Tuesday, October 11, 2011

Breaking Dawn Re-Read Along: The Summaries: Week 4

Summaries for chapters 7 and 8 (and the book 2 preface) below...it's getting intense in here ladies ;-)  (Summaries again from http://www.shmoop.com/breaking-dawn/summary.html )


Chapter 7:

  • Bella again dreams about the Volturi advancing on her. For the first time, she doesn't feel fear. "I was hungry for it. I wanted them to charge" (7.4). She awakens to find that Edward has left to go hunting. She's again filled with cravings for food, but then feels sick afterwards.
  • In the morning, Bella still feels nauseous. She also realizes that her period is late. She puts two and two together: the sleeping, eating, and baby dreams, and then she discovers a "small but defined bump" on her stomach.
  • Oops! Could that mean she's pregnant? But how? Replaying her research about vampire legends in her mind, she remembers one story that mentioned the ability of male vampires to procreate with female humans. That's when the bump nudges her.
  • Alice calls, because she "saw" Bella and her bump. Since Edward is frozen with shock, Bella speaks with Carlisle, who tells her to return home at once. Edward comes back to his senses, promising Bella that they'll get rid of that "thing" as soon as they get home. Bella thinks of the child as their baby, "with Edward's eyes… lying fair and beautiful in my arms" (7.143).
  • Kaure arrives with dinner. She witnesses Bella throwing up in the sink, and notices her baby bump. She launches a tirade at Edward in a foreign language. Edward asks Kaure questions, and by the end of the conversation, he's in severe pain and agony. Before Kaure leaves, she places her hand on Bella's stomach and sighs "morte" – meaning "death" in Portuguese.
  • Afraid that Edward will hurt the baby, Bella secretly calls Rosalie for help before a boat picks them up to start their journey home.
Book 2 Preface:

  • In Book 2, Jacob is our narrator.
  • Jacob's section starts out with a quote, launching us right into Jacob's mindset and narrative style: Life sucks, and then you die.
Chapter 8:

  • Jacob and Paul hang out at Jacob's house. During their conversation, we learn that Paul imprinted on Jacob's sister, Rachel, when she visited at the end of the summer. Another one down. Four out of ten pack members have now imprinted.
  • Jacob's thoughts run wild with scenarios of how Bella and Edward will break the news of her "death" to Charlie. He holds Edward responsible for Bella's choice to become a vampire, and works himself into such a rage until all he can think of is to kill Edward. But Sam, the Alpha wolf, decided the wolves wouldn't attack without a clear breach of treaty by the Cullens.
  • Down at the beach, Jacob comes across Quil and Claire. Quil describes what he did for Claire's third birthday. Quil has imprinted on Claire, and their mutual love for each other is obvious. When Jacob asks Quil if he's ever considered dating, Quil explains that he's not interested in other girls anymore. "I don't see their faces" (8.104).
  • When Quil suggests to him to start dating, though, Jacob responds with the same answer. He sees no one but Bella.
  • Alarmed by Sam's howl, the wolves gather in the forest. They learn that Bella's dad, Charlie, called Jacob's father, Billy Black, to tell him that Bella had returned home early from her honeymoon, sick with some rare disease.
  • Convinced that the disease is just an excuse for Bella's transformation into a vampire, Jacob calls the wolves to attack. Once again, Sam orders them to wait until they have evidence.
  • Jacob defies Sam's orders, challenging him to make him "a slave." Sam lets him go and Jacob takes off to fight the Cullens alone. "Nope, the pack wasn't attacking anyone today. But I was" (8.219).
What do we think of our Edward's reaction to the "news"?  Alice's?  Carlisle's?  What do we think about our new narrator for book 2?  Was it as weird for you ladies (especially the first time) as it was for me to get used to not being in Bella's head?  See you in the comments!!

Chapters 9 and 10 up on Tuesday! 

13 comments:

  1. Bad me, didn't do my re reading homework assignment.
    Be back when I do.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Is it just me or is it Bella's own fault for Edward's reaction. She doesn't give him any sort of indication to her feelings. She's crying being all introspective and he's freaking out. He doesn't know she already love the baby, that she's changed her mind about not wanting to be a mother. So any and all overreaction on his part is only fueled by her silence.

    Reading Jacob's POV from new eyes I'm less pissy about it. My first time through I was like "Aw come on! We're just getting to the good stuff and you stop, for this!?!" But he's upset Bella is choosing to die for what? Love? That's a joke to Jake. He loves her, she loves him but not enough to live for him or her family whom she loves too. I kinda get it, in his mind she's being stupid wanting to die for someone else(he will see the light eventually and know what it's like to want to die for someone, for a reason bigger than himself). Although his reaction to wanting to slaughter the whole Cullen family bc of her decision is just ridiculous! It does bring him to the Cullen house after they are back from the honeymoon so he can see what's happening for himself. His reactions to things are more like Edward than we think. He wants Bella to live, just like Edward. He runs when times get tough (before the wedding), like Edward (to save Bella for no good reason in New Moon, stupid jerk). Am I saying Jake is exactly like Edward, hell no. But the two have way more in common than they or we think.

    ReplyDelete
  3. It seriously took me a good couple of chapters to get used to part 2 being in Jake's POV. I was so used to (after 3 1/3 books...) Bella's voice that getting into Jake's head just wasn't doing it for me. I mean, not that Jake ever does it for me, but I'm just saying...

    ...I think the POV shift was necessary though. As much as it was awkward at first and all that, I don't think it would have been the same without it. Especially with Bella's visions clouded with the baby and almost dying and all that stuff, it would be tough. I think Edward's POV would have been too clouded too. Jake's had a certain haze but it gave a pretty good impression to me of what was going on.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I would have much rather had EPOV. But I get why we have Jacob's instead. The movie scenes with him are really very good. Makes you feel all sympathetic to the dog, which is something I really didn't feel from reading the book. Never. So this time re reading I did feel differently about him. Maybe it is the way Kristen and Taylor react to each other on and off screen. It sort of killed my "hate Jake" buzz.
    I'd forgotten how much dreaming Bella did and it got me to wondering if they'd use her dreams to include the vampires, both the Volturi and the other "bad" vampires. Bill keeps talking about this movie having a "horror" feel to it and of course I first thought Bella and her spawn being the horror part but then thought maybe we are going to see a lot of her bad dreams too.
    I could go on and review all the good things about these chapters but that's boring, we know the good parts. Let me take a second to just ask: How many of you would say "excuse me" right before you throw up?

    ReplyDelete
  5. I hope they do the dreams with a horror type vibe, that would be cool.

    I would not say excuse me before throwing up.. I'd be all "Edward! Get the fuck outta my way!!!" LOL

    ReplyDelete
  6. That's my Kassie, very normal response!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Excuse me? before I puke? I think not.

    I'd be all, Edward what the fuck did you do to me? I will castrate your shit!

    Fran- yes, I like Jake much more in the movies. I also think SM did a superb job becoming Jacob and changing her voice and tone.

    I agree with Kassie about Jake and Edward seeing more eye to eye in this one.

    xxxooo

    ReplyDelete
  8. I agree too - I think that's why Jake's POV works...even if I had trouble getting used to it. He can kind of see Edward's point and while he's worried and angry and all that Edward is seemingly in such a depression through the whole thing that I think his thoughts and his POV would just be too hard...Jake has more of a range of emotions I think. Although it looks like in the movie we're going to get more range from Edward too..."you gave me no choice!"

    ReplyDelete
  9. Oh shit don't get me started on "Jake's range of emotion" all we'll see is... *straight face* I'm mad, I'm happy, I'm sad, I'm angry *with slight voice inflection* gah! No no no no no!

    ReplyDelete
  10. Not Taylor Jake...just Jake in the book - he's confused about the whole pack thing, he's angry, he's scared, he thinks he's in love with Bella, he's really in love with the baby...that kind of thing. I don't see it with Tay but in the books I think the range of different things is there where as Edward's POV - especially in the books - is omg, she's going to die and I'm going to have to kill the monster and then myself...

    ReplyDelete
  11. I know what you mean it makes the POV change easier Edward is too focused on one type of emotion with Jake he has more differing emotions and I guess a clearer head but that just means there will be more emotion for Jake to "play" in the movie.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Not going to lie, the shot of him crying leaning his head on his arms gets me a little...

    ...something about boy crying...I can't take it...

    ReplyDelete
  13. I'm a horrible person... it never makes me sad. Unless it's my brother crying bc he never does so if he does it's bc something is really sad or tragic.

    ReplyDelete

You've given me no choice...but to comment.