Edward Cullen - Abusive Boyfriend (Eclipse SPOILERS)

Your opinion?

I knew it all along.	61.8%	[ 1576 ]
Good points, but I'm not convinced.	15.4%	[ 393 ]
You're wrong, and I will post my rebuttal.	11.5%	[ 293 ]
But it's True Love!	11.4%	[ 290 ]
Total Votes:			[ 2552 ]

[Neavaya]

arrow Edward is jealous of Jacob because hes scared of loosing her and Werewolves have a bad temper which was proven before.
arrow The only reason he leaves her is because he didnt think it was a safew relationship. Hes only looking out for her.
arrow The only reason he forbids Alice from seeing her is because he wanted it to be a clean break.
arrow Yes, he said that if she died, he would find a way to go with her. Her memory would haunt him otherwise. This shows that he truely cares.
arrow If she didnt lie, they wouldnt have seen each other very often.
arrow They only reason he scares her is because yes, he is trying to show her how dangerous he can be to warn her. once again, another sign to show that he DOES care for her safety.
arrow No. Thats not true. Her decision is extremely important to him.
arrow Thats because he wanted to make a clean break. quote: "like i was never here". he wanted her to have a normal human life.
arrow he wanted her to forget about him so that she could live a normal life.
arrow Actually, no comment on the last one...

These are in order in case your wondering. PM me if you disagree and want me to go into further detail.

[Aldorel]

Okay. I'm going to get three things out here before continuing.

1. Read the "Common Arguments." Please. It's right under the points you're objecting to and covers most if not all of your objections. (These will be labeled "RTCA" wink If you still have problems, then respond to the rubuttals of Common Arguments.

2. Hubris: "a term used in modern English to indicate overweening pride, self-confidence, or arrogance, often resulting in fatal retribution. In ancient Greece, hubris referred to actions which, intentionally or not, shamed and humiliated the victim, and frequently the perpetrator as well. In its modern usage, hubris denotes overconfident pride and arrogance; it is often associated with a lack of knowledge. combined with a lack of humility." ~Wiki

Acting as though you know what's right and no one else has anything to teach you is hubris. Making major decisions about peoples' lives without consulting them is hubris. Needlessly taking all responsibility on your shoulders is hubris. Acting in hubris is wrong, just like acting out of hatred, and it backfires.

3. The End Justifies the Means (EJTM): Basically, all's well that ends well - if you're doing good in the long run, you can commit all sorts of small evils to get there and you're not actually in the wrong.

It's a problematic philosophy, especially when individuals apply it, because it is very difficult for individuals to determine that a certain course of action - lying, for example - will result in good in the long run. Ecpecially dangerous when combined with Hubris, because the individual will assume that they do know what will result in long-term good. And often, they are wrong.

Neavaya

arrow Edward is jealous of Jacob because hes scared of loosing her and Werewolves have a bad temper which was proven before.

Werewolves may have tempers, but Jacob's as good at controlling his as Edward is at controlling his thirst. RTCA

Neavaya

arrow The only reason he leaves her is because he didnt think it was a safew relationship. Hes only looking out for her.

He's acting on the assumption that he knows what's best for her without actually talking to her about it. See: Hubris And he lies about his feelings in a way that's guaranteed to hurt her. See: EJTM

Neavaya

arrow The only reason he forbids Alice from seeing her is because he wanted it to be a clean break.

He has no right to control her healing process. People do not heal when healing is forced like that. See: Hubris See: EJTM

Neavaya

arrow Yes, he said that if she died, he would find a way to go with her. Her memory would haunt him otherwise. This shows that he truely cares.

"Killing yourself over someone does not prove you love them, it proves that you need mental help." RTCM

Neavaya

arrow If she didnt lie, they wouldnt have seen each other very often.

See: EJTM

Neavaya

arrow They only reason he scares her is because yes, he is trying to show her how dangerous he can be to warn her. once again, another sign to show that he DOES care for her safety.

And knowing that a car hit him and the car got damaged isn't enough of a warning? Frightening your girlfriend is wrong. RTCA and See: EJTM

Neavaya

arrow No. Thats not true. Her decision is extremely important to him.

Then why does he attempt to kidnap her in Book 1 rather than listen to an alternative plan (Alice and Emmet had to convince him to listen), leave her without talking to her about it, go to extreme measures to make sure that she gets a "clean break" whether she wants it or not, forge her signature on a college application that she doesn't want to send in, take a part out of her car and have Alice place her under house arrest rather than let her see Jacob, and send Jacob a wedding invitation against her explicit wishes?

He says her decisions matter to him, but does he act like it?

Neavaya

arrow Thats because he wanted to make a clean break. quote: "like i was never here". he wanted her to have a normal human life.

Again, why does he think he has a right to make that decision for he? See: Hubris, See: EJTM.

Neavaya

arrow he wanted her to forget about him so that she could live a normal life.

Are you reading the words that are coming out of my keyboard?

Neavaya

arrow Actually, no comment on the last one...

Funny. Half the people who object to all the rest have no comment on the last one. wink


Oh, and happy 100 pages, everyone.

[Sionja]

Aldorel

[...]


Oh, and happy 100 pages, everyone.

: D I like you. Would you like my metaphorical first born?

heart

[shmeiliarockie]

Cherryberry642

whatever edward's still hot & he still loves bella.

This says so much. It's okay if he hurts you, so long as he's attractive and he says he loves you. That's a free pass for him to do whatever he wants to you, like watching you through your bedroom window at night without your knowledge, or disabling your car to prevent you from seeing your *male* best friend.

Those points Aldorel brought up about hubris are very intersting. "it is often associated with a lack of knowledge. combined with a lack of humility." Nail on the head, right there. Hubris is a problem I've encountered among youth with increasing frequency, and it's a disturbing trend. Even when I was in high school (nearly ten years ago), probably eighty percent of my classmates refused to learn anything because "it's stupid". And then they turn around and act like they know *everything*. But that's neither here nor there. Back to the topic.

One thing that happened in Breaking Spoilers that REALLY rubbed me the wrong way:

Edward going behind her back and asking Jacob to procreate with her to "replace" their deadly baby, which he wants her to abort. Nevermind she wanted to keep it. Nevermind what she wanted. Once again, he thought knew better than her. "But it was for her health!" they will say. "It was killing her!" Yes, but if she wants to risk her life for her baby, that should be her decision. As her husband, he should respect that. He doesn't have to LIKE it, but he should respect it. Did he even talk it over properly with her? I seriously doubt it.

Of course, there were others, but that was the big one.

[Vampyre Bella]

Oh, COME ON people! It’s just a story! I’m tired of people putting SOOOO much thought into this. Why can’t they just enjoy it for what it is? A cool, weird and unconventional love story.

Honestly, I think that anyone who obsesses over it enough to write an essay like this has way too much time on their hands. Nitpicking every little line in the book is retarded. Just CHOOSE either Ed or Jacob and MOVE ON.

(And for the record, some of us LIKE Edward’s possessiveness of Bella and think it’s hot. Thank you very much.)

[bePeterPan]

Vampyre Bella

Oh, COME ON people! It’s just a story! I’m tired of people putting SOOOO much thought into this. Why can’t they just enjoy it for what it is?

Because there isn't anything to enjoy. Unless these are the first and only books you have ever read in your life.

Vampyre Bella

A cool,

A boring,

Vampyre Bella

weird

even more boring

Vampyre Bella

and unconventional

and unoriginal ...honestly, I've seen better stuff on Quizilla.

Vampyre Bella

love story.

Love story?! Love story?!? You call that a love story? There is no love, only lust.

Vampyre Bella

Honestly, I think that anyone who obsesses over it enough to write an essay like this has way too much time on their hands.

No, we are worried for the future of modern literature and have somehow lost faith in editors and publishers. Who would publish that crap?

Vampyre Bella

Just CHOOSE either Ed or Jacob and MOVE ON.

Why would we "choose" if we don't like the story and can't sit back and enjoy it? This sentence makes no sense and just makes you look dumb.

Vampyre Bella

(And for the record, some of us LIKE Edward’s possessiveness of Bella and think it’s hot. Thank you very much.)

Well then I fear for you and your future relationships if you don't know that men DO NOT posses women. It sounds like you'd enjoy being owned, eh? Okay, go back in time, paint yourself black, and see how much you like being owned.

[holdingontobelieve]

Very well thought out and organized. I'm usually not a fan of anti-topics to be honest. But I must admit that the attention this series is getting is really starting to irritate me. I can't believe the amount of people (mostly girls mad ) that read the book and didn't have anything more to say on the book other than: "ZOMG!!!! BELLA CAN'T HAS HIM EDDY'S MINE!!!"
...And that's one of the more literate reactions I've scene. Glad someone's finally trying to get the poor sap some therapy. heart

[Lillewyn]

JUST TO CATCH YOUR ATTENTION: Read this or not, at least I’ll get this across: I DISAGREE

Abandonment is yet another control tactic. It is emotionally jarring, disruptive, and, if timed properly, can convince the target that their life is less worthwhile without the abuser. I have been the subject of this treatment myself – and, if it were not for my close friends, it would have worked. Thanks to isolation, Bella has no such friends. When Edward resurfaces, she immediately clings to him more desperately than before. He has become her only lifeline.
~
I’d like to point out that he left because he feared for Bella’s life, and that it was essentially Bella’s fault that she chose to spend her time with the Cullens as opposed to humans.

I don’t care what Romeo and Juliet says: suicide is not romantic.
~
That would be your opinion.

As soon as Edward and Bella begin dating, Edward criticizes her friends as ‘shallow.’
~
He didn’t actually say ‘Bella, all of your friends are shallow.’ He was only talking about Jessica, who is shallow, you can’t dispute that. And although that doesn’t make insulting her right, Edward’s words were actually: “I was listening to your words in Jessica’s mind… her mind isn’t very original, it was annoying to have to stoop to that.” He didn’t say shallow, he said not original, and it isn’t exactly an insult.

For obvious reasons, Bella doesn’t want to be responsible for Edward’s death. But because of this fear for his life, she stays in a self-destructive relationship.
~
She didn’t want him to die because SHE LOVED HIM. Not because she would feel guilty because he died, or didn’t want to be responsible. And she stays in the relationship after, again, because she loves him, not because she fears for his life. And I want to point out that Edward only attempted to kill himself after he thought Bella had died. Bella knows this, and so, if she didn’t want to be in the relationship, she would also know she could leave without him killing himself.

In fact, it only shows that Edward can’t plead ignorance regarding how Bella would react to his statement. Any mind reader will know what she’d do.
~
Edward can’t read Bella’s mind. He didn’t understand Bella at the time (and not completely for a while, as is shown in New Moon) so there is no way, mind-reader or not, that he could have known what Bella would do.
I’d also like to point out that it was Bella’s decision not to tell her father about the date. Edward would have rather her told than not, and I don’t see how her not telling her dad ‘served his means’. He wanted her to tell so that he would have more reason not to hurt her.

And then Edward goes ahead and invites Jacob to the wedding even after Bella specifically said that she didn't want to invite him. Was it a good idea to have Jacob there, a gesture of reconciliation? Maybe. But maybe it was twisting the knife, and it's Bella's right to make that call.
~
Um, no. Bella said that she didn’t know whether she should invite him, and he decided to do it. She did not say she didn’t want him to come. In fact, she wanted him to come very much (as is displayed in Breaking Dawn), but didn’t know whether it would hurt him to be invited.

And in conclusion:

~All of your points seem to hinge on your understanding of the story. And all of them can be proven wrong by someone else’s understanding of it.
~I wonder why Stephenie Meyer would make one of her characters abusive? If the person who created him didn’t intend for him to be abusive, then he’s not. Period.
~While you do have some good points, a lot of them are very questionable.
~You seem to have misinterpreted the whole meaning of the story.
~You must have been very deeply scarred by whatever bad relationship you were in to make a whole argument about this, and to genuinely think that the point of Twilight was for Edward to be abusive.

[bePeterPan]

Oh, I'm tired of defending the obviousness of his abusiveness.

Lillewyn

That would be your opinion.

What? What are you trying to get accross? That wasn't an argument.

Lillewyn

He didn’t actually say ‘Bella, all of your friends are shallow.’ He was only talking about Jessica, who is shallow, you can’t dispute that. And although that doesn’t make insulting her right, Edward’s words were actually: “I was listening to your words in Jessica’s mind… her mind isn’t very original, it was annoying to have to stoop to that.” He didn’t say shallow, he said not original, and it isn’t exactly an insult.

Maybe he didn't outright call her "shallow" but he still meant it. Have you ever thought something but tried to say it in a nice way so as not to hurt anyone's feelings?
He still makes fun of Bella's other human friends. Edward simply thinks he's superior.

Lillewyn

She didn’t want him to die because SHE LOVED HIM. Not because she would feel guilty because he died, or didn’t want to be responsible. And she stays in the relationship after, again, because she loves him, not because she fears for his life. And I want to point out that Edward only attempted to kill himself after he thought Bella had died. Bella knows this, and so, if she didn’t want to be in the relationship, she would also know she could leave without him killing himself.

No she didn't love him. She never did. She had a crush on him and wanted to ******** him. Sorry for crushing your romantic dream.

Lillewyn

Edward can’t read Bella’s mind. He didn’t understand Bella at the time (and not completely for a while, as is shown in New Moon) so there is no way, mind-reader or not, that he could have known what Bella would do.
I’d also like to point out that it was Bella’s decision not to tell her father about the date. Edward would have rather her told than not, and I don’t see how her not telling her dad ‘served his means’. He wanted her to tell so that he would have more reason not to hurt her.

Edward has spent almost 100 years reading the minds of humans. He should understand human reaction by then. Plus, Bella's just a dumbass with 1/2 a brain...it can't be too hard.
Though it did "serve his means" because Bella can't give her father the power. Edward has the power.

Lillewyn

Um, no. Bella said that she didn’t know whether she should invite him, and he decided to do it. She did not say she didn’t want him to come. In fact, she wanted him to come very much (as is displayed in Breaking Dawn), but didn’t know whether it would hurt him to be invited.

Yet Edward didn't wait for Bella to make a decision. C'mon, Edward knew it would hurt Jacob, of course he invited him. He wanted to show off the superiority of vampires.

Lillewyn

And in conclusion:

~All of your points seem to hinge on your understanding of the story. And all of them can be proven wrong by someone else’s understanding of it.

No, you are naive and obviously don't understand literature.

Lillewyn

~I wonder why Stephenie Meyer would make one of her characters abusive? If the person who created him didn’t intend for him to be abusive, then he’s not. Period.

She didn't intentionally make him abusive. That's not what we're debating. It seems she intentionally made him (literary wise) perfect. People who try to argue that he does have a character flaw--abuse--so we are wrong, is also incorrect. There's a difference between character flaw and his abuse. A flaw brings the downfall of the character, but Edward never is punished for his abuse and always seems to get his way.

Lillewyn

~While you do have some good points, a lot of them are very questionable.

While you do make no good points, all of them are very questionable.

Lillewyn

~You seem to have misinterpreted the whole meaning of the story.

There never was meaning!!! We're not trying to say the moral of the story is that he's abusive. That's not a moral! A moral, if you recall, is something you learn by hearing a story. Bella learned nothing. There was no meaning to the story.

Lillewyn

~You must have been very deeply scarred by whatever bad relationship you were in to make a whole argument about this, and to genuinely think that the point of Twilight was for Edward to be abusive.

You know, that was a really ignorant comment on your part. I'm sick of people making nothing of abuse situations. Yes, I have been in a controlling relationship that ended up in rape of something special I was saving. It took me years of counseling and many milligrams of Prozac to build up my self-esteem, thank you.
I really doubt you thought one of us would answer, "Yes" to that comment. I just have. I now know the signs of control, so don't--in turn--tell me that you know the point of a meaningless story.
So YES, people should care about abuse and I think it's a sign that people aren't raising awareness when girls like you can't see the signs because you're blinded by superficial things like Edward's looks.

[Amberrsaurr]

Okay. First off, Edward was born in 1901. He was raised to be over-protective. He naturally considers it his job to protect her from anything and everything. Example - Jacob has a temper, and he could change at anytime, should he get too upset. So, Edward keeps Bella from him, but eventually lets her go. It's not as if he's isolating her from everything. Besides, it's important to the relationship that he be over-bearing. So please, go fix the problems in reality before attempting to criticize fiction.

[bePeterPan]

Panic Its Amber

Okay. First off, Edward was born in 1901. He was raised to be over-protective. He naturally considers it his job to protect her from anything and everything. Example - Jacob has a temper, and he could change at anytime, should he get too upset. So, Edward keeps Bella from him, but eventually lets her go. It's not as if he's isolating her from everything. Besides, it's important to the relationship that he be over-bearing. So please, go fix the problems in reality before attempting to criticize fiction.

Do you have personal experience from the early 1900's to back up your case? I doubt you do. The difference between men back then, and men now is not protection, it's repressed sexual desires. That's the reason he won't have sex with her.
Don't think I haven't sorted out my problems. So please, don't waste your time criticising our critique of fiction. Which, by your logic, you shouldn't be doing.

[Lillewyn]

This is directed and bePeterPan:

Quote:

He still makes fun of Bella's other human friends. Edward simply thinks he's superior.

I'd like to see some page numbers for that one.

Quote:

No she didn't love him. She never did. She had a crush on him and wanted to ******** him. Sorry for crushing your romantic dream.

Okay, that's just plain stupid. You obviously had no good answer to that one, and so you tried to make your answer seem feasible by using vulgar language and insulting me.

Quote:

Edward has spent almost 100 years reading the minds of humans. He should understand human reaction by then. Plus, Bella's just a dumbass with 1/2 a brain...it can't be too hard.
Though it did "serve his means" because Bella can't give her father the power. Edward has the power.

Yes, because every human mind is the same. Maybe, just maybe, he would be just tad confused as to what she may or may not have been thinking because she was the first person who's mind he couldn't read.

Quote:

Yet Edward didn't wait for Bella to make a decision. C'mon, Edward knew it would hurt Jacob, of course he invited him. He wanted to show off the superiority of vampires.

Beacause Jacob's coming to a wedding would show just how superior vampires are. OF COURSE. And don't you think it would be Edward's decision as to who he would invite as well as Bella's, considering it was his wedding as well?

Quote:

No, you are naive and obviously don't understand literature.

I'm not sure how my not thinking Edward is abusive is relevant to me not understanding literature. Here's a little life-lesson: Just because people don't agree with you doesn't mean you can tell them what they do or do not understand.
I fail to see how my arguing my points in a comprehensive way makes me naive, either. You do not know me personally. Therefore, you do not know how much I do or do not understand of literature.

Quote:

While you do make no good points, all of them are very questionable.

Wow, what a well thought out answer. You really had a lot of good arguments backing that extremely clever statement up. I guess I'm beat. crying

Quote:

There never was meaning!!! We're not trying to say the moral of the story is that he's abusive. That's not a moral! A moral, if you recall, is something you learn by hearing a story. Bella learned nothing. There was no meaning to the story.

Hm. You seem to have confused the word 'meaning' with the word 'moral'. I do understand what the word 'moral' means, thank you. 'Meaning' is something different, if you recall. And Bella, might I add, did learn alot of things. Such as what pain, sacrifice (even though she did not sacrifice much in Breaking Dawn, she was prepared to, and she gave up her relationship with Jacob in Eclipse), love and selflessness are.
And you don't seem to be Stephenie Meyer. I don't think you are the best person to be saying that there wasn't ever a meaning, if you know what I mean.

Quote:

You know, that was a really ignorant comment on your part. I'm sick of people making nothing of abuse situations. Yes, I have been in a controlling relationship that ended up in rape of something special I was saving. It took me years of counseling and many milligrams of Prozac to build up my self-esteem, thank you.
I really doubt you thought one of us would answer, "Yes" to that comment. I just have. I now know the signs of control, so don't--in turn--tell me that you know the point of a meaningless story.
and I think it's a sign that people aren't raising awareness when girls like you can't see the signs because you're blinded by superficial things like Edward's looks.

And that was a very, very ignorant comment on your part. What you have been through personally is not my problem. And I was talking to the person who first posted this whole 'Edward is abusive' thread, not you. So of course I didn't expect 'one of you' to aswer to my comment. I expected the person I directed the comment to to answer me, if anyone. Can you see how I would make that assumption?
I wouldn't know what an abusive relationship is like, as I have never been in a relationship.
Just because I don't agree with you doesn't mean I am ignorant, naive, or any of the things you have called me.
I didn't say people shouldn't care about abuse, so I don't see the point of your 'So YES, people should care about abuse.' comment, especially because I didn't ask you a question.
I have never once mentioned anything about Edward's looks, so I don't see how that is a valid accusation on your part.
So, that was an ignorant comment. Hipocrisy is extremely annoying.

[Aldorel]

Lillewyn

bePeterPan

You know, that was a really ignorant comment on your part. I'm sick of people making nothing of abuse situations. Yes, I have been in a controlling relationship that ended up in rape of something special I was saving. It took me years of counseling and many milligrams of Prozac to build up my self-esteem, thank you.
I really doubt you thought one of us would answer, "Yes" to that comment. I just have. I now know the signs of control, so don't--in turn--tell me that you know the point of a meaningless story.
and I think it's a sign that people aren't raising awareness when girls like you can't see the signs because you're blinded by superficial things like Edward's looks.

And that was a very, very ignorant comment on your part. What you have been through personally is not my problem. And I was talking to the person who first posted this whole 'Edward is abusive' thread, not you. So of course I didn't expect 'one of you' to aswer to my comment. I expected the person I directed the comment to to answer me, if anyone. Can you see how I would make that assumption?

Then the person you directed the comment to will answer. 4laugh But directing a comment to me doesn't prevent someone else from responding if they feel the need.

Actually, although I do still hae scars that I don't expect to heal any time soon, they're the type that you hardly notice most of the time because you're just getting on with getting over it.

The real reason I started this thread is that a friend and I thought there were enough interesting parallels between the dynamics going on in Twilight and New Moon and the dynamics of an abusive relationship to build a half-decent argument out of, and Eclipse dumped an even better load of material in my lap. Along with a small giggle when Jacob brought up the point and Bella quickly bushed off the suggestion.

No, I don't think that the "point" of Twilight is that Edward is abusive. If I thought that that were the case, I would trust Meyer to eventually bring this dynamic to light in a way that dissuaded her readers from chasing after this sort of relationship. Instead, I think that Meyer inadvertantly took part in a social trend to romanticize abusive behaviors, resulting in an unhealthy relationship model being idealized by many impressionable young girls.

I know that "I love you more than anything, I love you more than anyone else" can be as dangerous sometimes as "you're worthless."

And that is the point of this essay.

I only bring up my personal experiences when I consider it necessary to dismiss claims like "you don't know what you're talking about" or "you're insulting real victims of real abuse" (Many of whom, by the way, support this thread).

Lillewyn

I wouldn't know what an abusive relationship is like, as I have never been in a relationship.
Just because I don't agree with you doesn't mean I am ignorant, naive, or any of the things you have called me.
I didn't say people shouldn't care about abuse, so I don't see the point of your 'So YES, people should care about abuse.' comment, especially because I didn't ask you a question.
I have never once mentioned anything about Edward's looks, so I don't see how that is a valid accusation on your part.
So, that was an ignorant comment. Hipocrisy is extremely annoying.

I wouldn't have called it an ignorant comment. I would have called it bePeterPan's angry response to someone's dismissal of a situation that she considers similar to a traumatic experience in her life. To see it from her point of view, consider what you would do if you had been horribly bitten by an out-of-control dog, and then saw someone saying that their bristling guard dog wasn't threatening that small child; it just wanted to say hello, and that anyone willing to get upset about good ol'fido must not like dogs.

I'm willing to bet you'd have some choice words for that dog owner.

I would like to respond to the rest of your post, but I think that if Im going to do it properly, I'll have to wait until tomorrow. So please, bear with me. 3nodding If you just can't wait, try skimming the thread. Most if not all your concerns have already been repeatedly covered.

[Agent Nny]

I'm becoming a bit annoyed. Everyone keeps saying that just because Sam hurt Emily, Jake will too. JAKE ISN'T SAM! And who cares if Edward has had time, it isn't Jake's fault that he wasn't a werewolf until then! lus, Sam said himself that Jacob was the most controlled out of all the werewolves, so can everyone PLEASE stop mentioning the Sam thing?

[Lillewyn]

Aldorel:

First of all, thank you. I'm glad that at least one person can argue comments without insulting the other person every time they type something (including myself, just so we're clear, I know haven't been the nicest).

I understand that the comment I made about being abused in my firsst post was uncalled for.

I realize how what happened to you must affect your life, and I understand and agree with your comment about the dog bite.

But I still don't agree with your bigger point. I don't think that Edward is abusive. I'd just like to say that that doesn't mean I'm 'dismissing' anything. I know that abuse is serious a problem, but this is a book, people, not real life, no matter what kind of ideas it may spread about 'abuse being romantic' or not. I love the series, the story, and the characters, and I don't believe personally that Edward is abusive. I have my reasons, you have yours, that's how it works.

One final thing, and please don't make this into me 'brushing off' abuse or insulting you. You, of all people, would have the right, the knowledge and the experience to write this essay, and understand what you are saying. But maybe, for that same reason, your view of the story is biased, which causes you to see things how you do.

That's just my opinion, please don't get angry.

PS: I'm still a little miffed at bePeterPan's comment about Bella not loving Edward.