughter’s boyfriend. Here are the reasons.
Jacob is a loose cannon. He has sudden bursts of anger that force him to break through his skin to turn into a wolf. And let’s face it, we’ve all heard the story of Emily… Charlie would never allow Bella to put herself into harms way if he could help it. Although Jacob might never mean to hurt Bella- just like Edward would never mean to- all it would take is one little argument and Jake would explode…literally! There’s also the inconvenience of Jake’s clothes when he changes back. A half-naked boy running around isn’t really good when you’re trying to be the good boy for a man’s daughter. Jacob would be out right away because of that, wouldn’t you think?
But, of course, Charlie has no clue that the two boys that mean the most to his daughter are supernatural creatures who are mortal enemies. Because of this fact… He’d say Jake is the safest bet for Bella because of the fact that Jake helped her out when Edward left and made her happy. We all know how different Bella became as soon as she began going to La Push to visit Jacob. Charlie saw that too.
Charlie sees Edward far differently than he did in Twilight. He may have liked Edward then, but he hates him now. And I understand why. As far as he knows, Edward left Bella for something or someone else and seemed to not even care about what that did to Bella. And then, out of the blue, he shows up into Bella’s life again and acts like nothing happened. Charlie- like any other parent out there- wouldn’t look at it as something to be happy about, but wary. He’s waiting for Edward to leave. “The selfish rich boy can’t be trusted…” is what Charlie might be thinking. So for those reasons, he would say Jacob is safer, and in my opinion, if I was a parent with a teenage daughter, I would say the same thing. I know my parents might as well…
Sorry for the long comment, but I’ve had this debate with people before and I love talking about it. I can’t wait for my boyfriend to get to Eclipse so I can ask him the same question you did, Kaleb!
Thanks Kaleb for this great first post!!!!!!!
Jacob is sooo obviously better for Bella. I’ve thought that all along. If I were her parents I wouldn’t want her dating that Edward guy. Jacob is the long lost best friend.
Anyway great post Kaleb!!! I wish I could stay up for you BlogTV posts, but i never can 🙁