TWILIGHT: Chapter 4-Invitations

CHAPTER SUMMARY: This is yet another chapter that was completely pointless. Most of it is detailing drama between Bella and her friends up until the "exciting" part where Edward decides he's going to drive Bella to Seattle. Why? No reason at all. It's another convenient plot device.

NOTES/REACTIONS/THOUGHTS:
So we open up to a paragraph about the obvious forshadowing that is Bella's dream about Edward. Yippee. This whole paragraph was unnecessary. It didn't add anything to the chapter and certainly nothing to the book. Why is it even there in the first place other then for overdramatic reasons?
Anyways, we get to learn about the excitement that is Bella's school life. She is naturally still fawned over even more because of her accident and now Tyler has a thing for her too and it's very annoying for poor Bella. I must point out that the fact that these boys have a thing for her still after a month, kind of deletes Meyer saying it was because she's new and shiny for these boys.
But Bella is more upset that Edward now ignores her. She does not understand why her pheromones won't work on the boy she actually WANTS it to work on. Now if Meyer had maybe kept this scenario going (one boy she can't have is the one boy she wants) this book might have actually been somewhat interesting. Sadly, she can't NOT give her Mary-Sue what she wants and we get the rest of this dumb story.
Even more dramatic is ;gasp; Bella thinks Edward has regretted saving her!

He wished he hadn't pulled me from the path of Tyler's van-there was no
other conclusion I could come to.
From Twilight, page 70

Oh brother. No other conclusion Bella, really? How about, he's trying to keep a low profile? He's got more important things to worry about than YOU? God this girl really thinks it's all about her, doesn't she? Personally, this is what I wish happened because then we would have a much less annoying narrator.
Anyways, Bella goes on with her daily life in the next month. We learn that Jessica conveniently likes Mike and Bella naturally sees an oppurtunity to help herself get rid of her annoying suitors and tries to set them up. There is a spring dance (I see romantic oppurtunities popping up here, who else?) and Jessica feels the need to ask Bella if she can ask Mike. Cause you know, Bella has shown such enthusiam for Mike before. Jessica tries to talk Bella into going but does it half heartedly and Bella, being the emo girl she is, thinks this:

I suspected that Jessica enjoyed my inexpicable popularity more than my
actual company.
From Twilight, page 71

Yes, that must be it, Bella. She is using you. She couldn't at all be doing it half heartedly because she knows you're not into stuff like this and oh yeah, you never show enthusiasm for anything other than Edward Cullen. Normal things like dances are beneath you. She also could be getting tired of your constant whining, doom and gloom look on life, and the way you seem to think it's all about you. I know I'm certainly tired of it.
So after this "exciting" drama we cut to science again. Bella all but tells the clueless Mike to go with Jessica. I know people like to point to this as an example of how Bella is "selfless". Look, she sets up her friends! It's so cute! Uh, no. She is doing this for her own gain. With Mike looking at Jessica, she doesn't have to deal with him any more. This is not selfless.
But anyways, back to science class. We get more awkward small talk between Bella and Edward. Have I mentioned the dialogue makes me cringe? Yes? Well, this is another example. Bella is still mad at Edward for not trusting her and is basically a childish brat.
Eric of course is next up for the dance and this invitation also annoys her. We have a scene with clutzy Bella in gym and I have to say I enjoy the clutzy Bella moments. They make her endearing for like a few minutes.Then comes poor Tyler who has been trying to make ammends and asks her to the dance also. Well, by this time she is outright livid at all these boys who seem to think she would give them the time of day.

I had to remember it wasn't his fault that Mike and Eric had already used
up my quota of patience for the day.
From Twilight, page 77

Now, I'm annoyed with her again. Good God girl, all they did was ASK YOU TO A DANCE. Do you know how many girls would be THRILLED to be asked once in the first place? But no, these boys are beneath your notice and very annoying with their attention. Maybe if you had just out right TOLD them you weren't interested in the first place, you wouldn't have these problems to begin with. But I guess that never occured to you, did it perfect Bella-Sue? As for Tyler, if he wants to make ammends that much, just let him take you to dinner or something. Would it be that horrible to spend time with a boy who isn't Edward?
So, all these boys getting rejected greatly amuses Edward who watches from afar. Stand up guy, that Cullen. Taking enjoyment out of everyone's embarrasment. Bella goes home and has a Mary-Sue moment were she magically can make home made enchiladas. Show of hands teenage girls, how many of you know how to make anything home made without being shown how? None? Me neither. I'm an adult too. In fact, I know very little people who do this. I believe this is yet another case of Meyer inserting her skills into Bella's skills even though her having those skills is not logical. Further proof this girl is a Mary-Sue.
Anyways, during her Mary-Sue moment, Bella of course thinks about Edward. I have to roll my eyes at the overdramatic stuff here. Edward doesn't like me because I'm horrible and he's so perfect, WAH! This girl is seventeen? Really? I know eleven year olds with better heads on their shoulders then this girl. During this sobfest we get this note on Edward:

I wasn't interesting. And he was. Interesting...and brilliant...and
mysterious...and perfect..and beautiful...and possibly able to lift full-sized
vans with one hand.
From Twilight, page 79

Excuse me while I throw up. Never mind the grammer part (you should not start a sentence with and), but seriously HOW does she know all these things? She's had less then five conversations with him! I will agree, she isn't interesting. But how does she know he's brilliant? Also, there is no such thing as the perfect person. If a person is perfect, then they are most likely a robot.
So Bella and Charlie have dinner and she decides to clue him on to the fact that she is going to Seattle. I really need to comment on this part:

I didn't want to ask permission-it set a bad precedent-but I felt rude, so I
tacked it on at the end.
From Twilight, page 80

WHAT. THE. HELL? It feels RUDE to ask your PARENT for PERMISSION to go to a strange city that you've never been to before? This girl is a role model HOW exactly? Because it's clear that she has no respect for adults whatsoever. Especially her own parents. Now, I can't exactly blame her for Renee. Her mother is clearly a flake and Bella obviously had to be the adult so I can sort of understand why she has issues with Renee. But Charlie has shown that he cares and is TRYING. Bella has no reason to disrespect him. In fact, considering he's a police officer she should be freaking PROUD of him. I don't care HOW small Forks is, police officers have a thankless job. But no, she doesn't want to ask permission but feels she might as well to appear polite. Girls, PLEASE do not follow Bella's example here. This is called being a spoiled brat.
While I'm fuming as Charlie says okay, here are some whines thrown in:
WHINE #25: Charlie wants to spend time with me! EW!
WHINE #26: He's actually interested in my life. It's this stupid small town's fault, of course.
The next morning, Edward shows up. I feel this is a good time to come to my next reason for dislking Twilight.
REASON 4 FOR DISLIKING TWILIGHT: Edward Cullen.
Yes, girls, you heard me right. I do not like Edward Cullen. Go and get your pitchforks, I don't care. I will admit, there is a hotness about him. However, that is where the appeal for me ends. Because Edward? Is a bad character. Why? There are many reasons I think this. But first, is the lost potential.
Edward, actually did sort of intrigue me in the beginning. When he traded barbs with Bella slightly in the beginning I kind of liked it. Of course, I tend to like the snarky/arguementive couples (Darcy/Elizabeth, Spike/Buffy, and currently Castle/Beckett from Castle) so this was no surprise to me. However after a chapter or two, it's like Meyer decided this snark wasn't a good thing and then quickly pulled Edward back into your typical romantic lead with a heart of gold. Then on top of that, she made him out to be quite a jerk, slightly abusive, and put in many sexist overtones in the relationship and in the book itself. I will go into that in later chapters.
So yeah, my beef with Edward is mostly the lost oppurtunity. He could have been SO interesting. But no, Meyer just had to make him Gary Stu. Worse, she added SPARKLES and he and Bella had NOTHING in common. Unless you count that both are pretty selfish. Even worse is that he doesn't change. I don't care if he's supposedly "perfect" and doesn't need to change. If a character doesn't grow or change then why should I care about this story to begin with? So yeah, Edward (and Bella) is a bad character. Now my rant has ended.
Anyways, Edward shows up and talks to Bella. This is where the story starts to plummit and where I basically had lost most of my interest because it was clear where the plot was going in case anyone was wondering when I decided this book was bad. But as I was saying, he's there and offers to drive her to Seattle. She accepts. This ladies and gentlemen is the "exciting" part of this chapter. Meyer really needs to look up the definition of climax again. I'm beginning to think she's forgotten what it is.
So Bella accepts and thus ends the boring chapter.

WHINE COUNT: 2

THINGS/WORDS A TEENAGER WOULD NEVER SAY: perceptibly, precedent, finite,

MARY SUE/GARY STUISMS: I know how to make home made enchiladas even though I'm only seventeen!
Edward is so perfect!

BOOK THAT IS BETTER: Howl's Moving Castle by Dianne Wynne Jones
WHY IT'S BETTER: THIS is how you do a romantic lead in a novel, Meyer. Howl is interesting, he's got flaws, and he CHANGES but is still not perfect near the end either. Sophie is equally as interesting and it's also well written and not boring. True, it can be random at times, but it's still a great romance and Jones isn't afraid to make her characters not perfect or the typical romantic leads. Plus, it's a fantasy classic. I also reccomend the anime movie by Hayao Miyazaki. Even though it's vastly different from the book, the spirit of it is still there, and it's beautifully done.