Thank you that helps

I looked and looked for that. I wanted so much to find that discussion. I like it when I'm shown things more than when I'm told things. Bella's reaction would have been stellar, after what almost happened to her. She would have understood Edward's reactions so much better at that point.
Sigh.

Very true. She would understand why he was so angry and upset. Poor Rosalie!

Isn't that what Edward did? He convinced himself that it was okay if they were evil people. But now he feels guilty about taking the lives. I'm all for justice. It's just that Edward's message seems to be that there is a difference between justice and vengeance. I wonder if he and Rosalie ever talked about that.

You are right ..there is a differenve between justce and vengence...

Do you think sometimes vengence can be just???

I imagine that Rosalie is more than aware of the difference between vengeance and justice...I think she willingly chose her path, accepting the consequences.

As for whether vengeance can be just, there's just no easy answer for that. In Rosalie's world, if she had lived to accuse her attackers, what justice would she have received? While rape was still considered a hideous crime, many people still thought that victims brought it on themselves. And especially since Royce was her fiance, he probably just would have told some enormous lie about her willingness to participate, and even those few that didn't believe it would still have kept their mouths shut because of his wealth and power. Even today, people who are raped often don't receive anything close to justice. So is it just if their attackers are punished another way? In some ways, I think so. The attackers are taken out of the world, unable to harm anyone else. The victim may feel vindicated or lose some of their fear. But what about the people that loved the attackers? They may not believe their loved one was guilty or even if they did they will still suffer for that loss. What is justice to one person is very much not for the next. I guess the answer for me is that there is no real black and white justice in this world. We just have to find peace where we can, and hope there's answers in the next life.

Wow, Renaissance! Wow! That's a lot of in depth thinking there! If someone in my family had ever raped a girl it would be hard to believe. But, I also believe that they need to pay for their crimes. I still don't blame Rosalie for reacting the way she did to Royce and his friends. She was hurt in a way that no woman should have to go through and she was serving justice in her eyes.

Renaissance said:What is justice to one person is very much not for the next. I guess the answer for me is that there is no real black and white justice in this world. We just have to find peace where we can, and hope there's answers in the next life.

AMEN to that...all here on Earth is not so easily understood.

Yay a thread for Rosalie! I really don't think she gets enough credit - she's great in a lot of ways. The fact that she revealed something so intensely personal about her past to Bella showed that she meant what she said at the family vote (about not objecting to having Bella as a sister but wishing someone had voted no for her). It was very kind of her to relive her painful past to someone she's not close to so that Bella could really take stock of what she was giving up.

In many ways Rosalie was a victim to the values of her upbringing - it sounds like she was raised to believe her beauty was her ticket to happiness and all she had to offer. It's only since she's been under Carlisle's influence that she's gained greater insight and grown - like she said about loving Emmett. That he's exactly what she would have wanted in a mortal husband if she had known enough about herself to know what she really wanted.

I think she was justified in her killings (well, not the guards really) and love her dramatic touch - wearing a wedding dress! She has more in common with Edward than it initially appears. They're both dramatic, hold onto values they learned as humans, can be stubborn and believe they know better than others, have a dark sense of humor, and feel lingering regret at being a vampire. And the fact that she has never, ever tasted human blood shows how moral and strong she is!!

I feel so bad that when she was going through her change - right after her terrible near-death no less - she had to hear Edward say "why Rosalie Hale of all people" (paraphrasing) to Carlisle. Not the best time to be judged!

I loved the line when Rosalie looks at Bella on the sofa and then looks at the bed and tells Bella not to be too angry with Edward because he really loves her.

And even though it was wrong of Rosalie to tell Edward about Bella's "death" the way SM wrote the extra piece you could see where Rosalie was coming from - her motivations weren't so bad as I thought before. She really did genuinely miss her brother and appreciate the peace and happiness Bella gave him. I liked how she misses her brother and fixing cars with him and hearing his feelings play out on the piano.

Lol, but she's even jealous that Alice likes Bella better than her. It's a good thing she has Emmett who adores her! I can just see Rosalie watching "America's Next Top Model": "Am I prettier than her Emmett?" "Oh yes Rosalie - much" "What about her?" "Are you kidding - of course!" "And what about her?" ...

Cordelia I completely agree with everything you said. I dont think Rosalie gets enough credit either. You summed up all the reasons why already, so I'm not going to repeat them but there is something about her that speaks to me. I've talked about this in other threads, but Rosalie is the character I am most like. I understand where she is coming from. I understand her feelings for Bella, her jealousy of Bella, her want to have her family back how it was, and her vengence. I hope we get more of her and I cant wait to see more of her in Midnight Sun.

What interests me about Rosalie is that she is the only one who regrets what happened, or at least is having trouble dealing with it at this point. Carlisle just goes along with is "take what you get and deal with it" opinion. Edward knows his life was over anyway, and does not regret Carlisle changing him. Emmett knows he would have been dead without Rosalie's help. Esme knows her death was her own choice, but she got Carlisle, so he thinks the trade off was worth it. Alice doesn't remember her human life anyway, and Jasper is so in love with Alice it's worth it to him. Rosalie is the only one who really regrets what happened. She's bluntly honest about that, even though it must hurt Carlisle to hear it. She's the one who makes him wonder if he had the right to doom others, but she's going to call it as she sees it, no matter what. That's admirable.

Yeah, I've always wondered about that. Do you think that it hurts Carlisle - every day living with someone who resents that you saved her life?

I think he must have winced a bit when she said she wished there had been someone to vote no for her. But I expect he's used to her bluntness by now.

Fabulous post, Cordelia! I enjoyed this so much. You've provided wonderful snapshots of who Rosalie is, plus your little tableau of her watching "Top Model" with Emmett really tickles me.

The part about her change gives me pause. (In bold letters above). I know that's the interpretation Rosalie herself put on Edward's words at the time. I think he was mainly referring to the fact that she was too prominent and recognizable a person for them to be attempting to incorporate into their household; the chance for discovery was too great. I've always wondered why Rosalie, who is accustomed to adulation, admiration, and adoration wherever she goes would immediately jump to the conclusion she did; right away she believed Edward was rejecting her personally, instead of the position her presence might put them in. The fact that it was her first thought (that she was being judged and found lacking) indicates underlying insecurities despite her bold, confident demeanor. I wonder if she knows how much she revealed about herself when she made that comment to Bella?

Rosalie came into her new life filled with a lot of anger. She had just seen a scene between her friend and her husband that made her realize her life was not perfect. She met the reality of who her fiance' was, and her new family (Edward) doesn't want her. I don't think that we can say that any of the Cullens had that much anger. Emmet has dimples, even in pain. Jasper's being seduced, Alice can't remember, Carlisle's doing his job, Edward's too sick to know differently, and Esme is sad, but immediately greeted by her angel. How much a difference the anger (experienced at the time of change) can make is evident in the spite held by Jane. Rosalie could be that way. She refuses to help Bella escape from James. But after Edward's trip to Italy, she seems repenitent and seems to change. Her ability to rise above what Jane can't is what makes her endearing to me. I think she will continue to grow as a character. Edward says that it is true that it is hard for his kind to change, but when they do.... I think Rosalie is changing.