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==Concept and creation==
==Concept and creation==
The author was high on crack and then she thought up Belle and was all like....
The premise for both the Bella Swan character and the [[Twilight (series)|''Twilight'' series]] originated in a dream Stephenie Meyer had in which an "average girl" and a "fantastically beautiful, sparkly ... vampire ... were having an intense conversation in a meadow in the woods."<ref name="dream">{{cite web |url=http://www.stepheniemeyer.com/twilight.html|title=The Story Behind Twilight|publisher=Stepheniemeyer.com|accessdate=2008-09-02}}</ref> In this dream, the pair "were discussing the difficulties inherent in the facts that ... they were falling in love with each other while ... the vampire was particularly attracted to the scent of her blood, and was having a difficult time restraining himself from killing her."<ref name="dream"/>
yeeeaaaaahhhh maybe I could creat some girl, yeeah and she is like attracted to a queer vampire, ok.... and the vampire is only pretending to be queer to pick up girls, ok and they rape each other. Then the author smokes a joint and in her mind though.... and maybe, just maybe this could become some overrated crap for random girls and queer guys. Yeeeeeeeaaahhhhh I an so on to something.............

then she threw up all over the floor
Meyer's original characters were unnamed; she took to calling the characters, who would later become Edward Cullen and Bella, 'he' and 'she' for the purpose of convenience as she, "didn't want to lose the dream."<ref name="dream"/> The name 'Isabella' was decided upon, Meyer explains, because "after spending so much time with [the character], I loved her like a daughter. ... Inspired by that love, I gave her the name I was saving for my daughter, ...Isabella." <ref name="dream"/>

Bella's positive reception at her new school in Forks, particularly her popularity with male characters, was modelled after Meyer's real life move from high school to college. Comparing her transitional experience to Bella's, Meyer noted that after her own move to college her "stock went through the roof,"<ref name="date">{{cite web |url=http://www.stepheniemeyer.com/twilight_faq.html#pretty|title=Bella's Move to Another High School|publisher=Stepheniemeyer.com|accessdate=2008-08-06}}</ref> commenting that "beauty is a lot more subjective than you might think."<ref name="date"/>


==Appearances==
==Appearances==

Revision as of 17:14, 9 October 2009

Isabella Marie Swan
Twilight character
File:BellaSwan.png
Bella Swan as portrayed by Kristen Stewart in the Twilight movie.
First appearanceTwilight
Last appearanceBreaking Dawn
Created byStephenie Meyer
Portrayed byKristen Stewart
In-universe information
NicknameBella
Bells
Vampire girl
Arizona (film only)
SpeciesHuman (Twilight through Book 2 of Breaking Dawn)
Vampire (Book 3 of Breaking Dawn)
GenderFemale
OccupationStudent (through Twilight to Eclipse)
Employee at Newton's Olympic Outfitters (New Moon and Eclipse)
FamilyCharlie Swan (father)
Renée Dwyer (mother)
Phil Dwyer (stepfather)
Carlisle Cullen (father-in-law)
Esme Cullen (mother-in-law)
Alice Cullen (sister-in-law)
Rosalie Hale (sister-in-law)
Emmett Cullen (brother-in-law)
Jasper Hale (brother-in-law)
SpouseEdward Cullen
ChildrenRenesmee Carlie Cullen

Isabella Marie "Bella" Swan (later Bella Cullen) is a fictional character and the protagonist of the Twilight series, written by Stephenie Meyer. The Twilight series, which consists of the novels Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse, and Breaking Dawn, is primarily narrated from Bella's point of view.

In Twilight, Bella moves to her father's home in Forks, Washington, meets the mysterious Cullen family, and falls in love with Edward Cullen. However, she soon discovers that the family is a coven of vampires. Bella expresses a desire to become a vampire herself, against Edward's wishes. In the second novel, New Moon, Edward leaves Forks in an effort to keep Bella safe from the vampire world. Jacob Black, a werewolf from the Quileute tribe, comforts her during that time, and Bella comes to love him, although not as much as she loves Edward. In Eclipse, Bella becomes engaged to Edward, and they marry in Breaking Dawn. Edward then transforms Bella into a vampire after she gives birth to their daughter, Renesmee.

Concept and creation

The author was high on crack and then she thought up Belle and was all like.... yeeeaaaaahhhh maybe I could creat some girl, yeeah and she is like attracted to a queer vampire, ok.... and the vampire is only pretending to be queer to pick up girls, ok and they rape each other. Then the author smokes a joint and in her mind though.... and maybe, just maybe this could become some overrated crap for random girls and queer guys. Yeeeeeeeaaahhhhh I an so on to something............. then she threw up all over the floor

Appearances

Twilight

Twilight is about a seventeen-year-old girl named Bella Swan, who moves from her mother's home in Phoenix, Arizona, to live with her father in her birthtown of Forks, Washington. There, she becomes intrigued by a student, Edward Cullen. Edward saves her life on multiple occasions, exhibiting super-human qualities. Bella learns from family friend Jacob Black that Quileute legends say the Cullen family are vampires.[1] Edward eventually admits to this truth, though his family hunts only animals, not humans, through moralistic choice.[2] Edward constantly warns Bella against being with him, perceiving her life to be at constant risk if she continues to associate with him because the scent of her blood is more powerful to him than that of any other human he has ever encountered. Bella's love and confidence in Edward's restraint is such that his warnings go unheeded, and on an outing with the Cullens she becomes the target of a sadistic vampire, James. With his family's help, Edward is able to save Bella from James' predations, but Edward is still unwilling to change Bella into a vampire himself.[3]

New Moon

New Moon begins with Bella's eighteenth birthday party. She gets a paper cut while opening a present and Edward's brother, Jasper, instinctively hungers for her blood, reminding Edward that his relationship with Bella puts her in danger. In a misguided attempt to protect Bella, he convinces her that he no longer loves her and moves away with his family, leaving her heartbroken and depressed for months.

To appease her worried father, Bella goes to a movie with her friend Jessica. While there, she carelessly approaches a group of men outside a bar and finds that she can hear Edward's voice when in dangerous situations. Desperate to hear his voice again, Bella seeks out danger; she asks Jacob Black to repair two motorcycles and teach her to ride one. Their friendship grows to be very strong, and Jacob admits that he has romantic feelings for Bella, though she does not reciprocate this. When a vampire named Laurent decides to attack her, Bella is saved by a pack of giant wolves. Later, Bella learns that Jacob and others from his tribe are werewolves, and that the vampire Victoria seeks to kill Bella to avenge James's death.

To hear Edward's voice, Bella attempts cliff-diving and nearly drowns, but she is saved by Jacob. Edward, after being mistakenly informed by Rosalie that Bella has committed suicide, travels to Volterra, Italy, to ask the Volturi to destroy him. Alice returns to Forks, and she and Bella pursue and successfully stop Edward. The trio speak to the Volturi and promise to turn Bella into a vampire eventually. Because most humans are unaware that vampires exist, the Volturi threaten to kill Bella if this promise is broken. Upon returning home, Edward tells Bella that he never stopped loving her and reveals that he only left Forks because he thought it would be for Bella's own good. He apologizes for this misguided action and asks for her forgiveness, which Bella quickly grants. Bella, intent on becoming a vampire, decides that Edward's family should vote on her fate. All but Rosalie and Edward vote affirmatively for her to be changed, but Edward agrees to change her himself if she will marry him first.[4]

Eclipse

Eclipse continues the drama of Bella and Edward's relationship. Edward explains that he is reluctant to change Bella into a vampire because he believes that vampires are soulless creatures who have no place in heaven. Bella, whose opinion of marriage is jaded by her own parents' early divorce, agrees to marry Edward on the condition that he will make love to her while she is still human and then turn her into a vampire. He initially refuses, saying that he could easily lose control in the heat of the moment and unintentionally kill her. However, seeing how important it is to Bella, he agrees to try, but only after they are married.

The plot is driven by the machinations of the vampire Victoria, who first met Bella and the Cullens during the first book, Twilight. Victoria, seeking revenge for the death of her mate, James, is hunting Bella and building an army of new vampires. To combat this threat, a grudging truce is made between the Cullens and the Native American werewolf pack led by Sam Uley and Jacob Black, who pits himself against Edward as a love interest for Bella. Initially Bella sees him only as a friend but, despite her engagement to Edward, she shares a kiss with Jacob and realizes that she loves him as well. Ultimately, Edward accepts Bella's love for Jacob and successfully destroys Victoria, and Bella acknowledges that Edward is the most important person in her life, agreeing to tell her father of their engagement.[5]

Breaking Dawn

Near the beginning of Breaking Dawn, Bella marries Edward in a wedding orchestrated by Alice. They spend their honeymoon on Isle Esme, a fictional small island that was given to Esme as a gift from Carlisle. They consummate their marriage, but their lovemaking sparks a conflict between the newlywed couple: Edward is horrified that he has bruised his new wife, but Bella insists that she is fine and wants Edward to make love to her again. He vows not to do so again while she is still human, but he eventually gives in. Soon afterwards, Bella becomes very sick and realizes that she is pregnant with a child she and Edward conceived.

Edward is shocked and rushes Bella home to see Carlisle, who, as a doctor, confirms that she is expecting Edward's child. Edward goes half-crazy with worry as the rapidly growing fetus begins to drain Bella's health, and he tries to coerce her into having an abortion to save her own life. However, Bella feels a bond with her unborn child and insists on giving birth. Soon, Edward comes to love the baby as well, after he hears its thoughts and learns that the baby loves Bella in return and doesn't mean to hurt her.

Bella nearly dies giving birth, but Edward successfully delivers their baby girl and then injects his venom into her heart, thus healing her wounds by turning her into a vampire. During Bella's painful transformation, Jacob imprints —an involuntary process in which a werewolf finds his soul mate— on the baby, Renesmee.

After a vampire named Irina mistakes Renesmee for an immortal vampire child (a creation that is forbidden in the vampire world), the Volturi arrive to destroy the Cullens as punishment for the alleged transgression. Edward stands with Bella and their allies to convince the Volturi that Renesmee is not an immortal child and poses no threat to their existence. Once the Volturi leave, Edward and Bella are finally free to live their lives in peace with their daughter.[6]

Characterization

Physical appearance

Bella is described in the novels as being very pale with brown hair, chocolate brown eyes, and a heart-shaped face. Beyond this, a detailed description of her appearance is never given in the series. Stephenie Meyer explains that she "left out a detailed description of Bella in the book so that the reader could more easily step into her shoes."[7] While Meyer stresses that "Bella's looks are open to interpretation",[7] she does supply her own personal interpretation on her website, describing Bella as:

"very fair-skinned, with long, straight, dark brown hair and chocolate brown eyes. Her face is heart-shaped—a wide forehead with a widow's peak, large, wide-spaced eyes, prominent cheekbones, and then a thin nose and a narrow jaw with a pointed chin. Her lips are a little out of proportion, a bit too full for her jaw line. Her eyebrows are darker than her hair and more straight than they are arched. She's five foot four inches tall, slender but not at all muscular, and weighs about 115 pounds. She has stubby fingernails because she has a nervous habit of biting them."[7]

Bella also has a small crescent-shaped scar on her hand where she was bitten by James, a tracker vampire, in Twilight. The scar is described as being pale, always a few degrees colder than the rest of her body and sparkles slightly. After Bella is changed into a vampire by Edward Cullen in Breaking Dawn, in keeping with the appearance of most vampires, she becomes more attractive, her eyes turn red, and her already pale skin becomes even whiter.

Personality traits and abilities

Bella is described as being very clumsy and stubborn. She has a private mind, which is thought to be why Edward is unable to see her thoughts. She is also said to be terrible at lying, but occasionally demonstrates good acting ability. Bella becomes faint at the smell of blood, though this does not bother her once she becomes a vampire. Stephenie Meyer has stated that Bella's "tragic flaw" in Eclipse is her lack of self-knowledge.[8] After being turned into a vampire, she describes having a more clear view of the world. She is also very self-controlled, being able to run away from the scent of human blood on her first hunting trip.[6] Bella's private mind that rejected some vampires' special abilities while she was human evolved after she became a vampire; her ability strengthened into allowing her to shield herself and those around her from the mental powers of some other vampires.[6] She is also described by Edward as "very graceful", even for a vampire, in comparison to her earlier clumsiness.

Film portrayal

In the film adaptation of Twilight, Bella is portrayed by actress Kristen Stewart.[9] Meyer stated that she was "very excited" to see Stewart play the part and that she was "thrilled to have a Bella who has practice [in a vast array of film genres]", since, according to Meyer, Twilight has moments that fit into many genres.[10] Stewart will reprise the role Twilight' upcoming sequels, New Moon and Eclipse.

Reception

Bella has received generally negative reception from critics. Publishers Weekly states that, after her transformation into a vampire, "it's almost impossible to identify with her" in Breaking Dawn.[11] Lilah Lohr of the Chicago Tribune compares Bella's character to the story of the Quileute werewolves and describes it as "less satisfying."[12] During Twilight, Kirkus Reviews stated that "Bella's appeal is based on magic rather than character", but that her and Edward's "portrayal of dangerous lovers hits the spot".[13] In the review of New Moon, Kirkus Reviews said that Bella's personality was "flat and obsessive".[14] Laura Miller of salon.com said, in regards to Edward and Bella, "neither of them has much personality to speak of."[15] Entertainment Weekly's Jennifer Reese, in her review of Breaking Dawn noted, in regard to Bella, "You may wish she had loftier goals and a mind of her own, but these are fairy tales, and as a steadfast lover in the Disney princess mold, Bella has a certain saccharine appeal", and that during Bella's pregnancy "she is not only hard to identify with but positively horrifying, especially while guzzling human blood to nourish the infant."[16] Washington Post journalist Elizabeth Hand noted how Bella was often described as breakable and that "Edward's habit of constantly pulling her onto his lap or having her ride on his back further emphasize her childlike qualities", continuing to write that "the overall effect is a weird infantilization that has repellent overtones to an adult reader and hardly seems like an admirable model to foist upon our daughters (or sons)."[17] Gina Dalfonzo, in an article posted on the National Review website, calls Bella "self-deprecating" before her transformation into a vampire, and afterwards she is "insufferably vain".[18] Dalfonzo also states that Bella gets what she wants and discovers her worth "by giving up her identity and throwing away nearly everything in life that matters."[18]

References

  1. ^ Meyer, Stephenie (2005). Twilight. Park Avenue, New York, United States of America: Little, Brown. p. 126. ISBN 978-0-316-01584-4. Blood drinkers," he replied in a chilling voice. "Your people call them vampires. {{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |month= (help)
  2. ^ Meyer, Stephenie (2005). Twilight. Park Avenue, New York, United States of America: Little, Brown. p. 337. ISBN 978-0-316-01584-4. One night, a herd of deer passed his hiding place. He was so wild with thirst that he attacked without thought. His strength returned and he realized there was an alternative to being the vile monster he feared. {{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |month= (help)
  3. ^ Meyer, Stephenie (2005). Twilight. Park Avenue, New York, United States of America: Little, Brown. p. 475. ISBN 978-0-316-01584-4. Exactly", he [Edward] snapped. "And I won't end it [life] for you [Bella]. {{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |month= (help)
  4. ^ Meyer, Stephenie. (2006) New Moon. 563pp.
  5. ^ Meyer, Stephenie. (2007) Eclipse. 629pp.
  6. ^ a b c Meyer, Stephenie. (2008) Breaking Dawn. 756pp.
  7. ^ a b c "What Does Bella Look Like?". Stepheniemeyer.com. Retrieved 2008-09-02.
  8. ^ "Eclipse FAQ". Stepheniemeyer.com. Retrieved 2008-09-02.
  9. ^ "Kristen Stewart chosen". MTV. Retrieved 2008-08-20.
  10. ^ StephenieMeyer.com "Excitement Towards Stewart's role". Stephenie Meyer. Retrieved 2008-08-20. {{cite web}}: Check |url= value (help)
  11. ^ "Publisher's Weekly for Breaking Dawn". Publisher's Weekly. Retrieved 2008-08-08.
  12. ^ "Chicago Tribune Breaking Dawn review". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 2008-08-08.
  13. ^ "Twilight at Kirkus Reviews". Kirkus Reviews. Retrieved 2008-08-08.
  14. ^ "New Moon at Kirkus Reviews". Kirkus Reviews. Retrieved 2008-08-08.
  15. ^ "Twilight series at salon.com". Salon.com. Retrieved 2008-08-08.
  16. ^ "Entertainment Weekly Breaking Dawn review". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 2008-08-20.
  17. ^ "Washington Post Review". Washington Post. Retrieved 2008-08-20.
  18. ^ a b "National Review". National Review. Retrieved 2008-08-22.
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