Struggles and Conflict in Breaking Dawn

[vampbball]

Hi guys. EmmettCullen534, I feel you, but I kind of thought she would skip over the newborn phase - it's just so Bella. She's always controlled, logical, responsible, worried about hurting others. Why do you think Edward was attracted to her in the first place? It's also why New Moon was fun to read; it was great to see Bella be intentionally reckless, she who gets her homework done early.

My favorite conflict in Breaking Dawn was Eleazar's admission that the Volturi have ulterior motives when they judge and punish vampires. I so hope SM follows up with that idea. But it made me think about conflicts between the werewolves, vampires, Cullens, and humans.

The werewolves want to protect the tribe, then protect all human life.

The humans want to not be killed.

The vampires want to kill humans.

and the Cullens want to live in peace, without antagonizing any party.

These interests conflict. The Cullens and the werewolves are only allies insofar as they fight against other vampires. But if a vampire came into Forks and started killing people, would the Cullens lift a finger to stop it? I don't think so; their major goal is to not provoke the Volturi. I think it's important to realize that the Cullens do not protect human life; mainly they protect their own consciences and their way of life. If they did become human-protecting, that would bring all of vampiredom down on their heads. So I can imagine them having to choose between siding with the werewolves and other vampires.

And does anyone else think that Bella is a bit cavalier about joining a species that preys on humans? It makes me wonder whether Stephenie Meyer isn't kind of okay with the loss of human life, if it's part of a "natural" predatory pattern. (I.e., rapists and murderers aren't okay, but a hungry vampire is.)

[pennybug84]

first conflict with Jacob showing up at the reception & then nearly ruining it made me so mad! Jacob has always bugged me though. He's like this stupid immature teenage boy. But he made up for it when his pack wanted to go & kill Bella because of the pregnancy, but he decided to protect her. It surprised me when he decided to break off from the, and then to have Seth & Leah follow. So that was an unexpected conflict.

then defintely the conflict w/Bella wanting to keep her baby was I thought so awesome. At first I was so shocked when that happened. But when I read it the second time I could so understand Bella & her desire to keep the baby. (Also reading what SM said about it on her website helped too.)

Jacob imprinting on Renesme was just weird to me! I loved Bella's reaction to it, it was hilarious & I totally agree w/her!

I was soooooooooo happy the conflict w/the Volturi ended up with nothing bad happenig. I hate sad endings! I was so happy they got their happily ever after together. I wanted it to keep going!

[Putty009]

I only wish, through all the conflicts (which I think took up alot of the stories obviously) that we had had more time in Breaking Dawn to bask in their life-uncomplicated, happy, vibrant, new, and I just wanted a few chapters to chill in their life when they were unburdened and simply happy.

She stated in an interview that she stopped her story b/c Bella, as a young headstrong girl looses some of her relatiablity when she becomes a vampire. I just wish that we had gotten 3 or 4 chapters at the end of Breaking Dawn that gave us a sypnosis of their lives moving forward from all the chaos throughout Breaking Dawn and the other books.

It was like-> chaos volturi chaos-> happily ever after. I wanted more from their happily ever after. After all teh chaos of not only just Breaking Dawn but the rest. I had read 4 books worth of bella and edwards personal conflicts with the choices to come, plus all the outside conflicts that resulted in their lives and I just wanted abit more reading room at the end to relish in their happiness void of any chaos. finally

[twilighter_alice]

I really liked the struggles and conflicts in BD.

I laughed through the part where Bella's like" You imprinted on my kid!!??" and she went after him with fangs bared( pardon the pun).
And Seth HAD to get in the way.

[-veiled-]

I was dissapointed when there was no fight at the end. Like... for Jane+Alec+Aro+Caius+Demitri to be destroyed and the rest just scatter and they Cullens are the new royalty... I knew it wasn't going to happen, but I hoped

I was upset, too. I was looking for a little bit of action. I would have loved to see the Volturi use more of their abilities because we really only got to see previews.

[TrueBlood]

I agree with the few of you who said it was sort of a cop out to have Bella adjust perfectly to the Vampire life. She should have had to struggle more then just the few lines, like her tracking the hikers and her thinking Charlie smelled twice as good.

One conflict seemingly forgot was when they were preparing for the Volturi to show up. Bella still was the weakest link, they had no time to teach her how to be a good fighter. She ask Edward and Edward could not saying that standing there seeing which ways to kill her made it way to real and for her to have someone else do it. She even tackled him playfully kissing his neck to make him want to at least help but he brushed her off. Not that I am saying I don't understand it but it was a small conflict I thought made a big difference.

The Jacob/Nessie Imprinting was amusing and creepy at the same time. Bella's reaction was funny as h*ll her yelling at him. The best part was Edward and Carlisle in the background going 'Wow she hasn't gone for his throat once' and she didn't not till he nicknamed her daughter after the lock ness monster.

The pregnancy was a big one but one I didn't get so effected by because it was seen from a third party view.

[bite_me]

I'm wondering whether bella had many second thoughts about keeping the baby . . . whether there was a voice inside her saying 'just let him go, escape this pain, let everyone escape this pain'

from the way bella worries about everyone else, i think this voice was definitely there . . . do you think it was very loud and strong to her?

[Ichigo Kitty]

I think she was having worries of her own when she realized that she missed her period and could sense that she was having a baby. It was stressful for Edward too, but I think when Bella kept thinking about it she really wanted to keep the baby but Jacob was trying to convince her not to keep it because it was tearing her apart.

[cullen_kissez]

Whooohooo.... First post on the thread! One of my favorite conflicts and all around scenes in BD was when Jacob told Bella for the first time about his imprint on Renesmee. I got the biggest kick out of her chasing him and nearly beating the snot out of him...as if he could help it, poor guy! But, I laughed hysterically the whole time! I could just picture little Bella getting to pound huge tall Jake into the ground, the total picture of irony!

Jake was kinda brazen tho..
At the end of Jacob's book, I was holding my breath at what really happened, I wondered why Edward was being so bristled towards Jacob, I mean, he did give him permission to save Bella, whats with the hostility.. and then I took in Bella's response .. I mean, I gave her credit for all she'd managed while being a newborn n all - running away from the hunters' scent, ignoring the smell/taste of blood Renesmee showed her.. but when it came to the imprinting.. I was like, "finally, badass Bella gets to give Jacob a whoopass!!" and then seeing that smug look on Renesmee's face after 'her Jacob' wasn't hurt .. I cracked up!

Bella's reaction was priceless. I thought it was only fitting that Emmett had bet with Jasper (though it could have been Edward, Bella never says) that Jacob would get a good butt kicking.

I particularly like the whole scene where Jacob finally claims his birthright and becomes alpha. I got completely caught up in that moment. You could really feel the dissorder and confusion that overtakes the pack and then the sense of loss when it sinks in that the pack is irrevocably split. But it stays true to form that when it came down to draw the line with the Volturi and even though Sam's pack is a spearate unit than Jacob's, they still consider themselves a brotherhood and were there in a second to back up Jake and the Cullens. I just loved that.

Yea - I got hiccups right there too.. I was glad he was embracing his birthright, and the gentleman Edward is - he sought the need to ask .. I loved him right there..

I could've kicked Aro on his bony Why are we talking about a donkey? when he lied to Renesmee .. I wanted Zafrina to put somen on his - shield or not.. it got me so mad .. and he was holding on to Edward to whole time .. I had my teeth gritted, if Bella tried to shield Edward, she'd be shielding Aro too .. pompous Why are we talking about a donkey?!! I wanted Jane, Alec, Demetri, Felix & Caius to get their comeuppance.. I was praying for it.. I still secretly hope that they'll get it someday .. open a can of whoop-ass yes!

[una]

Due to an interesting question brought up in the Bella Thread in Sparkling, I thought I would bring it over here to discuss. How do you feel about the conflict in that the Cullens not only allowed the nomads/clans to hunt but offered them cars to ensure they hunted outside of their territory? Why didn't they try to insist they attempt a veggie lifestyle? How do you think the Cullens felt about this? Do you think any of them struggled with this reality? How do you think the werewolves coped with it?