panlight

Your teacher is randomly assigning a group project. It's going to be major part of your grade. For the purposes of this question, assume this class is some sort of elective that has a mix of juniors and seniors.

canonically, the pain of transformation is remembered perfectly. it's also, obviously, the most painful thing imaginable. from bella's pov, the burn in her throat is comparable to the burn of transformation, just concentrated in one place. i really like the idea of the transformation being so unbelievably traumatizing (which like, it should be, but it's never written that way) that the throat burn isn't just physical agony, but psychological. like, anything but that, anything but that burn again, even if it's not actually the same thing. it's not just wanting to avoid the pain, it's a built in neurological pathway to avoid the trauma. still doesn't explain all the cullens, but that's smeyer's limitations lol. whatever, it would explain why more would be willing to handwave their morals. anyway. just some thoughts that i enjoyed!

I agree, I think it makes sense that there is some sort of biological reset that sort of forces, or at least tries to force, the human blood diet. Otherwise way more people would pull a Carlisle and opt out. I just don't buy that 99% of people, upon becoming a vampire, would be instantly on board with killing people otherwise. I think it makes sense that eventually most people would come to terms with it and rationalize it, but I have a hard time thinking it's an instant flipped switch in the brain.

I think the newborn intense thirst is one way of accomplishing that and your idea of the pain of that thirst triggering the memory of the painful transformation fits into that was well! After a year or so of that I can see most people just being like, well, I've already killed so many people it's just easier to accept my reality than feel bad about it or what am I supposed to do? That pain of thirst is so terrible I HAVE to quench it, what other option is there?

I'd like to think so!

Bella rhapsodizes about Edward's specific golden eyes and golden eyes more generally, using words like honey, amber, butterscotch, topaz etc etc. But I like to imagine that to most other vampires, the golden eyes look ~off or sickly. I don't think the usual reaction to a vampire seeing Carlisle for the first time or whatever is: "Wow! What pretty eyes!" it's probably more like "What is wrong with you? Is it contagious?"

Along those same lines, I'd imagine that most vampires think the darker red eyes of other vampires are attractive, or at least a sign of 'health' and proper diet. They might describe them like fine wine or rubies.