So recently I'd got addicted to watching a bunch of web series on Youtube, like "Little White Lie" and "I Heart Vampires". One day, I saw this web series that made a reference to "Breaking Dawn" by Stephenie Meyer, involving Jacob Black and Renesmee
I then wanted to blog about that same thing, because when I read "Breaking Dawn" a long time ago (before my blog), I had the same opinion.
Even though I'm a guy, I rather like the Twilight saga, although I'm not much of a fan of Bella. When it comes to vampires, I like female main characters to be more like Buffy. Someone who can kick ass, but can still be vulnerable enough to rely on her friends when there's trouble.
Anyway, there are a few things in the Twilight saga that I eventually understood. But there is one thing that I will never ever understand.
In "Breaking Dawn" there is this scene where Jacob falls in love with his soul mate, the one who he will spend the rest of his life with, the love of his life. And that person is Renesmee, a half human and half vampire. Usually that's okay and all. It's very romantic. But Renesmee is a... baby.
Doesn't anyone else think that that's a little disturbing.
It would be like me (for some inexplicable reason) being in a maternity ward and catching sight of one of the babies there, then saying, "she is the one. That baby girl is the person I'm going to spend the rest of my life with." I don't know about you, but I find that disturbing on so many levels. But of course, it's okay for Jacob to fall in love with a baby because he is a werewolf. But if a human were to do that... can anyone say pedophile.
I just don't understand. And I don't think I ever will.
P.S. -- I actually looked this up a long time ago when I read "Breaking Dawn". Renesmee is half human and half vampire. There is actually a word for that. She's what is known as a Dhampir.
Hmm.... I might write a novel about a Dhampir someday. Maybe.
There is a book with Dhampir in it. It is call Vampire Academy.
ReplyDeleteThe idea of Jacob falling in love with a baby is that, as a werewolf, he will stay 17 years old until Renesmee is 17 years old. So it would be like you in a maternity ward saying "I want to spend the rest of my life with that baby" and then freezing yourself in time until the baby reaches your age.
ReplyDeleteI mean, it's still a disturbing thought, but I like that Meyer at least attempted to make it sound less creepy.
FINALLY SOME SENSE! It's so disturbing it's not even that funny. And I love Buffy as well. She's so bad ass.
ReplyDeleteHi John, I'm Tara from the nerdfighter Ning.
ReplyDeleteI decided to check out your blog.
I'm not a huge fan of the Twilight series but I can't deny that I was one in high school. I read all the books and up until Breaking Dawn, I was entertained.
Then I read Breaking Dawn and the whole book bothered me. I didn't like how Bella was so conceited once she turned into a vampire or how all of her problems with telling people that she was a vampire just went away.
But I agree that the most disturbing part of the book was when Jacob imprinted on Renesmee. It was just so random and weird.
I completely agree with you. I was also a fan of the Twilight series, but I despised Breaking Dawn. Imprinting on a baby is disturbing, biting a child out of your spouse's uterus is disturbing, offering the love of your life up to her ex-flame is disturbing, ultra-cautious Edward (who holds two graduate degrees in medicine & presumably knows a thing or two about biology) accidentally impregnating Bella is RIDICULOUS, and all the build-up to a confrontation with the Volturi ending with such an anti-climactic resolution is disappointing. Ugh... way to destroy an entertaining series with a 'happy' ending filled with disturbing elements. :(
ReplyDeleteIf you like heroines that are more Buffy than Bella and you have an interest in Dhampirs, then I highly recommend the Vampire Academy series by Richelle Mead. It is an addictively absorbing series with a capable heroine and an interesting spin on the vampire/dhampir concept. :)
I read the series and although I didn't really like the amateur writing, I did like the story. I am sure many people find the "soul mate is my baby" thing I didn't think too much about it in the sexual way. I honestly can't remember if they mention it in this book or the one before but one of the other pack members "falls" for another baby and when Jacob was explaining the "instant attraction" to Bella it isn't about a sexual attraction, it was more of the "bonded for life in an instant" kind of attraction... I dunno, but yes in our world it just seems gross. Haha either way, your post was surprising and entertaining! :)
ReplyDeleteI like the Twilight Saga for what it is- an entertaining story.
ReplyDeleteThe Jacob/Renesmee imprinting didn't bother me, because Stephenie Meyer explained it before. Imprinting on someone does not immediately or always equate to romantic love. What imprinting is for the werewolf is the recognition of a particular female. That werewolf will then become exactly what that female needs.
When they are both older, it can be a romantic love. But with the younger girls, the imprinted werewolf is more like a big brother. If a werewolf were to imprint on a woman who was already married, who chose to remain faithful to her husband, I imagine that 'her' werewolf would become more like a guardian angel/protector.
Jacob is NOT romantically or sexually in love/attracted/interested in Renesmee. At all. Like you said, she is a baby and that would be gross. She is instead like his little sister.
Do you have younger siblings? (or nieces/nephews/cousins etc) It's ok for you to love them. It's the same thing with Renesmee and Jacob, although after enough time has passed, it is more than likely that as they both mature (and Renesmee ages) their love will advance, grow and mature with them.
It isn't creepy the way Stephenie Meyer wrote it. It's only creepy when people don't understand/misinterpret her intentions.
I agree that the whole Jacob/baby vampire thing is super creepy. I know she tried to explain away the problem but maybe it's because Meyer isn't the most talented writer she didn't really pull it off. For me anyway, though I'm sure other people get what she was trying. I'm curious how they plan on filming the whole C-section via Edward's mouth and bestiality/pedophilia thing with Renesmee and Jacob.
ReplyDeleteHey there. Thanks for stopping by my blog
ReplyDeleteI have seen a number of discussions around this topic by others who were also bothered by this. From what I recall I don't think it said that Jacob was in love with Renesmee but rather that he felt a deep connection with her. whatever the explanation was, it satisfied me enough that the relationship didn't bother me.
Of all the disturbing things that went on in Breaking Dawn, this is the one that most upset you? I was most horrified about the time Edward had to eat the baby out of Bella. After that, pedophilia seemed like no big deal. I wish the fourth book had just never been written. So disturbing.
ReplyDeleteI didn't like it either but I think S.M. had to do something like that for everything to end happily and for Jacob to get his HEA. My husband thinks it is disgusting!
ReplyDeleteIn the books, it said that if a person were to imprint on a baby it is more like that they will be their friend and protector, but when they get older it will grow in to romance, but it isn't romantic at all when she is a baby. This is explained in one of the earlier books. The imprinting is more of a permanent connecting of lives, so it manifests however the situation demands it. As child/adult it is protector, adult/adult causes the connection to be love.
ReplyDeleteI dont' understand it either, and I don't want to. Jacob was my favorite character besides the Volturi and now he's ruined for all time. :-)
ReplyDeleteKaitlyn Devin & Grace - The problem with the whole imprinting thing is it doesn't change the fact that Jacob looked at an infant and thought in 7 years* I'm totally going to hit that.
ReplyDelete*I don't remember the exact time but wasn't the baby going to age super quick and then plot-conveniently stop aging at Jacob, Bella and Edward's age?
Uggh.. The whole Jacob/Renesmee thing just creeped me out. I don't know how they are going to deal with it in the movie(s)
ReplyDelete~Jenn