Is Bella Swan a Mary Sue?
A Mary Sue is a term used in fiction to describe a character who is unrealistically perfect or overly idealised. This character often possesses exceptional beauty, intelligence, talent, or skills without any real flaws or weaknesses. The term is usually used in a negative context, suggesting that the character lacks depth and is not relatable.
The term "Mary Sue" originated from fan fiction, where writers would create idealised versions of themselves as characters in established universes. The male equivalent is sometimes called a "Gary Stu" or "Marty Stu." Over time, the term has been used more broadly to critique any character in literature, movies, or other media that fits these traits.
Examples:
A character who is the best at everything they do without any training.
Someone who immediately wins the affection and trust of everyone they meet.
A character who solves complex problems with ease and little effort.
How can you tell if someone is a Mary Sue?
I discovered this video a week ago and it tells you how to tell if a character is a Mary Sue by asking yourself these 8 questions.
Do they have a tragic backstory?
Do they have flaws and weaknesses?
Are they naturally better than everyone at everything?
Do they make active decisions or just get pushed around by the plot?
Do they practise what they preach?
Do they admit when they make a mistake?
Does everybody like them even though they have no likable charms?
Do they not know how divinely attractive they are?
Is Bella Swan a Mary Sue?
Do they have a tragic backstory?
Yes, but it's not very prominent. Bella's parents are divorced, and she moves to a small town to live with her father. While this adds some depth, it's not overly tragic compared to other characters in literature.
Do they have flaws and weaknesses?
Yes, but they are often downplayed. Bella is described as clumsy and somewhat socially awkward, but these flaws are often portrayed endearingly rather than causing serious consequences.
Are they naturally better than everyone at everything?
Not exactly. Bella is not portrayed as naturally better at everything. However, she does have unique traits that make her appealing to supernatural characters, like her immunity to certain vampire powers. Moreover, when she becomes a vampire she is a naturally flawless vampire without any training.
Do they make active decisions or just get pushed around by the plot?
Mostly gets pushed around by the plot. Bella often finds herself reacting to events around her rather than making active decisions. She is frequently caught up in situations outside of her control, especially since she is stuck in the middle of the supernatural world and the human world.
Do they practise what they preach?
Not consistently. Bella often talks about not wanting to put others in danger, but she frequently engages in risky behaviour that questions her intentions.
Do they admit when they make a mistake?
Occasionally. Bella does admit to some mistakes, but she often brushes them off or they are quickly resolved without long-lasting consequences.
Does everybody like them even though they have no likable charms?
Yes, mostly. Bella is inexplicably attractive to several characters, including Edward, Jacob and others like Mike and Eric, despite not having obvious charismatic traits. Many characters are drawn to her because of her looks and not her personality.
Do they not know how divinely attractive they are?
Yes. Bella often downplays her own attractiveness and seems unaware of the effect she has on others, even as lots of characters express their interest in her.
And finally, is Bella Swan a Mary Sue?
Yes.
She does portray some of the characteristics of a Mary Sue, although she doesn’t perfectly fit the mold.
Common Links
I noticed that flawless protagonists, Mary Sues and hated characters all make up one category. Mary Sues are typically flawless and they are hated because of this. So characters like Tris Prior, Bella Swan and Clary Fray, all people I’ve talked about before, all fall into this category.