Wanted: Potter-heads and Twi-hards ready to defend their series in a Harry Potter versus Twilight debate.
A word to the wise: Many people have expressed concern that this debate will cause hard feelings on either side. I disagree, because not only will rude or condescending statements not be allowed, the debate questions will require thought processes not normally used when declaring, "I hated it." Literary debate is a fine old tradition amongst intelligent and polite ladies and gentlemen and this debate will be no exception.
A second word to the wise: Other people are concerned that comparing and contrasting Harry Potter and Twilight is like comparing apples and oranges. Again, I must disagree. Somewhere once I saw the actress Uma Thurman talking about people liking the Beatles and Elvis. She said that although people can certainly like both, everyone will always like one more than the other. In her words, "You're either a Beatles person or an Elvis person; Beatles people can like Elvis and Elvis people can like the Beatles, but you'll always like one more." I feel the same way about the Harry Potter books and the Twilight books. What I want to dig out in this debate is WHY one series may be more appealing than the other. Personally, I can define why I like the Beatles more than Elvis, even though I love both. And, I can define exactly whether I like the Potter books or Twilight books more and WHY. Can you?
I swore to myself I wouldn't do this, but the handwriting is on the wall: fans of both sets of books are playfully snarking at each other continually already, and I love nothing better than a good old fashioned knock-down, drag-out over the merits, inconsistencies, brilliance, or utter juvenille stupidity of a piece of literature, so who am I to stand in the way of fate?
Besides, with the Beedle and the Twilight movie behind us, fans are getting restless waiting for the coming of the Half-Blood Prince and the Midnight Sun that may never rise. Let's burn off some of that energy with a bit of a rumble, shall we?
We need three debaters to represent each side of this impending fracas: three on Team Potter and Three on Team Twilight. In order to qualify as a debater, you must:
1. Have read all seven books of the Harry Potter series and all four books of the Twilight series (the Beedle and Midnight Sun are not required). Seeing the film adaptations do not count. Besides, if you tried to make a point in your argument with a detail that was only in the movie, you'd have a thousand and one fans on your arse instantly, so I wouldn't attempt to fake it.
2. Have a definite preference for one series over the other, and I mean a striking preference. Ideally, we want people who loathed one series and passionately adored the other. However, as I said before, don't take this to mean you will be able to vent uninhibited against the other side. No; you'll need to carry the day only by proving the merits of your literary choice.
3. Be able to submit a picture of yourself and a short bio to be proudly displayed on the Book Examiner site. To see what I mean by this, you can take a look at the delightful group of debaters that participated on the Twilight movie debate team here.
4. Be able to submit the answers to five questions pertaining specifically to why you believe one of the two series of books is superior to the other. I will send the five questions out after the six debaters are chosen. To see how these will be presented, look at the Twilight movie debate.
To apply to be a debater:
Send an email to michellekerns@surewest.net with your qualifications and whether you would like to be on Team Potter or Team Twilight!
Huzzah everyone! May the best series win!
And by the way, remember, this is a debate over the BOOKS, not the MOVIES. I understand that you may be desperately in love with Daniel Radcliffe or Robert Pattinson, but because they do not appear in the books, they won't appear in the debate. Likewise, all details about the movies, while fun, won't be able to be used in your argument.
Comments
Again, I wish I could be part of this debate. If I was part of this debate, I would be on the twilight team, but I don't have strong facts. I am still into the harry potter series. So again good luck to all who make it on either team and I look forward to reading what each team has to say!!!
Twilight has four books (not including Midnight Sun), not three...
This is so dumb ! The books are so different why would you do this ?
I love both series and yea I LOVE TWILIGHT MORE BUT REALLY ? I hate these !!
This is pointless, idiotic, and an absolute outrage for fans of both and for fans in general who do not want to have the fan bases clash again. Harry Potter fans that HATE Twilight and Twilight fans that HATE Harry Potter? What is with these comparisons? I've read all four books and I have read all seven Harry Potter books and enjoyed both thoroughly. While I am definitely a Twilight fan, I also don't see why these fan bases need to have a "show-down." Two COMPLETELY different genres with two COMPLETELY different series. Honestly, just drop this entire 'debate' because it only fuels anger and frustration between fans of both to have them bashing eachother senselessly. The majority of us do not want to battle it out.
Fans of Harry Potter and Twilight, as complex, well read, and passionate fans we shouldn't feel the need to tear apart other books just to make one seem superior to the other.
So, once again, this debate would settle well with me if both sides were not going to loath eachother because then it will just lead to pointless little details that are meant just to win a tiny battle that is so insignificant in my eyes. I'm sorry, but if I were you I'd drop this immediately.
Thank you.
This is pointless, idiotic, and an absolute outrage for fans of both and for fans in general who do not want to have the fan bases clash again. Harry Potter fans that HATE Twilight and Twilight fans that HATE Harry Potter? What is with these comparisons? I've read all four books and I have read all seven Harry Potter books and enjoyed both thoroughly. While I am definitely a Twilight fan, I also don't see why these fan bases need to have a "show-down." Two COMPLETELY different genres with two COMPLETELY different series. Honestly, just drop this entire 'debate' because it only fuels anger and frustration between fans of both to have them bashing eachother senselessly. The majority of us do not want to battle it out.
Fans of Harry Potter and Twilight, as complex, well read, and passionate fans we shouldn't feel the need to tear apart other books just to make one seem superior to the other.
So, once again, this debate would settle well with me if both sides were not going to loath eachother because then it will just lead to pointless little details that are meant just to win a tiny battle that is so insignificant in my eyes. I'm sorry, but if I were you I'd drop this immediately.
Thank you.
WHY DO YOU INSIST THAT WE BE AT EACH OTHER'S THROATS??????????????????? My best friend is a HP and Twilight fan, and I know that this competition that the media inists we have is really upsetting to her. I'm not a Harry Potter fan myself, but that's only because I've never read the books. THAT DOES NOT MEAN I HATE THEM!!!!!!!!!!! ITS F***ING LITERATURE ITS NOT A COMPETITION!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! do NOT sign up for this! that will only encourage them!!!!!!!!
Please fu*k off and stop trying to create problems between fandoms. This is getting really old.
I love Harry Potter, but I'm absolutely obsessed with Twilight! The best books ever! But I think, it's impossible to compare these two sagas. But if you want... TWILIGHT!
Twilight!! harry potter sucks!!
Oh, relax everybody! Both sides playfully snark at each other all the time already and besides, it will give us genre lit fans a reason to use some brain cells thinking critically to come up with specific reasons WHY we think one series is more appealing than the other. "I thought it was stupid" doesn't cut it.
Literary debate is a fine old tradition I'll have you know. And certainly no one is advocating being egregriously vicious or calling the other series pulp trash. Again, the point is to really think about what appeals to readers about each series and WHY.
For instance, in my very lit geek and very debate loving family, there has been an argument raging for years now (pretty soon it will stretch into decades I think) about the Ender's Game series by Orson Scott Card. (If you haven't read these, you should, they are fantastic). There are two books of the series, Ender's Game and Ender's Shadow, that cover the same period of time but from the perspective of two different characters. Ender fans in my family have debated for years over which of the two characters is better portrayed than the other. Harmless fun, and quite a mindbender I can tell you.
Another example: in college, I was given The Watchmen to read. After I read it, I commented to the person who had given it to me that I really liked one of the main characters, Rorschach. The reaction was unbelievable -- what?! How could you like Rorschach?! We discussed that one for a good six months.
Many of you may think I am advocating a "this book was stupid because of X,Y,Z" without evidence to back up your opinion; that is incorrect. The questions will be designed to ellicit some serious thinking; there simply won't be any room for snarkishness.
Also, you can always take a look at the Twilight movie debate that just concluded (the links are to the right hand side of the page here). The debaters were well-spoken and unfailingly polite and backed up their every assertion with evidence.
It's a pity that the word "debate" has taken on the connotation of mindless insult screaming.
GOOOOOOO TEAM TWILIGHT!!! I like Harry Potter but lets just face it Twilight is WAYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY BETTER NO OFFENCE TO THE POTTER-HEADS!! But im Twi-hard
p.s i wish i could be apart of this debate but i hacen't read the last two books in the HP series but i've read ALL OF THE TWILIGHT BOOKS ATLEAST 30 TIMES EACH!!!
I ? BOTH TWILIGHT AND HARRY POTTER BUT, I'M PRETTY SURE HARRY IS GOING DOWN.SORRY HARRY! :(
Enough already! We like BOTH. This is so annoying. Don't media people have anything more creative to go on about???
Renee,
Wow, am I a member of the media now! I thought I was just a dope with a blog.
No, seriously, thanks for the comment, but I have to politely disagree.
The Harry Potter series and the Twilight series are the biggest book phenomenons to come along in book publishing for quite some time, possibly ever. Both JK Rowling and Stephenie Meyer managed singlehandedly to do what hundreds of authors, publishers, PR people have been trying to do for several decades now -- snap the book publishing industry out of the doldrums that it had been languishing in for God knows how long. Now, midnight release parties, book to movie adaptations, reader fan clubs, fan fiction are a matter of course, largely thanks to them.
The reason why I find the whole idea of a debate about these two groups of books so appealing is because of their incredible ability to make people respond to them, as well as the response of people who have read both sets. I know a large number of people who have read both and liked both, yet, in EVERY single instance they always have a marked preference for one or the other. Like I said above, it reminds me of the actress Uma Thurman saying that "People are either Beatles people or they're Elvis people. Beatles people can like Elvis, and Elvis people can like the Beatles, but they will always like one more than the other." Frankly, I find this to be completely true about the Potter series and the Twilight series and it is fascinating to me.
What I want to get readers to do is to try to pinpoint exactly what it is about one series that appeals to them more than another series; a compare and contrast if you will. These books are going to go down in history as some of the most influential works to come out of the 21st century; I certainly think having a bit of fun pondering what it is about them that makes them so powerful -- and why certain people respond to one much more than the other -- is definitely worthwhile.
And if any of you out there plan on majoring in English in college, get used to this type of thing: literary comparisons, debates, etc. etc. aren't just the fodder of book bloggers like me with nothing better to do. Comparisons of characters, of writing styles, of symbolism, of plot development, and everything else you can imagine between the covers of a book, are just a matter of course. Or, at any rate, they were for me when I was slogging through university and not only was it fun, it was a great exercise for the little grey cells. Take a look back in literary history as well (the good doctor Samuel Johnson, Dorothy Parker, Oscar Wilde) and you'll see they spent a good deal of time commenting and comparing works of literature (not always positively I might add).
Incidentally, many literary critics of our day are under the impression that both the Potter and Twilight books are pulp trash with no intellectual benefit whatsoever. Proving them wrong with a brainy comparison of the books cannot be anything but good!
ho man! here we go!! the reason i hate twilight was cuz it was compared to harry potter, which simply isnt allowed. and, twilight was horribly writen. to there
im just wondering, are there any twilight fans who are not teen or 2os girls? just curious. i often find that non readers are more twilighters
Oky-doky! I love harry potter but i also love twilight! I read the whole harry seris be4 i even knew about the twilight seris. So harr was my 1st obsesstion then Twilight. But i totally find Edward Cullen way more attractive then Hary Potter(srry if tat offened any1!) But the books are written way different from each other so its hard to say one is better than the other without including ur own oppinion. U knnw wha i mean? I love then both but twilight is a coming of age seris. Its like every decade or copple of yrs. we have a new awsome book seris and they make them into movies and stuff and everyone is in love with them but it dies away. Trust mye by the time HP6 comes in in July Every Harry fan will love it and all the twilight fans will be waiting for new moon. So what im saying is its hard to say ones better than the other! That is all. Thank you! I ? Twilight and I ? Harry Potter!
Twilight was entertaining and all, but Harry Potter was so much more intricate and developed! Harry Potter had real storylines and twists. Twilight was just Bella swooning over Edward for 4 books, with a dash of danger that was poorly developed and a bizzarre conclusion.
for mine the ? mark are suppose to be hearts and it says i love harry and twilight.
i loved the Harry Potter Series and have been reading and watching the books and the movies, respectively. But it was different for Twilight.
When you've read the first book, you just had to have the second book ASAP! I disagree with others, the storyline wasn't simple. It wasn't poorly developed, because the readers would have to actually be active in reading the book in order to properly understand. Twilight is better for me because it hugely grasps the reader's attention and you just can't seem to get enough of it. Right now, there is a petition on the net for a fifth book(not "Midnight Sun") to continue Edward's and Bella's story in Breaking Dawn. And I would absolutely love to have another book. I rest my case.
i forgot to say, they are comparing the books because of Robert Pattinson's link to Harry Potter as Cedric Diggory.. I must say, it's not something you can just ignore..
I suppose you're right in that many fans are comparing the books primarily because of Robert Pattinson being in both film adaptations. The reason why I think they're worth comparing however, is because they were basically back to back book blockbusters.
You're definitely right about Midnight Sun. To be honest, I think Stephenie Meyer will finish it after she's cooled down for a bit. That must have been quite a breach of trust for someone that close to her to leak her manuscript that way. I really do think she will finish it though; in every other way she is extremely considerate and appreciative to her fans and she knows many readers are waiting for this book.
All this started because someone boosted SM's ego by saying that she could be bigger than JKR, and she lets them say it. And it keeps being egged on by people who love to see other people snark and fight. I love Harry Potter, and when I first read Twilight I liked it too. But now I don't. Twilight is awful. Ryann said it best: "Harry Potter was so much more intricate and developed! Harry Potter had real story lines and twists. Twilight was just Bella swooning over Edward for 4 books, with a dash of danger that was poorly developed and a bizzarre conclusion."
Exactly.
As far as Midnight Sun goes, SM has said that she plans on finishing it....after all the tension and whatnot surrounding the Twilight fandom (mostly because of BD) dies down. Really, SM has to take half the blame for MS being leaked. She herself handed out the copies of MS to people on the movie set. More than one. Each one written a little bit differently. That's how she knew who it was that leaked it. Why would she hand out so many copies of it, when it was Rob she originally wanted to read it so he could have a better idea of who Edward really was.
Not such a good idea.
Hey Me,
You sound like an individual of substance -- come on, join the debate!
hey would you mind if i'll join the debate my side is that would you think when harry and edward or daniel and robert knew were comparing their movie, would they be happy?upcourse not they are friends and remember that robert once be a part of harry potter.am i right?apologies to those who i offended its just my side..take care
Hallo. I think that it all depends on what kind of book you like. Even though they're both fictional, Twilight is more of a romance while Harry Potter is more of an adventure or something. I personally like Twilight better but maybe it's just because romance appeals to most of the female population on the earth. I haven't really read the whole Harry Potter series but I think the plot is good, and that's what matters.
Also, I think the Twilight movie sucked compared to the book. Robert SO does not live up to my Edward fantasies.
i love twilight!!! it is the best butter then any book!! i love it
i would choose twilight over harry potter because twilight is a heck of a lot better then harry potter i love TWILIGHT a lot better then harry potter because its a love story kind of
I would definetly say TWILIGHT!!
The books are just amazing and fun to read and they keep you excited and just longing for more. The movie just takes my breath away...it's the best movie i've ever seen and i'm so addicted to the story line.Just the way Edward & Bella love each other...the deep connection between them. Just the desire.temptation.desperation and the need for each other to stay alive.
Twilight is my drug...the more i get the more i want or in my case NEED!
p.s. harry potter is also good.
twilight is way batter then harry potter because there is way more action i like harry potter also but twilight i have already read 3 times through. i just cant get into harry potter as much as i can with twilight. i love seeing in bella will get into and see if Edward will come and save her life again. my favorite line is (i rather die then stay way from u) and that is so sweet. i have seen the movie two many times no joke its way better then potter. i am just wanting them to hurry up so the next movie because i want to know what happens next and they leave you hanging in the last book. she wrote the 5th book but wont release it because some one put it up on the web so now she is mad. if u like to say anything about this to me let me know at
iluv_bad_boys_162hotmail.com and make it say twilight and i will answer u right away. GO TWILIGHT GO
I'm all for it man! HARRY POTTER OWNS TWILIGHT!
like most people i like both of them.... but I like Twilight better... i like the romance...and how edward is always there for her...harry potter is good but,not as good as Twilight....
Twilight is WAY WAY WAy better than harry potter. but i do have to admit that the movie harry potter and the goblet of fire is good BECAUSE it was EDWARD in it. that is the only reason i would EVER watch harry potter. at my school people are saying (not a lot) that HARYY POTTER is better than TWILIGHT but when i ask them if they have ever seen or read twilight they say no. i have read at least 4 of the 6 harry potter books and have seen all the movies 1-5 and TWILIGHT IS WAY BETTER.
i think that twilight is so much more better than harry potter! yes, harry potter is really good but,i think that twilight is the movie for the new ages... it has to do with a forbidden love, that obviouslly no-one can break.. and believe it or not everyone wants a love that with withstand the test of time... i know personally that i want that, and with this movie everyone can have a glimmer of hope that that will happen to them... i cannot wait until the other movies come out! and there has been debate that they are not going to make the forth movie, because, it is graphic in some points, but that is where the story gets finalized... and i think that it would be pointless to make the first 3 movies and not the last one. i think that the director can figure out a way to make it the perfect movie to finish out the series!
plus i hope that all the characters stay the same... it just wouldn't be the same if they didn't they are whats making the story what it has become...
One thing is is i totally find all of the Twilight characters way more cute hot and attractive than the harry potter characters. they all r ugly! but i love harry and i love twilight too.! So... im a Twi-hard and a pooter-head i guess! That is all! Yeah!
srry i ment potter-head! and i love Edward then Jasper then Emmett srry if tat offended anyone!
I would chose Twilight any day of the year............. yes i used to like harry potter but ever since Twilight has come along i haven't been able to put the book down!!!!!!!!!!!
BOTH=)) they're really good!
I love both. I was a Harry Potter maniac before, and I am a Twilight maniac now. I have posters of both, shirts of both, calenders of both, and of course, both sets of books. But they are two completely different stories. Why fight over which one is better. They are both amazing, just leave it to that. Putting one down or one on a pedestal above the other isn't going to do anything but anger the opposing sides. They BOTH have amazing characters, they BOTH have amazing story and plot lines. They BOTH are book series we can't put down. They are NOT BOTH comparable!
i love twilight more for one reason. twilight everybody is hot. harry potter only some people are
I most dafanitley love them both but....
When it comes to the books Twilight whens that debate but with the movies I choose Harry Potter.
In the Twilight books i felt inlove when i was reading them but in the movie i didn't get that same Aurora.
With Harry Potter i still love the books but you dont feel quite the same as you do with Twilight, in the movies though you still get that awsome feeling you get while reading the books.
But if i had to choose it would be Twilight.
Die hard HP fan. I read the Twilight series to see what the hype was about and finished it only to see what the outcome was. However, I was rather disgusted with myself for even giving it that much of my time. Twilight has some great concepts and ideas, but they are underdeveloped and drowned out by a trite and unhealthy obsessive romance. I never lost my heart to Bella the way I did to Harry, Ron, and Hermione in HP. I love Harry Potter series and will never see Twilight as being in the same league. Sorry guys. It just wasn't that good.
I love Twilight; I read the entire series really quickly...
But I'm gonna have to go with Harry Potter. I've been a Potter-head for almost forever. Twilight is EXCELLENT, but Harry Potter is much, MUCH better. By far...
well i really lob twilight is
the best bOOk i have read
i fall in lOb with edward is a such romantic avery girl will want have a bOyfriend lik him by their side
and i really have tO vOte fOr twilight is the best and harry pOtter is qOOd but nO has twilight
!! i lOb u edward !!!
twilight so has harry potter bet
toataly edward cullen my love
I love Twilight!!!
Its the book that have me interested in reading books!!!!!
yes, I've read the HP book and I was never able to finish it. Yes, I've read 5 or more chapters and I do admit that it is adicting but never caught my attention.
Twilight on the other hand had kept me late, failing both in love and grades, and unfocused my whole entire 8th grade and still today. I think twilight is the best book I have ever read!!!!
oh, and another reason why I picked twilight is because:
- of the characters
- the easy vocabs but logical
- and how it steals my heart like falling in love and having butterflies in my stomach!!!!!
ha! I bet you HP fans never had that feeling when reading a book!!!
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