For this article, I chose to focus on Bella Swan from Stephanie Meyer’s Twilight. Initially, I wanted to discuss the characterization of Carrie Bradshaw in both The Carrie Diaries and Sex and the City; however, I found myself more interested in focusing on a similarly disliked character, like Bella Swan. I didn’t choose her simply because I thoroughly enjoy the series, despite its serious flaws, but because I recently started reading the books, and I began to notice how deeply misunderstood Bella is in the stories, especially in the second book/movie, New Moon.
In this article, I will focus on the “rewriting” of Bella, separating her into two different people as depicted in the movie series: human Bella and vampire Bella. Additionally, I want to highlight how Stephanie Meyer emphasizes Bella’s fate being determined by which guy she chooses — Edward or Jacob? The idea of patriarchy strengthens the notion that a man is the one who decides the fate of how things should be, concentrating on gender norms.
Between immortality and humanity
I want to first “lay the surface” by introducing what Bella’s fate relied on: who she would pick. If she chose Edward, the vampire I depict in a dark forest, she would choose the life of immortality. Edward describes it through his painful dialogue as a life of constant sacrifice and no peace (at least not within oneself). Not only would Bella not have peace knowing that she would have to live as an immoral creature, but she would also have to lie to her family about who she was and eventually live an eternity without them when they pass away. This is one of the notable sacrifices she is willing to make, and ultimately, she agrees to it.
On the other hand, her option is Jacob, depicted in a lighter scene, who suggests a more meaningful, purposeful life if she were to choose a moral path. If Bella chooses Jacob, she will choose to live her original life as a human. She would avoid sacrificing living without her loved ones and the constant reminder that, as a vampire and member of the Cullens’ coven, she can’t drink human blood.
Fragility and rebirth
Something I want to note is Edward’s self-hatred and how he expresses himself by avoiding Bella in New Moon.
Before Bella, he had a hatred for who he was and what he had done as a vampire. While I wouldn’t say Bella made him love himself or that she did everything for him to reach a point of self-acceptance, she did show him that he wasn’t all bad. With the help of Bella and his daughter’s love, he was able to finally find peace within himself while recognizing he had no control over who he became.
Focusing on human Bella, she is characterized as being very clumsy, an overthinker, and overly insecure. As shown through the imagery and quotes from the first two books, Edward tells her he needs to follow and protect her, and Bella reflects on Edward’s rejection of her. All of this paints her as the “damsel in distress,” again evoking her as a weakling simply because she is a human girl. This can be further confirmed as Bella is always the one in trouble, being saved by either Jacob, but mainly by Edward, who, throughout the whole series, calls the shots.
After Bella’s vampire transformation, she is depicted as a totally changed person, no longer the weak, fragile human being the other vampires thought her to be. She sacrifices not only her identity, but also her life and her husband’s life in an effort to protect her daughter and Jacob from the Volturi. She is also found to be a “shield,” which explains her resistance to the supernaturals’ powers. While Bella is still presented as a new woman with newfound strength, viewers and readers are more than likely forced to see Bella as better than her human self.
Rethinking Bella’s role
Bella has always been and continues to be a strong, sacrificing, and overall loving person. This is particularly evident in New Moon, in which she offers her life to save Edward. Additionally, in Eclipse, she wounds herself, causing herself to bleed to distract the two vampires who were close to killing Edward, allowing him to kill them. She is seen more as the “lady sidekick,” the one who is constantly sacrificing herself for Edward, Charlie, or her mom. It is usually Edward who is seen as the hero, with her simply as the help. I’d rather see her as an empowering individual, both human and non-human. As Meyer herself said, Bella was written as a shy person, yet she has always shown strength. Nonetheless, the portrayal of Bella conveys an anti-feminist message.