A guy reads Twilight by Stephenie Meyer (2009-2011)

Reading Eclipse: Chapter 20 (Compromise)

The song for this chapter is Season of Love by Shiny Toy Guns

[audio:https://twilightguy.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/01/season-of-love.mp3]

I was sitting in the school cafe earlier today, minding my own business and getting some writing done, when I overheard a conversation at the table next to me that went something like this:

Guy 1: Jonas Brothers fangirls are the creepiest girls ever. What is with them?

Guy 2: No man, the Jonas Brothers fangirls are nothing compared to TWILIGHTERS.

-all guys murmur in unified agreement-

Guy 3: Yeah, they’re all way crazy over Edward Cullen.

-guys go silent-

Guy 2: Who’s Edward Cullen?

Guy 3, stammering: Oh, I, uh, I, uh, I read the first few pages. My sister had it. Uh. Uh.

Niccceeee. You don’t even see Edward’s name until page 20. Yet another closet TwilightGuy I’m guessing 😀

Anyhows, I managed to make it home in one piece in this chilling weather, and lo and behold Eclipse was here waiting for my return. Where I left off, Bella was with Jacob, watching the preparations for the war against the young vampires.

Oh Edward Cullen, what a poet. At the moment, I’m studying poetry as part of my English studies, so when I read lines like this:

“Listen to your heart fly,” he murmured. “It’s fluttering like a hummingbird’s wings. […]”

I’m  immediately reminded of poetry. There’s a musical quality to the way that Edward speaks. I’m sure everyone who’s read the books noticed this: he never just says:

“Oh look,” he huffed, “your heart’s beating. Whoop-de-doo.”

He’s got a special way of talking, which is easily reminiscent of the literature from the times when he was born. Again, this is something that sets Edward apart: he’s not trying to be like every other, normal guy. He’s trying to be different, to really show Bella that she means the world to him.

As usual, I chuckled at a very awkward-to-be-chuckling-at line:

“But that will always be what I want most, won’t it?” I challenged. “Blood, blood, and more blood!”

Twilight, Zombie Translation
Twilight, Zombie Translation

It’s striking to me, just how much the marriage means to Edward; as if anything big will change between them, since he is obviously dedicated to her, and she can’t bear the thought of leaving him. But there’s a depth to it, a commitment that Edward is seeking to make, in a very human way that one would think doesn’t apply to vampires. But I’m curious as to Edward’s reason. He can’t be simply doing this and so adamant about an actual marriage just because he is from the early 1900’s: it’s been so long since then, and qualms about societal norms would have vanished into his memory. After all, back in those days, anything resembling vampires was probably considered demonic anyway.

I get the feeling, though, that Edward has many reasons for wanting this: for even though it is obvious that he loves Bella, and his love will not change after they are married, he wants an actual, human connection between them: something normal, that binds them together by actual vows. He sees being a vampire as being ‘tainted’, and I feel that he sees his eternity with Bella as so important, he does not want their commitment to be built upon this tainted foundation, but rather upon a human marriage: one with a soul. After all, Edward and Bella are talking about forever in far more sense of the word than other humans being wed: theirs is a real and literal forever.

I noticed a sudden slew of emails the past few days, most of them telling me oh-how-much they wanted to hear my opinions on Chapter 20. This, as usual, was followed by a bunch of HA-HA-HA-ha-ha’s, which caused me a considerable amount of uncomfortable suspense for what I was going to find. Rest assured, I reacted in exactly the way my readers expected:

awkward

Ahem. Anyhow, we were back at the vampires and werewolves fighting something in some sort of a bloody battle. Yes, that’s the part I was reading.

I greatly enjoyed reading the comments on the last chapter post: people have so many different opinions on Jacob. But I feel I should clear it up somewhat and say that I don’t absolutely detest Jacob to his very core. It’s just sometimes, I find it annoying how he’s trying to get between Edward and Bella. I, for one, am a somewhat selfish guy. It would be very hard for me to deal with my girlfriend having a Jacob, and I might not even be able to deal with it at all. I would see it as Bella not being loyal to me, and hanging on to an alternative resort in case things ‘don’t work out’. But if there is such a large probability of things ‘not working out’ that she’s keeping this guy hanging on, then that would make me think that what we have isn’t as strong as I thought. I respect Edward even more, because he can actually bring himself to at least seem comfortable with Bella around Jacob so often.

I realize that the vast majority of my readers are girls, and I don’t know how to put this in a way that everyone will understand; since human emotions and feelings cross such a vast landscape, it is impossible to pin any one person down and say that they are the model for all guys. But I know that I would never be able to handle being Edward, if my girlfriend kept Jacob — even the bracelet from him would be enough for me to feel hurt. Similarly, I would never, ever be able to be a Jacob: this guy who keeps hanging around, pining away at somebody else’s girl, when she really truly wants to be with Edward. I don’t see myself, or any guy who has a decent sense of respect, being happy like that.

But the reason I don’t hate Jacob, through all this, is because he is, or at least seems to be, genuinely well-intentioned. It’s back to the abusive boyfriend situation I used as an example a few posts back: if Jacob seriously thinks that Bella staying with Edward is dangerous to her, then he has good reason to try and get her away. In fact, it’s best for him to do it. But the fact we all know is that Edward is unlike the rest of his kind, and wouldn’t let anything cause him to hurt Bella: as evidenced even more so by the bedroom episode that unfolded in this chapter 😀

Question for the comments: I’m curious to know, due to the bunch of emails I’ve gotten, who you think should play Aro in the New Moon film.

——NOTES——

– There have been additions to the FAQ page.

– The song is from the new Shiny Toy Guns album, which is just plain awesome by the way. Not as good as We Are Pilots, but still made of win.

– Followers of my Twitter will recall a conversation about ninjas earlier. The Twilight conversation I wrote about in this post came immediately afterwards from the same group 😀

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275 Responses

  1. I think either Christopher Lee or Ben Barnes should get the part of Aro. They’re both awesome. ^^

  2. Okay, whoa. I just watched Inkheart. And I definitely think that Andy Serkis who played Capricorn in Inkheart should become Aro! Hahah.

    Fantasy stories are awesomeness.

  3. i dont know about enough actors to even suggest a part for aro. how are you guys getting all these names for him? its so confusing. everytime i read a comment suggesting a new aro im like “WHO IS THAT!!??” lol. i DO know who johnny depp is. big fan. i used to want to be a pirate so yea i know him. lolz. now i wanna be a vampire.hee hee! 😉

  4. Don’t talk to me about akward. Ive head the whole series three times. I’m Twelve. and look at the name in parenthesees. You dont know the meaning of akward!

    your sites awesome : -)=

  5. You keep referring to “If I were Edward, I wouldn’t like _____ about the Jacob situation.” Let’s just say you’re not Edward. Let’s say you’re Jacob. Would you not be equally as stubborn? If you sincerely believed that Bella was “the One,” would you really just step away? I don’t know if you are a fan of The Office (US) or have followed its storyline, but in the Roy-Pam-Jim triangle, Jacob is a lot like Jim, but in Jim’s situation, the writer intends for you to take his side, whereas with Twilight all signs point to Edward. It’s clearly a matter of perspectives.

  6. I think it means more coming from a guy.. So I’m glad you pointed out Edward’s position.
    Also, Edward is an old-fashioned guy.. so marriage means a lot to him, and it is also a way for him to declare his love for Bella to the world.

  7. Smooth out the wrinkles, and I would hands down say Aro should be played by Johnny Depp. He has a way of bringing characters to life, like none other. And, he could do the whole cheerleader gone bad attitude as well. 😉

  8. i loved the conversation part! that made me crack uppppp! oh and i totally agree about him being a “yet another closet TwilightGuy” lol

    and i also found your mention of the ‘bedroom scene’ being awkward hilarious…just wait until BD!
    as for most fangirls this is one of my favorite chapters because of the proposal…and i agree 100% with post number 65!

  9. Haha that was a funny line. Another line (well a couple of lines) was:
    Bella: (I don't remember the exact wording at this moment but it was something along the lines of:) “So that's it, you won't sleep with me until after we're married?”
    Edward: “Well, technically, Bella, I can't ever SLEEP with you.”
    Bella: “Very mature, Edward”

  10. Despite wind-burned cheeks, freezing fingers, and the deafening hum of the switzerland clothing cold wind in your ears, a paragliding trip is well worth the unsurpassed birds-eye view of the sparkling lakes below.

  11. Well, Im commenting finally. Giving my opinion on this Jacob/Edward war and I have to say…I dont like Bella.

    I really dont like the way she played the two of them, and its really hard for me to like a book, but hate the main character. She just irritates me. While Edward and Jacob come off as sincere in their love, though they show it differently, Bella just seems obsessed with Edward and selfish with Jacob.

    As for the other, people keep commenting how Edward shouldn't let Bella see Jacob and I disagree. Edward left HER, not the other way around. He told her to move on and she tried, in her own way. I think thats why he 'lets' her see him with no complaint. Its his fault her and Jacob are friends. I always found Edward more controlling, and thats why I lean towards Team Jacob.

    At the same time, Jacob is immature and childish. He does try to separate them. You say you try to see it from Edwards point of view, well try seeing it from his. The man left her completely broken. Barely functioning. And he was there for her, when Edward was not. Id be miffed if she just ran back to him the second he returned.

    In the end, I dont like Bella most. Then Jacob, then Edward. (I also like the way the wolf pack get along more than the way the vampires interact.)

  12. 🙂 this is my favorite chapter i love edward!!!
    BTW twilight guy you should act like edward tward your girlfriend any girls would love to have a boyfriend that acted like edward theres not many out there :/

  13. ha ha ha… 'closet twilight guy' that is soooo funny!!! Your posts always make me laugh so much… makes me sad that I'm so late on this twi-craze… I seem to have missed out on all this fun while it was happening 🙁

  14. Thanks a bunch… it actually makes me feel nice that the fans are so open to newbies… even older ones like myself 🙂

  15. Thanks a bunch… it actually makes me feel nice that the fans are so open to newbies… even older ones like myself 🙂

  16. My personal sis recommended me personally about your own internet website and exactly how excellent it really is. Shes correct, Im really impressed with the writing and clever design. It appears in my experience you are merely itching the surface when it comes to what you might achieve, nevertheless youre on a good begin!

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