Bella Swan Cullen

[caramelfudge_f70]

does any1 find bella boring?
she's not an interesting person & her life seems dull with out the cullens or the wolves. b4 she met any of them there wasn't anyfing i wanted 2 know about her. i don't really see what the other characters see in her characterisics that make her special, or likeable.
would u be friends with her? i wouldn't

[tripfeldthemystic]

caramelfudge_f70, I agree - we have Renee's backstory, with the divorce and all, but that doesn't develop Bella's character. It's not HER backstory. It's what got her into Forks in the first place. We don't know of any friends she had, crushes, likes, dislikes. It's a perfect blank slate until she meets Edward. As important as Edward was in her life, he shouldn't MAKE her life.

[Amivera]

I agree as well.

It bothered me that Bella was (I've already said this before, but just to refresh) supposedly smart. SMeyer told us many times throughout the book that Bella was smart. She forced the point when Bella did the lab, telling us she had been in an advanced Bio class in Phoenix. She shoved the point in our faces when she had Bella sit outside and read all the classics.

But Bella didn't seem to have any goals or ambitions. Was she studying for the SAT's? Had she been searching for colleges before Edward forced her into it? Sure she had a college fund, but she was in 12th grade by New Moon and she didn't seem to be in a rush to sign up for college— or anything. >.>

Her backstory was also... void of detail. Actually, there wasn't any. I think it was an attempt to give Bella an easier change. If she had friends in Phoenix, she wouldn't be completely isolated for Edward. Bella was born into Forks. She was not given a backstory so that she could be developed in Forks, which, in my opinion, made her character a bit bland or weak.

[tripfeldthemystic]

Without a decent backstory, all motives, mindsets, and preferences are pretty much completely void because Bella has no reason for them other than, "I'm Bella, it's who I am." What exactly attracts her to Edward SO much that she's in love with him before she even talks to him?

[Amivera]

I was posting on the Bella's Pregnancy thread and we got off topic, so I thought I'd post what I was going to post there:

"All the boys in Phoenix most definitely do not just like tanned girls. Boys in Phoenix have a diverse range of preferences in girls just as boys all over the world do.

And why would her clumsiness be seen differently in Phoenix than in Forks? No, it's endearing either way, or it's annoying either way. People's views change everywhere, not just from location to location.

I know some seriously angry, nerdy, punky, gothy, artsy, perky, awkward, extremely thin, soft, plain, ugly, and beautiful people. All of them have friends."

It doesn't seem believable that Bella would have *no* friends at all. It seemed like:
A) Bad character development
or
B) Attempt at giving Bella an easy getaway with no outside ties to humanity.

If Bella was going to *have* to be completely friendless, I think it should have been reflected in Forks as well. Forks is no different from Phoenix, so it's not realistic that people treat her better there.

[tripfeldthemystic]

But then it makes no sense that she never reflects upon missing her friends or keeping in contact with them. All the people we hear about now are Charlie, Angela, Jessica, and all the guys who are in love with her. As you say, unless Bella is extremely introverted - which she's definitely not, considering she kicked off with several people in Forks right away and seems rather talkative and funny - she'll have friends. At least a few. Even if she wasn't extremely popular in Phoenix.

[Auctorita]

^ Agreed. Her back story is a bit inconsistent with her character throughout the book. She seemed to develop some level of a friendship with the kids in Forks within a week but never had a single friend in Phoenix after all those years? They can't possibly all be shallow, tanned athletes. I think it would have made more sense if she at least remembered a good memory she shared with a friend (it doesn't have to be a good friend), it would have better reflected on her character in the books who is by no means anti-social.

[holdingoutforjacob]

But then it makes no sense that she never reflects upon missing her friends or keeping in contact with them. All the people we hear about now are Charlie, Angela, Jessica, and all the guys who are in love with her. As you say, unless Bella is extremely introverted - which she's definitely not, considering she kicked off with several people in Forks right away and seems rather talkative and funny - she'll have friends. At least a few. Even if she wasn't extremely popular in Phoenix.

yes, she sort of hit it off with some people in forks, but remember, with a lot of them she was pretty judgmental and such in her thoughts. the only one she felt a real connection to was angela.

[everlong]

I really really, did not enjoy Bella at all.

The way she is always totaly against everything, from gifts to edward driving was just stupid.

but the thing that reallyyyyyyyy made me fume in these books was that she turned EVERY conversation, into a fight or argument! Which was totaly unessasry. If i was friends with someone like that, i'd go CRAZY.

She made SUCH a big deal over Alice doing her makeup and hair, who cares? Alice gets so happy and she gets her makeup done, i do not see the big deal - unless the makeup was tested on animals or something.

She hurt Jacob and Edward over and over again, she'd complain n wine over how horrid she was, yet she kept doing it?

Never the less, i loved the series, even if i hated the main character. lol

[pubesy]

See, i don't see bella's complete loss of contact with friends that unbelievable.

In my previous school (when i was still at school) my friendships were superficial. they were more classmates, and i never really hung out with them outside of school. I never really wanted to. then when i transferred, i WANTED to completely lose contact. I wanted a fresh start. then at my next school i really found some people who were similar to me, and have been friends ever since.

geez, i wonder WHY bella never had any plans for college in 12th grade. Maybe because she was so focused on other "extracurricular" activities that would "prevent" her from going to college? and in 10th and 11th grade, many people have no concrete plans for college.

and
fyi

Of Course Edward and Bella argued alot. They both LOVED to argue with each other! Bella was the only mind edward could not read, therefore he could not predict her arguments, so it was fun for him. Bella (aside from jacob and charlie) never argued with anyone else, and was very quiet around others. She also liked to see edward's reactions to her arguments.

arguing is fun! i mean, what do we do here?