Vital Minor Characters in Twilight

In the bestselling fantasy series Twilight, author Stephanie Meyers has developed a fascinating and diverse cast of characters. She has created a world in which fantasy touches reality, where humans, vampires, and werewolves live together. The humans in her novels are average and believable. The half-human werewolves are normal people as well, save for their paranormal abilities. The vampires that comprise the Cullen family strive to live as normal human beings, but they are completely ethereal. Some of the most interesting of these characters are Jacob Black; Edward, Carlisle, Alice, and Rosalie Cullen.

Jacob Black is the boyish half-human, half-wolf friend of Bella Swan (the protagonist). He is the sun in Bella's sky when Edward disappears for a time. As such, he is warm and playful, adventurous and reckless. He is the one Bella runs to when she needs a reprieve from life and its complexities. He is fiercely loyal to his friends, family, and especially Bella no matter what the danger is to him. From the moment Jacob and Bella meet since childhood, he is drawn to her and falls in love with her. But this love brings out his selfish side. Bella is in love with Jacob's natural enemy, the vampire Edward. As Jacob struggles to make Bella reciprocate his love, he hurts Bella and his friends deeply. But Jacob is undaunted in his hunt for Bella's heart even though she repeatedly explains she only wants a friendship. Through this quest, he grows and realizes that his desire to be with Bella doesn't compare with the cost of her life and her unhappiness.

The vampire coven that goes by the surname of Cullen is unique from other Vampires. The Cullen's are self proclaimed vegetarians, only feeding on animals. But this doesn't change the fact that they still thirst for human blood, though they are well trained in controlling that thirst so that they can coexist with humans. Within this family is the most important minor character in the Twilight saga-the beautiful, perfect and dangerous Edward Cullen. His is around a century old, equipped with lethal hunting abilities, knowledgeable, wealthy, and incredibly lonely. The first time he encounters Bella, he is drawn to her, but for unusual reasons. At first it is the mystery of why he cannot hear her thoughts like he can with every other sentient being. But more than that, the scent of her blood is like a drug he is addicted to. He has never encountered another human that he thirsts for as strongly as Bella. This creates a constant struggle for him that lasts as long as Bella has blood flowing in her veins. Edward fears this pull and the possibility that it could cause him to kill Bella. In spite of himself, he falls eternally in love with Bella. Edward views himself as a monster and loathes what he is. But to Bella, he is perfection incarnate. Throughout the series, Edward struggles against his vampire nature as desires to become human. The love he has for Bella claims his being and brings light to his previously gray existence. Edward learns what true love means as he tries desperately to save the life of his love, even though it causes him great pain.

Carlisle Cullen is the father and creator of the Cullen coven. He detests vampires. Before he became one, he hunted them. Once being bitten and realizing he had become a vampire, he tried repeatedly to kill himself. Driven mad with the thirst that he denied, he feeds on a deer and realizes it abates his thirst and brings him nourishment. He realizes that there is another way to live as a vampire and vows to never take the life of a human, a vow that he upholds. Carlisle in his infinite compassion becomes a doctor and uses his unique abilities as a vampire to save lives that a human doctor couldn't. But loneliness drives him to create companions from dying humans. He teaches them to feed on only animals and thus creates the Cullen family. Carlisle is the most humane of all the vampires. He is compassionate and good beyond the level a normal human could ever hope to reach. He is the core of the Cullen family and his "children" respect him. He is a static character in the book as he has had many centuries to grow and mature before the time in which the book is set.

Alice Cullen is the best friend every girl wants to have. She is bright, cheerful, loving, but also incredibly wise due to her special gift. Alice can see glimpses of possible futures for people that she is close to. The futures are not always accurate however, because they are influenced by the decisions of the people involved. Through Alice's character, Stephanie Meyers builds the plot heavily in the third and fourth books. Alice adds a beautiful twist to the plot because of her premonitions and because of her characteristics. She is sweet, sensitive and the only one who can persuade Bella once her mind is made. Her bubbly personality is infectious to the other characters and diffuses tense situations. But Alice can't remember her human life unlike her adopted sister Rosalie who remembers her past in vivid detail.

Rosalie wanted nothing more from her human life than to marry a well-to-do prince of society and have beautiful children. She was shallow and vain, but happy. When this dream was within her grasp it was snatched from her in a wicked way turning her into a vengeful murderer as a vampire. Rosalie despises Bella for her willingness and desire to trade those human dreams for the despised life of a vampire. Rosalie provides a point of conflict within the Cullen family and a fascination for the reader. Through several books it is unknown why she hates Bella and doesn't want her to become a vampire. In a twist of plot, Rosalie agrees to help Bella and protects her from Edward, but only for her own selfish reasons.

It is Stephanie Meyer's Characters that make the Twilight series so beloved by its readers. The diversity of the characters allows each reader to identify with some aspect of the characters. Most of the characters are dynamic in nature just like all people are, growing and changing with their experiences. The blend of very human emotions and the super human abilities attract the audience in a magnetic way. Without the intriguing cast of characters, Twilight would not be the acclaimed success it is.