Midnight Sun

Bella Swan is the 17-year-old human love interest in Midnight Sun. After living primarily with her divorced mother Renée for many years, at the beginning of the novel Bella moves to Forks, a place she hates, to be with her father Charlie. As a new student in Forks, Bella immediately attracts the attention of many of the boys at her high school. Initially, her only feature notable to Edward is the fact that he cannot read her mind. Soon Edward realizes that Bella’s blood has a scent that is overwhelmingly irresistible to him. Bella is a caring and loyal friend to other students, even those who are not always good friends in return. She is also a caring daughter, often prioritizing caring for her absentminded and eccentric mother and her awkward and lonely father over her own happiness. This concern for others makes Bella both mature for her age and selfless. She even jokes to Edward once, “my mom always says I was born thirty-five years old and that I get more middle-aged every year” (137). Being mature and kindhearted are part of what make her attractive for Edward. Despite how often she puts the needs of others above herself, Bella has one desire by the end of the novel. She tells Edward, “I dream about being with you forever,” and by forever, she means as a vampire (658).

Charlie Swan is the father of Bella Swan and chief of the Forks Police Department. Charlie loves Bella dearly and is constantly concerned for her happiness while she lives in Forks. He has never moved on from his first wife, Bella’s mother, Renée, and is deeply attached to his daughter. While watching his reaction to Bella’s near-death experience in the school parking lot, Edward remembers Alice’s warning that “killing Charlie Swan’s daughter would kill him, too” (62). Charlie intrigues Edward, because Edward cannot clearly read his thoughts like he can with others, and he only gets a vague impression of his feelings. Edward often sympathizes with Charlie and agrees with him over Bella’s safety throughout the novel. Charlie serves as a reminder of Edward’s 18th-century upbringing to respect his elders, as Edward defers to Charlie’s preferences when caring for Bella throughout the novel, much to Bella’s own annoyance at times. Charlie is another symbol of Bella’s humanity, and all that Edward would be taking away from her if he were to kill her or turn her into a vampire. Charlie also represents the life Edward can no longer have, as his biological family has long since passed away.

Alice is Edward’s adopted sister and a vampire. Like the rest of the Cullens, Alice abstains from human blood. Unlike many of the Cullens, Alice was not turned into a vampire by Carlisle—she came to the Cullens with her partner Jasper from elsewhere. Alice can see potential futures as people make important decisions about their lives. This ability both sets Alice apart from other vampires and gives her a closer relationship with Edward, who also has supernatural abilities. Early in the novel, Edward thinks, “we had to stick together, Alice and I. It wasn’t easy, being the freaks among those who were already freaks. We protected each other’s secrets” (4). The Cullens find Alice’s abilities extremely useful. Edward especially relies on Alice as he attempts to navigate the dangers of his relationship with Bella. Alice is also personally invested in Edward’s relationship with Bella, willing him to make it work even when Edward doubts his ability to keep Bella safe, because Alice sees a future, sister-like friendship with Bella.

Rosalie is another of Edward’s adopted sisters. Carlisle originally saved Rosalie and brought her into the family as a potential partner for Edward, although the two have always had a contentious relationship. Both Rosalie and Edward find each other stubborn and annoying, and so Rosalie prefers the company of her partner Emmett. Of all the Cullens, apart from Edward, Rosalie hates being a vampire the most. Although she relishes in the beauty her state gives her and although she does love her adopted family, Rosalie regrets losing her humanity and human opportunities, such as starting her own family. When Edward talks to Emmett about Rosalie, Edward thinks, “we both knew that Rosalie would do anything, give up anything, if it meant she could be human again. Anything. Even Emmett” (153). This regret makes Rosalie desperately jealous of Bella, who she believes disregards the value of humanity too easily. In her jealousy, Rosalie often lashes out at Edward and avoids Bella, who only reminds Rosalie of everything she lost.

Carlisle is the vampire head of the Cullen family coven. Born in the seventeenth century in London, Carlisle was turned into a vampire as a young man. When he realized what he had become, Carlisle tried to destroy himself. Unable to do this, Carlisle developed a lifestyle abstaining from human blood to maintain the compassion that also defined him as a human. Over time, Carlisle became a medical doctor to use his vampire abilities and senses to save human lives. As Edward’s adopted father, Carlisle is exceptionally compassionate. He sees the good in everyone, especially his son. Edward knows this, even when Edward thinks he might lose control and kill Bella during their first encounter. Edward thinks, “in my head, Carlisle’s kind eyes did not judge me. I knew that he would forgive me for this horrible act. Because he loved me. Because he thought I was better than I was” (13). Carlisle is devoted to the family he has created for himself, protecting them at any cost other than that of innocent human life. Carlisle is delighted in the happiness Edward finds in his love for Bella, although Carlisle too prefers that Bella stay human.

James is a nomadic vampire and an antagonist in Midnight Sun who visits Forks with his own small coven. Unlike the Cullens, James and his coven do not abstain from human blood, instead roaming the northwest, hunting humans whenever thirsty. Like Edward and Alice, James has a supernatural ability—the ability to track others. James delights in this ability and in the challenge of a good hunt, taking immense pleasure in finding difficult targets. When Edward explains James’s nature to Bella, he says, “he thinks of himself as a hunter and nothing else. His existence is consumed with tracking, and a challenge is all he asks of life” (532). It is revealed by the end of the novel that the only victim who ever escaped James before Bella, was Alice, who only escaped when she was turned into a vampire. When James first encounters the Cullens, he is attracted to Bella’s human scent, as any typical vampire would be. When Edward and the other Cullens protect Bella, James immediately sees her as a perfect target. This obsession with the hunt is ultimately James’s downfall, as he spends so much time enjoying the game and torturing Bella after capturing her that the Cullens are able to catch up and kill him.