TA BOOK CLUB: ‘NEW MOON’ CHAPTER FIVE AND SIX – CHEATER AND FRIENDS
Summary
Hikers come into the store where Bella and Mike are working and report sighting an enormous, pitch black animal in the woods. That night, Bella dreams she is searching in the woods and finds nothing. With Edward’s absence, there is no longer anything to search for. When she wakes up, Bella fears the hole in her heart is never going to heal even though Edward had promised it would be as if he never existed. Since he cheated on his end of the promise, Bella decides she is going to cheat on her end too. Bella finds some motorcycles headed for the dump. Remembering Jacob Black’s mechanical skills, she takes the bikes out to La Push to see if her old friend can help her. Jacob is all too eager to help Bella out. This kind of recklessness is something Bella knows would upset Edward. It also might be the exact amount of danger she needs to see her vision of Edward again.
Questions For Thought
What did you think of chapter two in terms of likes and dislikes?
What do you think of the change in Bella’s dreams?
Do you agree with the conclusion Bella reaches regarding Edward not holding up his end of the agreement and so she shouldn’t have to hold up hers?
Would you have changed anything about this chapter?
Did you find anything that was foreshadowed in this chapter?
Quote
The quote I chose for this chapter is on page 124, and belongs to Bella. I like this quote because I think it helped me understand how Bella had come to terms with her pain. It’s almost a revelation. I also think this makes the reckless behavior so much more understandable.
“I wondered how long this could last. Maybe someday, years from now—if the pain would just decrease to the point where I could bear it—I would be able to look back on those few short months that would always be the best of my life. And, if it were possible that the pain would ever soften enough to allow me to do that, I was sure that I would feel grateful for as much time as he’d given me. More than I’d asked for, more than I’d deserved. Maybe someday I’d be able to see it that way.â€
What was your favorite quote from this chapter?
Music
Chapter Five Song: She’s A Rebel by Green Day
I chose this song because I feel like Bella made a huge decision in this chapter. She came to terms with the fact that Edward was always going to be a painful hole in her heart. In doing that, she made the decision to change her life. Since Edward could never make it as if he’d never existed, she could go back on her end of the agreement and be reckless. I think this decision allowed Bella to grow. She discovered parts of herself that she didn’t know existed. Before Bella decided to be reckless, she was always the mature one that demonstrated perfect self-control. Although the intention was sad, Bella desperately trying to see Edward, I like seeing Bella develop this part of herself. I picture this song playing when Bella first sees the motorcycles. I think it symbolizes the freedom from her predictable, safe life.
What did you think of this song for chapter 5?
Are there any other songs that you think would fit this chapter well?
Book To Movie
I felt like the movie skipped over most of this chapter with good reason. I think the movie would have drug out too long had we seen every dream Bella had. The motorcycle scene was shortened. Rather than going to someone’s door to ask about the bikes, Bella just picks them up and takes them to Jacob. Just like the book, Jacob is overly eager to help out. They really made it obvious that Jacob was absolutely psyched to spend more time with Bella.
What are your thoughts on how the movie compared to chapter 5?
What did you think of how they portrayed Bella’s vision of Edward?
Summary
Jacob’s friends Quil and Embry show up at the shed where Bella and Jacob are working on the motorcycles, and start teasing them about dating. This makes Jacob nervous, and it’s clear that the friendship means more to him than it does to Bella. Although Bella doesn’t reciprocate the romantic feelings, she starts enjoying herself more and more around Jacob. For the first night since Edward left, Bella sleeps without nightmares.
Later on, Billy invites a large group of people, including Charlie and Bella, for dinner at his house. Bella enjoys being around the Quileute gathering, and meets many other people from the reservation. That night Bella dreams about Sam Uley in the woods. His form is fuzzy and unclear and he appears to be changing.
As Bella continues to emerge from her depression, she attempts to reconnect with some of her old friends at school. Angela and Mike are the only two who are readily willing to forgive her. Angela tells Bella about a large, black animal she saw in the woods similar to the story the hikers reported at the store. Angela also reminds Bella that she has now been in Forks a full year. In one year, Bella realizes she has come full circle from the way things were when she first arrived. Once again, she is starting new without Edward.
Questions For Thought
What did you think of chapter six in terms of likes and dislikes?
Now what do you think of the change in Bella’s dreams?
Do you feel like Bella is unfairly leading Jacob on, or do you think Jacob knows what he’s getting into?
How do you feel about the way Bella’s school friends responded to her when she tried to reconnect with them?
Would you have changed anything about this chapter?
Did you find anything that was foreshadowed in this chapter?
Quote
The quote I chose for this chapter is on page 145, and is about Jacob. I love the way Bella describes Jacob. I feel like it really describes the theme of his friendship with her throughout the series, and especially in New Moon.
“Jacob was simply a perpetually happy person, and he carried that happiness with him like an aura, sharing it with whoever was near him. Like an earthbound sun, whenever someone was within his gravitational pull, Jacob warmed them. It was natural, a part of who he was. No wonder I was so eager to see him.â€
What was your favorite quote from this chapter?
Music
Chapter Six Song: Here Comes The Sun by The Beatles
I love Bella’s transformation in this chapter. I picked this song, not only because Bella describes Jacob as “an earthbound sunâ€, but because it really reflects a brighter change in Bella’s whole view of the world. I picture this song playing while Bella and Jacob are shopping for motorcycle parts, and continuing into the dinner at the Black’s house where everyone is having a really good time. I think this song would start playing as Bella reflects on the happiness Jacob has brought into the dark world she’d been living in.
What did you think of this song for chapter 6?
Are there any other songs that you think would fit this chapter well?
Book To Movie
Most of chapter 6 is included in the movie, and stays true to the book. Quill and Embry show up in Jacob’s homemade garage to tease him and Bella about dating. We also get to see some of the progression of Bella and Jacob’s friendship, although shopping for motorcycle parts is left out. The movie also stayed true to the story when Bella tries to reconnect with her school friends. It’s obvious Mike and Angela are more than willing to be friends again, while most of the others show little to no interest in her. In the movie, Mike adds more of a humorous twist to being her friend again (wasn’t the protein line hilarious?). I think one of the biggest scenes that was left out of the movie was the dinner at the Black’s house. Although the movie skipped over some of this chapter, I think they continued to stay true to the story.
What are your thoughts on how the movie compared to chapter 6?
What did you think of how they portrayed Bella’s vision of Edward?
Outtakes
Thanks to Stephenie Meyer.com we have a great outtake from New Moon that was edited out of the final book. It is titled The Scholarship, and is most of the original Chapter 6, plus seven short scenes that continued the storyline through the end of the book You can read The Scholarship here.
Come and join us on the forum for even more discussion on New Moon here, and remember Chapters 7 and 8 – Repetition and Adrenaline will be back on January 2nd, so read up!
