Contradictions (Pg. 18-29)

"You humans have it so easy! All you have to do is throw down one tiny vial of plant extract..."

Edward is commenting on the end of Romeo and Juliet and how Romeo dies so easily from poison, his remarks are pointed at the fragility of human beings and their ability to commit suicide. What I hate about this sentiment is how it is so closely similar to how the abortion debate is framed by the pro-life crowd. Just because something may be easily available in method doesn't mean that it's easily done in motivation. Women aren't, despite the claim by possible American Presidential candidate Michelle Bachman, just popping in for an abortion in between manicures and haircuts, just like we all do when we go to lenscrafters. Edward makes the same mistake, Romeo didn't commit suicide off the cuff, he planned it because his rebound girl was "dead." This leads me to wonder if Edward is being serious, why would he want to end his life?

Apparently, at the end of the last book as Edward was chasing down James and Bella's location he wanted to save her but just in case, "part of my mind was making contingency plans." Plans, you say, "well I wasn't going to live without you."

So romantic this is, until you begin to really look at it. For most of the first book, the relationship between Edward and Bella has been framed by Edward as being dangerous for her. He repeatedly has mentioned to her that she ought to stay away from him because of the inherent danger in dating a creature that feeds off of human blood. All of that makes some sense. So it would also seem that if Bella had been killed by James his guilt would compel him to kill himself. That, again would make some sense. Yet, that is not what he is saying. He's saying that he couldn't live without her, it's not about her it's about his own happiness. I'll give him that love is kind of a selfish emotion, but there are better ways he could phrase it. Or despite that, there are better ways that he could have said it, he comes off as being flippant. Which isn't the condescending nature he usually says things to Bella, but that he's only really saying it so that she hears it. Like the abusive boyfriend who once in awhile remarks, "I just don't know what I would do without you."

What is good is Bella's reaction. She's horrified to think that he would kill himself just because she died. Now part of that is rooted in her depression, she doesn't get why she's so important to him. Still though, she makes a really good point about him not being able to move on in his life, they've only been dating for what, nine months or so? This is another contradiction in the story, although it's not one specifically stated. Edward has been alive for around a century or so, and in that time he's never made any significant relationship outside of his family. Even a casual relationship, anything that would innoculate himself against what the cold hand of time does to us mortals. One of the Cullens mentioned that they routinely go to high school in different cities, Jasper and Rosaline have been married three or four times, and in all of that time they've only invited each other to the weddings, parties, and such? I find that hard to believe.

Secondly he has to know how to kill himself, because they killed James. The troubling thing for the story is that these vampires don't seem to have any weaknesses. They heal from any damage, or are immune to it, water doesn't kill them, sunlight doesn't kill them, garlic has no effect (at least from Edward's ability to eat at an Italian restaurant), are we left with just stakes and silver then?

Edward actually apologizes for his comment. Something we had yet to see him do. Bella's motivation is strange though, she thinks the world without Edward would be a worse place, even if she wasn't in it. So far I can't see why that would be the case, the world with one less douchey sad sack seems like it would be a better place.

The fight over, Edward takes Bella to his house for the birthday party. Non-entity Charlie, who by the way is addressed by Edward as "Charlie" (something this father will not allow his daughter's boyfriend to do), has decided that the ballgame is more important than his girl's 18th. The odd thing is that if the Cullens are throwing the party why didn't they invite Charlie to it? Seems a bit rude.

Then we get to the un-intentional sexual subtext, or at least I think it's unintentional. Edward asks Bella what she wants for her birthday and she tells him that he should already know that. The whole book series is based around the sexual metaphor. According to Caitlin Flanagan in The Atlantic Monthly, the series is about a girl who wants nothing more than for her boyfriend to defile her while the boyfriend loves her so much that he won't. Frankly were talking sex here. It seems that whenever it's brought up this metaphor can hardly be considered a metaphor because it's so obvious. Bella and Edward have already had this conversation and Edward is justifiably tired of having it, "not tonight, Bella. Please." Aww poor Edward has a headache.

Bella's reply, "Well maybe Alice will give me what I want." I know I've seen that movie. Is this an innocent mistake that the warp and weft of my mind is twisting or is it completely on purpose? I'd be more impressed with our writer if this was a conscious decision rather than an accident, because then she's at least aware of the metaphor.

Before they enter the party Bella asks Edward, "If I develop this film...will you show up in the picture." Edward laughs, but I'm not laughing. I really want to know the answer to that question. Would he show up? Would just his clothes? What is this word "develop" and "film."

Jokes aside, the party proceeds with her getting some gifts whereupon she gets a paper cut and all hell breaks loose. Edward for some reason shoves her away violently into some decoration which slices her arm up. It seems that Jasper was going to be unable to control himself with the paper cut and the single drop of blood it presented, but then Edward made it worse by throwing her, "Dazed and disoriented, I looked up from the bright red blood pulsing out of my arm into the fevered eyes of the six suddenly ravenous vampires."

Bullshit. She bled all over the dance studio in Phoenix and no one had this reaction. Unless James beat her into the mirrored wall without cutting her? How is this what is happening right now? How does Dr. Carlisle work at the hospital? It makes no sense at all.