edwardcullen Blog and Journals

In the fifth chapter of Eclipse, Bella spends more time with Jacob, which Meyer uses as an opportunity to fill in more backstory for why werewolves are the way they are and why Jacob is the most awesome person ever. Oh yeah, except for that imprinting thing. Yeah, Meyer introduces the theme of "imprinting," which is a combination between predestination and something akin to rape. It doesn't get any less weird. Intrigued? Then it's time for Mark to read Eclipse.

I'm getting to old for this shit.

CHAPTER 5: IMPRINT

• He looked up at me swiftly, hearing the double edge in my words. "Will he be mad at you?"

  "Yes," I admitted. "He really hates it when I do things I consider...risky."

No, he hates it when you're trying to be an individual and make your own decisions. 

• "Am I the only one who has to get old? I get older every day!" I nearly shrieked, throwing my hands in the air. Some little part of me recognized that I was throwing a Charlie-esque fit, but that rational part was greatly overshadowed by this rational part. "Damn it! What kind of world is this? Where's the justice?"

I want you to take note of two things here: first, Bella is actually complaining, outloud and with witnesses present, that she feels there is no justice in the world because she has to age with all 9 billion other people on the planet, while a small faction of vampires and werewolves do not have to. (And, actually, it's only the vampires, as werewolves do age once they can control their transformations.)

Seriously. And Charlie believes she's a non-whiney.

Charlie constitutes my second point. Somehow, Bella believes that her fit reminds her of Charlie, who, in fact, has not really thrown a fit before. Ever. And certainly not about ago.

What a self-important, privileged asshole.

And that brings us to imprinting. I'd like to explain it to you. I really would. But even Meyer's characters don't understand it.

• "It's one of those bizarre things we have to deal with. It doesn't happen to everyone. In fact, it's the rare exception, not the rule."

Ok, Jacob, so what is it?

• "Sometimes...we don't exactly know why...we find our mates that way." His eyes flashed back to me, his face reddening. "I mean...our soul mates."

Ok, Jacob. But what is it?

• "What way? Love at first sight?" I snickered.

  Jacob wasn't smiling. His dark eyes were critical of my reaction. "It's a little bit more powerful than that. More absolute."

Ok. Jacob. We get it. What the fuck is it?

• "It's not easy to explain. It doesn't matter, anyway."

YOU COCKTEASE. WHAT THE FUCK. STOP IT. 

We're then told a story about how Sam came to love Emily. Same used to date Emily's cousin until the day he saw Emily. Then he "imprinted" on her and then they fell in love? I don't get it. Then we find out Jared also imprinted on some girl (WHILE IN CLASS, BY THE WAY) and it's a good thing she happened to fall in love with him because she had a crush on Jared.

If I understand it, Meyer has given all the male werewolves the power to choose their soulmate (or have it chosen for them) and has removed any and all consent for these "destined" relationships from the females. Which sounds a lot like the beginning of what rape is all about: the transfer of power away from one party to the other, who holds all the power.

Rape is about power. Imprinting is about power. Please, someone come shoot me and bury every copy of this books with me in the coffin.

That's all that happens, besides Bella and Jacob saying their goodbyes, unsure of when they are going to talk to again. Meyer's doing that thing where all her chapters are 15 pages long and unnecessarily split up for dramatic effect. Which leaves me with little to be "inspired" by. So deal.

I go on tour with AFI on Monday, but I'll do my best to post as many of these as I can.