Last week we discussed the deus ex machina of Edward showing up to save Bella. I only offer that summary because we left off with the corner that Meyer had written herself into and now she has to write her way out of it, the only way that I can see this happening is that she must begin to reveal to Bella who Edward is this I am terming the "big deal." The "big deal" is the only way that Meyer can write herself out of the corner of having Edward show up at this most fortunate of times. I said last week that his appearance is so fortuitous that it would make Aristotle roll his eyes in contempt. Only the Greek gods have this kind of prescience so let's see how this plays itself out.
We're in the tourist town of Port Angeles and Bella has just dove into Edward's Volvo speeding away from what, at best, was going to be a mugging. He is quiet while Bella is in the car. After ordering her to put on her seat belt he doesn't ask her how she is doing. No, instead, he tells her to distract him. What follows is the best bit of unintentional dating advice for young girls that this book has so far offered, "Sometimes I have a problem with my temper, Bella.' He was whispering, too, and as he stared out the window his eyes narrowed into slits. 'But it wouldn't be helpful for me to turn around and hunt down those...'" [Ellipses authors]
Ladies, if ever a guy tells you that he has a problem with his temper, run away. It's a complete deal breaker, it doesn't make him the cool type of dangerous it makes him the dangerous type of dangerous. What's odd about his comment is that all the four boys are guilty of thus far is harassment. They may have frightened Bella, but that's it. If Edward did go hunting them down, he would be prosecuted for murder and my legal knowledge (gleaned from watching too many reruns of Law and Order) tells me that he might be able to plead it down to manslaughter if he did it right away, but that would still be four counts probably run consecutively.
The temper comment isn't revelatory. We know he has a temper from his other actions. So far, Dreamy McVampire has ordered Bella around several times and he refuses 'no' as a response for anything that he asks. The only difference is that now he's admitting it, but Bella isn't seeing the warning signs despite her supposed superior intelligence. Being frightened of her four alleged attackers it's understandable that she doesn't question Edward's desire to hunt them down, she could be theorizing that he just wants to beat them up, but we know better.
Edward takes her back to her friends at the restaurant, who despite being worried over their missing third have decided to sit down and have a nice dinner. I wonder how the conversation would have went: "I wonder where Bella is?" Jessica asked while absently twirling linguine on her fork.
"I don't know, but do you think that Mike and you are going to be an item?" Angela replied wishing that she had her fake ID with her.
Normally I would write three or four paragraphs on how the two should have acted. But given the fact that Bella has shown them very little concern for their lives it becomes almost consistent that they should do the same. When Bella shows up with Edward, they don't even ask where he came from. The do give an inquiry into where she's been, but then let it drop as Edward decides that he's going to give Bella the ride back to Forks. Jessica and Angela, probably think they are being traded up. She's going to ditch them for some alone time with Edward. A guy would suffer for this, his friends would let him go but then give him a substantial amount of grief for doing so.
The restaurant scene is strange. Because there is a lot of nothing that happens, which Bella regards as significant. In hindsight some of it is, but Bella can't know that as long as her theory remains unconfirmed. Edward draws the eye of both the hostess and the waitress, which in turn draws out Bella's jealousy. If these two get together she's going to be a problem, suspicious of every woman that looks at Edward especially as she ages and they do not.*
Then there is the normal behavior Edward exhibits which Bella reads into. The hostess offers them a table, Edward refuses it asking for a booth for more privacy. Bella observes two things: the first is that she thinks Edward paid the hostess, the handshake tip that I've only done once. She then accuses him of "dazzling her" using his magic vampire powers to get the new table. Not only do the two things contradict each other, but there is the place itself. It can't be that busy necessitating him to do either. I don't fault Meyer here but her character. It's obvious these two kids are on a date, a dead restaurant wouldn't be reluctant to re-seat the lovebirds if they appear to be well behaved.
Bella, is falling prey to a condition that infects all conspiracy theorists, selective evidence awareness. She's already bought into the theory that Edward is a Vampire, and everything she observes must confirm that theory or else it isn't worth it. Like the "truthers" and the mysterious C-130 flying over DC, it must have something to do with the plan. Edward refusing the table isn't that odd, but she crams it into her evidence then accuses him of it.
He takes it with no consideration. Perhaps he is so used to doing it, that he doesn't realize it. Then again, I don't think that he actually did anything but ask for a new table. Edward of course doesn't eat, Bella orders mushroom ravioli and the two begin talking. This is the beginning of what we have been waiting for, the big reveal, more importantly we should get our reason for Edward's sudden appearance.
"This is more complicated then I'd planned," Edward comments to no one in particular. Sure, he's talking at Bella but not to her. In this relationship Edward has all of the power. There is nothing that Bella can really offer him at this point except his attachment to her. This is probably a begrudging conversation on his part. Something that he doesn't want to do but feels that he might as well lest he hear about it later. He probably has the same feeling in his head that everyone has when they hear the words "we need to talk."
Bella, as usual, cuts to the point, what is unusual is that her first questions isn't full of self deprecation, "Why are you in Port Angeles?"
It's the most obvious question, it's the most relevant, and for my part, it's really the one that I want to know too. Edward, as established, is not a good liar because he responds by telling her to skip that one and go to the next question. Almost a century old and he can't say something like, "I was looking for a new suit," he obviously has lived in the woods too long.
Bella reluctantly agrees then goes on with a comment so out of the blue the font might as well be written in it, "Let's say, hypothetically of course, that...someone...could know what people were thinking, read minds, you know ---with a few expections.'
As we say on the internet, WTF? Ah, telepathy, is there anything a vampire can't do? Edward, inexplicably plays along. Beyond being an as-yet-unconfirmed-vampire this accusation of Edward's super powers doesn't even make sense. If we take Dracula to be the prime mover for Vampires, and move forward from there, ESP doesn't fit. I know that some Vampire literature has it, I believe Lestat was able to read minds in the Ann Rice universe, but it's entirely rare. And it's too convenient.
Yet, it's really the only way that Meyer can get Edward to save Bella at this particular point. Even that doesn't explain it fully, "I followed you to Port Angeles,' he admitted, speaking in a rush. 'I've never tried to keep a specific person alive before, and it's much more troublesome than I would have believed. But that's probably just because it's you. Ordinary people seem to make it through the day without so many catastrophes."
It's a repeat of the problem with 80's romantic comedies, that the stalker eventually wins the girl. Even Bella wonders about it too, but secretly she's flattered by the attention (guys: it only works in fiction). What I don't like, because the stalking doesn't bother me since I already don't like Edward, is that it's such a cheap way out of the corner for Meyer. He was in Port Angeles because he's been following Bella. Why, because she's a trouble magnet. Which we know, because Edward's saying it right now. So far Bella has almost been in a car accident, and then...she was harassed. So far that's it.
Having established that Edward can read minds we know that he knew what the four harassers were thinking. What, however does that prove? Roger Ebert, in his review of the deplorable movie The Dream Catcher, wondered about a movie that would deal with the real experiences of a telepath. Most people have desires, thoughts, that are normal but once in awhile they get...odd. Or are evidence of an animal desire that the rational human brain overwhelms. If you throw a punch in anger the thought may be just to hurt the other person but the Id may desire that person's death. It doesn't mean that you are going to kill the person, or that you even want to only that for a brief minutia of an instance the desire was there. Only German Philosopher Immanuelle Kant could hold a person to moral culpability based on latent intention in their action. Then again this book comes from a tradition where a person is guilty of adultery if they find another person "sexy."**
Edward, reading the thoughts of the four perceives an animalistic desire that probably went beyond what they were actually going to do. In any case, Bella is hardly a trouble magnet. Having had been in one dangerous instance and one that could have possibly been dangerous but was at least frightening. So this is Meyer's explanation for Edward showing up without the benefit of a seeing stone of Numenor. Story-wise this means that Edward has to explain his true nature and we finally can get to the big reveal.
__________________
*Like the often quoted line from Dazed and Confused, "I love highschool girls every year I get older and they stay the same age."
**The other thing about Edward's reaction is that he is guilty of the same thing, only he expresses his desire in words. If the four are guilty for thinking about murdering/raping Bella, Edward is as guilty for murdering them since he expresses his wish to hunt them down in the car and in the restaurant. I guess it doesn't matter because he is our hero though.
We're in the tourist town of Port Angeles and Bella has just dove into Edward's Volvo speeding away from what, at best, was going to be a mugging. He is quiet while Bella is in the car. After ordering her to put on her seat belt he doesn't ask her how she is doing. No, instead, he tells her to distract him. What follows is the best bit of unintentional dating advice for young girls that this book has so far offered, "Sometimes I have a problem with my temper, Bella.' He was whispering, too, and as he stared out the window his eyes narrowed into slits. 'But it wouldn't be helpful for me to turn around and hunt down those...'" [Ellipses authors]
Ladies, if ever a guy tells you that he has a problem with his temper, run away. It's a complete deal breaker, it doesn't make him the cool type of dangerous it makes him the dangerous type of dangerous. What's odd about his comment is that all the four boys are guilty of thus far is harassment. They may have frightened Bella, but that's it. If Edward did go hunting them down, he would be prosecuted for murder and my legal knowledge (gleaned from watching too many reruns of Law and Order) tells me that he might be able to plead it down to manslaughter if he did it right away, but that would still be four counts probably run consecutively.
The temper comment isn't revelatory. We know he has a temper from his other actions. So far, Dreamy McVampire has ordered Bella around several times and he refuses 'no' as a response for anything that he asks. The only difference is that now he's admitting it, but Bella isn't seeing the warning signs despite her supposed superior intelligence. Being frightened of her four alleged attackers it's understandable that she doesn't question Edward's desire to hunt them down, she could be theorizing that he just wants to beat them up, but we know better.
Edward takes her back to her friends at the restaurant, who despite being worried over their missing third have decided to sit down and have a nice dinner. I wonder how the conversation would have went: "I wonder where Bella is?" Jessica asked while absently twirling linguine on her fork.
"I don't know, but do you think that Mike and you are going to be an item?" Angela replied wishing that she had her fake ID with her.
Normally I would write three or four paragraphs on how the two should have acted. But given the fact that Bella has shown them very little concern for their lives it becomes almost consistent that they should do the same. When Bella shows up with Edward, they don't even ask where he came from. The do give an inquiry into where she's been, but then let it drop as Edward decides that he's going to give Bella the ride back to Forks. Jessica and Angela, probably think they are being traded up. She's going to ditch them for some alone time with Edward. A guy would suffer for this, his friends would let him go but then give him a substantial amount of grief for doing so.
The restaurant scene is strange. Because there is a lot of nothing that happens, which Bella regards as significant. In hindsight some of it is, but Bella can't know that as long as her theory remains unconfirmed. Edward draws the eye of both the hostess and the waitress, which in turn draws out Bella's jealousy. If these two get together she's going to be a problem, suspicious of every woman that looks at Edward especially as she ages and they do not.*
Then there is the normal behavior Edward exhibits which Bella reads into. The hostess offers them a table, Edward refuses it asking for a booth for more privacy. Bella observes two things: the first is that she thinks Edward paid the hostess, the handshake tip that I've only done once. She then accuses him of "dazzling her" using his magic vampire powers to get the new table. Not only do the two things contradict each other, but there is the place itself. It can't be that busy necessitating him to do either. I don't fault Meyer here but her character. It's obvious these two kids are on a date, a dead restaurant wouldn't be reluctant to re-seat the lovebirds if they appear to be well behaved.
Bella, is falling prey to a condition that infects all conspiracy theorists, selective evidence awareness. She's already bought into the theory that Edward is a Vampire, and everything she observes must confirm that theory or else it isn't worth it. Like the "truthers" and the mysterious C-130 flying over DC, it must have something to do with the plan. Edward refusing the table isn't that odd, but she crams it into her evidence then accuses him of it.
He takes it with no consideration. Perhaps he is so used to doing it, that he doesn't realize it. Then again, I don't think that he actually did anything but ask for a new table. Edward of course doesn't eat, Bella orders mushroom ravioli and the two begin talking. This is the beginning of what we have been waiting for, the big reveal, more importantly we should get our reason for Edward's sudden appearance.
"This is more complicated then I'd planned," Edward comments to no one in particular. Sure, he's talking at Bella but not to her. In this relationship Edward has all of the power. There is nothing that Bella can really offer him at this point except his attachment to her. This is probably a begrudging conversation on his part. Something that he doesn't want to do but feels that he might as well lest he hear about it later. He probably has the same feeling in his head that everyone has when they hear the words "we need to talk."
Bella, as usual, cuts to the point, what is unusual is that her first questions isn't full of self deprecation, "Why are you in Port Angeles?"
It's the most obvious question, it's the most relevant, and for my part, it's really the one that I want to know too. Edward, as established, is not a good liar because he responds by telling her to skip that one and go to the next question. Almost a century old and he can't say something like, "I was looking for a new suit," he obviously has lived in the woods too long.
Bella reluctantly agrees then goes on with a comment so out of the blue the font might as well be written in it, "Let's say, hypothetically of course, that...someone...could know what people were thinking, read minds, you know ---with a few expections.'
As we say on the internet, WTF? Ah, telepathy, is there anything a vampire can't do? Edward, inexplicably plays along. Beyond being an as-yet-unconfirmed-vampire this accusation of Edward's super powers doesn't even make sense. If we take Dracula to be the prime mover for Vampires, and move forward from there, ESP doesn't fit. I know that some Vampire literature has it, I believe Lestat was able to read minds in the Ann Rice universe, but it's entirely rare. And it's too convenient.
Yet, it's really the only way that Meyer can get Edward to save Bella at this particular point. Even that doesn't explain it fully, "I followed you to Port Angeles,' he admitted, speaking in a rush. 'I've never tried to keep a specific person alive before, and it's much more troublesome than I would have believed. But that's probably just because it's you. Ordinary people seem to make it through the day without so many catastrophes."
It's a repeat of the problem with 80's romantic comedies, that the stalker eventually wins the girl. Even Bella wonders about it too, but secretly she's flattered by the attention (guys: it only works in fiction). What I don't like, because the stalking doesn't bother me since I already don't like Edward, is that it's such a cheap way out of the corner for Meyer. He was in Port Angeles because he's been following Bella. Why, because she's a trouble magnet. Which we know, because Edward's saying it right now. So far Bella has almost been in a car accident, and then...she was harassed. So far that's it.
Having established that Edward can read minds we know that he knew what the four harassers were thinking. What, however does that prove? Roger Ebert, in his review of the deplorable movie The Dream Catcher, wondered about a movie that would deal with the real experiences of a telepath. Most people have desires, thoughts, that are normal but once in awhile they get...odd. Or are evidence of an animal desire that the rational human brain overwhelms. If you throw a punch in anger the thought may be just to hurt the other person but the Id may desire that person's death. It doesn't mean that you are going to kill the person, or that you even want to only that for a brief minutia of an instance the desire was there. Only German Philosopher Immanuelle Kant could hold a person to moral culpability based on latent intention in their action. Then again this book comes from a tradition where a person is guilty of adultery if they find another person "sexy."**
Edward, reading the thoughts of the four perceives an animalistic desire that probably went beyond what they were actually going to do. In any case, Bella is hardly a trouble magnet. Having had been in one dangerous instance and one that could have possibly been dangerous but was at least frightening. So this is Meyer's explanation for Edward showing up without the benefit of a seeing stone of Numenor. Story-wise this means that Edward has to explain his true nature and we finally can get to the big reveal.
__________________
*Like the often quoted line from Dazed and Confused, "I love highschool girls every year I get older and they stay the same age."
**The other thing about Edward's reaction is that he is guilty of the same thing, only he expresses his desire in words. If the four are guilty for thinking about murdering/raping Bella, Edward is as guilty for murdering them since he expresses his wish to hunt them down in the car and in the restaurant. I guess it doesn't matter because he is our hero though.
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