vamp and wolves mythology

becoming a vampire


The transition from human to vampire is said to be very painful, in fact it’s so bad that "The pain of transformation is the sharpest memory they have of their human life."(TW20). When James bites Bella in TW23, we witness this clearly. She compares the sensation in her hand to "fire", and words such as "screamed", "writhed" and "torture" enhance the agony that Bella endures even at the very beginning of the transformation process. As Stephenie Meyer points out, this is at the beginning of the conversion, "Painful enough, but not as bad as if she had several bites." (PC8)


Edward speaks in awe of Carlisle’s transformation, explaining, "It’s a miracle he was able to keep silent, to stay undiscovered," (TW15) due to the agonies he would have endured. Carlisle’s conversion would have been particularly painful because "his bites were not deliberate or well placed," (PC8), therefore it took a little more than three days to become a vampire. The pain is so bad that for "every minute" of the transformation, "a victim would be wishing for death." (TW20)

Alice is unusual in that she cannot remember her transformation at all. "She didn’t even seem to notice the pain, poor little creature. She’d been stuck in that black hole of a cell for so long." (TW22)
The transformation process is simple, assuming the vampire doesn’t drain the human body of blood. A human is bitten, and the venom is allowed to spread for a few days. The actual length of time a transformation takes is dependent upon "how much venom is in the bloodstream, how close the venom enters to the heart." (TW20). The venom is pumped around the body as the heart keeps beating, and various physical changes occur as the poison moves. One of the changed that happens is the body’s "healing" (TW20) from the injuries that may have occurred to it, such as Emmett’s mauling by the bear.

"The greatest pain begins when the venom is all the way through the body, through the heart, and it starts meeting itself in the veins again and then burning them dry. It moves slower than blood because it’s thicker. Each beat of the heart can only push it so far. The changing/burning process is slow. The venom has to leak through to every cell before it ends." (PC8). The final stage in conversion happens when "the heart stops"(TW20), at which point the human becomes a vampire.


Appearance


All of the Cullen family in ‘Twilight’ are described as breathtakingly beautiful; in fact, this and their aloofness in the cafeteria of the school is the first thing that draws Bella’s attention towards them.

"Their faces, so different, so similar, were all devastatingly, inhumanly beautiful." (TW1)
Although Bella is immediately drawn to Edward, we have frequent repetition of just how attractive all of the vampires are. Carlisle is described as looking "more like a model than a doctor" (TW24), Rosalie is so gorgeous that "the perfect blonde girl" (TW1) is "beyond belief", Emmett and Jasper are "intimidating and flawless", Alice is "striking" (TW Epilogue), and Edward is described as "dazzling" (TW2) and "too beautiful to be real" (TW13). Esme, whilst not as prominent in the novel as the others, still "had the same pale, beautiful features as the rest of them" (TW 13).
We discover that their perfect "marble" (TW13) features are merely part of their arsenal of weapons to make them enticing to their prey.
Ironically, many of the words Bella chooses to describe the vampires are an inversion of the stereotypical beliefs about the creatures. Edward is frequently described as an "angel" (TW23) or mention is made of "his angel’s face" (TW13). His eyes are "golden" at times (TW13) and the constant reinforcement of the positive imagery and implications supports the fact that the Cullens are, indeed, an altogether different version of vampire to that covered by legend.
It is worth noting that in Meyer’s world the transformation from human to vampire intensifies everything, including looks.
"The change into a vampire makes an average person stunning and a beautiful person absolutely beyond breath-taking. The reason Rosalie is such a beautiful vampire is because she was the most beautiful girl in Rochester, New York when she was human." (PC4)
Therefore, as Meyer herself concludes, all of the Cullens were physically attractive to start with, and their transition to vampire state merely enhances what was already there in much the same way that Carlisle believed that a person’s greatest gift was taken with them (such as Esme’s capacity for love) and made stronger.
Their movements are described as fluent and fluid, very graceful. Alice’s movements in particular are equated with being like "dancing’, and are set in stark contrast to Bella’s own clumsiness.
The uncivilised vampires are described somewhat differently, their walk being "catlike" and "on the edge of shifting into a crouch" (TW18). The woman is described as having a posture that is "distinctly feline" (TW18) From their description alone, they are seen as far more animalistic, wild and uncontrolled than the "urbane" (TW18) Cullens, although they are capable of cursory civility.
James is the only vampire in the book who isn’t described as attractive; in fact he is "nondescript" (TW18). Meyer explains this as James:
"was quite unattractive as a human. This is rare, because even vampires are drawn by beauty. They tend to, when looking for companionship, choose exceptional humans."


blood



Apart from the physiological differences with blood between a vampire and a human, blood is also important as the sole diet of a vampire. Whether animal or human blood it is important to consume it regularly; without it, they will weaken mentally and be less capable of rational thought and action.


We are told that blood varies massively in flavour. Emmett’s preference for "grizzly" and Edward’s for "mountain lion" (TW10) may be indicative of their hunting styles and personalities, but animals don’t really appeal to vampires. The "bigger the animal, usually the better it tastes. Predators are the most tasty" (PC7), but even then it’s insufficient. As Edward explains it: "I’d compare it to living on tofu and soy milk; we call ourselves vegetarians, our little inside joke. It doesn’t completely satiate the hunger, or rather thirst. But it keeps us strong enough to resist." (TW9)

Human blood is what vampires truly crave, but even then, there is a vast range of types of human blood available, some more potent to different vampires than others. Bella’s blood smells "appallingly luscious" (TW19) anyway, but to Edward she is exactly his "brand of heroin." (TW13). She is "some kind of demon, summoned straight from my own personal hell,"(TW13) to torment him with the smell of her blood, and he later admits that she tastes "better than I’d imagined." (TW24)

This type of appetizing blood seems to be rare. Emmett has only come across it twice, "once stronger than the other,"(TW13) but unlike Edward, he succumbed to the temptation. Other vampires, like Jasper, seem to be oblivious to the differences in smell or flavour of human blood.

Carlisle is even more of a rarity. As a vampire, he is capable of dealing with human blood without seeming to experience the natural desires of the vampire. Even when Bella is severely injured by James, Carlisle is described as "methodical"(TW24) and very focused on his task.

It is also worth noting that when a vampire draws blood from a human, it usually results in a complete draining of the body. "It’s almost impossible to stop, once you get started, that’s why so few vampires are successfully created." (PC7)

James is driven "mad with thirst" (TW23) when Bella’s blood is spilled. Alice describes it as being "like sharks, in a way. Once we taste the blood, or even smell it, it becomes very hard to keep from feeding. Sometimes impossible." (TW20) She uses the word "frenzy" to describe the feeding, which gives a sense of the complete loss of control a vampire would have and why the body would be so completely drained of blood.

Edward sees his ability to stop drinking Bella’s blood as evidence of his love for her. He admits: "It was impossible.. to stop… Impossible. But I did." (TW24)




Werewolf Appearance

The wolves themselves vary in physical appearance, just like their human counterparts. For example, the wolf that scares Laurent away from Bella (NM10) is described as: “It was enormous—as tall as a horse, but thicker, much more muscular. The long muzzle grimaced, revealing a line of dagger-like incisors. A grisly snarl rolled out from between the teeth, rumbling across the clearing like a prolonged crack of thunder.” So huge that Bella even mistakes it for a “bear” at first.


The other wolves are described: “One was a deep gray, the other brown, neither one quite as tall as the first.” And finally a “rusty brown monster” (NM10).

It is this “reddish brown” wolf that Bella focuses on, explaining “The wolf’s eyes were dark, nearly black. It gazed at me for a fraction of a second, the deep eyes seeming too intelligent for a wild animal. As it stared at me, I suddenly thought of Jacob,” (NM10) but it is not until her later dream that Bella realises that these eyes are actually “The black-brown, familiar eyes of Jacob Black.” (NM12)

The colour of the wolves seems to be randomly allocated. Jake’s reddish-brown colour could be connected with his skin tone, but if that were true then the others would also be a similar colour as they are of fairly similar human appearance. However, as wolves they are markedly different in appearance, although similar in strength and size.

In ‘Eclipse’ we discover that there are some correlations between human and werewolf form. Bella asks why Jacob is furrier than the others: “Because my hair is longer” (EC22)

The sheer “monstrous size” of these things are emphasised again and again. This links clearly with the actual changes in the boys as well, which Bella notes, although she doesn’t connect the two together until later. “These were just four really big half-naked boys” (NM14) As a human Jacob is “six five” (NM5) and she also remarks of the changes in Quil: “He looked bigger than the last time I’d seen him. What was with these Quileute boys? Were they feeding them experimental growth hormones?” (NM11) It seems that a period of rapid growth happens in the human boy before he becomes a wolf.

It is also noticeable that the human boy changes significantly in areas other than height when they have become of an age to turn into a werewolf. Jacob crops his hair short, just like Sam and the others, but “The planes of his face seemed to have hardened subtly, tightened…aged. His neck and his shoulders were different, too, thicker somehow. His hands, where they gripped the window frame, looked enormous, with the tendons and veins more prominent under the russet skin.” (NM11) Becoming a wolf is a sign of maturity, and he visibly ages as a human as well. This also seems to be true of Sam Uley, as his first description is: “closer to a man than a boy, and his voice was very deep.” (TW6)

The boys become very similar in their physical human appearance until they could be mistaken for “quadruplets” (NM14) as there was “something about the way they moved almost in synchronization to stand across the road from us, the way they all had the same long, round muscles under the same red-brown skin, the same cropped black hair, and the way their expressions altered at exactly the same moment.” (NM14)


Becoming a Werewolf


The history of the Quileute tribe and their connection things beyond the human is documented in ‘Eclipse’ chapter 11. We are told that “there has always been magic in our blood” and that they were “spirit warriors” before they became “shape-shifting” people. The tale of Taha Aki links the tribe for the first time with the wolf, as his spirit shared the body of the animal. This seems to have been the beginning of the possibility of being beyond both simple man and simple wolf.


The description of Taha Aki matches what Bella discovers about Jacob and the other werewolves. “He led the tribe for many years, for he did not age” (EC11) and the genetic passing on of the ability to transform to his sons “after they had reached the age of manhood.” It is important to note, that just as Jacob and his friends are different, the wolves in the story are different too, “because they were spirit wolves and reflected the man they were inside.” (EC11)

If no vampires are near then “the descendants of Taha Aki no longer became wolves when they reached manhood”. If there are one of two vampires, then “the pack stayed small.” (EC11) It is noticeable that when the number of vampires increase with Victoria’s army, then “the pack has grown” (EC18) so that they are able to fight.

There is a direct connection between the vampires and the wolves, although Bella believes that “The Cullens had no idea… They didn’t know that coming here would change you.” (EC5) but Jacob is certain: “Bella, honey, we only protect people from one thing—our one enemy. It’s the reason we exist—because they do.” (NM13) If vampires were not present, then there are no need for werewolves to protect the tribe.

To change into a werewolf, it is vital to be a direct descendant of Taha Aki. People had always believed that it was a direct male descendant, but this is proven to be untrue when Leah Clearwater becomes one of the pack. (EC19) There is no escape from this: “What I am was born in me. It’s part of who I am, who my family is, who we all are as a tribe.” (EC4) It is not an option but something that will happen to a select number of people at the age of maturity: “It’s in my blood on both sides. I never had a chance. Like Quil doesn’t have a chance.” (NM15) Once a werewolf, there is no turning back. As Jacob bleakly jokes, ““No. I’m in this for life. A life sentence.” (NM12)

There is “no exact age” (NM15) that someone becomes a werewolf. Jacob explains that “Sometimes, if you get really upset or something, that can trigger it early” (NM15) and that you need to be able to control your feelings and anger to be able to phase back again. With Sam, “it took him two weeks to calm down enough to change back” because no one had anticipated it would happen to him and “he thought he’d gone insane” as a result. (EC5)

It is slightly unclear as to how long the initial transformation takes, but there are suggestions that it’s around a week. “Embry missed a week of school” (NM7) and Bella was going to give it “a week before she started getting pushy” (NM10) about Jake being ill. The high body heat is one of the symptoms: “Woah, Jake – you’re burning up.” (NM9) and there is some suggestion of pain with the “every part of me hurts” (NM9) although Stephenie Meyer points out that this is more “disorientating and mentally uncomfortable” (PC11) than physical pain.

The pack has one leader; an alpha male. In Bella’s time, this should be Jake because of his lineage, but he explains: “I didn’t want to be some legendary chief. I didn’t want to be part of a pack of werewolves, let alone their leader. I wouldn’t take it when Sam offered.” (EC21) Sam Uley leads them instead. The alpha does control the pack: “When he tells us to do something, or not to do something—when he really means it, well, we can’t just ignore him.” (NM14)




About Jacob black


Full Name: Jacob Black


Status: Werewolf – Alpha

Date of Birth: 1990

Originally from: Forks, WA

Hair color: Black (TW6)

Eye color: Brown (TW6)

Height: 6′7″ (EC3)

Physical description:
 Long, glossy hair in a pony tail, beautiful skin, a hint of childish roundness to his chin (TW6) In his wolf form, Jacob’s coat is a rusty brown color. (NM10) He cut his hair very short after his transformation (NM11), but let it grow back out later on. (EC4)

Occupation: Protect the LaPush area from Vampires

Family members: His mother, Sarah, died many years ago and he has twin older sisters, Rachel and Rebecca. (TW6) He has imprinted on Renesmee Cullen. (BD18)

Hobbies: Fixing up cars and motorcycles