Charlie Swan Character Analysis in Twilight

Charlie is Bella’s father and the police chief in Forks. He’s lived on his own since Mom left him months after Bella’s birth. Like Bella, he’s somewhat shy, awkward, and uncoordinated—Bella implies that she inherited her lack of coordination from him. Though Charlie loves and cares for Bella, he also seems to think that he’s not paying her enough attention once she moves to Forks to live with him. After more than a decade working weekends, for instance, Charlie doesn’t stop once Bella’s around—and if he’s not working on the weekends, he regularly goes fishing. Though Charlie acts as though he wants Bella to take an interest in the boys in Forks and go to dances and other social events, he also becomes extremely protective when Bella finally shares with him that she’s dating Edward Cullen. This reaction is somewhat unexpected for another reason: Charlie thinks very highly of Dr. Cullen and of all his adopted and foster children, at least when they’re not dating his daughter. Indeed, Charlie thinks so highly of Dr. Cullen that he stops talking to his best friend, Billy Black, after Billy and other Quileutes stop receiving medical care at the local hospital after Dr. Cullen gets his job there. Charlie and Billy do begin to make up over the course of the novel.

Charlie Swan Quotes in Twilight

The Twilight quotes below are all either spoken by Charlie Swan or refer to Charlie Swan. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:

“He’s an asset to the community, and all those kids are well behaved and polite. I had my doubts, when they first moved in, with all those adopted teenagers. I thought we might have some problems with them. But they’re all very mature—I haven’t had one speck of trouble from any of them. That’s more than I can say for some of the children of some folks who have lived in this town for generations. And they stick together the way a family should—camping trips every other weekend…Just because they’re newcomers, people have to talk.”

Related Characters: Charlie Swan (speaker), Dr. Carlisle Cullen, Bella Swan

Page Number and Citation: 37

Explanation and Analysis:

“No, she did not send me here. I sent myself.”

[…]

“She stayed with me at first, but she missed him. It made her unhappy…so I decided it was time to spend some quality time with Charlie.” My voice was glum by the time I finished.

“But now you’re unhappy,” he pointed out.

“And?” I challenged.

“That doesn’t seem fair.”

Related Characters: Edward Cullen (speaker), Bella Swan (speaker), Charlie Swan, Mom

Page Number and Citation: 37

Explanation and Analysis:

Charlie Swan Character Timeline in Twilight

The timeline below shows where the character Charlie Swan appears in Twilight. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.

...in the small town of Port Angeles. She has an hour in the car with Charlie to look forward to. Neither Charlie nor Bella is talkative, so Bella is certain that... (full context)

Bella stares out the window at the greenery until they get to Charlie’s tiny two-bedroom house. He and Mom bought it right after they got married. Bella spots... (full context)

Charlie helps Bella carry her things upstairs to her bedroom and then leaves her alone to... (full context)

...loud. When she wakes up in the morning, it’s foggy outside. She eats breakfast with Charlie, and when he leaves, she looks around the house. It looks exactly like it always... (full context)

When school is over, Bella heads for the grocery store. She discovered last night that Charlie can’t cook, so she asked to take over the shopping and food prep. When she... (full context)

Over dinner later, Bella tells Charlie about Mike and then asks if he knows of the Cullens; the kids, she says,... (full context)

The next morning, Bella wakes up to snow and ice. Charlie is already gone when she gets downstairs, so she eats and wonders why she’s excited... (full context)

...put Bella onto a stretcher with an embarrassing neck brace. It’s even more humiliating when Charlie pulls into the parking lot and begins asking an EMT questions. (full context)

Bella tunes out Charlie and thinks of what happened—there’s a dent in the van the shape of Edward’s shoulders,... (full context)

...handsome. He looks at Bella’s X-rays, checks her head, and tells her to go meet Charlie in the waiting room. He also notes that most of the school is in the... (full context)

Bella composes herself and then enters the waiting room. She assures Charlie she’s fine and urges him to leave; she doesn’t want to talk to anyone else.... (full context)

...alone and then escape Forks by attending college in Hawaii. Later, over dinner, Bella convinces Charlie to let her go to Seattle next Saturday by herself—and assures him she’s not going... (full context)

...doesn’t want them talking about it. But then, worried, Jacob begs Bella to not tell Charlie about the story—Charlie was incensed when he learned that some Quileutes weren’t going to go... (full context)

When Bella gets home, she tells Charlie that she has a lot of homework, locks herself in her room, and puts in... (full context)

...decisions is always hard for her, but it’s a relief to have made a choice. Charlie gets home late in the evening with fish he caught, and Bella decides to get... (full context)

It’s sunny again the next morning. Bella shocks Charlie at breakfast with her upbeat demeanor and leaves for school early. She settles on the... (full context)

When Charlie gets home, Bella jerks awake and follows him into the house. She watches TV with... (full context)

Before long, Bella and Edward arrive in Forks. Outside of Charlie’s house, Edward promises to be at school tomorrow, and he asks Bella to not go... (full context)

Bella watches Edward drive away and then lets herself into the house. Charlie seems concerned about Bella, so she wonders what she looks like. As soon as Bella... (full context)

...that she gets to drive; she doesn’t want to explain the change in plans to Charlie, and Edward’s driving scares her. Edward rolls his eyes and asks why Bella won’t tell... (full context)

...to let her drive on Saturday. Cryptically, he says he's not bringing a car, so Charlie won’t get suspicious seeing the Volvo in his driveway. (full context)

The drive to Charlie’s house doesn’t take very long. When they arrive, Edward parks behind Bella’s truck. Then, Bella... (full context)

Bella dreams of Edward that night and wakes up poorly rested. Over breakfast, Charlie tries to encourage Bella to go to the dance, but she brushes him off. Edward’s... (full context)

...Bella misses about Phoenix, and for hours, they sit and talk in Edward’s car outside Charlie’s house. Edward says he has to go as twilight falls. He explains that twilight is... (full context)

Billy continues to stare at Bella as Charlie pulls up and greets his friend. Bella goes into the house while Charlie and Jacob... (full context)

...game ends, Billy tells Bella to take care in a serious voice. After they leave, Charlie offers to go with Bella to Seattle if she chooses another day to go; he... (full context)

Then, when Bella reveals that Charlie will be fishing tomorrow, Edward asks what he’ll think if Bella doesn’t come home. Bella... (full context)

...locked, and her jeans are right where she left them. Over dinner later, Bella tells Charlie that she’s going to wait to go to Seattle and do homework and laundry instead.... (full context)

...terrible at hiking. This is going to be humiliating. When Edward asks what Bella told Charlie and Jessica, she reveals that nobody knows she’s with Edward. This makes Edward angry, and... (full context)

...if he could dream. Then, they hear tires outside, and Edward disappears in a flash. Charlie lets himself in a moment later. Bella tries to calm herself as she warms up... (full context)

...brushes her teeth, and gets dressed in ratty pajamas. Then, she goes downstairs to tell Charlie goodnight, making sure he notices her pajamas and wet hair. She returns to her room... (full context)

Suddenly, Edward disappears and hisses for Bella to pretend to sleep. Charlie opens Bella’s door to check on her. Once he’s gone, Edward appears in bed behind... (full context)

...into his lap, ecstatic that he stayed. Bella leaps up a moment later, concerned about Charlie, but Edward explains that Charlie left an hour ago. Afraid she has morning breath, Bella... (full context)

...Bella puzzles over his reaction until Edward says that Bella should also introduce him to Charlie as her boyfriend. It’s necessary if Edward is going to be hanging around. (full context)

...Jacob and Billy on the porch, and Edward mutters that Billy is here to warn Charlie. Bella promises to take care of the Blacks and Edward teases that Bella also has... (full context)

...Jacob out to the car to find a picture of one of his sisters for Charlie. Once he’s gone, Bella thanks Billy for the fish fry and says that Charlie won’t... (full context)

...about the dance. She says that Mike kissed her and asks about Edward just as Charlie gets home. Jessica hangs up when she hears Charlie come in the door. A bit... (full context)

A few minutes later, the doorbell rings. Charlie invites Edward in, and they laugh about Bella playing baseball. Annoyed, Bella says it’s time... (full context)

...asks where they’re going, and she demands that Edward take her home. She screeches that Charlie will call the FBI and that it’ll be horrible for the Cullens, but Edward insists... (full context)

...tonight. Bella gasps and shouts that her scent is going to lead James right to Charlie. Finally, Edward stops the Jeep. Ignoring Bella entirely, Edward, Emmett, and Alice discuss James’s desire... (full context)

...points out that James is going to think she’s with Edward if Edward disappears, and Charlie will also be suspicious if Edward is out of town. Alice insists that she and... (full context)

Charlie is still awake waiting for Bella when Edward pulls up. Edward notes that James isn’t... (full context)

Charlie is confused and wants to know what happened. He grabs Bella; he’s clearly not going... (full context)

...knows that James might attack at any moment. Bella leaps into the truck, shouts to Charlie that she’ll call, and drives away as fast as she can. Edward appears and shifts... (full context)

Edward tries to ask Bella about what she said to Charlie as a way to distract her from their present danger. Bella confesses that she used... (full context)

...ambush him, while Esme and Rosalie were going to lead Victoria west and then watch Charlie. If nobody has called, it means James is close enough to overhear them. She promises... (full context)

...relieved that she feels giddy and strangely confident. Soon, everything will be over, and both Charlie and Mom will be fine. James is surprised that Bella isn’t mad, and Bella notices... (full context)

...and asks what happened. Edward says that Mom is here, and that he’s also informed Charlie; Edward told them that Bella fell down two flights of stairs and then went through... (full context)

...Bella interrupts to say she’s staying in Forks. She’s settled and has friends there, and Charlie needs her. Mom is bewildered and asks if this is about Edward. Unable to lie,... (full context)

Edward asks what Bella is going to do about Mom and Charlie. Bella doesn’t have a good answer, but she mutters that they’d want her to make... (full context)

...walking cast). As Bella wonders where they might be going, Edward’s cell phone buzzes. It’s Charlie, who’s been a bit difficult since Bella returned. He blames Edward for what happened, but... (full context)

Charlie Swan Character Analysis

Charlie Swan Quotes in Twilight

Chapter 2 Quotes

Charlie Swan Character Timeline in Twilight