Twilight: Bella is SUPPOSED to be a flat character.

[Geekosaurus]

Jane Eyre has an extremely detailed and specific personality yet people can still associate with the character. Saying that the character of Bella is intentionally bland is really just an excuse for underdeveloped writing and can't really be used as a credible literary technique.

 

[rb26dett]

OT: Yes, but the problem of the fact is, that she WROTE IT ALL WRONG!

sparkling vampire stalkers that can stand sunlight... what was your first clue?

 

[w-Jinksy]

i dont buy that bs, it gives meyer too much credit.

she cant write for fuck and its a miracle that shit storm of a book was even made into a movie.

there are so many other books that would make excellent movies, such as the song of ice and fire series, but no we get this shite.

 

[Deleted]

I heard an interesting theory regarding Twilight and the character of Bella Swan the other day.

The reason she's such a bland, uninteresting, burlap sack of a character is because the target audience is intended to project themselves into her shoes. If she were a REAL character (i.e., someone with a personality and other defining traits), she would just be some dumb ***** getting in-between the reader and Edward Cullen (or Jacob, if you're into that sort of thing). Probably also why the Twilight novels are written as a first-person narrative.

This rings true for me, because I'm already aware of another type of entertainment that does this: Japanese dating sim games. In these types of games, where the player is intended to project themselves into the role of the main character and decide which of the lovely ladies they'd like to woo, the character is frequently not even given a face, let alone a personality.

Discuss.

Congratulations you just discovered the secret of romance novels! Now I haven't read any romance novels for teenage girls so I'm not sure if this is the case, but it would make sense if a lot of books have "bellas".

Romance novels for the older female audience do have decently fleshed out characters, since its meant to be a story between two people and the male as well is a full character.

 

[Squarez]

If she's meant to be a blank canvas for me to project on, then why the fuck does she NEVER STOP MOANING!

Half of the book is Bella moaning constantly. Forty per cent is describing how perfect Edward is in every way. The last 10 percent is more moaning.

 

[Valkyrie101]

That was my theory too. of course, it's debatable whether it's deliberate, or whether it's simply shoddy writing that inadvertently appeals to the readership that way.

 

[Gaz6231]

Obvious statement is obvious. Welcome to 2005 everyone!

 

[Red-Link]

i dont buy that bs, it gives meyer too much credit.

she cant write for fuck and its a miracle that shit storm of a book was even made into a movie.

there are so many other books that would make excellent movies, such as the song of ice and fire series, but no we get this shite.

While I can list the books I'd love to see as movies all day, I'd rather not see one than get a simple cash-in piece of schlock. That's all the Twilight movies (and let's be honest, the books, too) are: poorly made, soulless attempts to part people from their money. If I never see a Saga of Seven Suns film, that's better than having it become this.

 

[Madara XIII]

Of course, make the main protagonist of the story bland and uninteresting.
To be fair maybe most of the Twilight audience relates to that anyway... they are reading Twilight after all...

Hehehehehe Win!

It's a Bullshit Capcom Excuse.

Example: Oh people were supposed to be mad about the new Dante because we wanted them to start talking about it again Herp derp derp

In other words please stop excusing the poor methods of writing used by that Fan Fiction novelist known as Stephanie Meyers...

She's done too much harm to humanity to be excused of anything.

 

[Hosker]

I already knew this; it became obvious as I read the first book.

 

[CloakedOne]

I suppose I understand the point if this is true... (hint source hint) but the whole point of a book from a third person perspective or a film is to tell someone elses story.

First person books allow you to project yourself, but I just don't see films as a medium that allows you to put yourself in the characters shoes. Maybe some people can but I personally don't see it.

Second. Sorry, but writing Bella as a flat character so that she can be an object of female projection is a weak tactic even if it was a purposeful one. Books are not interactive like video games and so such aims fall short. Besides, even if that were true, it's even worse than Meyer producing a female character having to choose between two powerful males and ultimately having to choose which society will rule over her as a submissive female, BUT the audience is forced into that choice as well.

Not only is it bad but its controlling of the audience, even if the theory turns out to be true.

So Meyer can be possibly turned from a poor writer into a poor writer who tried to control her audience's experience as a character in a completely static (as in nonnegotiable) narrative. I think that's actually worse, so such theorists, if they want to protect her, should stick to "she isn't any good" rather than "she isn't any good and she's controlling."

 

[Mordwyl]

If you want to see this done right, read Graham Greene's stories.

 

[Gildan Bladeborn]

Bella is a flat character on purpose.

Well duh. Seriously, you can hardly find critics of the Twilight series online who haven't made this observation, I thought this was common knowledge. But to actually add something to this thread (and since nobody else has posted it yet), here's a video someone produced using The Oatmeal's How Twilight Works [http://theoatmeal.com/story/twilight] article as a source:

Everyone I've shown this to (with the notable exception of my sister, who is completely obsessed with Twilight and therefore willfully in denial of the bit where it is utter shit) has found it hilarious.

 

[ecoho]

So, the author wrote poorly on purpose?

Honestly, I only watched the first movie and never read the books. I'll never dip my toes into this universe again, if I can help it. My problems are numerous.

Why was Bella obsessed with Edward? He was a jerk! Seriously, even in fiction women like the worst possible man they can find. Violent, rude, and a stalker? Gets them wet.

Why was Edward so emo about being a vampire? "I'm super strong, super fast, can read minds,and women WANT to have sex with me just because I exist. I'm basically Superman! My life sucks! (pun intended) *sob*"

None of the other characters were well developed. The only remotely interesting one was the girl that could see the future. And not even she was very interesting. And that goes for Bella and Edward, too. I couldn't have rooted for the villain harder in that movie.

Could they have telegraphed that Jacob was a werewolf any more? As soon, as we met him I predicted that he was a werewolf. And it was only re-enforced when Edward uttered this line: "I leave you alone for a minute and the wolves come out". Just pathetic.

Bella was a spoiled rotten emo girl. Best evidence of this. Near the end of the movie she said "If you leave me, I'll kill myself". I imagine there was a razor blade under the covers as she proceeded to cut herself.

WORST. MOVIE. EVER!

ok i was in your camp for a long time man, then i made the mistake of telling my girlfriend id never read the books....Yeah long story short i got forced to read them and im surprised to say the books wernt near as bad as the movie and i actualy liked 2 of them. The books give a hell of alot more depth to the characters then the movie so please read the book then ***** because (though not a true fan myself) i do beleave in giveing everything a chance in the medium it chose to premire in.

 

[newfoundsky]

Why was Edward so emo about being a vampire? "I'm super strong, super fast, can read minds,and women WANT to have sex with me just because I exist. I'm basically Superman! My life sucks! (pun intended) *sob*"

Kurt Cobain syndrome? It could be an interesting theory that Edward suffers from manic depression. If only because he has to deal with a clingy cardboard love interest.

 

[Hoodsie]

For me (as someone who hates the book..) it wasn't that she was flat so much, it was that it was written from her perspective and all she ever did was moan! I can sum the first two books up pretty easy.

Bella: I have to move, I'm sad now.
Edward: I'm handsome.
Bella: I'm slightly less sad now.
Edward: I'm a vampire/fairy
Bella: I'm sad again

James: I want to eat you!
Bella: Now i'm sad!
Edward: I'll kill him.
James: Now i'm sad!

New moAN (book 2)

Edward:I'm leaving!
Bella: I'm sad!
Jacob: I'm here!
Bella: I'm not sad anymore!
Jacob: Now i'm sad

Also... the main gripe i had with the whole thing, is the author changed something taht was gothic and a real favorite genre and changed it into a teen fiction. Vampires sparkle, "werewolves" turn into a wolf... (and yes i iknow they're not werewolves... even so.. everyone calls them it.)

 

[nico74]

Then how about I publish a book consisting of nothing but blank pages?

Then the audience can project as much as they want... It's genius!

Brilliant!!!!

 

[GrizzlerBorno]

So you're saying.......that the movies should've been shot in a first person perspective like FPS games? that....would be so ****ing creepy!

 

[dark-amon]

So, the author wrote poorly on purpose?

I think that it's a combo of poor writingskills and weird sexual fantasies.

Edit: Being intentional however dosen't make things better. If anYthing it makes it WORSE.