Bella Swan

Bella Swan is a pale, plain teenage girl who wins the heart of the high school heartthrob. In the opening pages of New Moon, Bella gets her heart broken by her vampire boyfriend, Edward. Bella slips into a depression that causes recurring nightmares, odd eating habits (or lack thereof) and a very detached personality. Eventually, with the help of her new found friendship with Jacob Black, Bella is able to emerge from the cocoon she built around herself after Edward’s departure.

Halfway through the book, Bella is again thrown into the world of supernatural adventure when she uncovers the secret of Jacob being a werewolf. Through a mishap of events, Bella learns that she is a target of Victoria and Laurent- two members of a deceased James’ coven- who hope to kill Bella in revenge for James’ death. Among the other adventures Bella partakes in due to her involvement with Jacob, Bella gets a surprise visit from Alice who informs her that Edward is set on committing suicide, after hearing that Bella had killed herself by jumping off of a cliff- which, by the way, is an over exaggeration seeing as Bella simply wanted to go cliff-jumping- and comes to the conclusion that she must help Alice save Edward before it is too late.

The two girls fly halfway around the world in a desperate attempt to stop Edward from making the ultimate mistake. Arriving in the nick of time, Bella is able to stop Edward from exposing himself as a vampire for all of the city of Volterra to see. In a brief meeting with the horrific Volturi, Bella learns that she must be turned into a vampire within the next year in order for the Volturi to spare Edward’s life. The two oblige, although Bella is unsure of what could actually come of the agreement. The high Bella is on by simply being able to put her arms around Edward makes her unconcerned for the punishment she will be receiving from Charlie when she returns home.

Charlie Swan is Bella’s protective, policeman father. Wanting only the best for Bella, he threatens to send Bella home to her mother in Phoenix unless she snaps out of her several month long depression after the departure of Edward. Charlie is portrayed as the defensive father who would sacrifice anything for the good of his daughter and although he has a hard time expressing his emotions, he truly does love and care for Bella and her well-being.

Jacob Black

Jacob Black goes from a tall, lanky and sweet-hearted La Push local to a muscled, tough, badass werewolf throughout the course of the novel in New Moon. His love for Bella is unconditional, despite the fact that she does not return his feelings. Jacob pines after Bella and is willing to do anything for her. Even when he changes into a werewolf, despite the others telling him he cannot remain in contact with Bella, he fights to keep Bella by his side. Throughout the course of the novel, the readers become better acquainted with Jacob as a character and can see the protectiveness he feels for Bella, the easy way the two can converse, the support he offers for Bella and yes, even his hate for the ‘bloodsucker’ Edward.

Edward Cullen

Edward Cullen, Bella’s once boyfriend, is absent for most of the New Moon novel. After the catastrophe at Bella’s eighteenth birthday party, Edward and the members of the Cullen clan leave Forks with the promise of never returning. Over the course of doing irrational things, Bella is able to see and hear Edward as she breaks the promise she kept to him by putting herself in harm’s way. When Alice sees a vision of Bella ‘jumping’ off of a cliff in La Push, she tells Edward. Edward calls the Swan’s house and Jacob answers the phone.

In a miscommunication, Edward is lead to believe that Bella committed suicide. Unable to live a day without Bella, Edward decides to head to Volterra and convince the Volturi (the oldest and rather most terrifying vampires) to kill him. The Volturi disagree and instead insist that Edward join their clan. In a desperate attempt to join Bella in the afterlife, Edward plots to expose himself as a vampire during the St. Marcus Day parade, forcing the Volturi to have to kill Edward. Bella arrives in the nick of time, right before Edward steps out into the sunlight.

After being reunited for the first time since the beginning pages of the book, Edward and Bella are brought to see the Volturi. In a desperate attempt to save himself and Bella, Edward agrees to the terms of the Volturi’s agreement. If Edward gets to live, then Bella must be turned into a vampire sometime within the next year. Nothing can seem to phase Edward- or remove his arm from Bella’s waist- as the two fly home to Forks and the novel ends.

Alice Cullen

Alice Cullen, the planner of Bella’s eighteenth birthday party moves out of Forks along with Edward and the rest of the Cullen coven after the chaotic mess of Bella almost being eaten alive by Jasper- Alice’s significant other. Alice reappears in the novel when she returns to Forks- and Bella’s house- informing Bella of the vision she had seen that included Bella jumping off of a cliff. After having a semi-reunion, the two friends get reacquainted with each other before Alice breaks Bella the news that Edward is going to commit suicide because he is still said to believe Bella is dead. In a race against time, the two girls fly halfway around the world to stop Edward from making a huge mistake. Bella and Alice seem to click back into place together- as if their friendship had not been put on hold for months. The time apart from Bella had been tough for Alice, since she considered Bella a close friend, but once the two are reunited, Alice is more than thrilled to be spending time with Bella again.

Other Characters

The other members of the Cullen coven (i.e. Emmett, Rosalie, Jasper, Esme, and Carlisle) are present at the beginning of the novel for the opening chapters. In attendance at Bella’s birthday party, the clan does leave Forks along with Edward at the start of the book. The Cullen’s return to Forks, in hopes of staying, after the fiasco of Edward and the Volturi is resolved.