TA TALKS BACK: EDWARD - IN LOVE OR ADDICTED??
TA Forum member Southern_Twihard shared her thoughts on love and addiction related to the Twilight series.
Think back to…Edward explaining to Bella in Twilight that she was his personal brand of heroine…Edward’s thoughts in Midnight Sun revealing the physical impact that Bella had on him…Edward revealing to Bella in New Moon (I think) that Emmett also had a “la tua cantante” but that she became a McEmmett Happy Meal.Well, those passages collectively made me wonder… Did Edward fall in love with Bella in Twilight? OR Did he convince himself that it was love when, in reality, he was just addicted to her — he “experimented” with this addictive “substance” and then spent all of his time and energy getting as much of her as possible regardless of consequences?
I completely forgot about this weird idea of mine until recently, when I had lunch with a good friend who is a licensed addiction counselor. I asked her: “If Edward came into your clinic, would you qualify him as an addict?”
She declared that she would not be able to help Edward if he entered her clinic because she would certainly faint from his “awesomeness.” We both blushed and giggled at the mere thought! Next, she snarled at me for “daring to try to analyze the most romantic book written in our lifetimes!” But, she suddenly stared in silence at me, and I KNEW that my idea had sparked her interest.
She gradually listed Edward’s behaviors that would qualify him as an addict:
- Physical cravings for the habit-forming substance (Bella) on an elemental level;
- Eventual tolerance to his cravings (image: Edward sniffing Bella’s wrist in New Moon and Eclipse to show that he was becoming desensitized to her blood);
- Compulsive need to have access to Bella regardless of personal consequences (image: all of Edward’s overprotective sheltering); and
- Withdrawal symptoms when Bella was inaccessible/“dead” (image: Edward sans shirt in Voltera at noon…enough said).Despite these supportive facts, she declared that I could “rest easy because Edward was not an addict.” She explained that he “had to be” like many other people who never develop addictions after they partake of addictive substances, whether due to biology or how they were raised or just pure luck. More importantly, she was certain that Edward’s reaction to Bella was more like super-hyper-pheromones because “he is just too perfect and wonderful for anyone to think anything less of him.”
A moment of serious silence followed her declarations… But, then we were absolutely hysterical since we were worriedly discussing whether or not a fictional character was an addict whom she could help with counseling.
Regardless, she convinced me with her expertise – the true love theory prevails!
What do you think? Was Bella Edward’s addiction or his true love?
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Of course, I believe the true love theory also. If you analyze all or just some of Edward’s actions, you can reassign meaning to many. I just don’t think his actions line up with an addiction diagnosis.
I think he was already falling for her when he came back from Denali. Remember he immediately realized the hate he thought he felt was non- existent.
He was trying to resist what his subconscious already knew. He loved her. He could not accept this, and did not acknowledge this until that night in her room. Remember he “drowned in the words?” He heard her talking out of her dream. I think this allowed him to believe she might care for him, gave him hope and then released him to recognize his own feelings.
He had never been in love in his 100 plus years. Of course it was overwhelming. Just like they talked about in her room after the meadow scene. To finally feel that first love, and for it to be his first love, yes it would cause someone to act obsessive.
Does that make it an addiction? Not for me.
I think that he is so in love with her that it may seem like an addiction to some people. I believe that their love is so deep and passionate that they both really can’t live without each other, they need each other in order to survive. That’s not addiction in my eyes, that is a love that any of us would be lucky to find.
Yes yes, the whole thing smacks of addiction, but its the love addiction they BOTH have that carries through the whole series, I think.
Maybe I’m oversimplifying things, but can’t we classify love itself, as an additcion? Yes, at first it WAS her scent that drew him to her..kicking and screaming all the way. But he NEVER gave into the scent and it didn’t take too long to realize there was something else going on. He decided he loved her more than he wanted to kill her. So his “love addiction” won out so to speak. Lets not forget also that BELLA herself was struggling with her own addiction: Edward. So, ok, they were two addicts working towards a common goal: forever love. Their love was(is) so true and pure and real that no 3rd party could break it. Not even Dr Drew, Dr. Phil, Dr. Ruth or Dr. Seuss hehe
As the Robert Palmer song goes: “Might as well face you’re addicted to love”
I think at first it was an obsession, for the obvious reason: he’s a vampire and he wants to suck her blood. He’s going against his nature to be “vegetarian”, and he’s trying to cope with it by caving in a bit. Yes, it’s obsessive behavior, but he didn’t kill her.
In the end, he has at least like her. I mean, he did stick around when she lost her scent. [Minus the fact he had a child through her.]
I think Edward is addicted to true love just as bella is addicted to true love toward Edward as she stated she was unconditionally in love with him and that’s how it is for him as well. They share a strong connection and it’s something that can’t be broken even in the middle of chaos.
I wish I could find true love like that. Swoon!
You’ve got to be kidding!! He’s absolutely in love with her. Why else would protect her like he does and take care of her like he does,and is willing to even let her be in love with Jacob, if that’s what she wants. Whatever Bella wanted,Edward wanted for her.And, the fact he would not even give in to sex with her in fear of hurting her. Also,your friend is absolutely correct!This is the most romantic series, in our lifetime!
Can’t love itself be the addiction? Does it really matter whether the addiction is love or heroine? Does your brain know the difference if it’s your body or your mind that is addicted? LOL and for that matter, does your brain even care if it’s real or not? Sometimes I wonder when it comes to Twilight.
Don’t mistake me for being sassy. I think you brought up and excellent point..really.
well the real addiction was his desire for her blood. like an addiction, it set off physical affects–the burning throat, etc. all the vampires were addicted to human blood, which is why the cullens had to work so hard at keeping themselves in check. i think it was the perfect touch to physiologically make bella double the load of addiction for edward. but his need for her wasn’t due to his addiction for her blood, he needed her because she was his other half. after he realized this he knew he would always hurt to be without her or incomplete. oh it is so cute isn’t it? dang, stephenie is so good.
gosh i love the theorys you got all of you. its so many thoughts going on in my head. i dont know what to tell you have whritten it all down and with that little extra that is about addiction and love and all that other about Edward and Bella
Oooooh, I like that theory! Very clever.
It’s definitely a possibility me thinks…still loves her though.
I think it was love, but maybe not so at first. A lot of girls look around for a cute guy, being attracted to their looks first, for Edward, it was the scent of Bella’s blood, and the mystery of why he wasn’t able to read her mind. Bella was attracted to the mystery of Edward and his family, and when he saved her from the van, I think it made the desire stronger to unveil his mystery. In an interview someone says that they stay together because they complete one another, even though the future is foggy for them. I believe that maybe they were both addicted at first, and then fell in love.
If Edward WAS addicted to Bella’s luscious blood then shouldn’t Bella be dead already. I guess it really IS true love. But of course I know nothing about true love, since I have never felt such an emotion towards a stupid, annoying boy. I’m just GUESSING. But I don’t blame Edward if he really WAS addicted to Bella’s blood and drank it. I mean, blood tastes good for ME and I’m not even a vampire (yet). =)
Yes, I believe what Julie said. I do believe in love at first sight, but, for the Twilight saga, this is not the case for Edward and Bella.
Yes, Edward was addicted to her scent, but more so he loved her. He cared about what happened to her and wanted to be with her. During the story, her scent doesn’t bother him anymore ever since he lost he had lost her. So, I believe they fell in love with each other. They each filled the void in the other life.
heck!!
you bring a great point there, but here is the thing. His love for her must be the only reason why he managed to not kill her all the while she was still human.
him being too fabulous is regardless here.. he loves her and it shows.. I mean have you read MS? if you did I don’t think you’d be wondering at that.
well maybe they do love each other but bella is really stupid and doesn’t want to admited