Many Twilighters love to say how "Edward and Bella love each other sooooo much!" I'm afraid I have to disagree on this point. Their relationship is pure lust, not love.
Here is my reasoning.
How do Bella and Edward decide they are in love? Well, Bella moves in to Forks. Her first day of High School there, she looks across the cafeteria, and she sees a totally gorgeous guy! He catches her attention immediately and she decides right then and there that he is the only man in the town who is good enough for her, despite the fact that she has never spoken to him once in her life. She swats off the other boys like flies and goes right for the hottie.
Edward, on the other hand, realizes that he can't read Bella's thoughts! Like the abusively creepy stalker he is, he feels a need to pry into her personal private thoughts, so he takes interest. Then, he realizes that she smells yummy! At first, this wards him off, but soon he comes to recognize that obsession with reading her thoughts and decides to act.
Now, you may say, "But it's their first meeting. They have to meet SOMEHOW." True, but that's not where it ends.
Edward is unhealthily obsessed with Bella, not in love with her. Breaking into her home to watch her sleep is NOT romantic; it is creepy and a sign of serious mental issues. He just watches her, because he finds it fascinating. Basically; he thinks she's good looking (and good smelling too, of course). He follows her around and wards off other boys who may potentially have a crush on her. This is actually abusive, believe it or not. But if you want to know more about Edward's abusiveness, see my other article.
Bella is unable to recognize any of Edward's faults. Now, you may think at a first glance that this is a sign of her devotion and love for him, but in reality, it shows her blindness of him. It proves that she really doesn't even know him. For example, take Biology class. He is completely rude and downright mean to her (I know that it is because he wants her blood, but that's a different thing), but when he starts talking to her, she ignores that. The hot guy is actually TALKING to her! Who cares that he acted like a jerk? He's too hot to be a bad guy! Instead of coming to accept Edward's flaws, she ignores them. That's probably because she doesn't know Edward very well, even after going out with him for two years.
This leads me to my next point. What do Edward and Bella ever do with each other? They sit around and stare at each other, or they make out, or they talk about who loves the other more. What's wrong with that? The answer is... nothing. To an extent. But they do this ALL THE TIME. This may be because neither of them has any real hobbies, but why not take the opportunity to find some together? But no. They never take the time to go out and do things together, go on dates, travel (no, the Florida trip doesn't count), joke around, or just TALK. I don't mean talking about who loves the other more or how beautiful the other is to look at, I mean just talk. Talk about each other interests, likes, dislikes, (hobbies, but there are none for either character, so that might not work out so well) past experiences, etc. The things they do together are all lusty things, not lovey things. They barely know each other, so how could they truly be in love?
In New Moon, Edward dumps Bella. Bella goes into "zombie-mode" for four months, refusing to talk to anyone or even acknowledge their very existances (that shows her extreme weakness in character). However, she then starts talking to Jacob, the next hot guy in town. Immediately, she starts feeling right better. That alone proves her to be feeling lust, not love, for Edward. Yes, she still hears his voice. That could be explained by three things; 1. it is her first relationship, so naturally she will always remember it, no matter how significant. 2. she is crazy. Schizophrenic, hearing voices in her head that are not really there. 3. Jacob is hot, but Edward is hotter. She must be with the hotter man. Therefore, Edward is still the one for her.
In Breaking Dawn, remember when Bella was pregnant with Renesmee? Remember how she had that sudden, completely uncharacteristic burst of happiness coming from nowhere? I don't know if you noticed, but it happened when Edward was more depressed than he'd ever been in his life. Why was she so happy about his pain and misery? Or did she not notice it? Why wouldn't she notice it if she really loved him? Edward may be able to conceal himself, but NOBODY can conceal that much pain and misery from their TRUE LOVE, I don't care if they are a vampire or a werewolf or a witch or wizard or a fairy or an elf or what. If she didn't notice, that shows her to be idiotic (which we all knew already) and it shows that she only lusts Edward. All she does at the end of Breaking Dawn is make love to him, which is what lust tends to make you do.
You want to compare them to Romeo and Juliet? Sure, I can do that, because I have actually READ the real version of Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare. Let me tell you; they were NOT supposed to be in love. The whole point was that they were in an obsessive lust relationship, mistaking it for love. That is the only way they are similar to Edward and Bella. The difference here is that Shakespeare did this intentionally, while Meyer has no idea of the point, and thinks her characters are in love. She thinks Romeo and Juliet were actually supposed to be in love? Our entire Honors English class agreed rather quickly that they were not in love. It was pretty obvious, unless you believe everything you're told without questioning or looking further.
Feel free to debate or disagree :) But if you're going to debate, actually debate. Don't just tell me I'm wrong, I'm an idiot, I don't understand it, or I'm just jealous, or any other ridiculous comment that gets you absolutely nowhere. Please actually debate. Thank you! :D
Here is my reasoning.
How do Bella and Edward decide they are in love? Well, Bella moves in to Forks. Her first day of High School there, she looks across the cafeteria, and she sees a totally gorgeous guy! He catches her attention immediately and she decides right then and there that he is the only man in the town who is good enough for her, despite the fact that she has never spoken to him once in her life. She swats off the other boys like flies and goes right for the hottie.
Edward, on the other hand, realizes that he can't read Bella's thoughts! Like the abusively creepy stalker he is, he feels a need to pry into her personal private thoughts, so he takes interest. Then, he realizes that she smells yummy! At first, this wards him off, but soon he comes to recognize that obsession with reading her thoughts and decides to act.
Now, you may say, "But it's their first meeting. They have to meet SOMEHOW." True, but that's not where it ends.
Edward is unhealthily obsessed with Bella, not in love with her. Breaking into her home to watch her sleep is NOT romantic; it is creepy and a sign of serious mental issues. He just watches her, because he finds it fascinating. Basically; he thinks she's good looking (and good smelling too, of course). He follows her around and wards off other boys who may potentially have a crush on her. This is actually abusive, believe it or not. But if you want to know more about Edward's abusiveness, see my other article.
Bella is unable to recognize any of Edward's faults. Now, you may think at a first glance that this is a sign of her devotion and love for him, but in reality, it shows her blindness of him. It proves that she really doesn't even know him. For example, take Biology class. He is completely rude and downright mean to her (I know that it is because he wants her blood, but that's a different thing), but when he starts talking to her, she ignores that. The hot guy is actually TALKING to her! Who cares that he acted like a jerk? He's too hot to be a bad guy! Instead of coming to accept Edward's flaws, she ignores them. That's probably because she doesn't know Edward very well, even after going out with him for two years.
This leads me to my next point. What do Edward and Bella ever do with each other? They sit around and stare at each other, or they make out, or they talk about who loves the other more. What's wrong with that? The answer is... nothing. To an extent. But they do this ALL THE TIME. This may be because neither of them has any real hobbies, but why not take the opportunity to find some together? But no. They never take the time to go out and do things together, go on dates, travel (no, the Florida trip doesn't count), joke around, or just TALK. I don't mean talking about who loves the other more or how beautiful the other is to look at, I mean just talk. Talk about each other interests, likes, dislikes, (hobbies, but there are none for either character, so that might not work out so well) past experiences, etc. The things they do together are all lusty things, not lovey things. They barely know each other, so how could they truly be in love?
In New Moon, Edward dumps Bella. Bella goes into "zombie-mode" for four months, refusing to talk to anyone or even acknowledge their very existances (that shows her extreme weakness in character). However, she then starts talking to Jacob, the next hot guy in town. Immediately, she starts feeling right better. That alone proves her to be feeling lust, not love, for Edward. Yes, she still hears his voice. That could be explained by three things; 1. it is her first relationship, so naturally she will always remember it, no matter how significant. 2. she is crazy. Schizophrenic, hearing voices in her head that are not really there. 3. Jacob is hot, but Edward is hotter. She must be with the hotter man. Therefore, Edward is still the one for her.
In Breaking Dawn, remember when Bella was pregnant with Renesmee? Remember how she had that sudden, completely uncharacteristic burst of happiness coming from nowhere? I don't know if you noticed, but it happened when Edward was more depressed than he'd ever been in his life. Why was she so happy about his pain and misery? Or did she not notice it? Why wouldn't she notice it if she really loved him? Edward may be able to conceal himself, but NOBODY can conceal that much pain and misery from their TRUE LOVE, I don't care if they are a vampire or a werewolf or a witch or wizard or a fairy or an elf or what. If she didn't notice, that shows her to be idiotic (which we all knew already) and it shows that she only lusts Edward. All she does at the end of Breaking Dawn is make love to him, which is what lust tends to make you do.
You want to compare them to Romeo and Juliet? Sure, I can do that, because I have actually READ the real version of Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare. Let me tell you; they were NOT supposed to be in love. The whole point was that they were in an obsessive lust relationship, mistaking it for love. That is the only way they are similar to Edward and Bella. The difference here is that Shakespeare did this intentionally, while Meyer has no idea of the point, and thinks her characters are in love. She thinks Romeo and Juliet were actually supposed to be in love? Our entire Honors English class agreed rather quickly that they were not in love. It was pretty obvious, unless you believe everything you're told without questioning or looking further.
Feel free to debate or disagree :) But if you're going to debate, actually debate. Don't just tell me I'm wrong, I'm an idiot, I don't understand it, or I'm just jealous, or any other ridiculous comment that gets you absolutely nowhere. Please actually debate. Thank you! :D
