Edward’s Love For Jacob! What Was That All About?

Towards the end of the novel “Eclipse,” Edward is repeatedly emotionally traumatized by his fiance's (Bella Swan's) expressions of love for his former mortal enemy, Jacob Black. First as Edward keeps watch over Bella, while she is asleep in a Sleeping bag, wrapped in Jacob's arms, Edward listens in pain, as Bella “sleep talks in her sleep" and whispers, “Jacob, 'MY' Jacob.”

And the next morning as Edward watches (through the minds of a half a dozens werewolves) he witnesses, Bella “crushing her lips to Jacob’s, over and over again repeatedly in more passionate ways, than she had ever done with him. And he must have been ripped apart as he listens to the woman he adores whisper, “I love you Jacob”

Edward is powerless to keep his ever alert clairvoyant mind, from watching as Bella repeatedly tells Jacob to, "Come back to me. And finally he watches as his beloved fiance welcomes a final gentle kiss good bye from Jacob. And Edward observes the relief and love in Bella's face as Jacob proclaims. "I'll be back soon."

Mercifully Jacob finally leaves Edward's fiance and runs off. But Jacob's vivid visual images of Bella's kisses and her proclamation of her love for Jacob, form an unending loop that keeps replaying in the minds of Edward and every member of the wolf packs minds. The constant "vivid" unending images of Edward's fiance's betrayal are so disturbing that they eventually even physically nauseate Bella's highly principled friend Quill.

After Jacob leaves Edward returns. And Bella repeatedly yells at him "FIGHT! (fight against my love for Jacob, implied) FIGHT FOR ME!!" (Win me back, implied) Fight!

But Edward understands the power of love, because he just happens to be madly in love, for the one and only time in his life. And Edward knows that nothing on earth, heaven, or hell could ever destroy his love for Bella. And like an emotionally broken man, a man whose only reason for living, may well have already left him, he simply painfully responds, “How ?”

Just minutes later Edward watches through Quill's mind, as the "New Born Vampire," Cullen-Werewolf battle rage below. And then Edward see Jacob (the man who may already have taken his fiance Bella, and his "only reason for living" away from him. And Jacob is in the process of being crushed to death. Bur rather than being relieved, as we might well expect, Edward "falls to his knees and clutches his hands to his head in anguish! And yells to the heavens "Help him SAM!"

Later in the day Bella listens as Charlie describes Edward's expression of his emotions on seeing Jacob at Billy’s cabin. Charlie told Bella,“Edward looked down on Jacob’s injured body with the concern and affection that a man would have shown his own brother!" "I have to see Jacob at once," was Bella's only acknowledgement that she had heard her father's expression of respect and admiration for Edward."

Discussion question: Edward’s Love for Jacob! What was that all about ?”

Counterpoint questions, are questions that arise as a debate progresses. If there are any questions that this specific discussions raises that you would like the Rose group to discuss, just click on any "Reading Bear" icon and send me your question as a message, and I will add it.

2. Doc, When Bella is sleeping in Eclipse Edward hears he whisper in her sleep "MY Jacob!' In Breaking dawn Nesse says: "My Jacob!' Is that just coincidental?

1. Could Jacob's infatuation with Bella, and her allure over him, have started even prior to the beach? JB to BC Q: "You won't remember (because you were only 4 years old, but I still remember you from 13 years ago, all implied or deduced but not said) JB "We use to make mud pies together!" BS: " Right?" (said with a tone to imply that "I have no remembrance of you." implied) BS to JB "It would be nice to have one friend (you) at school with me."

Sincerely Doc, B

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by White Demon on March 29, 2010 at 1:25am

I think, Edward kinda of came around after their little talk in the tent when Bella was "sleeping", and even though Jacob and Bella did make out and she did say that she loved him, its nothing that Edward didn't see coming, He knew that Bella loved Jacob too.

and Lol! that last picture was such a bad photoshop. Lol

Permalink Reply by Emily on March 29, 2010 at 1:27am

I think it goes back to something I said in another thread "sometimes when you love someone you want them happy, even if it's not with you."

I think edward sees that Bella loves them both and she loves them in the same yet differant ways. Edward told her after he came back in New Moon " I'm here until you tell me to go" , so I think in the back of his mind he knows he can lose her. She bonded with Jacob when he left and they got close. He wanted her to move on and she was starting to when he came back and he knows that. He loves her enough not only to let her go, but to want to keep the things that make her happiest, safe as well.

I think Edward also feels as if he may owe Jacob for keeping Bella safe and somewhat happy, when he failed too.

I don't think its so much love for Jacob as it is a strong appreciation for him from Edward.

Permalink Reply by ShannonP on March 29, 2010 at 1:40am

I think this one is quite simple Doc--Edward knows that part of Bella loves Jacob, and that because of that love, Jacob is a part of Bella. And Edward is simply not capable of anything but love when it comes to Bella--even the part of her that belongs to Jacob. So loving Bella means loving Jacob too, because Jake is a part of the woman Edward loves. Hating Jacob would be like hating a part of Bella--and besides, it would hurt her, and Edward couldn't stand that.

Permalink Reply by Okita on March 29, 2010 at 7:22am

I agree with you Shannon in that Edward knows that Bella loves Jacob too just not in the same way. Because Edward loves everything about Bella that also means loving what she loves. I also feel that it has to do with his appreciation of Jacob and how much he was willing to sacrifice in order to keep Bella safe right down to his own life even when part of Jacob knew that Bella still might not have chosen him.

Permalink Reply by Debbie Adams on March 29, 2010 at 1:59am

Edward had a respect for Jake for protecting Bella when he left her. Edward's love for Bella was the type of love that he would do anything for her as long as she was happy. He know that he would of never left then Jake and Bella would not of became so close. He also know that Jake did love her. When EC and BS where in the tent after the kiss EC says " There are holes in your life that I can't fill. I understand that." He tells her that she loves him to. She tells him but I love you more. He tell her thathe knows that too. Then he talks about how when he left her that he left her bleeding and that JB was the one who stitch her back up again. That is a hurt that leaves a mark on both of them. Then he say that he cant blame either of them for something he made necessary and that he may gain forgiveness but he still has to pay the consequences. He know that Jake would take care of her if she pick him and EC is noble man. When BS came back from seeing JB and was cring in the truck and all night he ask her if she was making the right decission if that cause he so much pain. When she told him yes I believe in BS mind she was saying that I was a zombie for months when you left and with Jake it was just one good cry. I know I can't live with out you. Edward respected Jake and he know that because Bella care for him he would care to. When Jake was hurt and EC fell to his knees he know if Jake didn't make it that Bella would be heart broken and he could not stand for her to be hurting in any way.

That all I got of the top of my mind after I think I may come up with more later. Looking forward to hear what everyone else is thinking. What a good question thanks as always Doc for making us think about things.

Permalink Reply by ulfah samodra on March 29, 2010 at 2:30am

This is love of the friendship.
Because Edward knew that Bella loved Jacob and she can't live without Jacob. So Edward will try to love what she loves.

Permalink Reply by Dawn Rose Gawthorpe on March 29, 2010 at 4:37am

Edwards love is an old fashioned love- in his time men and women were "open" about having affairs out of marriage it was understood that if you were not fulfilling your duty as a marriage partner, another partner could do so.... this I think is his thinking and that his love for Bella is so pure - if he has been able to get over his thirst for her blood I should think what he is "allowing" with Bella and Jacob is a walk in the park!!!!!

Permalink Reply by ellen on March 29, 2010 at 8:22am

well,i think Bella love Edward ,but.....Jacob is good..too

Permalink Reply by Fran on March 29, 2010 at 9:20am

Hi Doc,

Edward's love for Jacob was something out of the normal. It was a combination of things...Apprecation for keeping her alive while he was gone..A friendship that could be open and honest, seeing as they are both from the same supernatural world...A comrade in a war that was centered around the love of his existance.
Bella was the common ground that tied them together. He knew if he didn't hurt Jacob he wouldn't be hurting Bella. To fight with him was fighting with her. Edward knew that Bella loved him and loved Jacob, he couldn't fathom their connection or the degree in which that love grew, but knew he couldn't break that love either, for it would break him too. So he chose to be the bigger and better man by loving something that was totally against his existance. Them fighting together against the new borns and not fighting each other proved to Edward that Jacob could be trusted, could be relied upon, could be a friend.
When Jacob got hurt and Edward saw it, His grief for that pain was 100 times worse than it should have been because he was also feeling it through the wolves as well. He was so in sync with them at the time, it was like he was one of them. He couldn't seperate himself from the wolves, and that to me is what brought upon the love for Jacob as well as Seth for that matter. To know and to understand that the wolves would die to save the lives of the humans. As Edward and his family chose thier different life style, they to save humans. That was a common bond that formed between all of them. A bond of love, friendship, and appreciation.

Hope this helps Doc.
As always these are only me thoughts, looking forward to everybody elses.
Fran

Permalink Reply by Robin on March 29, 2010 at 9:53am

A bond of love, friendship, and appreciation. . . . AND respect.

Permalink Reply by Fran on March 29, 2010 at 10:40am

Robin, yes and respect.

Permalink Reply by Robin on March 30, 2010 at 10:19am

This was awesome V!! You are so right on the money here. Bella needed to "test" herself (even without her consciously knowing) with Jake so there would never be any "what ifs" in her life or "what ifs" with either Jacob or Edward. We know that Jake keeps testing her theory throughout -- her theory that she loves Jake but is "IN LOVE" with Edward and it's "always been him". Edward IS selfless. Edward wins her and Jake wins too . . . Renesmee.