Opinion Forum

“Twilight” vs “Harry Potter”

March 11th, 2009

I’ve read the “Harry Potter” series by J. K. Rowling and the “Twilight” series by Stephenie Meyer. I really enjoyed reading both series. While on the computer the other day I saw on the internet that people are actually voting to see which series is better.

I can understand why they’re voting because they’re both really good series. “Harry Potter” and the “Twilight” series are both my favorite book series. I couldn’t choose my absolute favorite of the two.

I really like how Stephenie Meyer’s writing is so exciting. She makes it where you can’t put the book down. Stephenie graduated from Brigham Young University with a degree in English literature; this is the university I want to go to. She now lives with her husband and three young sons in Arizona.

J. K. Rowling’s writing is so good you can understand and see what’s happening in your head. I heard when she first started writing she had to go to a café and write because she couldn’t afford heating in her house. She also had a baby with her. She is the only author on the list of billionaires in the world because of her famous books and movies of the “Harry Potter” series.

They’re both very talented writers and, they’re both my favorite authors.

“Twilight” is such a great love story with some action. “Harry Potter” is about friendship and wizards. I love them both and since they’re both such good series, I can’t possibly choose just one.

Articles written by Amber
Tags: literature
Categories: Arts, Life | Comments (19) | Home

19 Responses to ““Twilight” vs “Harry Potter””

rob | March 11th, 2009 at 9:28 am

Amber, being a high school teacher, at the risk of being a bore, may I recommend to also (not exclusively, of course) read some good “classics.” The “Harry Potter” and the “Twilight” series are very good entertainment, but after the initial fun they are ultimately lacking in depth. And it seems to me that you are “adult” enough, despite your young age, to handle some more intense reading—if you haven’t yet managed to do so … 😉

Tom | March 11th, 2009 at 11:32 am

Rob, that’s a great suggestion. I thought about it a while, looked around a bit, and came up with these possibilities (although there are many other great books that could be on the list):

Tom Sawyer, Mark Twain

Huckleberry Finn, Mark Twain

The Old Man and the Sea, Ernest Hemingway

The Pearl, John Steinbeck

Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, Lewis Carroll

Black Beauty, Anna Sewell

Call of the Wild, Jack London

David Copperfield, Charles Dickens

Ivanhoe, Walter Scott

Legend of Sleepy Hollow, Washington Irving

Little Women, Louisa May Alcott

Peter Pan, J.M. Barrie

Robinson Crusoe, Daniel Defoe

I have distant memories of reading almost all of these books, and I think they would be appropriate. Are there any you would take off the list? Any additions?

These books don’t have the current attention of Stephenie Meyer and J.K. Rowling books, of course, but they’re entertaining, interesting, and exciting in some cases. And all have been made into movies at least once, I think.

rob | March 11th, 2009 at 1:46 pm

This could be a very good start, Tom.

Amber | March 11th, 2009 at 3:47 pm

Yeah, I should maybe try to read them sometime. I’ve read Little Women and it was really good. Thanks for the suggestions!

doris | March 12th, 2009 at 8:36 am

I can just feel the great anticipation in Amber’s reply? No, well, I fear this is due to the bombardment of really exciting movies. These make it virtually impossible for our children to get excited about the great classics, we on the other hand read these first, before the movie. What this means for our society, I don’t know. I read all those, plus every book I could get my hands on when Amber’s age, but as with Tom, can vaguely remember most, except those about horses, cooking and horror, my passions, maybe not such a great loss if she doesn’t read them. She just won’t be able to impress English teachers or literature majors. I highly recommend Black Beauty and National Velvet, also, Gone With The Wind, maybe next year???? Love you, Amber! You go, girl!

Brian | March 18th, 2009 at 3:13 am

Actually, there is more depth in Harry Potter than might appear at first blush. Having been the beneficiary of 13 years of Catholic school education, I can tell you that Rowling has loaded the Potter series with Latin and even a good bit of Roman mythology.

Albus Dumbledore, headmaster of Harry’s school – “alb” is Latin for white
Severus Snape, the potions professor of Harry’s school – “severus” is Latin for severe or strict
Minerva McGonagal, transfiguration instructor – Minerva is the Roman goddess of wisdom, and it is quite a fitting moniker for this sage instructor
Lucius Malfoy, father of Harry’s archetype at school – “luc” is the Latin root for light, and “mal” is the Latin root for bad or evil; there is the additional symbolism in the similarity between Lucius and Lucifer
Draco Malfoy – son of Lucius Malfoy; the symbolism of the name “Draco” should be patently obvious even to those that aren’t fans of Bram Stoker

In addition to the symbolism that is heavily loaded from the 1st page of Sorcerer’s Stone (first book of the series) to the last page of Deathly Hallows (the 7th and final installment), I think Rowling does a pretty good job of teaching that death is not the worst of all things. She demonstrates that it is certainly a bitter thing for those close to it, but she also demonstrates the evil of depraved indifference to it as well as the evil of petulent cowardice.

She’s certainly no Homer or Shakespeare, but no one else is, either.

Tom | March 18th, 2009 at 8:12 am

Amber’s interest has already motivated me to read Harry Potter, although I haven’t started the series yet. The depth you talk about motivates me more.

Maybe J.K. Rowling will someday be regarded like Lewis Carroll, whose books appeal to people of every age.

Brian | March 20th, 2009 at 12:34 am

I’d add…
The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings trilogy by J.R.R.Tolkien
Out of the Silent Planet trilogy and The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis

Jungle Book and Just So Stories by Rudyard Kipling

A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court by Mark Twain

The whole Allen Quatermain series by H. Rider Haggard

Lord of the Flies by William Golding

Tom | March 20th, 2009 at 5:16 am

Brian, I thought about Lord of the Flies, too. I’ve read it a couple of times, first when I was in high school. On one level, I suppose it’s a good adventure story. On another level, and not at all subtle, it’s a somewhat disturbing social and political commentary, a lot of good vs evil. Maybe this one would be better for high school?

Catarina | May 6th, 2009 at 12:20 pm

Hi. I’m Portuguese, and I also red the both series, Harry Potter a few years ago, and Twilight last mouth. I agree with you, it’s impossible to choise one, I just love them. One for the dangerous and deep love, when one doesn’t live without the other, other for the frienship love and the courage to live (or die) by who we love.

Amber | May 11th, 2009 at 7:11 am

Yea I couldnt just choose one. I recently just finished the Mortal Instruments series and they were really good. I would say they are tied with Twilight and Harry Potter. You should read them.

Harvey | May 20th, 2009 at 7:20 am

It seems odd to compare the Harry Potter series to a series like Twilight (or even Mortal Instruments). I just can’t see a basis for comparison!

I’ve read all the Harry Potter books except for the last one (I’ll read that when it comes out in paperback — LOL, miserly me!).

As my nephew once told me: “Love stories are YUCK!” — I kinda agree with him!

Pdon | May 20th, 2009 at 9:51 am

” Did my book do what it was meant to do?” That is a question only the author can answer – because only they will know the true purpose of creating a book – is it to entertain, inform, transmit morality or merely to make a capital return?

The idea that any book would be better is very generalized also, because it is the audience that ultimatly decides what is better, or more accuratly, what is best suited to their tastes. I could hardly be accused of being incorrect to say that for the majority of young people Shakespeare would be innapropriate, and even to predict that for a mass audience books such as the epic of Manas or the all and everything series – but lack of public appeal should not subtract from a books qualitative appeal.

The question what book is better (in general) is as silly as asking what colour is best (in general).

Tom | May 20th, 2009 at 11:59 am

Pdon, you make some interesting points. But I think your conclusion is wrong. Ask me what’s the best color for a car, and I won’t say orange; that’s the worst color. What’s the better color for a man’s suit, gray or chartreuse? Gray, obviously. Sure, those are just my opinions. But for me, that’s hardcore reality.

Which is a better novel, one written by John Grisham or one written by Jackie Collins? No contest—the Grisham book, whichever it is, is far better. Reality, for me, once again. Could I write an article similar to this one comparing the merits of James Patterson’s “Alex Cross” series with Newt Gingrich’s novels about alternative outcomes at Gettysburg? Sure, why not—I like them both. In books, as in colors, personal opinion is everything. And you can get away with comparing apples and oranges, whether you like or dislike one or both of them.

One more thing—I think Shakespeare is wonderful for young people!

Amber | May 21st, 2009 at 7:49 pm

Harvey, I disagree with you. I love Love Stories! Maybe it’s just because you’re an old man…LOL! Just kidding, but I absolutely love Twilight, Harry Potter, and Mortal Instuments. Or it could be because you’re a man. Because most women like Love Stories. But I’m glad we are all different. It would be a boring place if we all liked the same thing. I couldn’t possibly wait for the last book of Harry Potter to be paperback!

Harvey | May 21st, 2009 at 10:16 pm

Amber,

“I couldn’t possibly wait for the last book of Harry Potter to be paperback!”

I wait because I’m am an old man . . . an old man with a lot of patience!

Seriously though, there is probably a lot of truth to your idea that women fall in love with love stories more often then men!

Whatever you read, keep reading — it’s certainly turned you into an intelligent young lady!

unpackcic | December 6th, 2009 at 11:31 am

Hi

Can you please tell me where I can download free Twilight in full series ebooks,

Thank you,

Leah | February 4th, 2010 at 12:48 pm

Why are people comparing Harry Potter to Twilight. We would be better off comparing a rock to snow
Harry Potter- has an own world
Twilight- is set up in this world
Harry Potter-Adventure
Twilight- Romance
Harry Potter- Has its own world in UK
Twilight-Set up in rual America with a set-aside world
Harry Potter-Based off British English and written in the form of British English
Twilight-Based off American English and written in the form of American English
JK Rowling- British author who’s charters have British nationality and have British accents
Stephine Myers- American Author who’s charters have American accents (Carlisle included)
Harry Potter-Based off of manly European mythologies (Mainly British)
Twilight-Based off of world mythology (Breaking Dawn) but manly European vampire ledgends with a mixture of Native American mythology.
My point-they have nothing in common

Samantha | April 7th, 2010 at 8:33 am

Harry Potter is, to put it bluntly, just better. There is very little origionality in Twilight – Meyer used a very origional theme that can be found in many other books. I have been told that it’s a lot like The Vampire Diaries; I wouldn’t know about that one, though, because I haven’t read it.
In Twilight, Bella is the perfect person; her only flaw is clumsiness, which doesn’t really count as a flaw. It’s a classic good vs. evil story where there are no real sacrafices, and good triumphs in the end. It’s just not realistic. In a war, or any circumstance like the one in either of the books, people die – and not just the ‘bad guys,’ but the ‘good guys,’ too. in Twilight, four people we know die in the entire series; one of the people we barely know, and the other three would be classified as ‘bad guys.’ Twilight has love, yes, but it’s unrealistic love.
In Harry Potter, yes there is once again the good vs. evil scenario; but the The Order of the Phoenix (number five) even states, “The world isn’t separated into good guys and death eaters.” There are people who get in the way who are neither good nor bad. Harry Potter is also based on the best kinds of love: that of family, friendships, and a little bit of dating – but not much. The entire series is based off of love in general, but not based on a person’s love for their lover.
In my opinion, there’s no comparison.