Edward the Masochist and Bella the Adrenaline Junkie

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Stephanie Meyer released a new book titled Midnight Sun a couple years ago. When I first read it, I didn't really analyze it much. It was just magical to read Twilight (which is one of my favourite books) from Edward's point of view. I loved looking into Edward's mind and witnessing how much he loved Bella. 

When I was rereading it a few days ago, I realized how masochistic Edward really is. He accepts that he is in the story, but I never really got it until now. For those of you who aren't familiar with the story, Edward is a vampire who sustains himself on animal blood. Bella's blood is like a drug to him. (His own words.) It's nearly impossible for Edward to resist the allure of her blood. It brings him physical pain to be in her presence. It's like inhaling fire to him. Yet, he puts himself through that torture. Yes, you could say that it's all for love that he does this. I agree with that too. But, in the end, subjecting himself to that pain is masochistic. 

Another aspect to consider is what would happen if Edward accidentally lost control when he was around Bella. He wouldn't be able to stop himself once he tasted her blood. That would also cause him unendurable pain. Isn’t it masochistic to test his control like that, with her life on the line? How would he fare if something was to happen to her? He admits throughout the story that her life meant more to him than hers. He says that she is his lifeline and that she is a permanent change in his life. 

Then, let's look at Bella. She could be considered an adrenaline junkie – the way she flirts with death. She knows that Edward could kill her in seconds, yet, she does nothing to distance herself from him. She refuses to let him go. She seems to enjoy living on the edge like that. You could look at this as the amount of trust that she places in Edward. You could say that she has complete faith in his love for her and knows that it would destroy him to hurt her. But, you could also look a her as someone who takes risks.

I’m sure some of you might not agree with the way I portrayed Edward and Bella here. Let me get one thing straight. I still love the story. I still love the two of them as characters and as individuals. This was just something that struck me.

Comments

  1. Anderlin VictorMay 25, 2024 at 4:22 PM

    I'm pretty sure some would agree with your pov if they had fully read the series and wanted to critique the characters.

    ReplyDelete

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