I find Bella to be overly passive, and mistaking stalker-style attention for true L.U.V. Not, in my opinion, a great role model.

For an alternate perspective, I like this remixed video of what would happen if Edward crossed paths with the very not-passive Buffy the Vampire Slayer:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RZwM3GvaTRM

The maker of the video says: "Seen through Buffy's eyes, some of the more sexist gender roles and patriarchal Hollywood themes embedded in the Twilight saga are exposed - in hilarious ways."

uuuummmmm.......they DO end up having sex.....last book

They have sex AFTER they get married.

Bella's a terrible role model for girls. Morality and passivity don't have to go hand-in-hand, but that's the message we get from her. The few active things she does in the series -- at least until I gave up reading it because it was raising my blood pressure -- are unnecessarily and therefore idiotically self-sacrificial.

I also find it troubling that she's willing to abandon her life -- and her family -- in order to stay forever young for Edward.

I hope my daughter won't read the series when she's a teen-ager.

Harry Potter, anyone?

I agree she's not a great role model... she doesn't enjoy her girl friends, and is obsessed with the guys that give her attention.

I loved the movie - just saw it last night. But it's just begging to be parodied! They don't even have to replace some of the scenes, the acting is already bad enough.