Charlie Swan

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Bkwrm
Wandering Through Town
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Re: Charlie Swan

Post by Bkwrm »

Charlie's always been a neglectful parent. He's more interested in his own comfort and his own routine than his daughter. He was happy to spend one month a year with her for 15-16 years of her life. Then he was perfectly happy to treat his daughter like a roommate/housekeeper/cook.
-veiled-
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Re: Charlie Swan

Post by -veiled- »

Bkwrm wrote:Charlie's always been a neglectful parent. He's more interested in his own comfort and his own routine than his daughter. He was happy to spend one month a year with her for 15-16 years of her life. Then he was perfectly happy to treat his daughter like a roommate/housekeeper/cook.
I don't think that's really the case. I believe that he is a bit neglectful, but not because he isn't interested. I think it's just like any divorcee. If you have children, they get caught in the middle. Some parent's rarely see their children after a divorce. For this reason, I think he doesn't know her too much, doesn't know how to act around her. Plus, she is more mature for her age...so maybe he wants to treat her a little older than she really is.

Besides, he gets a little bit more closer to her as the book progresses because she starts calling him Dad and saying "I love you, which they normally would NOT do. So, I think it was just taking him awhile to get back on parenting because Rene was the one who would do it. I don't know, it makes since to me.
holdingoutforjacob
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Re: Charlie Swan

Post by holdingoutforjacob »

Bkwrm wrote:Charlie's always been a neglectful parent. He's more interested in his own comfort and his own routine than his daughter. He was happy to spend one month a year with her for 15-16 years of her life. Then he was perfectly happy to treat his daughter like a roommate/housekeeper/cook.
do you like anyone in this series??

renee left charlie with bella. he didn't dispute that because he knew she'd be better off with renee. a girl needs her mom. BELLA was the one who put an end to the summer trips, which, for your information, is how most custody issues are settled when the parents live so far away. what was he supposed to do? fight a custody battle for a daughter who didn't want to see him, who he knew was better off with her mother until she wanted to see him?? would that have been right?

by the time bella got to charlie, she was grown. seventeen. i think he does a very good job of fathering, and had the situation been different, i think he really would have been a great dad. he tried to lay down the law with bella when it needed to be laid down. but bella didn't have any respect for him, something fostered by her mother, and the fact that bella really doesn't respect authority.

in the end, charlie tried. but it was too late. they do have a relationship, however, and a dang good one.
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Esme echo
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Re: Charlie Swan

Post by Esme echo »

I appreciated the extra insight Stephenie gave us in the Midnight Sun draft. I have more respect for Charlie now, having eavesdropped on his thoughts. I still think that after Charlie's parents died he could have taken a job nearer Renee and Bella. That he did not do so indicates to me that either it was too painful for him to be close enough to Renee to witness her dating other men, or he couldn't face uprooting himself. My opinion of Charlie has softened over time. I felt very much like bkwrm in the beginning.

I was very surprised that Edward could not read Charlie's mind very well! I never got that impression from the rest of the books. Was anyone else surprised?
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CantBreathe
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Re: Charlie Swan

Post by CantBreathe »

holdingoutforjacob wrote:renee left charlie with bella. he didn't dispute that because he knew she'd be better off with renee. a girl needs her mom. BELLA was the one who put an end to the summer trips, which, for your information, is how most custody issues are settled when the parents live so far away. what was he supposed to do? fight a custody battle for a daughter who didn't want to see him, who he knew was better off with her mother until she wanted to see him?? would that have been right?
Thank you! Agreed. If anything, I think Charlie felt neglected, or at least not wanted to some degree. And then his daughter suddenly becomes a full time part of his life at 17 when he hasn't had much time over the years to really adapt to her. He reminds me of a lot of fathers I know, epecially in father/daughter relationships, they may not be the most affectionate or know exactly what they are doing, but they love their daughters and try to do the best they can. I do think Charlie tried, and I think he purposely didn't try TOO hard because Bella didn't want him to. I think they had a very balanced, comfortable relationship, and I think it was nice that Charlie respected her independence and treated her like an adult, but still showed a protective side when he felt he needed to. As far as treating her like a housekeeper/cook, Bella chose to take on those roles and seemed happy to do so, and if she hadn't, I'm sure Charlie would have continued taking care of himself as he had in the past. Yes, he's a flat character, as I think a lot of the other minor characters are, but I still found him endearing- especially in his more emotional moments, you can tell he really loves Bella.
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edsbestfriend
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Re: Charlie Swan

Post by edsbestfriend »

I think Charlie new he hadnt been the worlds best dad so anything that helps Bella would be a good think hes always wanted the best for all i just think hes not very experienced.Im not sure as to how he would react to the vampire thing but im sure hed still suppot Bella however he could.
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Ally_Cat
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Re: Charlie Swan

Post by Ally_Cat »

Esme echo wrote: I was very surprised that Edward could not read Charlie's mind very well! I never got that impression from the rest of the books. Was anyone else surprised?
I was really surprised too! In the rest of the saga it seemed like Edward could clearly hear what Charlie was thinking (especially when Edward and Charlie weren't on the best terms, lol). But maybe that is an aspect she plans to change or expand on if/when she continues with Midnight Sun.
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MajorKlutz
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Re: Charlie Swan

Post by MajorKlutz »

I find it kind of annoying that Charlie was always very stubborn after Edward came back such as visiting hours but it was good that Bella and Edward had contact without him knowing ;) I am very glad that Charlie didn't blow up at Edward for proposing. Hehe :lol: I thought it was cute how he turned the colors of skittles instead. Gotta love Charlie (aka the overprotective freewilling father)
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Bkwrm
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Re: Charlie Swan

Post by Bkwrm »

Do I like anyone in the series? Yes. I like Bella, Edward and the Cullens.

I don't see Charlie as a good father. I've said why.
singleduetoedward
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Re: Charlie Swan

Post by singleduetoedward »

I love Charlie! I really never thought of him as a flat character at all, it's weird to see that people think that, but I can understand. I just thought he was kind of complex. He's the silent type, kind of like Bella. Bella might seem like a flat character at first from someone else's POV. He doesn't say much, but there are parts when it's clear that his gears are turning and he's hiding emotions.
As for his parenting skills, I also feel that it was he that was somewhat neglected. This woman he loved just took off with his only child and he had to stay and take care of his parents, and who wants to chase after someone who had rejected them? After that it was apparent that Renee had moved on and it was probably too painful for him to be near her. That's understandable. And I'm sure he could see that Bella was mature and wise beyond her years the way she cared for Renee. When Bella came to live with him, nearly grown, he gave her the space she needed and deserved as a 17-year-old who'd all but taken care of herself her whole life. And at the same time, he established strict rules when he thought necessary to Bella's benefit. I felt that they had a very nicely balanced relationship. Also...whose parents know everything about their children? I sure know my parents don't, hehe.
I thought Charlie showed an enormous love for Bella in Breaking Dawn. He didn't have to accept her as this mysterious, and honestly somewhat creepy, knew being...but he did. Just because he loves her so much. I was so touched by Charlie in Breaking Dawn, at the wedding and when Jacob showed him that his world wasn't what he thought it was. It showed a great capacity for love and acceptance for Charlie to be able to accept Bella, Edward, and their impossible little baby. What's flat about that?
I thought it was strange that after reading in Midnight Sun that Edward had trouble properly reading his mind that Edward never mentioned it to Bella. But again, maybe it was going to be elaborated on more later.
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