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Chapter 18
Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in Twilight, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Love and Lust
Self-Restraint and Morality
Good, Evil, and Perspective
Family
Summary
Analysis
Charlie is still awake waiting for Bella when Edward pulls up. Edward notes that James isn’t in the house, so Alice and Emmett melt into the shadows, and Edward hugs Bella. Already crying, Bella walks to the porch, tells Edward she loves him, and asks him to please protect Charlie. Then, she screams at Edward to go away and bursts into the house. She shouts at Charlie to leave her alone, locks herself in her room, and starts to throw things in a bag. Edward appears and hands her clothes. From outside the door, Charlie tries to ask what’s wrong. Bella says she broke up with Edward. Done packing, Edward leaves through the window, and Bella opens her bedroom door.
Throughout the novel, Bella has often been treated as a victim, as weak, and has seen herself in those same terms. Now, though, she uses the way that people see her to her own advantage. Here she pretends to be the victim—she pretends that she can’t handle her emotions toward Edward so that she can convince Charlie that is why she has to leave Forks. Bella pretends that she is the victim in order to protect Charlie.
Themes
Charlie is confused and wants to know what happened. He grabs Bella; he’s clearly not going to let her go without an explanation. Bella knows what she has to do. Crying, Bella says the problem is that she likes Edward too much, and she doesn’t want to get trapped in Forks like Mom did. Shocked, Charlie begs Bella to wait a week, since Mom isn’t at home now—Phil might get a position in Phoenix if things don’t work out in Florida by the end of the week. Bella tries to leave, but Charlie grabs for her again. Sobbing angrily, Bella tells him to let her go—it didn’t work out, and she hates Forks. Charlie lets her go.
Bella’s made up story about breaking up with Edward is convincing because it has seeds of truth in it. Even though she says what she says to hurt Charlie and throw him off her trail, it’s nevertheless true that Bella’s love for Edward could trap her in Forks like it trapped Mom years ago. Love might be fun, exciting, and all-encompassing, but Bella’s playacting here indicates that it can also lead to less desirable results such as betting everything on the person you love and finding yourself stuck in a life you don’t want. Charlie, ultimately, let’s Bella make this choice.
Themes
The run across the yard is terrifying because she knows that James might attack at any moment. Bella leaps into the truck, shouts to Charlie that she’ll call, and drives away as fast as she can. Edward appears and shifts Bella to the passenger seat, and the lights of the Jeep appear behind them. Edward says that James heard the end of Bella’s “performance” and is following them now. Bella shrieks when a dark shadow appears outside her window, but it’s just Emmett.
Bella is terrified in this moment, but she nevertheless trusts Edward to keep her safe. And when she calms down a bit after hearing that the shadow is Emmett, it shows that Bella now trusts the entire Cullen family to protect her and keep her safe. Edward, as he takes over the driving, continues to function as the active protector.
Themes
Edward tries to ask Bella about what she said to Charlie as a way to distract her from their present danger. Bella confesses that she used the same words Mom did when Mom left Charlie, and Edward assures her that Charlie will forgive her. He also reminds Bella that they’ll be together again soon. When Bella asks, Edward says this is really his fault. James wanted Bella because of how she smells, but it made it worse that Edward defended her. James is a hunter and loves a challenge—so this is a dream come true for him. Edward mutters that they’ll have to kill James and explains that to kill a vampire, you have to tear them up and burn the pieces. He notes that Victoria might fight alongside James, but Laurent is just with the other two for convenience.
The prospect of James hunting Bella is frightening, but it’s also scary for Bella to conceive of being away from Edward for a while—a sign of how connected they are to each other. Edward also can’t get away from his belief that he’s a bad person, since he put Bella in danger. In his mind, the fact that he endangered her in the first place carries more weight than the fact that he’s doing everything he can to protect her—and is even willing to go as far as to kill James to do so.
Themes
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Bella is concerned for Edward’s safety, but he tells her to keep herself safe and not worry about him. James won’t attack the house tonight, in any case. Edward pulls into the driveway, right up to the house. Emmett snatches Bella out of the truck the moment it stops and carries her into the house. Laurent is there, and Emmett growls at the sight of him. Edward announces that James is tracking them, and Laurent explains that Edward defending Bella set James off. James, he insists, is unstoppable and lethal. Laurent then asks if this is really worth it, and Carlisle tells Laurent he must choose who to support.
Throughout the novel, Edward has worried for Bella’s safety. Now Bella worries for his. His dismissal of her worry implies that he is more comfortable in the role of being the protector than the protected. Laurent’s query of whether Bella is worth it shows that Laurent hasn’t formed the same kind of loving bonds that the Cullens have. He doesn’t understand the all-encompassing love Bella and Edward share, and he also doesn’t value humans the way that the Cullens do.
Themes
Laurent says the Cullens’ way of life intrigues him, but he’s not going to fight James. He suggests he’ll head north to the clan in Denali. In parting, he warns the Cullens that James is brilliant and comfortable in the human world, so outsmarting him will be tricky. He dips his head and hurries out the door. Then, the Cullens start planning. Edward says James and Victoria are circling outside and tells Rosalie to trade clothes with Bella. Rosalie refuses, so Esme offers. Esme picks up Bella, whisks her upstairs, and then starts pulling Bella’s shirt off. Esme explains that this will obscure Bella’s scent. Once they’ve swapped clothes, Esme and Alice carry Bella downstairs.
Laurent might not know much about loving relationships or living life as a vampire vegetarian, but choosing to go north to the clan in Alaska shows that he’s willing to learn. Even vampires who have spent a lifetime feeding on people, this shows, can make choices that make them better people. While Rosalie isn’t willing to help protect Bella, Esme shows how invested she is in keeping Edward happy and Bella alive.
Themes
Downstairs, Emmett and Edward are ready to head out into the night to chase James. Carlisle offers Esme and Alice small cell phones and says that Esme and Rosalie will take Bella’s truck. When Alice confirms that the plan will work, Edward pulls Bella into a hug and kisses her quickly. Then, he follows Carlisle and Emmett out. As soon as Esme’s phone rings a moment later, she and Rosalie leave. When Alice’s phone rings, she goes to get the car. Jasper says that he knows what Bella is feeling, and she is worth it. When Alice returns, she holds out her arms and asks to pick Bella up. Bella sighs that she’s the first to ask and allows Alice to bundle her into the car.
Seeing the entire Cullen family—even Rosalie—work together to save her shows Bella once again that she’s considered an important member of their chosen family. And Jasper encourages Bella to understand that she’s not less valuable as a living being just because she’s human and not a vampire. Her life is meaningful and worth protecting—because she’s a person, and because she’s the love of Edward’s life. Bella’s response to Alice makes clear that, despite the Cullens concern for her, they all see her as physically weak and prioritize protecting her to such a degree that they almost objectify her, not even asking her consent to pick her up.
Themes
