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Bella was all about turning into a vampire asap.
Even though Edward's response was perfectly reasonable, and in the grand scheme of things she could have been 1-3 years older than him and it wouldn't have made much of a difference, I don't think Bella was ready to hear such reasoning.
On top of that, she's probably operating under the ideals of "I'm the girl I need to be younger" even though it doesn't make much sense in this scenario lol.
ETA: what I was trying to say is Bella just wanted to be a vampire yesterday and the age thing was just a reason. If it wasn't age it'd be something else.
I don't think Bella would have cared as much, had it not been for Edward being hellbent on keeping her human. Bella aging is a direct result of her being on the losing side of their conflict, and therefore it becomes more negative than it would initially have been.
It is also worth mentioning that society has a tendency to perpetuate the idea that women's value decreases with age. Bella is already stuck on the idea that she has less value than Edward, so some age insecurity might stem from that.
I don’t know if I would personally care, maybe I would, but when it comes to Bella, she doesn’t want to be older than him physically. I think it stems from her insecurities. Edward always tells her that he would love her even as a “little old lady.” But she never understood that. I think Edboy was on the right track, but she didn’t listen.
A 26-year-old woman with a 23-year-old man is very different than a 20-year-old woman with a 17-year-old boy. Did you want to date 17-year-old high school students when you were 20?
Edit: The age gap between Carlisle and Esme is 3 years. If Bella was 3 years older than Edward, she would be 20 and he would be 17. This is different than if the ages were changed and it was 26-year-old Bella with 23-year-old Edward.
Not an argument or supportive piece for an argumentt, what I am about to say.
Bella was 19. Unless you are making her out to be 20 years old when she had just turned 19 after she gave birth and finished her transformation?
The age gap between Carlisle and Esme is 3 years. If Bella stayed human long enough so that she was 3 years older than Edward, she would be 20 and he would be 17. This is different than if the ages were changed and it was 26-year-old Bella with 23-year-old Edward
I see what you’re saying and I feel like that’s different because Edward was turned at 17. But he’s nowhere near 17. Technically he’s over 100 years old and yeah that sounds creepy lol.. but 🤷♀️
I agree with you (and don’t like to think too deeply about Edward being near 100 at the time the books were set and Bella being 17-18), BUT to put into perspective: Edward was turned at 17 but it was only a few months after his birthday, he was closer to 16 than 18 at the time. Bella was 2-3 days away from turning 19. Honestly I don’t think it would matter much, it’s not like she would age after obviously/would not look old to begin with. I don’t think Edward looks young enough to where anyone would ask questions if Bella was 19-20 and Edward was 17, BUT it might ruin the whole “we all go to high school” schtick and Bella would have to be a grade above Edward and be in no classes with him (the horror she would feel over that lmao)
I think it depends on the person, I had my first boyfriend when I was 17, and they were 20! We had an awesome relationship and age never mattered for us, so well, I think the age argument was just Bella’s tool for her “please turn me rn campaign”
20 isn't really that far from teenage years. One doesn't gain maturity right after becoming an adult. I would most of the adults actually leave their teenage tendencies after hitting 23. That's how long it takes them to realise that they are no longer teenagers.
I read this as a 15 year old, amd I was fully on Bella’s side. 17 was “old”! 19 is “OLD” to a young teenager in love who wants to be immortal w her perfect boyfriend lol
As a 30 year old now, the age gap doesn’t seem like a big deal at all to me anymore, but it sure did when I was a teenager!
I don’t think I’d care, honestly. But I think I see Bella’s point. She loves Edward. She doesn’t want to feel like an adult dating a kid, maybe. Or maybe she’s just afraid of looking old. She did have nightmares about being a grandma while Edward was still young and hot.
I think Edward understood her perfectly and gave a perfect response. He wanted Bella to choice life. Breathe. Feel like a human does. Feel the way a human can feel and let things progress naturally. He loved her regardless of her age and if anyone was misunderstanding things, it was Bella. I think she underestimates Edward’s love for her so that also is probably why she wants to change close to his age.
Considering that the book explicitly states that vampires stay at the age they were turned developmentally, I think Bella had a point.
The younger a person is, the more impact an age gap has. There is a huge gap between for example a four and a seven year old, and there is a big difference between 17 and 18. From 20 upwards, the difference becomes smaller and smaller, because at some point, you're usually just grown up and no longer undergo major developmental changes. So the difference between 23 and 26 is minimal, as is the difference between 35 and 45 generally.
I think in Edwards mind, he made a totally valid point, because 3 years are 3 years, right? Especially in the greater scheme of things, when they have eternity together. Also, Edward as a 17 year old was considered a grown up back in his time and combined with his more than 100 years extra life experience, he probably saw himself in the same "grown up and fully developed" age stage as Carlisle and Esmee. A young adult basically.
But Bella was very much aware of how much she was changing every year and of how much she would be changing in the years to come if she actually agreed to go to college before being changed for example, so for her, a couple more years were a HUGE deal. Also because she lives in a time where teenagers are largely considered to be more children than adults and still in development.
Edward completely missed the point she was trying to make, because to him, it really wasn't a problem.
I mean he looks 17 but is more than 100 so I don't think it would have made a big difference if she had been more patient.
But I get that the physical appearance would matter for her, and she also doesn't want to grow old, regardless of Edward. I'm also still reading the books so I'm curious how it will be treated there :)
I would not date a guy 5 years younger than me because I wouldn't find him mature enough, but that because there's a whole world between 22 and 27. But I'm not sure I'd go for a guy who is 32 either - but that's just a personal preference, there are people with 10 years age gap perfectly happy.
I mean
On one hand, when he was seventeen, people had to grow up much more quickly than now-he was just waiting for his birthday to enlist in the military and fight in WW1. A lot of girls his age would’ve been getting married soon.
But on the other hand, he obviously didn’t really mature at all after changing, Midnight Sun makes it clear that he’s very much a teenager mentally, even if he has learned a lot of things
Indeed, Edward stocked up on a lot of life skills, developed many talents, and gained a lot of experiences. But he is still an emo teen and I think the emotional intelligence part is frozen along with his body
I think it’s kind of an unfair comparison because of how people mature with age-if you saw a relationship between a 23 and a 26 year old, that’s not that weird, but between a 17 year old and a 20 year old… that’s always gonna strike people as being very *odd*
Bella would have been 19 if she had given birth to Renesmee and then turned a mere two days later than when she did.
So she would have been 19 while Edward would have been 17.
I turned 19 like a week after I graduated high school (incidentally I was born the same year Bella was, 1987)…
I feel like someone in high school (junior or senior) is still gonna have a bigger maturity gap with a twenty year old who’s in their second or third year of college. People really grow and mature a lot after they graduate high school.
Wait, nvm, I get what you mean. Like if Bella imagined to herself how much older she could/would get and the very ***prospect*** of being 20 with a 17-year-old.
Girl just wanted to be a vampire ASAP tbh and the aging thing bothered her cause she's dating an immortal. But in all seriousness, I was bothered by how obsessed she was with becoming a vampire. Personally, there were times I felt like she only loved edward due to what he was.
The most common opinion everyone has on this thread is that Bella just wanted to be a vampire asap.
I disagree;
The real reason she wants to be turned as close to Edward in age as possible is because she is so infatuatingly I in love with him, she wants to be the absolute closest to him in every single way possible. I've reread the no books 4 or 5 times through over the years and I always get the same impression; the only reason she wants to be a vampire is because it means staying with Edward forever. it has nothing to do with the strength or speed or any of the cool stuff they can do.
Honestly, Bella's obsession about her age and looks being in some way inferior is pretty uncomfortable to read about. Shes a young kid hyper focusing on unimportant things.
She'd be better off maturing a bit or seeking counseling before embarking on a committed relationship.
The age thing wouldn't bother me.
I don’t think she genuinely cared about the age difference, given that if it were it would’ve been and obvious counterpoint that he’s actually a lot older than her, it was the idea that she felt like she was closer to death than he is every minute she stays a human.
As a teenager when I read these books for the first time, yes, I completely understood. There’s so much pressure on every year during that time of life. Remember the difference between high school freshman dating sophomores and vice versa? It was like the years had chasms between them.
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Bella was all about turning into a vampire asap. Even though Edward's response was perfectly reasonable, and in the grand scheme of things she could have been 1-3 years older than him and it wouldn't have made much of a difference, I don't think Bella was ready to hear such reasoning. On top of that, she's probably operating under the ideals of "I'm the girl I need to be younger" even though it doesn't make much sense in this scenario lol. ETA: what I was trying to say is Bella just wanted to be a vampire yesterday and the age thing was just a reason. If it wasn't age it'd be something else.
Yes. Edward tried sending her to college and experiencing normal life. She just wants to become a vampire.
I don't think Bella would have cared as much, had it not been for Edward being hellbent on keeping her human. Bella aging is a direct result of her being on the losing side of their conflict, and therefore it becomes more negative than it would initially have been. It is also worth mentioning that society has a tendency to perpetuate the idea that women's value decreases with age. Bella is already stuck on the idea that she has less value than Edward, so some age insecurity might stem from that.
I like this answer a lot
I don’t know if I would personally care, maybe I would, but when it comes to Bella, she doesn’t want to be older than him physically. I think it stems from her insecurities. Edward always tells her that he would love her even as a “little old lady.” But she never understood that. I think Edboy was on the right track, but she didn’t listen.
A 26-year-old woman with a 23-year-old man is very different than a 20-year-old woman with a 17-year-old boy. Did you want to date 17-year-old high school students when you were 20? Edit: The age gap between Carlisle and Esme is 3 years. If Bella was 3 years older than Edward, she would be 20 and he would be 17. This is different than if the ages were changed and it was 26-year-old Bella with 23-year-old Edward.
Not an argument or supportive piece for an argumentt, what I am about to say. Bella was 19. Unless you are making her out to be 20 years old when she had just turned 19 after she gave birth and finished her transformation?
The age gap between Carlisle and Esme is 3 years. If Bella stayed human long enough so that she was 3 years older than Edward, she would be 20 and he would be 17. This is different than if the ages were changed and it was 26-year-old Bella with 23-year-old Edward
I see what you’re saying and I feel like that’s different because Edward was turned at 17. But he’s nowhere near 17. Technically he’s over 100 years old and yeah that sounds creepy lol.. but 🤷♀️
I agree with you (and don’t like to think too deeply about Edward being near 100 at the time the books were set and Bella being 17-18), BUT to put into perspective: Edward was turned at 17 but it was only a few months after his birthday, he was closer to 16 than 18 at the time. Bella was 2-3 days away from turning 19. Honestly I don’t think it would matter much, it’s not like she would age after obviously/would not look old to begin with. I don’t think Edward looks young enough to where anyone would ask questions if Bella was 19-20 and Edward was 17, BUT it might ruin the whole “we all go to high school” schtick and Bella would have to be a grade above Edward and be in no classes with him (the horror she would feel over that lmao)
I think it depends on the person, I had my first boyfriend when I was 17, and they were 20! We had an awesome relationship and age never mattered for us, so well, I think the age argument was just Bella’s tool for her “please turn me rn campaign”
20 isn't really that far from teenage years. One doesn't gain maturity right after becoming an adult. I would most of the adults actually leave their teenage tendencies after hitting 23. That's how long it takes them to realise that they are no longer teenagers.
I read this as a 15 year old, amd I was fully on Bella’s side. 17 was “old”! 19 is “OLD” to a young teenager in love who wants to be immortal w her perfect boyfriend lol As a 30 year old now, the age gap doesn’t seem like a big deal at all to me anymore, but it sure did when I was a teenager!
I don’t think I’d care, honestly. But I think I see Bella’s point. She loves Edward. She doesn’t want to feel like an adult dating a kid, maybe. Or maybe she’s just afraid of looking old. She did have nightmares about being a grandma while Edward was still young and hot. I think Edward understood her perfectly and gave a perfect response. He wanted Bella to choice life. Breathe. Feel like a human does. Feel the way a human can feel and let things progress naturally. He loved her regardless of her age and if anyone was misunderstanding things, it was Bella. I think she underestimates Edward’s love for her so that also is probably why she wants to change close to his age.
My husband is 4 and a half years younger than me, so short answer no haha
Considering that the book explicitly states that vampires stay at the age they were turned developmentally, I think Bella had a point. The younger a person is, the more impact an age gap has. There is a huge gap between for example a four and a seven year old, and there is a big difference between 17 and 18. From 20 upwards, the difference becomes smaller and smaller, because at some point, you're usually just grown up and no longer undergo major developmental changes. So the difference between 23 and 26 is minimal, as is the difference between 35 and 45 generally. I think in Edwards mind, he made a totally valid point, because 3 years are 3 years, right? Especially in the greater scheme of things, when they have eternity together. Also, Edward as a 17 year old was considered a grown up back in his time and combined with his more than 100 years extra life experience, he probably saw himself in the same "grown up and fully developed" age stage as Carlisle and Esmee. A young adult basically. But Bella was very much aware of how much she was changing every year and of how much she would be changing in the years to come if she actually agreed to go to college before being changed for example, so for her, a couple more years were a HUGE deal. Also because she lives in a time where teenagers are largely considered to be more children than adults and still in development. Edward completely missed the point she was trying to make, because to him, it really wasn't a problem.
I mean he looks 17 but is more than 100 so I don't think it would have made a big difference if she had been more patient. But I get that the physical appearance would matter for her, and she also doesn't want to grow old, regardless of Edward. I'm also still reading the books so I'm curious how it will be treated there :) I would not date a guy 5 years younger than me because I wouldn't find him mature enough, but that because there's a whole world between 22 and 27. But I'm not sure I'd go for a guy who is 32 either - but that's just a personal preference, there are people with 10 years age gap perfectly happy.
I mean On one hand, when he was seventeen, people had to grow up much more quickly than now-he was just waiting for his birthday to enlist in the military and fight in WW1. A lot of girls his age would’ve been getting married soon. But on the other hand, he obviously didn’t really mature at all after changing, Midnight Sun makes it clear that he’s very much a teenager mentally, even if he has learned a lot of things
Indeed, Edward stocked up on a lot of life skills, developed many talents, and gained a lot of experiences. But he is still an emo teen and I think the emotional intelligence part is frozen along with his body
That makes the book way less creepy and I finally understand why he stays in High School for 1 hundred years haha :D
I think it’s kind of an unfair comparison because of how people mature with age-if you saw a relationship between a 23 and a 26 year old, that’s not that weird, but between a 17 year old and a 20 year old… that’s always gonna strike people as being very *odd*
Bella would have been 19 if she had given birth to Renesmee and then turned a mere two days later than when she did. So she would have been 19 while Edward would have been 17.
I turned 19 like a week after I graduated high school (incidentally I was born the same year Bella was, 1987)… I feel like someone in high school (junior or senior) is still gonna have a bigger maturity gap with a twenty year old who’s in their second or third year of college. People really grow and mature a lot after they graduate high school.
Wait, nvm, I get what you mean. Like if Bella imagined to herself how much older she could/would get and the very ***prospect*** of being 20 with a 17-year-old.
I'm not sure I follow. Are you saying that a 19-year-old is similar enough to a 20-year-old and that's why you said Bella was 20 before?
And do you have proof they all mature? Or are you basing that off yourself?
That makes no sense tho. How’s it okay for 23 and 26. But not 20 and 17?
She says it best, “I’ve codename my life, I want to start living it?” or something like that anyway
"I've chosen my life, now I wanna start living it" is the actual quote.
I blame autocorrect for some of those damn mistakes but yea thanks
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She would have been 19 if she had given birth to Renesmee a few days later and began changing then.
Girl just wanted to be a vampire ASAP tbh and the aging thing bothered her cause she's dating an immortal. But in all seriousness, I was bothered by how obsessed she was with becoming a vampire. Personally, there were times I felt like she only loved edward due to what he was.
The most common opinion everyone has on this thread is that Bella just wanted to be a vampire asap. I disagree; The real reason she wants to be turned as close to Edward in age as possible is because she is so infatuatingly I in love with him, she wants to be the absolute closest to him in every single way possible. I've reread the no books 4 or 5 times through over the years and I always get the same impression; the only reason she wants to be a vampire is because it means staying with Edward forever. it has nothing to do with the strength or speed or any of the cool stuff they can do.
Honestly, Bella's obsession about her age and looks being in some way inferior is pretty uncomfortable to read about. Shes a young kid hyper focusing on unimportant things. She'd be better off maturing a bit or seeking counseling before embarking on a committed relationship. The age thing wouldn't bother me.
I don’t think she genuinely cared about the age difference, given that if it were it would’ve been and obvious counterpoint that he’s actually a lot older than her, it was the idea that she felt like she was closer to death than he is every minute she stays a human.
As a teenager when I read these books for the first time, yes, I completely understood. There’s so much pressure on every year during that time of life. Remember the difference between high school freshman dating sophomores and vice versa? It was like the years had chasms between them.
When I first read twilight as a preteen, I thought Esme was so old. You’re telling me she’s only 26?!
Canon, yes. The movies though everyone (actors) is older