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THE TAO OF JACOB
Rebecca Housel
The Tao is empty
When utilized, it is not filled up
So deep! It seems to be the source of all things
Jacob Black has it rough. He’s in love with a girl who’s in love with a rich, handsome, smart, talented, immortal vampire. That’s right, vampire. Who could compete with that? Well, thanks to the wisdom of the ancient masters, Jacob can. Although Jacob is fifteen when we first meet him, far from ancient and certainly no master, he shows a growing maturity common to young people who have experienced difficulties. Unlike typical fifteen-year-olds, Jacob cannot take life for granted. As a Quileute, he lives on the reservation, already aware of the social isolation connected with social difference; Jacob’s father, Billy, is in a wheelchair and depends on Jacob for not just household chores but for increased mobility.
The Tao Te Ching describes a “way” or “path” (Tao) paved in the virtues of humility, compassion, and moderation. Jacob, having developed his emotional intelligence through difficulty, displays all three.
As the main text of Taoism, the
Tao Te Ching, written by Lao Tzu over 2,500 years ago, focuses on the concept of Tao: “three jewels”—compassion, moderation, and humility—guide us on the Taoist path.
2 Even without taking on his shape-shifting ability as a wolf, Jacob, though younger (much younger) than Edward, has such wisdom. And while the Quileute creation legend of an ancient shape-shifter turning a wolf into the first Quileute man is true to the tribe’s history, those aren’t the ancients we’re talking about here.
3Lao Tzu’s reference to “ancient masters” in the
Tao Te Ching may have been allusions to two “ancient masters” who were original influences in Taoism, Huang Ti (pronounced
Hwangdi) and Fu Hsi (pronounced
Fu Shi). Both Huang Ti and Fu Hsi were rulers of China approximately 4,700 years ago, or 2,200 years before Lao Tzu lived.
4 Huang Ti is associated with some of the earliest forms of Taoism, while Fu Hsi is credited with the yin-yang concept.
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It’s Always Darkest before the Dawn
One of the most potent symbols of Taoism is the black and white circle known as yin-yang. Yin is passive, cold, dark, and soft. Yang is active, hot, light, and hard. Still, the two are not complete opposites—one flows into the other, and each has its place in the other, indicated by a dot of white in the black and dot of black in the white. In the world of Twilight, Jacob is yin. He knows Bella Swan is more interested in a relationship with Edward Cullen than with him. Although Jacob shows jealousy, it’s never threatening. By constantly affirming that no matter what choices Bella makes, he will always be her friend, Jacob ultimately proves it. With compassion and humility as the foundation of his emotional intelligence, Jacob handles himself and others as a true Taoist.
Edward, by contrast, is yang. Lao Tzu said, “Wealth and position bring arrogance.”
6 Edward acts aloof, “better” than others around him. He flaunts his wealth by driving expensive cars, wearing designer clothing, and looking down on humble possessions like Bella’s truck. On the other hand, when Bella brings two discarded motorcycles to Jacob, enticing him to help her fix them by offering him one, Jacob is delighted. It does not matter to him that the motorcycles are not new or expensive. Because Jacob is grounded in humility and lives a life of moderation, he is more satisfied with life in general. Jacob understands that he isn’t the center of the universe, and he’s smart enough not to want that kind of power. As Lao Tzu said, “[H]e who knows that he has enough is rich.”
7Edward does not have a yin bone in his arrogant body—and who can blame him? He was chosen by Carlisle Cullen to survive a fatal disease, and not just to survive, but to become stronger, faster, and smarter—for eternity. Typically, when people survive a fatal disease such as cancer, they emerge with a sense of humility, no longer taking for granted the mundane in life because there is no mundane any longer. Jacob’s mother died when he was young, so he knows death and has an earned sense of humility from that experience. Additionally, he knows illness; his father is in a wheelchair. And because he knows death and illness, Jacob has developed compassion. He is also accustomed to moderation, living in a small house on the Quileute reservation and driving his father’s beat-up vehicle.
Jacob is a true leader, not because he abuses his power, not because he is rich, and not because of extravagant promises. Jacob is a leader because he takes responsible action when necessary, regardless of his desires. He does not immediately claim leadership of the Quileute wolves, though it is his right; instead, Jacob yields that leadership to Sam until Sam falters. Jacob thus illustrates the Taoist concept of wei wu wei, action by nonaction. The best type of action is often not aggressively forcing things, but allowing them to go their own direction. In the Taoist view, order and harmony are the natural way of things, and so we must get in touch with the Tao, with the natural interaction of yin and yang, to be in harmony with nature and the cosmos. To be clear, though, Taoism is not completely passive. It does not suggest that we should just accept whatever injustices come our way. There are times for action, but one must choose one’s battles wisely.
At any time after Jacob learned of his ability to shape-shift into a wolf, he easily could have gone after Edward—but he didn’t. Even when he knows that Bella is marrying Edward and her death will soon follow, despite his own feelings, Jacob attends her wedding—not an easy task. He warns Bella about Edward and cautions her about the decisions she is making, thus risking their friendship. Jacob does this because that is what good leaders do; good leaders do not necessarily do what is popular or what will make others happy. Even if it means jeopardizing a friendship or alienating a loved one, a good leader acts on his conscience.
When Edward comes to Jacob out of desperation, asking him to sire human children with Bella, Jacob does not jump at the opportunity. He recognizes it as his chance to be with the person he loves, even if imperfectly—but he is more than relieved when that is no longer an option. In fact, Jacob knows that his relationship with Bella is toxic to him, and so he separates himself from her several times throughout the saga in efforts to heal himself and let Bella live her life. By contrast, when Edward leaves Bella for “unselfish” reasons, Edward is cruel to Bella, hurting her deeply. It is Jacob who helps Bella learn to live again through a healthy friendship that encourages Bella to not only be herself, but also to become empowered by trying new things. Jacob does not ask Bella to change. He doesn’t judge her clothing, truck, or choice of friends (except for Edward and the Cullens, and for good reason!). He’s there for her, giving her respect and support—a true friend.
Edward, on the other hand, because he cannot have Bella (with
his choice to cruelly reject her in efforts to “save” her), attempts suicide. Edward makes the choices he makes and continuously acts irresponsibly because humility is alien to him; arrogance is Edward’s shadow. As Lao Tzu said, “Racing and hunting make one wild in the heart.”
8 Edward literally races and hunts—he moves super-fast and must hunt regularly to sustain himself. Lao Tzu says that the ability to see, hear, and taste everything one desires makes that person blind, deaf, and unable to savor flavor.
9 This is the root of Edward’s lack of humility, his weakness, and also the root of Jacob’s strengths. Meyer seemed to want to create Edward and Jacob as the classic pair of Campbellian opposites, almost like two sides of the same coin, a yin and a yang.
10 While Jacob deserves the recognition of a good leader, because Jacob is humble, he will always withdraw himself, maintaining what Lao Tzu called the “Tao of Heaven.” The Tao of Heaven is the light at the end of Jacob’s dark tunnel.
No Good Deed Goes Unpunished
J. K. Rowling also creates yin and yang to drive her stories. Just think of Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy. The two contrast sharply, but are not complete opposites. As always, there is some yin in yang, and some yang in yin—a true balance. Malfoy is not necessarily a bad person, and Harry sometimes does bad things. Likewise, Edward may completely lack humility but he’s not all bad. And Jacob, though lacking arrogance, makes his share of mistakes, too. The difference is that Edward is given undeserved consideration; similar to other beautiful “sparkly” people in society, like celebrities, he is forgiven for his transgressions, even rewarded for them. Jacob represents the classic underdog (or underwolf, if you prefer): No matter how much good he does, how much he sacrifices, he is punished for it. The cliché, “no good deed goes unpunished,” unfortunately applies to Jacob. But it’s not really the fault of the characters. We can safely blame this one on the author. Rowling rewards her conscientious characters, whereas Meyer does not.
Jacob’s life is compelling on many levels. He is isolated from larger society, living on the reservation. Because of his Quileute heritage, Jacob is burdened with the added responsibility of becoming a wolf—this is forced on Jacob and the others like him because of the existence of Edward and his family, who attract even more vampires to Forks. Jacob’s mother is gone and his father is disabled, placing more responsibility on Jacob, including many household duties typically left to parents—even in being Billy’s driver, Jacob assumes a more parental role. Yet Meyer chose to write another book,
Midnight Sun, from Edward’s perspective. Why? Edward gets everything he wants. Jacob doesn’t. Yes, Jacob imprints with Renesmee in the final book of the
Twilight saga, but to people paying attention, that’s no prize. Should we blame Meyer for not giving Jacob his due?
11Luckily, Lao Tzu had the answer: “End sagacity; abandon knowledge; [T]he people benefit a hundred times.”
12 This was Lao Tzu’s way of telling people that not everything is about seeking knowledge in books; there is knowledge in life itself. Meyer rewards arrogance and punishes humility—that’s a lot like real life. Part of Taoist philosophy is recognizing that knowledge comes from many different sources. It is not for us to scrutinize what is good knowledge and what isn’t.
Bend So That You Don’t Break
“Yield and remain whole; [B]end and remain straight,” is Lao Tzu’s advice on what to do in any conflict.
13 This may seem counterintuitive, but what Lao Tzu meant was that it takes more courage to yield, more strength to bend against your own desires, than to hold tightly to a position only to reach a breaking point. When an individual can do this in a conflict, the individual is rewarded with an open heart. Jacob is very unhappy about Bella’s choices regarding Edward, though it is true that some of that unhappiness comes from Jacob’s own desires to have Bella’s love. But the greatest unhappiness for Jacob comes from the thought of a world without Bella as she is. Much of his pack has imprinted on their mates. And Jacob feels as though he is losing the only person on the planet he can be happy with when Bella chooses Edward, and in so doing, chooses death. Once Bella becomes a vampire, a “cold one” (a Cull-en), Jacob and she will be sworn enemies. The situation seems hopeless and helpless. But in the midst of this conflict, because Jacob truly loves Bella, and so truly wants her to be happy no matter what it means for him, he begins to yield and bend.
Jacob comes to see Bella when she and Edward return from their honeymoon, only to find her ailing from the accelerated pregnancy; it is literally killing her. Jacob expected Bella to be dead, or rather, undead—but at least part of her would still exist. The situation presented to Jacob when he first sees Bella’s bulging belly is a completely new scenario: Bella is really going to die.
But the three jewels of Taoism come in handy for Jacob once again. His compassion for Bella’s situation helps him to forgive her, his humility helps him to not judge her, and his moderation ultimately allows him to stay in and around the Cullen home to protect Bella and Renesmee from the Volturi, who are coming to accuse Bella and Edward of creating an immortal child, something forbidden in the vampire world. It is later revealed that Bella and Edward’s situation is not as unique as everyone has imagined; a rogue vampire in South America impregnated human lovers as well. The children of those unions are like Renesmee, vampire-human hybrids—not the aberrations the Volturi have outlawed—where a human child is turned by a vampire’s venom, forever frozen in child-form, and therefore, even more dangerous than adult vampires.
When Jacob first sees Renesmee, because he has the strength to yield and bend with his inner conflict about Bella, his heart is open and he is able to imprint. This was very convenient for Meyer, who undoubtedly wanted to give Jacob some kind of consolation prize for the character’s incredible patience. While Renesmee has accelerated growth on her side, it will still be years before Jacob and she can ever be together romantically. In the meantime, Jacob gets to be her baby-sitter and primary source of blood at feeding time. As a shape-shifter, Jacob has increased healing, so the blood Renesmee will take from him does not hurt him as it would a typical human. Jacob’s situation in Breaking Dawn goes way beyond compassion, moderation, and humility; but because Jacob is willing to bend, the reader knows he will not break.
The Dawning of a New Era
Of course Lao Tzu never imagined that a fictional character far in the distant future would exemplify the Tao. And Meyer herself probably did not realize how consistently she portrayed the character of Jacob within a Taoist framework. But whether you’re on Team Edward or Team Jacob, you have to admit, Jacob is a pretty cool guy. If you’re ever in a fight and need a buddy to watch your back, Jacob is your man (and not just because he has that whole wolf-thing going on either). Loyal to a fault, compassionate, and humble, Jacob is a true Taoist—even his deep connection with nature is consistent with Taoism. But what’s most remarkable is how Jacob, almost broken by what is happening to Bella, manages to become whole again, despite his very real grief: “What the ancients called ‘the one who yields and remains whole.’ Were they speaking empty words? Sincerity becoming whole, and returning to oneself.”
14Lao Tzu was speaking of Jacob here, even if he didn’t know it. Jacob yields but still remains whole. The ancients Lao Tzu referred to, kindred of Jacob’s old soul, were not speaking empty words. Ever humble, Jacob realizes that his opinions are just that. Bella is not going to agree with him. Edward is not going to disappear. When Jacob stops feeling the need to be defensive, his heart opens. He sincerely becomes whole again, returning to himself. This gives Jacob leave to find his own happiness instead of wasting more energy on something he cannot change. If we could all be more like Jacob and follow the Tao, the world would be full of new possibilities.
As Stephen King said in his memoir,
On Writing (2000), “I remember an immense feeling of
possibility at the idea, as if I had been ushered into a vast building full of closed doors and had been given leave to open any I liked. There were more doors than one person could ever open in a lifetime.”
15 Meyer’s work has that feeling of possibility King describes so well—the books and films are only the beginning. Maybe Meyer will read this chapter and decide that Jacob’s world is full of closed doors she can open to her readers. The
Twilight universe has unlimited possibilities, and so does Meyer. A new dawn is breaking in the literary world.
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NOTES
1 Lao Tzu,
Tao Te Ching, trans. by Derek Lin (Woodstock, VT: Skylight Paths, 2006), p. 4.
2 Some scholars theorize that the
Tao Te Ching, while initiated by Lao Tzu, was added to by other anonymous authors throughout the centuries.
4 Lao Tzu,
Tao Te Ching, pp. xv-xvi.
5 Yin-yang describes how seemingly opposing forces are interconnected and interdependent in the natural world, giving rise to one another. Jacob and Edward perfectly represent the idea of yin-yang.
6 Lao Tzu,
Tao Te Ching, p. 9.
10 In Joseph Campbell’s
Hero Cycle or Journey, Campbell refers to the necessity of a pair of opposites that the hero must transcend in order to have the necessary transformation of consciousness. See Joseph Campbell’s
The Hero with a Thousand Faces (Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 1949).
11 “Rowling and Meyer, they’re speaking directly to young people. The real difference is that Jo Rowling is a terrific writer, and Stephenie Meyer can’t write worth a darn. She’s not very good.” This is a now infamous quote from author Stephen King. King has sold over 350 million copies of his more than sixty novels, short story collections, and other books. King celebrated the thirty-fifth anniversary of his first novel,
Carrie, in April 2009. When Stephen King talks, the literary world listens. King calls himself the literary equivalent to a “Big Mac and fries”—acknowledging the commercial appeal of his accessible, yet engaging books. Meyer also writes accessible and engaging commercial books. Rowling, apparently richer than Oprah Winfrey, is clearly very good at her craft. However, it is not Meyer’s responsibility to write well or not write well. It is the readers’ responsibility to decide how to invest their time and money. While Meyer could not have foreseen the popularity of her books to gauge their potential influence, she must certainly recognize this now. And when it comes to fictional characters, the buck always stops with the author. See Brian Truitt, “It’s Good to be King,”
USA Weekend, March 6, 2009, pp. 6-9.
12 Lao Tzu,
Tao Te Ching, p. 19.
15 Stephen King,
On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft (New York: Pocket Books, 2000), p. 15.
16 Thanks to Bill and Jeremy, but especially to Bob, who not only rocks my world but also challenges my ideas—a true Jacob. Love you!