The song for this chapter is Zoe Jane by Staind
[audio:https://twilightguy.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/zoejane.mp3]
Hello! My name is Kaleb! I write here! On occasion!
I’m back, with just under two more weeks of finals to go. For those of you not acquainted with how finals work on my corner of the planet, the school generally gives me a week off to study and then slams me with final exams like a train meeting the body of a car stuck on the tracks. Thus, I’m in that period of time where things actually slow down: the calm before the storm. Between taking nearly 300 photos of gnomes for my Digital Photography And Design class finals and totally scoring with Publishers Weekly, I’m going through a speed-reading session with all the books I’m behind on: including, but not limited to, Looking For Alaska, Once Dead, Twice Shy and OH YES: Breaking Dawn. Onwards — before my professors catch me!
I don’t know if I’ve ever suffered from food poisoning, but I know from many years of experience that fried chicken can very easily make one sick. I have a low tolerance for fatty foods, so that even when I’m eating at Chick-Fil-A (as opposed to the far greasier Popeyes) I immediately feel sick afterward. However, I’ve discovered a remedy for this. After I eat any type of chicken, I immediately take a mint, which clears my mouth of all the remaining chicken-taste (I’m quick to add I didn’t invent this, it’s been in use in restaurants for decades). Unfortunately for Bella, the chicken had actually gone bad.
This seems like an odd, specific detail: the chicken having gone bad. I know the Twilight Saga too well to pass over this without giving it a second glance. Was it really chicken? Was Bella really sick? Was it actually POISONED? Or perhaps I’m overreacting to just some old expired chicken…
I have a feeling that for the remaining duration of Breaking Dawn, I will be plagued with frequent tidbits of Too Much Information. Don’t worry. I can handle it. I will handle it in exactly the same way I handled the paragraphs in Twilight and New Moon about Edward and Jacob’s
– Muscles
– Chest
– Arms
– Sparkles
– Coincidental lack of clothing at opportune times which led to the revelation of all of the above.
So when I hear about Bella suspecting she might be pregnant, the question isn’t so much of HOW this happened, because we all know HOW this happened, because it’s ALL that’s happened the past 17 days of blissful, secluded island newlywed life. Edward is the LAST person on Earth who should act surprised, since it is at least partially HIS doing. Now that this is beginning to get awkward,
I’m not very happy with Edward’s reaction, which is one of the few times I’ve actually been grumbly about him. What is he doing, acting all icy and cold right now? Surprise, shock, and vampire-instincts aside: that’s really no way to react to your new wife when she tells you that she is pregnant. Suddenly Edward seems to disregard how Bella might feel. Is it really so impossible for a vampire and a human to make a child? I mean, after all: this is a VAMPIRE we are talking about. I would be questioning the possibility of Edward’s existence long before I would even begin to question his offspring.
But Edward seems intent on making this situation absolutely horrible. Did he really call his child a ‘thing’? Where is the kind and considerate guy I read about in Twilight and New Moon and Eclipse, and up to now in Breaking Dawn? I’ve never seen Edward even capable of such words towards Bella or the child growing within her. Does he even know what he is suggesting: to kill Bella’s baby, the child that both of them created?
After observing Edward Cullen for so long, it is very hard for me to believe that he would suddenly turn into this monster in just a few minutes. So I’m left to believe that he is in such a shock right now that he’s not even thinking straight. He might be afraid that Bella is going to die, with so little time of them being together. As I read further, I realized that Edward might actually be blaming himself for what is happening now, and not even registering that there is a child inside Bella, but only seeing something that is a threat to her. In Edward’s mind, any threat to Bella must be dealt with. I wonder deeply what he might do when dealing with the threat might mean killing his own child.
It is wonderful, however, how much seems to change in just one, small moment for Bella. I’m sure having a child was the last thing she was expecting, being with a vampire, who, until now, couldn’t have children. I don’t ever remember her wanting children either (in fact, it seems they disgusted her before now, much like pigs did for me before Isabelle came along). But for Bella, things seem to shift quickly from fear to happiness. How is it that something like this changes someone so much? It’s not a question I can answer, obviously. But comments and emails from many TwilightMOMS mostly seem to speak the same as Bella:
“From that first little touch, the whole world had shifted.”
Of course, Bella’s news immediately reminds me of the recent announcement from Youtube/Twitube’s own Kiera:
Does a video really get happier than that?
QUESTION FOR THE COMMENTS: Do you think Edward is being a bit cold toward Bella, or is he justified in his fear that the child could kill her?
——NOTES——
– I forgot to mention that you can begin submitting songs for specific Breaking Dawn chapters on this page.
– It’s official: I am going take trapeze lessons with Maureen Johnson while at Book Expo America. Somehow, I must get video of this… 😀
147 Responses
i think edward was justified in acting that way, because he's always been so protective of her and thats just how he is, and you never know what will happen when a vampire and human have a baby. so many possibilities!
I think Edward ws overeacting a tad too much. I mean, she's his own flesh and blood. It's just like abortion almost, but I don't like about how Isle Esme that Bella gets so freaking desperate. It's liks she's begging for sex. It's demeaning for the female race, if as a twelve-year-old I may say so myself. I mean what the hell do you expect when a vampire and a human have sex? Super-hybrid. I don't admire Bella any less, though. By the way, I like your “Let's Change The Subject” oart. Haha, I was traumatized after chapter five, knowing what would happen. Keep on writing, Kaleb!
Edward is scared. Pure and simple. He's never heard of vampire offspring and the ONLY thing he's got to possibly related to it is the vampire children. So consider a possible vampire child, possibly out of control, who will no doubt be stronger then its mother. I figure that Edward is thinking of that scene from Alien when they are at the dinner table. And he put it there, unknowingly perhaps, but he's responsible for putting something in Bella that will probably rip her apart trying to get out. And just might not be controllable in anyway. A monster.
What husband would want that for his wife? Especially when she is the most precious thing to him in the whole wide world?
I agree with you about the “Edward what is WRONG with you?” and secondly, Carlisle doesn't seem too abortion happy even if it's to help his son…I was totally wondering WHY he suddenly stopped caring about her feelings….though I feel like he's done that before…. *cough* I'm leaving you for your own good who cares if you like it or not *cough*
So yeah…..someone needed to SLAP HIM! ha ha ha ha, I was all for that little nudger! What kind of daddy does that….
Your coming up on some of my favorite chapter titles in the whole series.
I know it's been pretty much all said already, but I'm going to jump on the bandwagon with saying Edward's justified in freaking out a bit. Yeah, I was a little 'huh?' in his sharp reaction (and with Bella's noncommunication with him, for that matter), but like a couple others said, he's not the only one who thinks a part-vampire fast-growing baby is a 'bad thing', and really, does it honestly sound like it could be good? In his world, they have a different experience with vampire babies, which has left a bit of a mark on them. It might be a monster!
Yeah, he kinda steps over her a bit, but the shock (thinking such a thing couldn't happen) and seeing the 'thing' as a danger (as others said, keeping her from danger pretty much being ingrained in our heads as his life goal), warrants panicking and finding a 'solution'. Nobody else mentioned this yet, but it hasn't even occurred to him that Bella doesn't see it the same way… he tells her 'don't worry, I'll get you to Carlisle and we'll take care of this, I won't let it hurt you and you'll be safe'….. thinking she'd be just as scared as him about the possible effects of a unknown creature in her. Instead, she stays quiet and goes around him for help elsewhere and (in the scenes that follow which I won't spoil) has a -complete- lack of regard for -his- feelings, and typically her own safety again (after she finally got everything she wanted with him). Honestly, I was much much more deeply pissed at Bella for a while due to that, than I was at the others. Curious to see how you'd react to her, but yeah… I'll agree everything thrown at us is a bit more out-there in this one as it goes on, and not always as easy to get into as the last books… good luck with it, and your finals, Kaleb!
Too cold. I can understand that he's afraid, but it IS his child…
Yes, I think he's a bit cold, but I think it's because he's so in shock, and he's afraid that Bella will die. But the important thing is that he's so cold. That's one of the reasons why I don't like breaking dawn as much as the other books, because it's like all the characters change. Edward's so different. And Bella too, in the second half of the book. Not that I don't love breaking dawn, I really do, but it's different.
I think the main thing is that Edward has been trying to convince himself he's not a monster. He continues to see himself as only being bad for Bella, in that (1) she is hunted by multiple ferocious vampires looking specifically for her, (2) the Volturi are worried about their secret so they're either going to make her become a monster, too, or kill her, (3) Jacob is telling him that he's a monster because he's going to have a real honeymoon with Bella, (4) he hurts Bella in the process, no matter how minor, and (5) something that he has no idea what it is, aside from the fact that it's only been a week and she's already showing, is growing inside of her. This is how Edward is looking at it. Also, there's a saying that women become mothers when they become pregnant, but men become fathers when the baby is born. Not that there can't be any kind of connection, but it's impossible to understand that kind of relationship, because the man doesn't physically experience it himself.
I agree with what others have said here. Edward is not a mother. He doesn't have the same emotional connection to his offspring that a mother has. The baby is growing inside Bella's body, not Edward's, and while Bella has felt that emotional bond to her child, Edward hasn't yet. He doesn't consider the fetus at this point to be a baby that is HIS. This happens in human males, too. Men do generally take longer to bond with their babies, while mothers love them the moment they find out they are pregnant.
Add to that the fact that he is in extreme shock (Don't forget, this wasn't supposed to be possible: Carlisle didn't know about it and he's a DOCTOR), and the fact that something he has absolutely no experience with is growing inside his wife. The only thing he knows about this kid is it is at least partially vampire, which means it is much stronger than her, is already developing at a rate way too fast, and drinks human blood. Apart from that, he has no idea what it even is, and has no way way to predict its path. To him, the baby is a monster, killing his wife from the inside out, and she doesn't even realize it! Edward loves Bella more than everything else in the world combined, and he is absolutely terrified for her, as he knows this thing is likely to take her life. And on top of all of this, he is struggling with the fact that if something happens to Bella, it will be HIS FAULT (or at least he thinks so—what else is new?)! OF COURSE he is freaked out!!
While I believe Edward's alarm and actions are completely justified, I do not agree with his blaming it on himself completely. It is my understanding that these things generally take two people 😉 and he had no way of knowing it was possible to impregnate Bella.
lol, as a YOUNG Twi-mom, who never wanted kids.. it's really as simple as motherly instincts. Whether you want a child or not, when you find out you're going to have one, it just changes. You may still be scared, frustrated, kind of wish you had done things differently, but there is always instant love for your child. I won't claim that all women have those same instincts or feelings, but for most women, that's how it is. I was 16 when I got pregnant, I hated children, but I was so excited, and couldn't ever have even dreamed of 'getting rid' of my child. I'm 19 now, my daughter is 1 and a half, and I love her with all of my heart. 🙂 Wouldn't change a thing.
Although, I'm sure as hell going to make sure I don't have another one. I love my daughter but 1 is plenty for me.
I have nightmares when a read this chapter.. a couple months ago… In the beginning I didn't like Bella got pregnant … I not expect that…
Edward reacted in the way I'd expect. He never heard of a vampire getting a human pregnant and knew what was going to happen next. He always needs to be one step ahead of the game, he needs to have that control to have peace of mind. So when something so unexpected happened, he froze, just didn't know what to do. I was a grossed out about the baby because rapid pregnancies are creepy, like Rosemary's Baby or something. Ugh. But a baby that's half vampire inside of a human can't be good. Edward was scared of losing Bella and yeah, a threat to Bella is something that needs to be dealt with in Edward's eyes.
* and didn't know what was going to happen next ^
Why, hi Kaleb! Nice to meet you! Again…..
=]
As for:
But Edward seems intent on making this situation absolutely horrible. Did he really call his child a ‘thing’? Where is the kind and considerate guy I read about in Twilight and New Moon and Eclipse, and up to now in Breaking Dawn? I’ve never seen Edward even capable of such words towards Bella or the child growing within her. Does he even know what he is suggesting: to kill Bella’s baby, the child that both of them created?
Woot! Good for you!
Yes, I understand that this could be killing Bella, but at this point he DOESN”T KNOW!!!! It could be perfectly fine. So he is wayy too cold, he has no justification for what he's doing.
Hey. Seriously awesome site! I'm so glad I came across it!
Do you think Edward is being a bit cold toward Bella, or is he justified in his fear that the child could kill her?
I definitely believe he's being cold towards Bella. Although I understand why he feels the way he feels, with Bella being threatened, he should of had better control over his reaction. He could of been a little more softer about it =
I think Edward is justified in this situation. He already thinks of himself as a monster who is endangering Bella's life just because he's around her… what more would his child do? It's a child! A child won't know how to control his actions, he won't be “careful' with Bella like Edward is.
I expected him to act like that. I think it's classic Edward. Bella is his life, and whatever or whoever threatens her safety has to be dealt with..
I agree with your edward view. Even though the baby could be endangering bella's life, it still is his child, something he shares with her and part of it belongs to her too. I did not expect him to act this cold, he was a bit harsh to something he and bella created out of love (excuse the cheesiness). I would've expected him to be a bit shaken at first, but over all happy that he could give bella a 'human experience' he thought he couldn't give her. He doesn't even know that the baby could harm her.
Sorry, but the major problem i have with Breaking Dawn is that the characters can get a little out of character in it.
Hi Kaleb and readers of Kaleb,
I thought Edward was justified. He doesn't think it's a cute little thing , he thinks it's a demon (I thought this too). And he being the overprotective person he is, (I mean that in the nicest way possible) has to put Bella before the Thing . Oh, and didn't Alice say somewhere (possibly New Moon) that Edward is the “tiniest bit prone to overreaction” (or something like that). It was typical of him to respond like that when something this big hits him. How many times has he almost lost Bella (Twilight – Tyler's car, Port Angeles crew(sorta) James NM- Jasper, cliff diving , Volturi Eclipse – Victoria)already and now, yet another threat to her life comes along. If it was me , I would probably turn out like the chicken ^^^
-Orla
I can't believe that I'm saying this, but Kaleb, you're over looking something. I'm pretty sure that in that chapter is the frightening conversation that Edward had with the cleaning lady. Both of them. You see, though this is clearer later, Edward knows the legends. See, even the cleaning lady was frightened for bella, because she too knows the legends. Legends of the incubus and stuff like that. In fact, it's with HER people that legends of half-vamps exist. You'll find out why that's so frightening later.
Scientifically, edward does have plenty of reasons to worry. The Baby is maturing too fast. I believe Bella goes through this: bella's body shouldn't even register or show signs of being pregnant yet. But already she's experiencing morning sickness (the bane of pregnant women's lives), mood swings, cravings, and even has a noticeable baby bump. So I repeat, THE BABY IS MATURING TOO FAST. Why is this so dangerous? Did you know that the most dangerous leech in the world is a fetus? Babies literally suck the life out of their mothers. The only reason women can put up with it is because babies mature SLOWLY, giving their body a chance to adapt and replenish its nutrition. Already Bella's baby is starting to wear down on her, and she's barely been pregnant for two weeks. That alone is very very dangerous.
Plus, you already knew Edward's tendency to over react. However, in this moment, he's not overreacting. Don't get me wrong. I love — excuse me, u don't know the name yet. sorry. I love the baby. But she really IS a danger to bella in the womb. a BIG danger. You'll see that later.
And, this sounds really bad, but even though it was a dire situation and all, well, i couldn't help but be slightly amused when Edward went into shock.
Hahaha, i really enjoy reading your words.
This is Frances, well, as you said, I am also a TwilightMOM in Taiwan.
Just come here to say Hi to you!
I too was a little surpised at Edward's reaction & what looked like lack of caring on his part. (On my second, third, & yes fourth reading of BD I understand his reaction better 🙂 ) Well first I was surprised that she was pregnant & then his reaction made it weirder. But as we all know by now Edward is known for his overreactions (especially when it comes to Bella & her safety.) But I love the fact that she got pregnant & has her little nudger. Can't wait to see your reaction to the next few chapters (it gets even more interesting!)
well i think that edward is being really cold because hes only had bella as his wife and his for a really short time. and he doesnt know what is in her. he doesnt know if it could possibly kill her or harm her. I think that maybe he could have shown a little more emmotion because he isnt really supporting bella and thats what she really needs right now. i mean imagine getting pregnant and not even having the suppost of your husband. but you know this all happened because of the chicken going bad. hehee. JK. LOL well….. just waitt. hhehee it gets better. and juicier…and stiemer. and i can just imagine Kaleb reading this. ahahaah. Pricelesss. hehehe
-michelle ♥
Nah, it's just that the child's a threat to Bella.
lol. That was short.
edward has always been possesive, angry and controlling (remember the “you're too drunk to drive” “no, i can drive” “no, you can't.” “oh, well you must be right, you're a magical sparkling vampire after all”). of course he would react like that. something else could be killing his bella and it's not him, which makes him mad. beauty is his only redeming quality.
but jacob's not any better. his personality is just like edward's, except he uses sexual harrasment to get his way. “i thought you WANTED me to kiss you!”
i honestly became team mike newton after finishing the series. the only thing horrible he's ever done is like bella while she acted like she “was too good for him” and try to get to know her. which, you know, isn't really that horrible at all.
with all these teenagers “in love” you think there was ecstacy in the water or something.
I was shocked at Edward's reaction as well, and honestly, I had this whole senario made up in my mind about what I THOUGHT was happening…I thought that since we were all told he couldn't produce a child, that when he found out she was pregnant he would have blamed Jacob – thought that Bella cheated on him or something. And I thought THAT was why he was acting all mad and distant and disowning the 'thing'. Honestly, I think I would have liked to see it as a misunderstanding rather than him hating his own child in that way. I don't know, in my personal opinion, the book sort of goes downhill from this point on. Sure, there are some good parts, but I feel like the plot went out the window, and somehow my favorite two characters were lost (Ed & Bell).
Well, i have to say, he is just being an idiot right now, but you will totally see why later…
His reaction is very bad, I understand it coming from what he knows, but still, this is not Edward acting like Edward.
I thought it was really uncharacteristic (with the book I mean) that Bella gets pregnant a few days after she and Edward get married. I mean the Volturi where going to come anyway (new moon) Why add a child to the mix? And for Edward getting mad; I have to agree with the ladies that have all comented above. That Bella IS the thing that matters to him most, his exsistence depends on her. She depends on him almost as much as he depends on her being safe and happy. As Edward says later to Jacob, “She can have half a dozen children if she wants. She can have pups.” Obviously Edward would do anything to make Bella happy, even excluding him from her life and giving her up to Jacob.
yeah edward was a little too cold, i think that he could be shocked but still pull himself together, and then bella could have talked to edward about this instead of having to go behind his back and call rosalie.
I just think that Edward is over reacting in true 'Edward' form… always a bit too much… but that is kinda how he does…
i think edward should be happy for bella . Even though the child will possibly kill her he needs to be happy that bella gets this human expirence
what got you started with the books and then all the way to your web site?
who is your fave twilight star?
I disagree with Kendra I mean as long as bella is happy don't you think Edward should be to? And I also would like to point out that in the end she is so pritty and everyone loves her so it was worth it!
what got you started with the books and then all the way to your web site?
who is your fave twilight star?
I disagree with Kendra I mean as long as bella is happy don't you think Edward should be to? And I also would like to point out that in the end she is so pritty and everyone loves her so it was worth it!
just so you're aware, peppermint actually soothes the stomach when it gets unsettled like by food or nervousness, same with licorice root, which works well enough to use even when you're actually ill. although, if you're one of those people who hates potent flavours, a nice light tasting rosehip tea would do nicely as well…sorry, I tend to ramble when I know too much about things…like a crazy old lady. haha (which I'm not…just for the record.)
Edwards reaction was humorous to me. Despite all of his superhuman attributes, when it came down to it, his reaction was like any other human male. Shock and denial.
Carlisle has been around for so many years now and surely he did tell some stories to Edward and the others about baby vampires not to mention how dangerous they were to the fact that the Volturi destroyed all of them and made a law not to make newborn babies or face death. The fear of the unknown seems to frighten Edward for the life of Bella, which was actually true in the next few chapters.So he knew it was his lack of research and head on relationship with Bella could cause her her life. He should have known better there could be circumstances if a vampire like him becomes too intimate to a human girl.
Well of course he's being cold! He's totally rude to her when she tells him, I mean he's supposed to be the muture vampire who looks so deeply into Bella's reactions that he could practiclly read her mind bu the should have ben a little more considerate. But I guess that he's in total shock as well. It never crossed his mind that he was capeable of conceiving a child as a vampire, so he would be a little stirred up to really think about htings before he could wrap his head around it.
I'm a little mad at Edward because wasn't he the one who said tht he wishes she was pregnant when they where talking to Charlie?!?!?!
And I thought Edward would be a little more understanding being its his daughter and he is supposed to be all chivalrous and crap!
I love ya Eddie but I'm not so pleased with you right now……
I've already read all the books but i cant believe Edward wants to get rid of Bella's little nudger!!! I was so shocked to find out she was pregnant!!!!
I like gameloft's marketing strategy better. They tease us one day than release the game less than a week later 🙂
I think that Edward definitely is allowed to worry however he should have taken bells feelings into concideration