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[oythegreat]

Orson Scott Card on New Moon:

"And at the end, Bella actually shows some spunk. There is a memorable scene between her and werewolf boy in which she is needlessly vicious to someone who has done her nothing but good -- she wouldn't be Bella if she had a spark of human compassion or feeling for any person other than herself and her alpha-male Edward

Comments

[oythegreat]

To Emily: This is likely what I would feel reading the book. Every woman has an inner 13-year-old who wants to be Bella. Hatred of Bella is merely jealousy. Cuz, omg, she's got Edward (who's just as annoying as Bella, but less selfish).

We all want to be her, to be utterly and completely IMPORTANT to so many varieties of men, to be mysteriously irresistable. The problem is Bella doesn't do anything to earn any of this.

She gets what she wants. Her selfishness is rewarded. While this is realistic, it doesn't make a great story. Stories are supposed to make sense. Reality is a tangled web of confusion, where good acts lead to nothing, while grasping, utterly selfish acts bring great rewards. A story is supposed to tell the truth, not reflect the bullshit that is real life.

So in response to Marlucio and Bekah's post: First of all, to say Jacob gets rewarded doesn't address the issue. What does that teach Bella? Why isn't Jacob the main character? I think his story of unrequited love, loyalty, and sacrifice is a much more interesting story than Bella's. She plays a passive role in her own story. The only time she seems to act is when it's to grab what she thinks is hers. I mean, she's nice in the gross sense of that word, but the driving force of her actions is to please herself, consequences be damned.

Compare Bella, for instance, to Harry Potter. Both come into the scene with a weird sort of power, something that makes them special. That's a cool premise. Except everything Harry does out of selfishness or anger leads to something bad happening to him or another person. Harry Potter has no choice but to discard his selfishness, because J.K. Rowling writes from a perspective of truth.

It's funny that Stephanie Meyer is a Christian (well, a Mormon), and J.K. Rowling has never spoken openly about her faith. And yet Harry Potter is obviously the most moral of the two, as long as you see morality from the viewpoint of love and not just technicalities--like Bella and Edward not completely having sex before marriage.

They are just books. I don't have a problem with people who like the series, but it's not the movies or Kristin Stewart's acting that are the problem. (I've seen other movies with Kristin Steward. She's a decent actress. Frankly, I just think she hates how vapid her role of Bella actually is.) It's that the story is centered around the wrong people. Stephanie Meyer's sense of a hero/heroine is flawed. It's likely her sense of right and wrong is also flawed.

And just because you think THAT of Orson Scott Card, Mar, doesn't mean it's more than a thought within your head. But, anyway.....gotta love ya. :)

[madenu777]

Ok the Jacob thing. He is rewarded probably more than everyone in the book really. Its completely unfaiir etc etc, but to focus on that is to diminish what he has done. Despite her NOT deserving anything from him he remains completely loyal. Like a dog the owner beats em and beats him and he comes back.(edward is feline*mountain lion and jacob is a the wolf-dog)

To everyone its stupid what jacob does/did. Most people make fun of dogs and call them dumb cause they do the same thing. Yet he remains faithful to her, and unable to "move on" from Bella. I do agree with you if the book was from anyone elses perspective it would be so much better. He recieves someone who he can be everyting (but not in a nasty clingy way) to in every chapter of her life, the wolf imprinting thing was very interesting and at first I thougt creepy as well.

The whole no sex before marriage thing felt so last minute tack on QUICK to me. He was born in 1933..give me a BREAK hes a virgin. They are built to draw in the opposite sex...and he remains haughtely aloof for all this time...yeah right. He has killed humans before but NOT seduced a woman???!!! I would have been ok with Bella being one but the way it was presented was also forced.

Again the movies have things that only those who has read the books could understand (fully).

Oh you know he is Oy you know it!!! I found like three supporting lines to my argument!