Girls everywhere want more than anything to be Bella Swan. Is she setting a good example for a generation of impressionable teenagers?
Around the globe, millions of teenagers have latched onto the bestselling Twilight series by author Stephenie Meyer, falling in love with its characters, its rainy setting of Forks, Washington and its romantic essence. The narrator of the Twilight saga, Bella Swan, is an object of worship and even envy for teen girls everywhere. On social networking sites like MySpace and Facebook, it’s not uncommon to find graphics proudly paraded on profiles that say things like ‘Hi, my name is Bella Swan (I wish!)’ or ‘I’m transferring to Forks High’.
Through her blockbuster novels, Stephenie Meyer has unwittingly created a new role model for girls everywhere, but is Bella Swan a good one? Let’s take a look.
What Makes Bella Tick: The Good
If you’re not familiar with the storyline of Twilight, it’s relatively easy to recap. Isabella ’Bella’ Swan leaves her newly remarried, slightly flakey mother in Phoenix, Arizona and relocates to her father’s home in Forks, Washington. There, she starts school and falls in love with the enigmatic, beautiful Edward Cullen, a century old vampire living among mortals.
Bella’s reasons for leaving Phoenix are self-sacrificing. Since her stepfather moves for work so much, her mother is left behind to care for her daughter and is miserable being parted from him. Bella’s move to Forks will insure that her mother can accompany her husband wherever he goes and be happy. Thus, Bella sacrifices her own happiness for someone else’s, which is an admirable action and teaches that the ‘typical’ selfish behavior of a teenager doesn’t have to be the norm.
Once in Forks with her father, a small town police chief, she takes the reins in the household, the very picture of the responsible daughter who does her homework and does the dishes.
Speaking of homework, Bella is also a star student, ahead of the curve in all her classes--at least, in all things other than in trigonometry and physical education--and more power to the girls who strive to achieve the same star student status so that they can be like Bella. She reads extensively and the titles she selects are often classics that many girls have never heard of outside of English class, like the works of Jane Austen, and would never pursue reading on their own. Through Bella Swan, Stephenie Meyer gives teenage girls a push in the right direction: namely, towards the classic literature section of their local bookstore.
In addition to being a very bright and very responsible young lady, Bella has a good heart and loves the people around her unconditionally. She does whatever she can to help the people she cares about, like matchmaking for her new friends in school. She’s polite and generally good natured, without a hateful or spiteful bone in her body.
The copyright of the article Deconstructing Bella Swan: What Makes Her Tick? in Teen Fiction Series is owned by Lydia Ballard. Permission to republish Deconstructing Bella Swan: What Makes Her Tick? in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
Bella Swan is by no means a good heroine. She is a dependent and whiny
pushover. She falls into a coma because she cannot EXIST without her
ultrahot boytoy.
Dec 12, 2008 8:53 PM
Guest
:
I most definitely agree with the other comment on this. Bella's very
dependent on somebody most of the time and it's unhealthy, therefore not
something to look up to.
Dec 14, 2008 3:53 PM
Guest
:
Bella swan is a good role model because she inspires teenagers like myself
to work hard and be polite and smart. And now i live life to the fullest
Dec 14, 2008 4:52 PM
Guest
:
I agree and disagree. Yes, she is whiny and a pushover and at times you
just hate her, but I do believe she's an acceptable role model...She does
have her down points, I'm not denying that, but wouldn't you love a
daughter who isn't so concerned about what other people say or think?
Wouldn't you love if they thought about what was good for just about
everyone but themselves? You can't deny you'd love someone with those
traits.
Dec 15, 2008 7:27 PM
Guest
:
i hate bella swan. i mean, of course shes not a good heroine, but the
companion article to this 1 totally rips into the twit. Obviously, the
righter was trying to be balanced and fair with 1 article each about her
good side and her bad side. the bad side article si way longer and way more
indepth. death to twilight!!!
Jan 5, 2009 7:44 AM
Guest
:
BELLA = TRASH. As a 17 year old female i think Bella is an awful
'heroine'. The fact that girls would actually look up to a talentless,
personality-less, spineless, self-deprecating failure like her is highly
disheartening. She throws away her ife, friends and even her family for
some 100 and whatever year old pedophile trapped in a 17 year old hottie's
bod forever so that makes it all okay. She perpetuates the embarassing
steriotype that women need a man in their lives. She has no good qualities
yet two "so sexy it hurts" supernatural guys are attracted to
her? What does this teach girls? That if Mr.Wonderful doesn't find you
you're destened for eternal gloom? That everything is supposed to just come
to you without you working for it? Screw that. Stephany Meyer is garbaje
and Twilight is a way for her to act out some ridiculous romantic fantasy
for herself. In conclusion: Twilight and the author and everything in
that book = TRASH.
Jan 13, 2009 10:13 PM
Guest
:
Bella swan is by no means a BAD role model. Im 15, 16 in march and she has
inspired me to study more, read and basicly be bella. Do you agree)
Feb 7, 2009 5:31 PM
Guest
:
Well if Bella is a bad role model, please tell us a "good one"?
Because in today's society who do us teens have to look up to, Britney
Spears? Miley Cyrus? YEAH RIGHT! Bella is an awesome role model to look up
to she's polite, well behaved, a good student, smart, helps around at home
and is NOT a slut! I just wish more people would follow her example, as i
am :)
Apr 17, 2009 3:06 PM
Guest
:
I had the exact opposite reaction as the author of this article. She lies
to every single character in the first book. Mike, Jessica & Tyler are
all built as one-dimensional characters that she happily maintains
superficial relationships with (unbeknownst to them). She feigns concern
for her dad, Charlie, physically, at least, but is otherwise emotionally
abusive to him throughout the series (she never actually goes about
apologizing for what she said to him when she left at the end of the first
book, the same thing her mom had said -- low blow). In fact, her entire
relationship with her parents are asymmetrical. One of the few times she
is honest with either of them, about anything, is because Edward forces her
to be. She's a sociopath.
May 5, 2009 5:42 PM
Guest
:
I wouldn't go so far to call Bella's character a sociopath but I don't
think she too far off the mark in a way. Bella, as a character may be
viewed as "kind" and smart by some; fine. But it can't be denied
that her characters personality kind of also inverts the whole idea of
feminism. Like stated above, she hasn't done anything on her own. She is
always using someone else to do things for her. I must she Bella was a huge
disappointment. She could have been a great role model for young girls,
however, all she achieved was making girls feel even more self-conscious
about themselves if they can't snag an ultra hot pedo man with a sexy boy
on the side
May 26, 2009 9:46 PM
Guest
:
A mature character written for mature girls.What's the big deal;it's not
like girls are stupid or immature.I assure you;their ultra,mega super
smart,mature powers will keep them on track and walk away unhurt by the
book written by a fellow womyn. Now if I may,I must return to reading
an article in World Book for my pleasure ^-^ :) "kawaii" ^^ ^=^
>_>
Nov 12, 2008
