Calling Harry Potter and Twilight fans: debaters needed a for a polite, intelligent literary fracas

December 9, 4:00 AMBook ExaminerMichelle Kerns

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Wanted: Potter-heads and Twi-hards ready to defend their series in a Harry Potter versus Twilight debate.

****If you'd like to see the results of this polite fracas, take a look at Team Potter versus Team Twilight here.*****

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.