Shimmerskin, your posts are always so thought provoking! I'm sitting here thinking about Bella and for every trait that I can think of that I like, admire or respect about her, I can think of one counter trait that I find annoying...**ducks and covers**... Here's my good traits list.

1. I admire her loyalty to both her friends and family.
2. I find her sense of responsibilty to her friends and family unique for a teen.
3. I like that she doesn't feel the need to succumb to peer pressure just to be popular and fit in.
4. I love that she's very intelligent but not pretentious about it.
5. I respect that she doesn't expect to have things (ie. a car, a college education) simply given to her and is truly touched when Charlie gives her the truck even though most kids (especially a girl) would've probably fainted at the thought of driving an old, beat up pick up truck.

I like her... wait I love her for the fact that she accepts people for who they are. She doesn't care what they are.

I think that is one of my top reasons. Also I love her b/c well for the obvious she has Edward

LOL Or you can look at it this way--I'm so glad that for every trait Bella has that annoys you, you can think of a counter trait you admire!

You came up with a good list. I love #5...I wish I could say I would have responded as she did about the truck but I'm not positive about that. It's a moot point because I bought my own cars and paid my own tuition. However, I have a sneaking suspicion I would have been embarrassed to drive such a LOUD vehicle that would call attention to itself everywhere I went. And we know Bella doesn't like to call attention to herself, either, but she still loves that truck, so kudos to her.

That is one of my most favorite things about her, too!



Yes, and of those few, even fewer will admit it

Yes, this is my absolute favorite quality about Bella. This is a quality I wish more people had.

I was thinking about this today because I've seen some behaviors in people at my place of work and while socializing lately that I deemed unpleasant, and I realized (because all things are Twilight in my life now) that another reason I like Bella is because she never does these things.

She doesn't always have an eye out for the main chance, as in, "How can their situation benefit me?"

She is completely the opposite of "grasping;" she doesn't expect a free ride out of life and she isn't maneuvering people to give her anything.

If she doesn't like someone, she simply avoids them; she doesn't go behind their back, she doesn't force a confrontation, she doesn't expect them to change who they are for her. She just lets them go their own way while she goes hers.

I think this is because Bella's world does not revolve around herself. So many people I meet or hear/read about think they are THE SUN. and everything revolves arond them. Bella looks deep within herself or far out of herself.. she is not interested in the surface, and she reguards others the same way.

I think all your responses made me like Bella a bit more. I think I just tolerated her in the past because she was the vehicle we had to hear about Edward.

LOL So did you experience reading the books like this: "Blah blah blah EDWARD blah blah EDWARD blah blah blah blah blah blah EDWARD...."?


I think I have to confess to occasional moments when I'm mentally waving Bella on through a description of trees or clouds or something, going, "Yeah, yeah, get to the part about EDWARD already."
Which is really NOT a nice way for me to behave. Now I feel bad. I will list three good things about Bella to make up for that.

*Bella doesn't force herself on people; she lets them decide if they want to come to her and if they don't, she doesn't hold it against them.

*Bella is good at discerning character; she senses the positive qualities in people even when they're not immediately obvious (like with Angela). She picks up on the negatives in the same way (like with Jessica) but she isn't terribly judgmental with it. She's the live-and-let-live sort.

*Bella doesn't preen at Edward's side, she doesn't show off or act like she's "all-that" for having the hottest boyfriend in existence. Quite the opposite, in fact; she's very humble about it.

There, I've done my penance. Have you done yours?

Shimmerskin

Don't people (guys/girls) like that make you sick? They do me.

Bella is always HERSELF..I love that about her.

That is an excellent point!

I also never noticed that she doesn't like go out and do crazy things to try to look better for him either. Like no shopping spree or trip to salon for a haircut and colour. She could have been off to cosmetics counters for make overs, but instead tries to find the best of what she has and goes with it! If me as myself were Bella there'd be long descriptions of hair serum application and flat irons in use haha

She is a pretty down to earth girl.



I think I kind of did read it like that. Yes I understand moving away and feeling like an outsider blah blah oh hot guy you get to see, he's cool lets hear more about him instead of Charlie's dinner!

I can now appreciate Bella more thanks guys!

I like what Edward once said about Bella-that she was so brave, warm, and trusting. I think that's right on.

A reason to like Bella.......hmmm.......

When she's around, EDWARD is around!

That's pretty much how I tolerate her presence. Heavens! Did I just say that out loud?!

I didn't mean it, really I didn't! I like Bella, honestly I do. I'm just so Edward-starved I'm feeling faint, I'm not myself, I won't be held responsible for anything I might say or do over the next 32 days.

She's a Virgo. I like that she judges people by their actions and not by what side/team they're on. She even gives Lauren the benefit of the doubt from time to time!