Esme echo wrote:Okay, SenorGimp: Why is it that Stephenie gets dumped on so thoroughly for giving Bella every single thing she wanted at the end of Breaking Dawn ("and she didn't have to suffer for it or to lose anything!"), yet no one ever makes the same fuss concerning Edward, who got "every single thing [he] want[ed], plus all the things [he] didn’t think to ask for"? He gets a total bye! Is it because girls expect more from their female characters than their male characters? Is there still some archaic perception or foregone conclusion that the guy will get his girl, so no need to make a scene?
(BTW, I'm one of those people who is totally happy with the ending of the series . . . except that it ended!)
well, now that is a good question.
Personally I can't stand the fact that Edward is still viewed (after the way things went in New Moon) to be just an absolutely wonderful guy, and everyone is so happy for him when everything works out fine.
Don't get me wrong, I really like the way it ended also, but I do think that Edward should have had to suffer more for it.
This has actually been one of my more passionate topics in the past, while I was still very actively posting on here, and I shall use this prompting to reassert some of my stronger points regarding the subject.
But first let me say that I think the reason people are so critical of Bella is that, well, most (I believe) of the Twilight readers are girls, and the way Edward is made to seem is like the perfect guy, so I think that a lot of the girls are mad that plain old Bella gets to get the guy of her dreams (the guy of millions of Twilight-fans dreams, to be sure) and they're stuck back in their plain old lives with plain old
real guys who plain old suck...
Anyway,
So I find it to be appalling the amount of credit people give to Edward, because he really caused all of the drama in the story, if you take the time to think about it.
1). He fell for Bella and risked his whole family's safety even after he found that he could barely contain himself from bleeding her dry!
2). He steadfastly refuses to turn Bella, even though he knows it's what she wants and pleads with him repeatedly to do so.
3). Due to his refusal to turn Bella, a whole lot of drama arises in the neighborhood with: James, Jasper, The Pack, Victoria, The Volturi, etc.
4). Because of his unwillingness to turn Bella, and what happens at her birthday party, he completely removes himself from her life, thinking that that is what's best for her, breaks her heart telling her, "I don't want you", and THEN has the nerve to be angry at and possessive of Bella when she starts falling for the local werewold boy, even though he's the one that drove her to it.
5). He
forbids her to see Jacob, even though Jacob is the only one who has never let her down, except when Pack directive prevented him from being there for her.
6). He does all of these gross and possessive stereotypical jerk-boyfriend things, and she still loves him to death and he STILL won't change her!
I could go on indefinitely, but the stupid library computer just told me that I only have 5 minutes left before it logs me out, so let me just say this:
Edward should have had to suffer a lot more for finally being able to get Bella in the end.
A lot of us suffer WAY more than Edward had to (physical craving to consume your loved-one's blood aside) and don't even end up with the one we suffered so much to be with.
But I love the story, and I love Edward, and I'm just ranting because I was given the opportunity to do so.
So I hope I don't get any angry responses like I did after my dual Jacob/Edward-bashing posts...
Please, I hated those.
Thanks for your time.
SenorGimp