Statistics show that, despite the fact that mother-daughter relationships are more heavily emphasized in American culture, the father-daughter relationship is one of vast importance. Impacting more heavily in the areas of academic and career success, the development of loving and trusting relationships with men, the ability to respond well to authority figures, channeling self-confidence, adventure, and emotional health, a father’s relationship with his daughter is certainly vital to a healthy upbringing.
That said, statistics also show that “the decline of two-parent, married-couple famil[ies] has resulted in poverty, ill-health, educational failure, unhappiness, anti-social behavior, isolation and social exclusion for thousands of men, women and children.”
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In Twilight, we got to meet Charlie Swan, father to Bella Swan (the protagonist). A constant figure in the Twilight series books (and films), Charlie Swan is your typical good old-fashioned dad. A police chief (which, I can tell you from experience is daunting for Bella to have in the teenage stages), sports fan, and all-around good guy, their relationship before she made her way to Forks, Washington was one of limited capacity.In the book series, however, we get to see Charlie and Bella’s relationship blossom quite normally, despite the fantastic events of her life. A source of constancy and humanity (pun intended), Charlie becomes, for Bella, a character of grave importance, and it shows.
Presenting her with a truck that she couldn’t have expected to be more perfect, Charlie makes his first leap onto Bella’s side of the playing field. Between snow chains, culinary compliments, and guiltless respect for privacy, Charlie picks up the tenors of fathering a teenage daughter in no time. It does not go unnoticed. When her life is in danger, it seems, Bella’s concern for her parents (including, firstly, Charlie) is rampant.
As the saga continues, their relationship and bond grows to the point of a mutual, unspoken understanding - a communication that transcends words and gestures.
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“It's a vastly more accurate portrayal of divorced fathers than we usually get in the media these days, and one we need to see a lot more of,” says Glenn Sacks of the film portrayal of Bella (Kristen Stewart) and Charlie (Billy Burke)’s relationship in Twilight.Responds Sonja Newcombe, a reader of Sacks’ article, “Bella and Charlie share a special relationship which is not necessarily uncommon between fathers and their daughters. As they are both quiet and unassuming people, most of their love for each other is played out in their actions rather than words.”
Throughout the Twilight saga, Charlie Swan is a steadfast and loyal character that Bella can rely upon to be consistent and relatively uncomplicated – despite the undefined tethers that hold their relationship in place. It is Charlie who stands most sturdily by Bella’s side in her times of catatonic Cullen withdrawals (pre-Jacob Black, of course), and who she most heartily worries about in certain [spoiler] transformative situations (such as in Breaking Dawn).
While in the beginning of Twilight, the book (and film, as it were), Bella is less than thrilled about her new home in Forks, Washington, by the time Breaking Dawn rolls around, she is nearly heart-broken (and, in fact, refuses) to have to walk away from her relationship with Charlie. All the meat in the middle only strengthens the claim that he is a model father, too.
“Soft and kind when I was cryin’ . . . hard as steel when I’d done wrong,” as the old song might say, were the hands of Charlie Swan to Bella Swan throughout the Twilight series. Stern when necessary and appropriate, yet lovely and comforting in appropriate measure, Charlie Swan knows how to treat a little lady.
With all of the negative speculation out there about the underlying messages of the Twilight series, this aspect of the series proves to be (potentially) a huge point of positivity.
That said, I ask you – do you agree that Charlie Swan might indeed serve as a model father in his relationship with Bella? Comment below and let us know!
Comments
I definitely think Charlie did a lot of good things with Bella - he gave her plenty of privacy, but wasn't afraid to step in and let her know exactly how he felt about things when the reached a crossroads of sorts. Kudos to Charlie.
I really like bella and her father charlie relationship on twilingt but I would love to see more father daughter relationship on the next movie because we don't see that most of the time so I think it gives some lesson for other world. THANKS FOR POSTING
I think that Charlie is great. He always wants what best for her but is not overly pushy about it. Also, because they are so similar in personality, he understands her, and this, I feel, is what makes their relationship work so well.
I love charlie, i think he's great in the book. he respects bella but cares for her at the same time.
Chief Swan's the best.
Most deffinately! My father was killed before my second birthday and so all through the book I was thinking "This is what my dad would have been like, and I love that!" Billy played his role VERY well and I cannot wait to see him in the upcoming movies!! =]
charlie kinda acts like my dad........or my dad acts like him...
Charlie is a great dad. His support and love for Bella throughout the saga is paramount despite his taciturn nature. One of my favorite characters in the books, Billy Burke did an amazing job bringing this quiet unassuming man to life. We should all be so lucky as to have a dad like Charlie.
Through Charlie, I see the importance of fathers for a girl's self-esteem and assertiveness. Also, Bella knows she will always be protected, whether she likes it or not! I wish I'd had that when I was a girl.
A girl and her daddy...there is no other bond like it :) Charlie was the best role model for a father that I've seen in a very long time. I'm lookinh forward to seeing the relationship blossom in the movies to come .
Charlie is a terrific Dad all the way around. He and Bella's Mom are also mutually respectful. When there is an emergency Bello would prefer that he didn't "tell Renee" but being a respectful co-parent of course he does! Really great Dad. Would like to see more custodial Dads with primary residential role in movies and on TV.
I think Charlie is a good father (traditionally speaking), but I think Twilight is fraught with generalizations about males and females. As a masculist and feminist, I thought the film played too heavily with tried and true gender roles. For example, Bella was an incredibly helpless damsel in distress throughout much of the film.
The film also depicts age-old notions of chivalry. For example, Bella's protective boyfriend opens doors for her, lets her dance on his feet like a child, and even buckles her seatbelt for her!!!!
And like the film "King Kong", we see a film that objectifies a bond not only between a woman and a dangerous man....but with a monster of sorts (which encourages boys that it is not okay to be feminine)
Charlie is a good father no doubt, but he still depicts manhood with a narrow lens. We still get the impression that men must be macho, protective, providing, authoratarian, into sports, and only useful in what he can do for "women and children".
I wanted to add one more thing. I don't think "father-daughter" relationships get enough credit in society, but I also think "mother-son" relationships are given even less attention. I mean, the phrase "daddy's girl" is generally considered charming and cute....much like the phrase "tom boy". However, the phrase "mamma's boy" is fraught with images of a loser who still lives with his parents and is too unmanly to get a date. It is also telling that there isn't even a term "jill-girl" to go along with the term "tom boy". These messages tell our boys that it is more okay for a girl to act manly that it is for a boy to act girly. Equality should be a two way street. Gender roles hurt us all.
Why cant a boy and his mother share a special bond? Girls often say that they want to marry a man like her father. However, if a man said he wanted to marry someone like his mother he would probably be the object of ridicule or even accused of being perverse.
I thought the character of Charlie was terrific in the first Twilight film, and look forward very much to seeing more of the same actor in the future films of the series.
es ist echt cool!!!
I think Charlie Swan is an idiot to say the least. After his daughter left home in the middle of the night with some creepers from the high school (who all look the same age, including the parents). Instead of raging like a good dad should do he bumbles around like a dope, then when she returns after breaking her leg, he swallows the baloney the vamps tell him. Then, to top it off he allows her to go to prom with Edward, knowing full well that she would rather die. If I were a criminal I would move to Forks where I would never be caught for a crime. It is paifully obvious that Stephanie Meyer has never talked to a police officer, or been aressted. it might behoove her to do some research next time she "writes".
new moon is so cool!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
jacob is very beautiful!!!!!
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