NEW MOON: Chapter 4-Waking Up

CHAPTER SUMMARY: Charlie has enough and lays down the law for Bella: shape up or you're going to live with your mother. IN THE SUNSHINE. Wow, that's a punishment? Me I'd love to live in Florida, but whatever. It works...sort of.

NOTES/THOUGHTS/REACTIONS:
So the chapter opens with a pretty good opening paragraph actually. An over dramatic paragraph, but then this whole series is overdramatic, so that's kind of a moot point. Anyway, Charlie has finally had enough of Bella's moping (wow, four months later...he sure has patience) and is being a good parent and of course, Bella takes offense to this. How dare Charlie act like a parent and WORRY when she has been perfect? I personally applaud Charlie. However, I have to shake my head because Meyer once again screws what could be a great moment up. First, she screws it up with Bella herself. Second, she pretty much says that Edward leaving Bella was the same as Renee leaving her dad. Um...NO.
Charlie and Renee were MARRIED with a CHILD. He was devoted to her (and presumingly Bella as well) and she pretty much said "see you loser" and left. All because she didn't like the town he lived in...and is pretty much a flake. Edward and Bella were NOT married, they haven't even been dating for over a year! He didn't take their non existant child and it's pretty obvious that he left for her own damn good so it's obvious he still has feelings for her. It is in NO WAY the same situation as Charlie and Renee.
However, I do agree that Bella should see a shrink, but not for the break up but because she has a LOT of issues such as dependancy, selfishness, and a plethora of other things that would give a shrink a field day. But of course, Bella couldn't possibly see a shrink (that would imply she's not perfect) and so instead lies to her dad and says she does have plans. Great message you're sending teenage girls here Meyer. Girls when your parents are worried about you for a good reason, instead of owning up and facing the fact that you have problems, lie and avoid the situation instead.
So we see Bella go to school, insert description of daily activities here (how Animal Farm is considered an easy subject matter, I don't know, but whatever) and oh look, there's Mike. She acts like a jerk as usual (and there is STILL no word on what it is Bella actually DOES cause you know, working is so MUNDANE) and then Bella spots Jessica. I have to say this line pisses me off:

I knew I had offended her with my antisocial behaviorc and she was sulking.
From New Moon, chapter 4

Excuse me, Miss Swan but when you ignore somebody for over a few months for no good reason, and when they didn't do anything to deserve that behavior, YEAH, they ARE going to take offense. It is not sulking, it is being annoyed by having a friend who treats you like crap. Which frankly you do. I don't understand why Jessica gives her the time of day (I say she's a decent person because I would have taken one look at her and said, go find someone else since I'm not good enough for you) but she does. They make plans to go to the movies.
More boring description of her day and oh look they're leaving! Bella turns on rap of all things, and because once again there is apparently nothing more that we girls talk about, they talk about boys. Specifically the nerds who have the audacity to ask Jessica out. Though at least she's decent enough to accept an invitation, even if it's out of pity and she gossips about it later. It's still better then how Bella treated then...only by a margin though. Oh, and for those keeping track, another sexist moment here and an earlier one because Bella thought she was perfect for not occasionally serving leftovers (cause you know, that's a crime and implies a bad housewife).
They get to the theatre and Bella is annoyed because a young couple has the nerve to be lovey dovey in public and don't understand her pain. Then they go into the movie and it's a zombie movie...yeah. She's further annoyed when the movie has the nerve t have a romance scene and of course, narcissist that she is, draws parallels between the movie and herself.
So they leave the theatre and it's dark and scary, and oh look there's scary loitering guys outside the bar who may or may not have been the ones who almost didn't attack her in the last book. Genius that Bella is, she goes towards them. I've said it before and I'll say it again: Dumbest. Heroine. Ever. But as she's walking towards them an amazing thing happens: She hears Edward's lovely voice telling her what I and every reader are thinking: What are you doing, you dumbass?
I also must say, for a girl hearing voices in her head that aren't there, she manages to think quite rationally about it. Most people who hear voices in their head tend to freak out. Or so I've heard. But this IS Bella, so naturally she would behave calmly when hearing a voice in her head.
But anyway, guys don't turn out to be the same ones from before and she goes back to Jessica who rightfully calls her an idiot. Bella of course thinks she's just offended now and is not cooperating with Bella. Which means she's not any fun now. Awkward rest of the evening and Bella goes home and nice friend that she is:

I'd forgotten her by the time I was inside.
From New Moon, Chapter 4

Nice. She lies to Charlie again (really, great role model here folks)and in the peak of her emoness Bella thinks that she feels pain and realizes this makes her feel alive. Brother.

WORD LIST: None for this chapter! Go Meyer!
GENERAL ANNOYANCES: Just Bella herself and the fact that everyone is acting like she's gone through this super horrible tragic thing when all that happened is that her boyfriend dumped her. Do you know how many high schoolers get dumped per day? Who also probably got dumped for way more horrible reasons then their boyfriend wanting to protect them? You don't see those high schoolers going into a funk for four months. A month, maybe. But four?