Fear is an instinctive reaction for all the characters in Twilight, and all are faced with choosing to embrace or disregard the fears that grip them. For instance, Edward fears for Bella's safety when he's near her, but his attraction to her is strong enough to override that fear. Bella is sometimes scared of Edward, but she refuses to let herself believe that he would harm her. In fact, Bella sometimes seems to like fear – it excites her. The strongest fear that drives both Edward and Bella is the thought of losing one another, and each is willing to risk happiness or safety to secure the other's well-being. Lastly, Bella has some very typical, human fears: dancing, blood, and needles.
Questions About Fear
- Should Bella fear Edward?
- Should Edward fear for Bella's life when they are together? Does he ever come close to hurting her?
- Why do you think Stephenie Meyer has Bella fear dancing, blood, and needles?
- Bella is both attracted to Edward and sometimes scared of him. Do you think one has to do with the other, or is it just inconvenient that Bella happens to love a scary guy?
- Why is Bella so brave all the time? Is she being stupid, or courageous?
- The scariest scene in the book occurs in Phoenix (with James), not Forks, although Forks is the dark, cold, "scary" town. What do you make of that? Is that meaningless, or symbolic in some way?