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sparkle_waysCarlisle’s Opinions
Edward taught Carlisle he didn't have to be alone. Even if it was selfish to turn people to Carlisle's kind, he could live with that selfishness if it meant that he didn't have to wander alone.
Esme taught Carlisle he didn't have to be unloved.
They both wanted the same thing; a family, a sense of a legacy, I think. To care for others. Even when Esme accidentally kills someone (which I assume has happened, with the inference in Twilight that only Carlisle hasn't done so [even if I think he has]), there is never any moment when Carlisle sees her as less than the epitome of caring. What is it that Edward says Esme brought with her? 'The ability to love passionately'? Carlisle's human life, and his life with the Volturi, was never about love. It was about order, and structure, and dominance. I think that Carlisle just 'woke up' for lack of a better phrase one day and decided he couldn't deal with the concept of dominance anymore. Humans have just as much potential to be special, important.
It probably took him several hundred years to accept that he had the right to be important to someone, and then came Esme.
Edward's Opinions
I think starting this with a growing focus toward my examining Edwards beginnings has helped me with getting my head around the relationships. With having done Carlisle, my mind naturally progressed to Esme.
I feel, for Edward, all things family and age/time awkward were figured out when Esme joined. Because here was this girl, who Carlisle was suddenly absolutely devoted to and changed by -- who was six years senior in how many human years she'd had, and yet still was his junior (or near contemporary) where it came to learning their new world/life.
I think the complications made it much easier to claim Edward (based on their matching appearance coloring) as being her younger brother.
At the very beginning, When it was just Carlisle and Esme, I'm pretty sure Edward was fine with just being the third person attached to a very dedicated couple (you know, anything for Carlisle in its early stages)....without there being any necessity for a family dynamic to exist at all. And that it was Esme who changed his entire thought process on that.
She had a sweet, softness about her, a truly passionate love, and her entire focus was based on a need to be a caregiver for others (which is complimentary, but not the same as Carlisle's need to help people). She would have given their world a shift toward being more taken care of, instead of just two men traveling and living together. A softer, smoother edge born in among to all of it.
Which I think early on meant Edward was doing it for her (and Carlisle), more than feeling it fit. Because he could see all too clearly from her thoughts exactly what she'd gone through (with her husband and child) and how very little she needed to have her needs met and be truly content....and he just set about making sure he wasn't acting against it.
Then got used to it and her, and the act slipped from being a simple gift into something quite real.
Because Esme is to him the sweetest and gentlest person among them. The person who he can't bear being a trouble to. He worried about the possibility of disappointing Carlisle while in Alaska, but it plagues him that he knows Esme is worrying over him even then.
Just the way it comes out, I'm tempted to say while Edward would have considered Carlisle far more important still....that Esme was the first person Edward considered family. And the first person who he wanted to make things easier and better for, who he set out to protect from the weird and off out in their world. Because she was Esme, and Esme deserved better than be given reasons to worry about either of them. Or anything really.
Edward never once doubted Esme would welcome him back with open arms and forgiveness after those rebellion years. It's not ever even a thought that she wouldn't. It's harder because he knows she's a world of acceptance, love, softness and making things better. But I think actually walking back into made him incapable of not ingratiating her into being part of everything that was his life, and how she was very much acting the role of a mother to his choices/life even if it wasn't an openly titled position then.
I don't feel the Rosalie-Emmett explosions really touched Edward’s feelings toward Esme. He would understand why Esme wanted him with someone else, wanted him to have a family, an equal. It had made her life, gave it meaning, was reinforced by the things she needed and wished to fulfill in other people’s lives. That she wanted that for him is a compliment. She wants to give more.
I do feel that Rosalie and Emmett were accepted easier, if not less quickly, by Edward because they filled in even more Esme's need to be caring over people. Her needs to have people to care for coinciding with the sudden apparent need to change their cover story, what with two people in their twenties and three in their teens.
And how easy it would be not to rock the boat with Esme being happier and happier the more people she got to care for. Especially as he grew to really like Emmett. And then attached himself to Alice, after her appearance, like he'd found a missing part of himself. Then enjoying siblings would come along with the perk of making Esme happier at the same time. Bonus points all around.
That by this time it wasn't as hard to let the dynamic settle into a family with Carlisle and Esme as the obvious forerunners.
Out of all the Cullen's, Esme is probably the person he is most protective and defensive of, careful, gentle and complying toward. Which isn't to say he thinks she can't defend herself and isn't a right perfect monster herself, it's that he doesn't want to trouble her. He doesn't want other things to trouble her and doesn't want to be the person who causes her distress.
He changes his plans dozens of times in different places across the four point whatever books to see Esme or make sure things don't bother her...displaying an easy outward process of being willing to change most things that happen in a day so they won't ruffle her world in the slightest.
Following behind Alice, she's probably the person he's second most fond of. For all intents and purposes, he's probably all but an obvious mama's boy, with the hinging on that being their mutual ages and length of relationship. Which probably goes all the way back into his issues of having not connected with his birth mother over what he felt he wanted and needed to do then. Esme redefined unconditional acceptance, compassion and support.
Plus, you know there are dozens of musical pieces he's written, learned and played simply because it makes her smile.
Jasper's Opinions
Aside from Alice, Esme's feelings are probably the ones Jasper keeps the most tabs on. Not even so much because she's the "Mother", which like with Carlisle Jasper tends to find it weird to think of her has - especially seeing as in vampire years he has half a century on her - but because of her nature. She's so caring and nurturing that, even though Jasper doesn't think or pretend to think of her outside of school as a mother, he can see how she'd make an excellent one and he's very fond of her and hates to see her worry.
And, like with Alice, I'm sure he's had problems in the past of unconsciously manipulating her moods whenever he felt even the slightest emotional shift. But it goes the other way too, that if she ever needed a boost or a calming, he'd be ready and happy to.
But, above all, I think he's afraid of being the one to disappoint her, to cause her needless worry, and, I think because of that, he tends to keep a certain distance from her that the other 'children' might not. Like, he wouldn't want her to see when he's had a bad day. He'd tell her, as to not make her worry with his avoidance, but details are kept to a minimum and if he needs encouragement/advice he goes to Carlisle instead.
Still. I'm sure he picks up on Esme's moods and gravitates towards her a lot - he's a whore for good emotional environments and Esme's one of the best - so he's not completely estranged from her or anything. He'll offer his assistance if she's ever in a redecorating mood, play a game or two with her every now and then, or what have you!
Emmett's Opinions
I almost get the feeling that despite all of the manly and tough aspects that Emmett deep down is a mama's boy. There are only 4 people in the Cullen Family who have seen Emmett at his most vulnerable. Every other time, while he is fun loving he's a guardian and will bite if necessary.
Alice's Opinions
Pending
Rosalie's Opinions
Okay, please keep in mind that I have not yet read Midnight Son. Which means all my opinions are based upon the main books and, if I recall correctly, there really isn't much about Esme and Rosalie's relationship in there. So yeah, my disclaimer for please don't hate me if I say something wrong in here.
I think out of all of the Cullen’s, Esme was probably the first person Rosalie bonded with after being turned. She resented Carlisle and didn't really like Edward, which left her kind of alone in the family. But Esme tends to represent everything a mother should be and, I think, everything Rose wanted to be in life. I see her as taking on a subconscious idolization of Esme - this woman should be her new role model in the afterlife. She'll stay with the family (aside from dependence) in part to get to know this woman better and see how she's adjusted. After all, Esme did kind of want a lot of the same things as Rose - a family and a baby and love.
The only thing is Esme kind of got that in the form of the Cullen children. And I can see slight bits of jealousy from Rose for that, wanting her own family rather than being in one. But I think that tends to be kind of minor (if anything, part of the reason for her devotedness to Emmett - maybe they could have a family a la Carlisle’s someday).
Overall, I think Esme is probably the first person in the family Rose came to care for and genuinely like. I wouldn't go so far as to say she ever sees her as her mother, but definitely a much older sister who has a lot to teach her.
Edward taught Carlisle he didn't have to be alone. Even if it was selfish to turn people to Carlisle's kind, he could live with that selfishness if it meant that he didn't have to wander alone.
Esme taught Carlisle he didn't have to be unloved.
They both wanted the same thing; a family, a sense of a legacy, I think. To care for others. Even when Esme accidentally kills someone (which I assume has happened, with the inference in Twilight that only Carlisle hasn't done so [even if I think he has]), there is never any moment when Carlisle sees her as less than the epitome of caring. What is it that Edward says Esme brought with her? 'The ability to love passionately'? Carlisle's human life, and his life with the Volturi, was never about love. It was about order, and structure, and dominance. I think that Carlisle just 'woke up' for lack of a better phrase one day and decided he couldn't deal with the concept of dominance anymore. Humans have just as much potential to be special, important.
It probably took him several hundred years to accept that he had the right to be important to someone, and then came Esme.
Edward's Opinions
I think starting this with a growing focus toward my examining Edwards beginnings has helped me with getting my head around the relationships. With having done Carlisle, my mind naturally progressed to Esme.
I feel, for Edward, all things family and age/time awkward were figured out when Esme joined. Because here was this girl, who Carlisle was suddenly absolutely devoted to and changed by -- who was six years senior in how many human years she'd had, and yet still was his junior (or near contemporary) where it came to learning their new world/life.
I think the complications made it much easier to claim Edward (based on their matching appearance coloring) as being her younger brother.
At the very beginning, When it was just Carlisle and Esme, I'm pretty sure Edward was fine with just being the third person attached to a very dedicated couple (you know, anything for Carlisle in its early stages)....without there being any necessity for a family dynamic to exist at all. And that it was Esme who changed his entire thought process on that.
She had a sweet, softness about her, a truly passionate love, and her entire focus was based on a need to be a caregiver for others (which is complimentary, but not the same as Carlisle's need to help people). She would have given their world a shift toward being more taken care of, instead of just two men traveling and living together. A softer, smoother edge born in among to all of it.
Which I think early on meant Edward was doing it for her (and Carlisle), more than feeling it fit. Because he could see all too clearly from her thoughts exactly what she'd gone through (with her husband and child) and how very little she needed to have her needs met and be truly content....and he just set about making sure he wasn't acting against it.
Then got used to it and her, and the act slipped from being a simple gift into something quite real.
Because Esme is to him the sweetest and gentlest person among them. The person who he can't bear being a trouble to. He worried about the possibility of disappointing Carlisle while in Alaska, but it plagues him that he knows Esme is worrying over him even then.
Just the way it comes out, I'm tempted to say while Edward would have considered Carlisle far more important still....that Esme was the first person Edward considered family. And the first person who he wanted to make things easier and better for, who he set out to protect from the weird and off out in their world. Because she was Esme, and Esme deserved better than be given reasons to worry about either of them. Or anything really.
Edward never once doubted Esme would welcome him back with open arms and forgiveness after those rebellion years. It's not ever even a thought that she wouldn't. It's harder because he knows she's a world of acceptance, love, softness and making things better. But I think actually walking back into made him incapable of not ingratiating her into being part of everything that was his life, and how she was very much acting the role of a mother to his choices/life even if it wasn't an openly titled position then.
I don't feel the Rosalie-Emmett explosions really touched Edward’s feelings toward Esme. He would understand why Esme wanted him with someone else, wanted him to have a family, an equal. It had made her life, gave it meaning, was reinforced by the things she needed and wished to fulfill in other people’s lives. That she wanted that for him is a compliment. She wants to give more.
I do feel that Rosalie and Emmett were accepted easier, if not less quickly, by Edward because they filled in even more Esme's need to be caring over people. Her needs to have people to care for coinciding with the sudden apparent need to change their cover story, what with two people in their twenties and three in their teens.
And how easy it would be not to rock the boat with Esme being happier and happier the more people she got to care for. Especially as he grew to really like Emmett. And then attached himself to Alice, after her appearance, like he'd found a missing part of himself. Then enjoying siblings would come along with the perk of making Esme happier at the same time. Bonus points all around.
That by this time it wasn't as hard to let the dynamic settle into a family with Carlisle and Esme as the obvious forerunners.
Out of all the Cullen's, Esme is probably the person he is most protective and defensive of, careful, gentle and complying toward. Which isn't to say he thinks she can't defend herself and isn't a right perfect monster herself, it's that he doesn't want to trouble her. He doesn't want other things to trouble her and doesn't want to be the person who causes her distress.
He changes his plans dozens of times in different places across the four point whatever books to see Esme or make sure things don't bother her...displaying an easy outward process of being willing to change most things that happen in a day so they won't ruffle her world in the slightest.
Following behind Alice, she's probably the person he's second most fond of. For all intents and purposes, he's probably all but an obvious mama's boy, with the hinging on that being their mutual ages and length of relationship. Which probably goes all the way back into his issues of having not connected with his birth mother over what he felt he wanted and needed to do then. Esme redefined unconditional acceptance, compassion and support.
Plus, you know there are dozens of musical pieces he's written, learned and played simply because it makes her smile.
Jasper's Opinions
Aside from Alice, Esme's feelings are probably the ones Jasper keeps the most tabs on. Not even so much because she's the "Mother", which like with Carlisle Jasper tends to find it weird to think of her has - especially seeing as in vampire years he has half a century on her - but because of her nature. She's so caring and nurturing that, even though Jasper doesn't think or pretend to think of her outside of school as a mother, he can see how she'd make an excellent one and he's very fond of her and hates to see her worry.
And, like with Alice, I'm sure he's had problems in the past of unconsciously manipulating her moods whenever he felt even the slightest emotional shift. But it goes the other way too, that if she ever needed a boost or a calming, he'd be ready and happy to.
But, above all, I think he's afraid of being the one to disappoint her, to cause her needless worry, and, I think because of that, he tends to keep a certain distance from her that the other 'children' might not. Like, he wouldn't want her to see when he's had a bad day. He'd tell her, as to not make her worry with his avoidance, but details are kept to a minimum and if he needs encouragement/advice he goes to Carlisle instead.
Still. I'm sure he picks up on Esme's moods and gravitates towards her a lot - he's a whore for good emotional environments and Esme's one of the best - so he's not completely estranged from her or anything. He'll offer his assistance if she's ever in a redecorating mood, play a game or two with her every now and then, or what have you!
Emmett's Opinions
I almost get the feeling that despite all of the manly and tough aspects that Emmett deep down is a mama's boy. There are only 4 people in the Cullen Family who have seen Emmett at his most vulnerable. Every other time, while he is fun loving he's a guardian and will bite if necessary.
Alice's Opinions
Pending
Rosalie's Opinions
Okay, please keep in mind that I have not yet read Midnight Son. Which means all my opinions are based upon the main books and, if I recall correctly, there really isn't much about Esme and Rosalie's relationship in there. So yeah, my disclaimer for please don't hate me if I say something wrong in here.
I think out of all of the Cullen’s, Esme was probably the first person Rosalie bonded with after being turned. She resented Carlisle and didn't really like Edward, which left her kind of alone in the family. But Esme tends to represent everything a mother should be and, I think, everything Rose wanted to be in life. I see her as taking on a subconscious idolization of Esme - this woman should be her new role model in the afterlife. She'll stay with the family (aside from dependence) in part to get to know this woman better and see how she's adjusted. After all, Esme did kind of want a lot of the same things as Rose - a family and a baby and love.
The only thing is Esme kind of got that in the form of the Cullen children. And I can see slight bits of jealousy from Rose for that, wanting her own family rather than being in one. But I think that tends to be kind of minor (if anything, part of the reason for her devotedness to Emmett - maybe they could have a family a la Carlisle’s someday).
Overall, I think Esme is probably the first person in the family Rose came to care for and genuinely like. I wouldn't go so far as to say she ever sees her as her mother, but definitely a much older sister who has a lot to teach her.
