The song for this chapter is Remember by Big Dismal
[audio:https://twilightguy.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/05/remember.mp3]
Today is the start of that glorious time known as Summer Break, in which my free time increases rapidly only to be immediately filled again even more rapidly. As pointed out regularly in my complaint-mail, at the current rate of reading I might finish Breaking Dawn in a matter of 9 months. NINE?! That was the old Kaleb. THIS IS THE NEW KALEB WRITING. New, as in, suddenly realizing it is time to get down to business and start reading more, faster, and more often. Shorter posts? Perhaps. But more often? Heck yes. No ridiculous 9 months for me.
The whole hiding-food thing that Jacob and Billy have to do when Paul is around is no strange thing to me. I grew up in a house with five children (four were hungry boys) and two parents, and anytime my mom wanted things of the tasty nature (AKA chocolate) she would be forced to hide it or else one of us would have our paws in it. I, being the perfect child, never used any of my detective skills to sleuth out these hiding places and said treats.
This werewolf thing with eating all the time still has me wondering about who pays the grocery bills. After all, I don’t really observe the werewolves working. They always seem to be loafing around the house and eating chips or watching television, and punching each other in the nose. They’re really much like a bunch of dogs with no owner. With the amount of food they’re eating, somebody’s got to be ponying up the cash, because they certainly aren’t surviving on berries and honeycombs.
Jacob’s concerns aren’t really with that ridiculousness though. He’s got a plan. Even if the wolf pack won’t do anything about Bella and the Cullens, once again Jacob is going to get himself into a fight. Why does this not surprise me? Still, I find it so amusing that Jacob’s vision can be so distorted simply by his hatred for the Cullens. To him, the whole place reeks of a strange ‘vampire smell’ and their house has ‘no life around the big white crypt’.
But then on page 171, things begin to get quite interesting. In fact, I was taken very much by surprise. Because, for some reason, in reading the Twilight Saga, I have not consciously realized that it has singularly been from Bella’s viewpoint. I take that back: I have realized it is from her viewpoint, but because most books are not written as Stephenie has done (as in, in the last book, changing viewpoints to an entirely different character) I haven’t really tried to delve into the heads of everyone else. Due to this, I have never seen Bella through Jacob’s eyes, or anyone else’s eyes for that matter.
This is very important. I am a guy, and this book has been through a girl’s perspective the entire time (which admittedly gets painful at times, especially when Edward has mysteriously misplaced his clothing). I have never gotten any description of Bella from any other guy’s mind: everything I have heard has come from her own, which is blatantly dull. But when Jacob describes Bella so vividly, with her eyes and her face, and his heart beating reapidly like ‘a strange broken meter’ I suddenly came to realize, in one great moment, exactly why Jacob has never given up on her.
It’s a big revelation for me, who has abhorred Jacob for a very long time (regular readers can attest to this). I have the tendency to villify Jacob because I’ve never had the chance to get into his head, and for some reason I drew comparisons between him and other guys I have met who are shallow individuals and manipulate their girlfriends using the same twisted techniques it appeared Jacob used. But getting into Jacob’s head, I realize that what he has done for so long might not be through an utter disregard of Bella and Edward, but through an enormous and exhausting desperation to ‘save her’ from the vampire and his seductive wiles.
I see this is a very vulnerable time for both Jacob and Edward. But that could be what they need. It is true they both love Bella, and there is no getting around it: they will be forced to live with this somehow, even though she is Edward’s, and Jacob should rightfully make way because of that fact. Jacob will always be this presence in their lives, because Bella isn’t strong enough to let him go. But the fact that Edward actually lets Jacob see his weakness, and his fear, and his helplessness, really means something. Edward isn’t up for a fight. He just wants Bella alive: and he seems willing to go back and let Jacob have her, if only for her to stay that way.
“You should have left Bella with me.” Jacob said.
“Yes.” It was a bit late for that though.
It is hard for me to come up with anything humorous as I near the ending of this chapter, because things have sunk into such a seriousness that it doesn’t even seem right. Edward truly is willing to do anything. How far into depression and fear must one sink in order to offer his new wife to his archenemy? Does anyone even understand how deeply Edward loves Bella, and how utterly insane he must be over keeping her alive? If everything went exactly as he is offering, he would claw his eyes out every single time Bella stayed overnight with Jacob. It would be an indescribable pain just imagining her with someone else, simply because he cannot give her children that aren’t a threat to her life. Edward is desperate. The last time he was, he nearly killed himself in Volterra. It hurts to see him this way.
QUESTION FOR THE COMMENTS: Do you think it is alright for Edward to offer to ‘share’ Bella with Jacob, even if it is to save her life?
——NOTES——
– That picture really is a 7-year-old me 😀
– Kim Harrison, co-contributer to Stephenie Meyer on Prom Nights From Hell, wrote a wonderful blurb for my writing, which you can read here.
156 Responses
This is one of my all time favorite posts from you, Kaleb. I have been continually angry at Jacob as well, but for me the realization of his true intentions and unadulterated love for Bella came in “Fire and Ice.” It's hard not to feel sorry for Jacob after seeing things from his perspective. I never even considered how that might change things for a male reader; maybe my husband will finally be a little more tolerant of Jacob once he gets to this part of Breaking Dawn! He actually hates Jacob even more than you:)
No, it's not alright. At all. But what about Bella and Edward's relationship has been “right”? That's why everyone loves it, their story is one of the ultimate forbidden romances. I'm just really happy you weren't royally pissed off at Edward for offering this. I think you understand why he did this as so many fans didn't. When he said that when I first read that, I nearly cried because I could imagine just how desperate and awful Edward felt. Most people ran from Team Edward lol. I started to slowly accept Jacob at this point in the book, too. I'm not waving a Team Jacob flag, I'm still solidly Team Edward, but I grew to like him (he's a great friend to the reader during the heavy part of the book). I don't approve of his behavior in Eclipse at all, but I grew to like him.
I understood that Edward was willing to do ANYTHING to save Bella, even offering her up to the person he hated the most, but that was not his choice to make. Bella made her final choice when she said “I do” and declared before the world that she would be with Edward, and only Edward for the rest of her life. Therefore Edward had no right to try give her to someone else, essentially making her an adultress, even if he was trying to save her life. It's actually a little disturbing to see the lengths he would go in the name of saving her life. There is literally nothing he wouldn't do for her, which sounds romantic but in reality its a bit frightening.
Aw, dang it. I was wasting my time on HGE, not realizing you'd actually updated. You know, this whole 'updating whenever it suits Americans' thing is very annoying. I was asleep! And yes, I'm aware that you actually posted at 9 or 10 something am over here, but I'm home sick today, all right? I only just got up a little while ago.
Ahaha. I have four brothers and a sister, so my mum had to hide food, as well. But my younger brother, one of the older ones and myself always found it. Ah, sibling bonding time.
Oh! That picture just reminded me of what I dreamed about last night! I was trying to remember. It was zombies. My older brother (the food stealing one) recently bought Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, you see, and I've been waiting to read it.
I've actually written the last paragraph of this comment before this one, because I wanted to leave answering your question until last. This chapter was very painful to read. Stephenie's description of Edward looking like a “burning man” is very vivid.
No, it's not right. Not even if Bella wants it. But that's not the point. The point is it's what Edward is desperate enough to do. And I think a lot of people would do the same… were they a vampire.
By the way, that picture of you is adorable. I wasn't nearly as cute at 7. I got my glasses that year. Not to mention, I had a fringe. Not even curly blonde hair can counteract blue oval glasses and a block fringe.
Of course, “sharing” Bella would never be alright. That's just sick, really, and yet I don't blame Edward for making the suggestion. I pity Edward so much here. He hates himself so much right now because he did this to her, and now she's dying, and he will do absolutely anything, no matter how squicky, to save her life, even if it means being miserable. Yes, this squicks me out, but I love Edward for it. I love how much he loves Bella.
On another note, it is true that I sympathize more with Jacob now that I can see into his mind, but he's still wrong about the Cullens.
But Edward wasn't offering to share Bella in a friendly way. He was essentially saying that Bella could sleep with Jacob so she could have a baby that wouldn't be killing her, as long as she came home to Edward at the end of the day.
But Kaleb, you're right. It's actually heartbreaking to see Edward this way. He's literally willing to do anything to make Bella happy and keep her alive. I wouldn't say that it's “alright” for him to have offered that (partly because I don't think that Bella would even go for that and partly because it would just be a ridiculously strange situation), but at the same time, it shows just how much Edward deeply cares for Bella and the lenghts he would go to for her without regard for himself or his own feelings. It's an amazing trait.
I think it is 100% unacceptable for Edward to offer Bella to Jacob. First of all, Bella isn't an item that can be borrowed or traded. She is a human being who can make her own decisions and everyone just needs to accept that. So what if her actions could kill her. They are HER choices, and Edward needs to realize that he cant just influence and manipulate her all of the time.
But Bella did figure it out. She realised that Edward had offered/asked Jacob to offer himself to her. Her reaction was to comment on how much Edward loved her. It confirmed for her that he really was willing to do anything for her.
And it's not like Edward would have made her do it. He wasn't so much giving her to Jacob as though she were his property but merely giving his consent to something that he thought she might want. He was just looking for something, anything that would give Bella an option: that would give her what she wanted without it killing her.
Thank you. Lots of smiles.
Ofcourse not! If I were Edward, I would be a little more optimistic… Well, I will say no more.
I would say your on team “Bella can have Edward, So I can have Jacob for myself”, I guess it could also be described as team Switzerland as well.
This was a really difficult chapter to read, and I think Jacob could really now see how much Edward really loved Bella, that he was really willing to do anything to help her. It hurt that Edward did not understand that Bella loved his child and wanted it because of her love for him.
I don't think Edward's offer was right or fair but I don't think that Edward was really sane or thinking straight at the time, he just is so afraid that this child will kill Bella he doesn't see any good outcome.
Nah, I don't think it's alright, it's going to hurt them all. It was a noble thought though, but it wouldn't work in reality..
I think Edward offering to share Bella, or just let her go to Jacob, is a bit awkward and very painful for him. But it just shows how much he loves her. It's pretty obvious what Bella will say, but it's worth putting the option out there, just in case. In this situation, what else can he do? Edward's pretty much “dying” of pain, fear and anger (not a good combination for a previously, and presently, suicidal vampire). It's a sad and depressing chapter to read.
On another subject, I'm fine with you reading slowly, Kaleb. It strings “TwilightGuy” out. I don't want you to finish the book. What will happen to TwilightGuy afterwards? 🙁
I'm a Jacob lover and I didn't want him to “win”. Bella doesn't deserve him at all. Edward can have her.
That said, I didn't love the moment when Edward wanted to share her. It was so disrespectful to Bella AND to Jacob AND to himself that I felt the need to slap him and scream at him. But well, he's always making decissions for Bella, so it wasn't that surprising.
I don't think it's alright that Edward wants to share Bella with Jacob. 1. Because I'm totaly Team Edward, and everyone should know now that they belong together. End of the story ;D 2. I think this fact that Edward actually would rather let Bella to Jacob if he knew what could happen shows us all the pain he's feeling, and how he's suffering from this situation, mostly because he knows that, to some extent, it's his fault if his one and only love is suffering that much and if he can do nothing.
Actually, as this part of the book is from Jacob's point of view, this means a lot. What I want to say is that Jacob and Edward are archenemys, but if Jacob can sympathize and feel sorry for Edward, it means that he suffers a lot. This little piece of convo (“You should have left Bella with me.” Jacob said. “Yes.” It was a bit late for that though.) means everything and can make us feel the extent of Edward's sufferance.
Moreover, it shows us how desperate is the situation if Edward can do nothing: he fought against vampires to save Bella, almost died in Italy, and now, there's absolutely nothing to do anymore to save her??
So yeah, it's a depressing chapter, but one of my favorite though 🙂
P.S: the photo of you young is so funny (I'm not mean here ;))
Edward should NOT share Bella with Jacob. Im all Team Edward so Jacob is just a huge smelly DOG to me, an annoying smelly dog. Bella has a better chance of dying with Jacob than with Edward. In New Moon when Jacob and Paul phased, they couldve hurt her. In New Moon when Jasper almost killed her, Edward and Emmett and Rosalie helped stop him. There was no one to control Jacob and Paul. Jasper is a new member of the Cullen family so he would learn to feed like the Cullens. And if Bella was near Jacob when he phased, she would end up like Emily, scared from her right side of her face to the back of her hand. Maybe even worse.
Was he “right”? Heck no! But he was frantic to find a compromise. In his warped little head, if he could guarantee Bella normal children then he could talk her into an abortion and the threat to her life would be gone. I'm still in shock of that scene. It's right up there with the “Edward finds out Bells is preggers” and made me think worse of him, if only for a few pages.
Cheers!
Sabrina
well Edward is not thinking right at this moment clearly. what happend artificial insemination to offer with a sperm donor. I think Carlisle is happy to help them, if she really want a child. That will not hurt him, Bella and Jacob so much. so in that way is it always wrong to have asked and offer.
But i can understand in the hour of needs everything what could safe lives is the right think to do. even stealing a car and drive without a license if you can drive savely. and make offerings who are indeed wrong.
And yeah Edward is a men of extremes and said of him self what a masochistic lion. And by offering this he is really true to his words. And I think Stephanie have writting this chapter how is has writen it, to show how deep Edwards love is for Bella and to let Jacob understand the true nature of thier love. So he can let Bella go easier.
sorry for the spelling faults. is have dyslexia and Englisch is not my mother language. I am Dutch.
NO!! sorry i will stay calm but honestly! i know woman are not property i am one, but it is Bella's desisicion anyway. thank heavens for that! if Edward were to let Jacob barrow her…what would have been the point for marrying her!? and if Bella and Edward were seperated, a point Edward made, i would burn the books in a bonfire and glare at them as they turn to ash. sorry for that but it's true
The thing is that it is not Edward's choice or decision – it's Bella's. Bella has made her choice. Edward and Jacob can discuss all the 'what is' they want.
KALEB, THAT WAS YOU?!?
ha, ha. you looked very different when you were little.
about the sharing thing with Bella, did they forget she was married?
i feel sorry for poor edward that he is going insane while protecting bella
What Edward is doing is just sad. But i don't think offering Bella like that is just plain ridiculous. Doesn't he know Bella? The girl is madly in-love/obsessed with him that even an idiot wouldn't have missed that. And besides its just weird and gross to share a lover. LOL!!
hey hey hey… such a brave move posting such comment about Edward's love for his Bella. I admire you. 😉
I finished reading Breaking Dawn a long time ago… and your blog (whatever it's called) refreshed my memory. About Edward sharing Bella? that's a noble gesture considering what his love can do to Bella. Finish reading BD. That's my favorite of the twilight saga books (as of now) (except, of course, Twilight)…
Great analysis, Kaleb. I like this part of the book too, because you see the events and people from a completely different and “untainted” perspective (since Bella always sees Edward as perfect, which he is not).
About the question: I feel like Edward is just trying to grasp any possibility he can find to insure Bella is as happy as she can be, even if that means Jacob sleeping with her. I think if he was able to step back from the situation he would see this is a very bad decision; however, he is too far and and pretty much at his breaking point, desperately trying to find a solution to ensure her happiness. I feel bad for Edward and that he always feels he must be self-sacrificing to make Bella happy.
We all know Edward overreacts, but this time he has a really good reason. Worse, Bella isn't doing anything to help him with this. She can't. Jacob is kind of the voice of reason for this part of the book, in my opinion. He doesn't idealize Bella or Edward; no sparkles and incapacitation in the way, so we see the story from an even more heartbreaking perspective. I honestly don't know if what Edward proposed was right, but his intent was obviously only meant for good.
Awww! No Inspector Gadget outfit, even for the perfect child. What's up with that? lol How cute!
When I read this part I was FURIOUS. No. Edward was wrong in his offer.
Did anyone miss the fact that Edward was worried about Bella's virtue and soul in Eclipse but now is willing to offer her up for adultery? Hello? They are married. I didn't think it had to go there for us to understand Edward's pain. It was perfectly clear in Jacob's perspective (I loved that we saw so much from his point of view) and the fact that it made Jacob pause and react to the intensity of Edward's pain. There are also procedures to have someone else's child that does not include “shacking up” for goodness sake. In vitro anyone? While some might say the younger audience wouldn't understand “in vitro”, there were many other topics that a more mature mind would appreciate. I didn't like Bella in Eclipse- the whole kiss Jacob chapter really made me upset-she had just gotten engaged and she knew Edward would “see” the whole thing. She kept hurting them both and I wanted to smack her. However….this book made me love her again. I'm a mommy.
In the sense he means, me being a very immature girl, would just say, eww, are you serious? But um, as 'friends' I think it's right for Bella to be both friends with Jacob and lovers with Edward as long as it stayed that way. But as that clearly isn't what was intended, I just find it weird. And yeah, it is really heartbreaking to see Edward in such grief, it's just wrong.
lol
I understand how Edward could offer to share Bella, but I do not think it is right. In any way. Like they said, it's too late now.
P.S. You need to use Evanescence “My Immortal” for one of these chapters. People reading this, don't you agree? Go suggest that song for one of the Jacob chapters, and maybe Kaleb will use it!!!
P.P.S. Kaleb, prepare yourself. These chapters hurt. Very sad.
And as for that picture Kaleb, lol! And my mom does the same thing. There are 7 of us, 8 with my brother home from school. And the rest of us are homeschooled. Soo, my mom always has to hide her candy. Me being the oldest at home, though, I have had many years to learn all her hiding places. So her candy stock usually gets slowly and mysteriously depleted.
FINALLY HE GETS IT!
Its nice to see that you are starting to understand Jacob. One of the things that I love about the Twilight Saga is its exploration into all the levels of love that can exist in this type of situation. Stephenie does an outstanding job I think in treating these relationships with the depth and for me, realism to the situation.
AS for sharing, when one is desperate to save the life of one you love, you're willing to do anything. How many parents pray to God to replace their dying child with themselves? This is no different for Edward. My favorite moment in this chapter is during their conversation on the road when Edward lets down his guard and shows Jacob how deeply he's hurting and Jacob replies:
“For a second I was just a kid–a kid who had lived all of his life in the same tiny town. Just a child. Because I knew I would have to live a lot more, suffer a lot more, to ever understand the searing agony in Edward's eyes. ”
This line always makes me cry. There is such depth and feeling here that always touches me.
As for the missing food. These are fast growing boys. Regular teenagers eat alot as it is, but then you add Magical growth spurt on top of it and those bodies have to get enough energy somehow. I'm the oldest of seven kids, At one point mom had five teenagers in the house at one time… there was NEVER food past 30 minutes of going grocery shopping. It was gone.
I totally agree that Edward and Bella MUST be together. Bella could have never chosen Jacob, even though she loved him, too.
That being said, I just don't understand how people can constantly see the flaws of Jacob, but not those of Edward. Jacob is manipulative for a very valid reason. He doesn't want Bella, the person he loves soo much, to die or become a monster (who he believes has NO soul and would have to kill people to exist). If I loved someone, I would do ANYTHING to stop that from happening to them, just like Jacob.
Yes, Edward is suffering tremendously and it is VERY heartbreaking to see him. Even Jacob thinks so. However, Edward overeacts ALL of the time.
I am not saying that he is overeacting about his horror and sadness about Bella being in this state, but he is overeacting that it is only HIS fault. It is not only his fault. Bella had much to do with the situation that she is in. That's what bugs me about Edward. He is constantly blaming himself for everything that happens to Bella, and not blaming her for any of it. That is just too condescending to me. Bella has made her OWN decisions with open eyes. She is as much at fault for anything that has happened to her as Edward is. Some of the stuff is nobody's fault, yet Edward insists on blaming himself and hating himself.
This is why he is willing to make the offer to Jacob. (which by the way, Jacob HATES). Jacob knows that Bella wouldn't even consider it (he understands her much better than Edward does sometimes). He also knows that it is just plain disgusting and something that would hurt ALL of them worse than they are already hurt. The only reason he is even willing to talk to Bella about having another baby (and not necessarily HIS), is to save her life.
Edward did not know that she could become pregnant, if he would have, he would have never agreed for her to have a “human” honeymoon. It is not his fault that the baby inside of her is killing her. I understand him feeling guilty, but he takes it to the extreme, like he does with all of his emotions. Stephenie Meyer clearly states on her website that overeaction is Edward's main fault. (she also says that Jacob Black has NO main fault, other than being a teenager).
I think that Edward is desperate to save Bella no matter what, and that is why he made this offer (and that is also why Jake does the things that he does people!). Edward knows it's not right, but he will do anything to make her happy and so that she will not die. However, deep inside he knows that this offer will never be accepted by any of them. If it would have happened, they would have all died inside like Bella almost did in New Moon.
Please don't get me wrong, I love Edward and I love Edward and Bella's relationship. Edward is beautiful inside and out. It's just that his overeacting causes soo much conflict and pain in their lives. (which, of course, makes the whole Saga so interesting and great!) However, I just think Jacob is a more emotionally healthy person in some ways. He was always so positive and open and caring before he became a werewolf and before his Bella problem's. He tried to handle it the best he was able to. So times his tactics weren't the most mature (after all he is a teenager), but he does not have a bad flaw in his character.
I don't think it's alright that Edward offered to “share” Bella, but I can completely understand why he did it.
Speaking as someone who is in a committed and loving marriage that is just as powerful at Edward and Bella's, I would do anything I could imagine to try and save my husband's life, even if i meant that I would not see him anymore or that he would have to “be” with someone else to get what he wanted. Thank goodness modern medicine makes that unlikely, but still.
This is one of the times however when I get mad at how immature Edward's thought process can be. (Yes people, Edward is flawed.) He has taken much longer to get to the point of realisation of how much Bella loves him than it took her. (I have a theory behind that, but this isn't the place. )
He should know by now that is something Bella would never go for. But hey, love isn't rational, right?
Exactly, Exactly, Exactly Alba!! I totally agree with all of your points!!
Edward intentions are good, but he doesn't see Bella as an equal for a long time. He “worships” her and “adores” her, but does not take her desires or decisions in to account near enough.
Just as Jacob had to accept Bella's decision about Edward and becoming a vampire, Edward had to accept Bella's decision (or even let her HAVE one) about all of the above!!
Edward should not blame himself for bad things that happen to Bella, when he is not the only person that causes them to happen. She is responsible, too. Also, sometimes no one is responsible.
Here's my answer to that question –
For Bella, I'm Team Edward
For myself (or the 16 year old who lives inside of me!), I'm Team Jacob
So I guess that technically that makes me Team Switzerland
I don't think at this point that Edward hates Jacob. He realizes, I believe, that Bella and Jacob cannot help how they feel about each other, and that it is, to a great degree, his own fault that they feel this way. He also realizes that Jacob often behaves the way he does because he doesn't want Bella to die or not be human anymore. I admire Edward a lot for this maturity on his part.
Edward starts understanding Jacob and accepting him before Jacob does the same with Edward.
In this chapter, Jacob starts to accept Edward a little. He even feels sorry for him. He knows that he is going to want to kill him if Bella dies (though when it comes down to it, he knows he probably can't do it.), but he also starts to feel compassion for Edward's pain.
Jacob understands that Edward would do ANYTHING for Bella.
Jake would do almost anything for her himself. He gives up so much for her. He even goes against his own pack. He doesn't however feel Edward's tremendous guilt, and that helps him to not suggest to do something so horrible as to share her. He is willing to talk to Bella about having another baby, but he cannot tell Bella that he ihimself is willing to do that for her. He know it would just be so wrong, and he understands that Bella would never agree to that. He is just not as desperate as Edward.
Edward's guilt causes him to make wrong decisions too much. He really shouldn't feel so guilty, because Bella has some responsibilty in what happens to her, too.
Kaleb and everyone,
I am really impressed by how people are finally starting to see things from Jacob's perspective. He is not a manipulative jerk like some people think he is.
I feel so sorry for Edward in this chapter. My heart really breaks for him. Even as bad as Jacob is hurting, he realizes that Edward is far worse off than he is.
Stephenie Meyer is a genius to be able to portray such difficult, complex emotions in these characters.
Thank God that she loved them to much to leave them hurt.
I do NOT think that it is OK to offer to “share” Bella with Jacob. Bella wants the baby she's got NOW, not a different one. It's not fair to say “Im gonna take away the child you love, and, so you get to be pregnant anyway, you can just run along and do it with the guy whose heart you broke because of me, and who would probably be your boyfriend if I had died in 1918 like a normal person!” I mean, you just don't do that kind of thing!
P.S. I am actually on Team Edward. This just really bothers me.
1st, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE do not write small articles so you can post more often! I enjoy your deep analysis soooo much!
2nd, That picture is so cute of you!!
3rd, Now to answer your questons…
I think it is super digusting if Edward shares Bella with Jacob!! I can't even fathom that! Edward just had an insane thought because he was desparate! Jacob is soooo young to! I just can't imagine a young kid sleeping with a married woman! It's like friends with benefits, nasty! Edward can find another way to save her life. Also, it is BELLA'S CHOICE of what she WANTS to do, not Edwards, even if he is madly in love with her. I love him so much, but I have never seen him act in this way. He is always so strong, but know he's going to far with this whole pregnancy thing. Ugh! Another reason why I don't like Breaking Dawn…the characters are nothing like themselves.
Maybe it's because I'm a woman, and I have a strong maternal instinct, (stronger than a lot of the girls I know, and I'm not even a mom,) but Edward and Jacob and Edward really pissed me off at this part. They just couldn't grasp the fact that Bella wanted a child that was growing inside her that she created with her husband on her honeymoon. The fact that it didn't even enter Edward's mind that it was a baby, just that it was a threat, really bothered me, because it's his baby too. I felt pretty much the same thing Bella did when he called it “the thing.”… and the whole idea of trading one child's life for another is despicable, not to mention it's just nasty that Edward was wanting to pimp Bella out… (I know that's not exactly what he was doing, but that's how I see it.)
I agree with MeyaRose with the points she made. It wasn't the fact that Bella wanted children, because she never wanted children in the past. It was the fact that it was Edward's child that made her want to fight so hard for it. If it were Jacob's child, I highly doubt she would have felt the same. The fact that Edward couldn't understand that annoyed me to no end. I understand that he was worried about Bella and wanted to keep her alive, but he was going about it all wrong. You don't offer your wife to another man, even if you do want to keep her alive. And even if by some small chance she DID happen to take him up on the offer, he wouldn't be able to live with himself afterwards. Every time he would look at Jacob with Bella, he would picture the two of them together, which would slowly drive him even more insane than he already was.
I hurt so badly every time I read the description of Edward's face in this chapter…and being a girl, lol, I have indeed cried over Jacob's description of this “burning man.” You give me some more insight I hadn't thought of, as well. I understand how the humor at the end was hard to come by. It was a heavy chapter, and I warn you, there is more weight and sadness to come.
Totally. Not. Ok. What was Edward thinking??? I mean, Bella isn't his to give. She is her own person for crying out loud! He has absolutel no right to offer her up, but you have to know she's going to say no anyway, right? I mean, it's totally rediculus! She would never do anything like that, and anyway Edward is just being stupid thinking she could be happy with any other baby. What. An. Idiot. (Not that I don't totally love Edward most of the time. I mean, he is usually so wonderful! I don't know what was going through his head other than pure desperate-ness. (And possibly insanity caused from said desperate-ness))
oops I mean “absolutely” not “absolutel”
Yes, as we have all agreed- Edward is not at all sane at this point in the book. I got so friging frustrated by him, and I love Edward. Desperation and depression can make people do insane things, his thoughts must be all muddled up and just feeling totaly out of touch and control of himself. I frequently say stupid things when I get upset. (HA- let's be clear that I have never come to Edward's extreme of offering someone else's 'stud services…') I can see where he is coming from at least, even if it is wrong and inconsiderate to Bella. There are flaws in everyone.
If Edward was not in these books (the shock horror), I dont think I would be so completely annoyed by Jacob that I find I usually resort to. Jacob has good sides- he's funny and tries very hard to get what he wants etc, but…he is the typical teenage boy. Thats why he annoys me. Lol. Edward is past the immaturity, such a wonderfully decent person, etc (YES he has his moments too- making decisions for Bella is one of them… Over reacting…), but he just seems more extraordinary than Jacob. An unusal find. Different. I guess thats what im trying to say….?
…yeah I dont really know. =]
I was completely shocked at first that Edward is willing to share Bella with Jacob. Then I realized it was all he could do at this point. It is his most desperate and painful hour. And he is willing to take jealousy over loss, knowing exactly what it will be like if Bella dies. I was not so surprised by his offer. Not really. I completely understand why he asks Jacob for this. And seeing how Bella (stupid idiot) IS with Jacob, how she smiles with him around and clings to him, he knows that maybe she would want this anyway…to have both of them when it really comes down to it. He cannot bear to lose her. But he also wants to give, allowing her to have, everything she wants, no strings attached. Now THAT is a man, baby! Naive but selfless. But Bella's reaction was so stupid. Oh, that, no thanks, Jacob, it's okay. I would have SCREAMED for Edward to come back. She not only wants a baby….but she wants Edward's baby…not Jacob's. That's the difference.
It hurt me so endlessly when I read this chapter, every time I read this chapter. When Jacob feels pity for Edward, you know something is wrong. His “burning man at the stake” face makes me weep so hard I can't breathe for days. It crippled me to see Edward so insane with depression. I couldn't tolerate it. I still can't.
Now, why couldn't I write something as great you??
I agree with what you said.