Bella’s
birthday party at the Cullen house turns into a disaster. She cuts her finger.
Jasper attacks. And all the Cullens must leave, except Carlisle. The exchange
between Bella and Carlisle in chapter two of New Moon is packed full of theology, or thoughts about
God. Carlisle explains that his father was a pastor who practiced his faith in
a “harsh” way. Carlisle falls prey to a vampire while on a hunt for his father,
and Carlisle turns into the thing that his father hates the most. We already
know that Carlisle tried to kill himself for years, but his efforts were
useless. Yet Carlisle didn’t give up. He looked for a better way. Even Bella as
a human is perplexed by Carlisle’s philosophy. We learn that Bella’s background
is mostly devoid of any religious belief system. As such, she doesn’t
understand why anyone would endure such struggle and agony to live differently
than his peers. Carlisle’s reply is the essence of his character in the Twilight series. He shares his intent
for living above his desires – to use his talents for the benefit of others.
After her
birthday party, Bella realizes that change is coming her way, but she never
expects Edward to leave her. Yet Edward thinks it is the only way to save Bella
and love her at the same time. Bella is crushed to the very core of her being.
If you have ever had your heart broken, then you can connect to Bella’s misery
in New Moon. A hole has been carved
into her heart that seems beyond repair. Bella spends months like a zombie
after Edward leaves her. Much of New Moon is dedicated to the pain of separation. But
we have a ray of light in it - Jacob Black. Bella awakes from her emotional
stupor and walks into a friendship with this Quilete teenager. Jacob's
light-hearted spirit and free approach to life become infectious to Bella. Of
course, no boy or girl can spend much time together without confronting the
reality of romance. It doesn't take long for Bella to become wary of her own
physical reactions to Jake.
While
Bella’s friendship with Jacob helps her survive, the aching pain of loss will
not subside. She cannot escape her conscience and Edward’s promise to be like
he never existed.
“He could
steal my pictures and reclaim his gifts, but that didn’t put things back the way
they’d been before I’d met him. The physical evidence was the most
insignificant part of the equation. I was changed, my insides altered almost
past the point of recognition. Even my outsides looked different – my face
sallow, white except for the purple circles the nightmares had left under my
eyes…There was no reason to avoid recklessness, no reason why I shouldn’t get
to be stupid.”8
Bella
figures out a way to connect with Edward again. It involves risky behavior. She
approaches dangerous men on a dark street. She begins to ride a motorcycle.
When Jacob seems to disappear from her life, Bella goes farther into her
reckless behavior. It almost becomes like a new form of cutting. She revisits
the meadow, where she encounters Laurent and the wolves. She even pushes
Jacob’s anger beyond what seems safe to her, yet Bella hears Edward’s voice
every time. Like a drug, one moment with his voice is never enough for her. She
wants more, and she knows how to get it. Bella decides to risk her life to hear
Edward’s voice. She jumps off a cliff into the roaring ocean.
New Moon gives us loads of information about
the new wolves in Forks. While the vampires seem serious and supernatural, the
wolves of La Push are physically and emotionally warmer than “the cold ones.”
The boys joke with each other and wrestle around the reservation like brothers
in a family would do. They still have enormous strength, but self-control seems
less obtainable for these guys. Sam is their leader, and those on the outside
of the wolf pack secret see this group as a cult. Outsiders don’t understand
the pack’s ways in the light of reality. The pack also targets a specific group
for their animal aggression – vampires. We learn that more wolves are coming
out due to the increased presence of vampires in Forks, WA. When Victoria
reappears in Forks, the wolf pack assumes the role of protector for the La Push
reservation and the Swan family.
While
Bella is recovering from her death-defying cliff jump, Alice makes a surprise
visit to Forks. She had seen a vision of Bella disappearing so she wanted to
check on her friend. Alice and Jacob square off in a wordsmith match while
Bella tries to gain control of this new reality. In New Moon, Bella starts seriously looking for peace when she finds
out Edward is going to Italy. Through a series of mishaps, Edward thinks that
Bella has died from her cliff-diving exhibition. Edward decides to end his own
life by provoking the Volturi into action. Alice and Bella immediately leave
for Italy so they can save Edward. Ironically, Bella’s inner dialogue during
the airplane ride shows that her effort to save Edward is purely an effort.
Bella doesn’t think Edward will want her back, especially since her heart has
been broken by him. When they arrive in Volterra, Bella races to the fountain
square and finds Edward in time.
“It
was very strange, for I knew we were both in mortal danger. Still, in that
instant, I felt well. Whole. I could feel my heart racing in my chest, the
blood pulsing hot and fast through my veins again. My lungs filled deep with
the sweet scent that came off his skin. It was like there had never been any
hole in my chest. I was perfect – not healed, but as if there had been no wound
in the first place.”10
Unfortunately,
the Volturi still intervene in the situation. Bella meets the high trio – Aro,
Marcus and Caius – in the depths of Volterra. This ruling group of vampires
cannot understand why Edward is so drawn to Bella as a human versus prey. In
this exchange, Aro finds out that Bella is immune to his supernatural powers
and those of his guard. With the promise to change Bella into a vampire, Edward
and Alice are able to leave with Bella and head home.
New Moon closes with the permanent grounding
of Bella. After running away to Italy for a few days without Charlie’s
permission, Bella sets herself up for a miserable human existence at home.
Edward shares that he began tracking Victoria, but this red-headed vampire
eluded his grasp. Bella decides that becoming a vampire is the only way to
protect herself and her family from Victoria and the Volturi. She takes her
desire to the entire Cullen family for a vote. After much emotional discussion,
her vampire conversion is set for post-graduation from high school, only a few
months away. Edward offers to change her into a vampire herself if she agrees
to marry him. While Jacob will do anything to get Bella back, she vacillates
between her friendship with Jacob and her overwhelming love for Edward. The
love triangle is set for a showdown of epic proportions.