"Will Bella Ever Be Normal Again?" That Was The Question Charlie Was Indirectly Asking Alice. BUT: What was Alice's Answer? And Do You Agree With Her? Those Are The Rose Questions For Today.

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Doc B MD on May 21, 2010 at 11:02pm

Edward does have some very attractive features.

Permalink Reply by wolfeagle on May 21, 2010 at 11:04pm

ouch roflol

Permalink Reply by ShannonP on May 21, 2010 at 11:16pm

wow, attractive features might be an understatement Doc!

Permalink Reply by Debbie Adams on May 18, 2010 at 5:09am

In NM Alice told Bella she would change her herself before they even got to EC. and she also told BS that she could see her because she was already intuned to her.

Permalink Reply by Doc B MD on May 18, 2010 at 9:54pm

I agree with you JJ. I don't think that it was Alice's place to say that. I think that she just responded reflexively. As she did in Volturia, Doc

Permalink Reply by Linda Gaines on May 21, 2010 at 8:14pm

I JUST LOVE YOUR RESPONSE TO DOC B. IT WAS GREAT TO READ; AND KEEP IN GOOD STANDING WITH THE BOOK. THANKS!!!!

Permalink Reply by Tara on May 14, 2010 at 12:41am

Hi Doc,

You are a tricky, tricky bear, making me go back and re-read this part! I have to tell you, I grabbed my book, sat back down at the computer to read it, flipped open to about the part I thought it was in...and I opened to the exact page this conversation starts on! Am I good, or what??

I realty love this scene where Alice and Charlie are discussing and worrying over Edward. It really shows how much they respect each other, and how much they love and worry over Bella. The fact that Charlie has so much to say about anything really - especially something that doesn't involve beer, fishing, football or police work, really showed how much he cares about his daughter. And isn't it something how comfortable he is sitting there and talking to Alice? The man can hardly string three words together, and yet there he is having this open and easy conversation with this little vampire girl.

You know, after reading and re-reading these pages a few times, I'm really getting a sense that more than Charlie looking to Alice for confirmation that Bella was OK, Alice was probing at Charlie's memory, trying to determine Bella's well being for herself. I think that if Charlie had asked Alice if his daughter was going to be OK, Alice would have told him that she would be OK again, she just needed time to finish healing. And I think she would have mostly believed that. I think that Alice knew that while Bella would never fully heal from the loss of Edward, she would at least in time, improve. But Alice had a couple of unique perspectives that Charlie, and most everyone else, didn't have. First of all, she had seen what the loss of Bella had done to Edward. Knowing as she did that their connection was completely mutual, she would know that the pain she had watched her brother go through would be very similar to the pain Bella was going through. I'm sure that Alice couldn't imagine her brother ever being "okay" again, and therefore she would have the same worries about Bella. And then there are Alice's very unique visions. With all her heart, Alice believed that her brother had done the wrong thing in leaving Bella human and walking away from her. She respected Edwards decision because she loved and respected her brother enough not to go against his wishes, but she didn't think that they were doing the right thing. I think that deep down Alice felt that they were more or less disrupting the natural order of things. She had seen Bella as one of them, so she would have seen how happy she was, and how much Bella joining the Cullens so completely just fit. I'm sure that anyone seeing what Alice saw could tell that Bella was meant to be one of them. So if you take away the very building blocks of what is meant for a person...how can they ever really be OK?? At least that would have been Alice's concern.

What I see of this conversation is Alice firing question after question at Charlie, desperately trying to make sure that her family didn't completely break her when they left. I think Alice would have been hopeful that Bella could be more or less OK again, but that she would know that the damage caused when they left would always be there to some extent. And for her part in it, I'm sure she felt terrible.

Bonus: Optional question: In the same conversation. Bella specifically notes, a very telling response that Alice gives to a presumption that Charlie makes. Bella even takes the time, to comment on the unique quality of Alice's reply. Bella says: "Alice switched to a steeled voice'.. And I could even imagine her eyes flashing as she said ; 'I wouldn't be so fast to make that assumption Charlie!' But our INVARIABLY intuitive Bella, didn't speculate on the implications of Alice's retort. (Retort: To reply in an especially abrasive manner) WHY DO YOU THINK THAT SHE DIDN'T

Alice's response to Charlies jab at her brother made it so clear that Edward was having a hard time with the separation too But Bella was so wrapped up in the belief that Edward didn't love her, didn't want her...her brain was just incapable of wrapping itself around the idea that anything else could be true. I think in a way, it was a protection mechanism. She had learned to (more or less) live, or maybe I should say survive, with these three basic facts: She loved Edward. Edward didn't love her. Edward was gone, and never coming back. But every day was like walking a tight rope to her, and she was barely staying on, clinging to these facts. She couldn't afford to let herself even think of hoping that things could be different, because if she did she feared she would fall off the rope, and once she did, she'd never be able to get back up.

Permalink Reply by Doc B MD on May 17, 2010 at 9:18pm

Dear Tara,
Your right you are so good!! "I realty love this scene" I do too Tara. It is such a revealing and intimate exchange. You are right. It shows us that there is so much more to Charlie. BSQ; "I never fooled him for a second." He suffered right along with "his girl." And as you say "And isn't it something how comfortable he is sitting there and talking to Alice?" It really is. As they talk we learn how much they have come to love and respect each other. And it teaches us that when Alice was going over to help with "Bella's" daily shower, that she was also intimately bonding with Charlie.
And as you note she was probing Charlie as well ACQ: "Tell me everything Charlie!"
I think that out of her love for Edward, Bella, Charlie, and her family she just had to know the truth. They all had suffered. RCQ: "Esme is suffering terribly Edward."
You are so right. It was only Alice who knew that BOTH Edward and Bella were suffering terribly. I wonder what she would have done if they hadn't been "called" to Volturia ? My gut tells me she would have let Edward know. BUT if Edward had learned Bella was progressing with Jacob, he might have gone to Volturia anyway, rather than destroying her chance at human happiness. Edward was in such a bind. He adored Bella so much. But like us, ECQ: "I am such a selfish creature." He wasn't but he felt that he was.

You say "but she didn't think that (Edward and Bella) they were doing the right thing." You have to be right. Not only did she understand their love. SHE was in a beautiful relationship with Jasper. So she KNEW they could be happy if Bella was allowed to cross over.

I agree "And for her part in it, I'm sure she felt terrible." When Alice said ACQ: "You look terrible Bella." She wasn't only referring to he physical appearance.

Bonus question: you say "I think in a way, it was a protection mechanism." Home run!! I think. see my response.
The rest of your opinion exactly matches mine. Except yours is better worded AS USUAL. Thanks for a great, great response, Yours, Doc

PS: If you look closely at the photos below you will learn "The rest of the story!"

Permalink Reply by Tara on May 18, 2010 at 1:37am

Thank you Doc!!! And isn't that picture in-ter-est-ing!!! I honestly don't believe that they are together, and the reason I say that is because of what I believe I would do if I was in their position. I know that all the speculating (rightfully) drives them crazy, so if I were them and I WAS in that relationship, by this point I think I would have saud something just to put an end to it, and not give people a reason to try to catch a slip up every moment of every day. But if we really were just friends and I had been denying the accusations for months and no matter what I said people didn't beleive me, I know I would clam up just as they have out of frustration. You won't beleive my truth?? Fine then you're not getting anything out of me! I don't know, maybe that's just me though...

Permalink Reply by Doc B MD on May 18, 2010 at 10:25pm

Well Tara, I never use to believe that they were together. And I have no idea now. Kristen is such a strong method actor and every time that I have seen them interviewed she has never been able to keep her hands off him. Who knows! It might just be easier to pretend to be together and put the speculation about both their lives to rest.
I remember Larry King asking a well known actress how she felt about a kissing scene with another girl. She said "I'm an actress Larry. We act for a living!!"
But whenever you are making a series of movies who's world wide, box office and DVD sales are coming in at around a billion dollars apiece, there could be a temptation not to rock the boat but just to go with the flow. yours, Doc

Permalink Reply by JJ on May 18, 2010 at 10:52pm

Just to throw in another thought. It could be Summit that does not want them to declare themselves a couple (if they are a couple). Edward is probably the most romantic fictional character right now, and everyone wants to date him (at least in their minds they do). Rob plays that fictional character and so many have transposed their love for Edward onto Rob. As long as Rob is "single" the fantasy may continue, but once he is "out of the market" then that lesson the excitement, and the possibility of "catching" him for yourself.
Just a thought.

Permalink Reply by Doc B MD on May 18, 2010 at 11:00pm

Dear JJ, Thats a great point. On American Idol Simon has repeatedly told contestants "Don't let people know if you are in a serious relationship because members of the opposite sex loose interest and quit voting for you. If there was one picture that made me think that they were together it was this one. Because what STARLET is going to go out dressed like this unless she knows that the guy she is with is hers. But who knows we could just be being set up for a fall, one way or the other.

Yours Doc

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