No, it’s not her romance with a blood-thirsty vampire or her inability to stay away from near death experiences. Not even her lack of coordination for basic physical activity.
Bella Swan, the 17-year-old heroine of the Twilight series, has bigger problems than vampires, a crashing car or bad guys stalking her down dark city streets, making her every parents worst nightmare for a teen-aged daughter. These are the problems I find in Bella:
1. Obsession with Edward
Bella admits it early in the first novel of her “unhealthy” preoccupation with Edward, the strange, yet beautiful boy she spies for the first time in the high school cafeteria. In the second novel, New Moon, her reaction to their break-up is over-the-top despair. I believe her father uses the term comatose. After being threatened with returning her to her mother, Bella finally decides to fake a recovery. Honestly, I had a hard time reading the first half of New Moon, Bella’s misery is so bizarre. Do 17 year olds react this way over a break-up with a first love or just the ones falling for a vampire?
2. Poor self-esteem
This may bother me more than the obsessiveness over a boy, the lack of self-worth Bella feels for herself. All four novels have many references to her perceived lack of beauty, her unworthiness to be protected and general lack of confidence on her part.
3. That sex thing
And this is one of the major reasons I read the series, to observe the relationship between Bella and Edward. Bella admits to a lack of belief in any faith in God, does have a sense of right and wrong (i.e. doesn’t like to lie), yet has no problem attempting to wear down the “old-fashioned” Edward, who refuses to give into temptation again and again. As a Bible-believing Christian, I believe Bella’s behavior is wrong and a sin. (I have a lot more to say about sex and the series, but this post is long enough. I’ll share those thoughts in the next few days.)
Sadly, I don’t care much for Bella – and I tried, I really did. She’s too clingy, obsessive. A bit whiny. Of course without those character flaws, there wouldn’t be much of a plot. I wish Bella were more independent, more strong in herself, and not crazy-obsessive with Edward. Of course, I would advise her to stop trying to have sex before marriage. At least the girl has enough sense to enjoy reading and good books.
What do you think? Do you agree with my assessment of Bella? If not, why?
Up next: Can vampires go to heaven?
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I agree with everything you’ve said about Bella! I don’t like the way she’s just moping around waiting for one of her creepy, obsessive boyfriends to save her. There’s so much talk of “team Jacob” and “team Edward”. Why not team Bella? I didn’t come up with that myself, by the way. I remember reading it somewhere and agreeing with it.
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I can understand moping. Teens are great at moping. But Bella doesn’t mope, she goes temporarily insane.
I thought Team Jacob v. Team Edward was more to do with the actors, but I can see how it could be for the characters too.