High school girls debate "Twilight" vs. "Harry Potter"

Well, I am a diehard Harry Potter fan. I wasn't interested in reading Twilight or seeing the movie, but eventually a friend convinced me to read the first book. It was really well-written, a joy to read, even though I didn't feel emotionally drawn to any of the characters.

Harry Potter books create a whole new world, and I loved many of the characters.

 I guess I'm trying to say I think both had their strengths; my pick of the two is Harry Potter.

We do things like this during school but its never organized, just really random.  Someone will decide to talk about either of the books and an argument will break out.  The guys never join in but just sit back and watch.  Most people are on Team Twilight but I am a strong Potter fan.  The first time I read Harry Potter I knew right of the bat that I liked Hermione.  I didn't exactly know why then but at this age I think it was because she was the type of person I wanted to grow up to be.  She was smart, independent, and just all around likeable.  I'm not saying Bella isn't any of those but the entire series is about her and Edward.  That was the first thing that turned me off from Twilight. 

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"Great.  Not only do I feel creepy but now I look like I'm 1,000 and that I've been smoking meth all my life." -Sara Quin

"it was repetitive and boring and just not good writing" YES YES YES.... plus HP is just so perfectly written there is just no arguing over this one. i mean one could like twilight better but there is NO way twilight is a better book. English is not my first language and i found many, and i mean MANY spelling/edit/grammar... errors on just the parts of twilight that i could read. But hey any book that gets kids these days reading is fine by me.

Twilight!

Because Kristen Stewart is HOTTTTT!

But in all seriousness, I think the amount of fiction in both series are equal.

I'm glad kids are still debating about books nowadays! 

As a teenage girl I have to say there is no possible comparison between Twilight and HP. People say that Twilight was written well, but there are errors that you can find in them, grammar errors, spelling errors. I realize people aren't perfect, but some of those just should have been caught.

I agree with what the debators for HP were saying, about everything, it is a book for all genders and ages, it's one you can read multiple times and still get something new out of it. That is great literature.

Sure, Twilight is good for a "kind of crappy" romance, and we all know Alice is better than Edward, but I'd rather read about strong women and an actual fight for the survival of a people than a girl crying over her controlling boyfriend. My opinion.

I think that it's great that these teens are so into books, period. It seems that in the age of internet and what-not most teens aren't spending as much time reading, I know that my brother is NOT a reader and it's rare to find him not in front of his computer. 

In reference to the two different series, I have read neither in their entirely. Therefore I have no comment on either. 

Kudos to reading though....

=D

Hands down Harry Potter all the way.  I tried to read twilight after the Harry Potter series because i felt there was a void.  LOL.  But i just could not get into it.  The whole freaking thing is about her and chasing a boy.  I just couldnt get into it.

ALSO people need to stop being suprised that teenagers read.  I read more when i was a teenager  than I do now.

There is no contest really, Harry Potter is in all ways superior to the twilight novels and can't really be compared.  I agree with Sarah that the Twilight novels were often repetetive in saying how 'beautiful' Edward was etc etc, it made me cringe at times, especially after the hundredth time.  I really enjoyed the Twilight novels but emotionally I did not connect with the characters and lack of subplots made the story quite boring at times.. Whereas in the Harry Potter novels, the writing is of such great quality and storylines well thought out (although I did think the last HP dragged its feet a little).

It's great though that girls are getting impassioned about these books but just unfortunate that it is about a character who's be all and end all is her boyfriend...

I think it's interesting that these two get compared so much, because other than the obvious fact they are both about every day people mixed into fantastical worlds, they are pretty different. Twilight is essentially a romance novel, while HP is all about the magical side. 

I loved Harry Potter when I was younger, but because they were released so slowly I grew out of them and loss interest by the last one. That said it has a much wider audience, kids to adults read it, while Twilight is aimed much more specifically at teenage girls. Being a teenage girl I now prefer Twilight.

I also prefer Twilight because I am TOTALLY crushing on Kristen Stewart. She has got to be gay, right? 

Edit: Also the writing styles are completely different. HP 's writing is very intricate and detailed, and tells a thousand different stories in one; Twilight reads a little like a fan fiction, it's slow moving and you're left to your own devices much more (although it's still rather explicit).
Sorry for the long comment! If you read this far, I commend you. :)

easy choice.

i think for the age of these girls they did an ok job however the rightfully great series won and that was harry potter. twlight is centered around a low self esteem teenager who depends soley on her boarder line domestically abusive boyfriend 

RAE

No question. Harry Potter till I die!!! Hermione kicks that Twilight chicks ass! I'm going to be honest, I didn't read Twilight (even though all my straight friends tell me it's a must). I would really rather read Harry Potter a million times over (which I already have) while watching Buffy the Vampire Slayer (which I currently am) than even glance at the cover of the Twilight book. Tue story.

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I definitely think that in terms of the stories they do seem different.

HP is better written, has more involved storylines, and isn't centralized around romance. I tried to read Twilight, but it just did not work. Maybe if I had started when I was nine, because that's the reading level it's at. I started reading HP at 11 and became so deeply involved that I treat each of my novels as one of the most important things I own. I grew up with those characters. Twilight does NOT have you so invested and wanting more.

The entire time I was reading this I was listing off the exact same reasons Hermoine is awesome. I would just like to add that she did punch out Draco :) She also

I've never been a fan of romance novels, although I think that Bella is relatable in some ways (I am EXTREMELY clumsy also) but the only reason I saw the movie was for Kristen Stewart.

She's an awesome actress. Not bad to look at either ;)

As far as I can tell the only common likeness between the two is that they both have supernatural themes, so you may aswell be comparing The X-files and Charmed.  

Oh and another commanality is that both authors are laughing all the way to the bank regardless of what people think of them. 

I wasn't aware that Twilight was in the same league as Harry Potter.  For one, the writing in Harry Potter is much more sophisticated, in both plot and the level of diction.  Twilight is rather flat in comparison to the complexities of the HP world.

Hermione has always been one of my favorite characters in the book (and it doesn't hurt that she's played by the wonderful Emma Watson).  She has really proved that she can hold her own under the worst circumstances.

In defense of Bella's character, though, she was pretty much powerless for the majority of the books compared to the vampires.  She would have to depend on all of them for protection as a matter of practicality.  And besides, not every female character has to be strong.  I think people just need to be aware the Bella's not the ideal.

This is easily my favorite Twilight review-

http://stoney321.livejournal.com/317176.html

Harry Potter, 100%. For some reason I never liked HP when it first came out but now I love love love it. I'm reading them all a second time around.

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I've seen all the Harry Potter movies (only read the first three, unfortunately), read the Twilight series, and have seen theTwilight movie. In terms of who is the better female teen role model, I'd have to go with Hermoine all the way. She can hold her own,and she's shown on more than one occasion that she's very capable of handling herself. 

With Twilight, I liked the series as a whole, but I one of my main gripes about it was that the leading female character- Bella- didn't seem very strong to me and that she was very dependent upon Edward. I know that not every female character is not supposed to be this strong "I am woman hear me roar!" type, but every now and then while reading Twilight I would just shout "Okay we get it! Edward is the perfect be all end all man! Now let's move on!" 

Having read all the books from both series and seen all the movies thus far, I have to go with Harry Potter. I do have friends who adore Twilight, and I have to admit I enjoyed them at first (basically because I wanted to marry Alice!), but between the fourth book and the movie I just stopped being interested. I'm sure part of it has to do with the fact that I can't really relate to Bella at all once her whole life becomes about gushing over her boyfriend and needing her to be around her at all times, but there's also the writing and everything else that people have been pointing out. I was actually discussing this with one of the other girls on my floor a few months back, and we were venting about how much Twilight ended just like a poorly written fanfiction (I don't want to give details in case someone hasn't read it and was planning to). But yeah, HP all the way!

P.S.-I agree with Sarah, I wish they would make movies out of the Gemma Doyle trilogy instead of Twilight-such cool books! 

As a sixteen year old who has read both series, I really have to go with Harry Potter on this one. I really do dislike Bella and Edward in Twilight, separately or together. Bella's whiny, weak, and co-dependent. Edward's controlling, stifling, obsessive, creepy, and so emo that it makes me want to slap the frown off his broody face. The secondary characters were way more interesting than Bella and Edward. *cough* ALICE! *cough*

Harry Potter, on the other hand, is a different story. Granted, I haven't re-read the books in over a year, but still. The writing is exponentially better. Seriously, how many times in one page of Twilight can you read "omg, i'm soo in love, i can't live without him, i wanna cry" before it gets repetitive? It's so much more well-developed. In Twilight, there are so many plot holes it's basically a two-inch-thick block of Swiss cheese. 

Oh, and I totally agree about the whole lead female thing. I had such a crush on Hermione when I first read the books. No joke, I totally thought Hermione was gonna turn out gay until she got with Ron. :P

Then again, the fact that I'm gay makes me just a little bit biased (understatement). I mean, come on. Boy-dependent whiny girl, or headstrong intelligent girl? No contest.

I had the same organized debate this summer, of course representing Potterheads everywhere. We won by a landslide as well, with bonus points because my friend and I showed up with lightning bolt scars drawn on our foreheads and challenged the Twilight team to a duel when we thought they were being stupid.

it was written way better than twilight for one (twilight reads like bad fanfiction!!! come on!!), there is actually a plot, and overarching themes that can be discussed, and a plot, and better writing, and a plot? and is intentionally funny instead of funny at its expense..

i don't know if twilight can be compared to harry potter though, beyond both being wildly popular, because twilight seems to be mostly a love/angst story with attempts at being "ooh fight the bad guys", and harry potter an adventure fighting evil story with love in it. and is also better written. ok i'll stop now.

no but seriously, twilight doesn't even have any significant conflicts. every little bump in bella's life resolves itself so perfectly and easily it's not fun to watch unfold. the movie was pretty, but did not capture my attention very well (i did a lot of zoning out and staring and not thinking..). harry potter much more engaging. that's what i think.

oh and in terms of which is better for girls... harry potter? but i think intended audiences differ for each. harry potter isn't gender-specific but includes strong female characters, twilight is meant for girls (?) and has characters i really cannot relate to, not because i'm gay, but because i've never pined for someone in such an extensive/intense way. in terms of like, better literature though, i'd still go with harry potter. i think the level/quality of writing in hp compared to twilight would at least be beneficial to readers in some way... even though the protagonist in hp is male, females can still relate to him, or through other strong and fleshed out and well developed female characters.

They're def different styles, different reasons to enjoy them an to be fair I didnt think twilight was that well written, I ploughed through them as a promise to my best mate

I really couldnt warm up to Bella at all at first, I really didnt like her, her decisions or the reasons behind them, jsut totally couldnt relate to her. I agree shes not the best role model, gushing all over the placve hiding things an not listening to anyone at all

I did eventually enjoy the twilight series but not until the fourth one where Bella really comes into her own and starts taking charge, although she still didnt listen to anyone/accept any help but it all turned out grand in the end.

Harry Potter on the other hand is genius! such a lush full world JK created for us. The descriptions and way it all unfolds as Harry learns is fantastic. I love it, its total escapism. Most of the female characters are strong in different ways an JK admitted she always thought of Dumbledore as gay but not relevant to the story. Hermione is such a good role model, spesh now shes lightened up a bit!

"I love magic" Harry Potter, The Goblet Of Fire

I've read both series and i have to say that Twilight is a horrible, horrible series that made me feel sad because i love vampire stories. I found myself having to read some Anne Rice to recover. There's no comparison to Harry Potter series. In Harry Potter i feel like all of the characters had an important role throughout the series and that was great. Even the so-called minor characters stood out.  I don't want to reveal too much for those who haven't read these stories, but in Twilight the two main characters are the focus of course but the others depend on them to get noticed. That's the problem with Twilight; the characters should stand out individually as well as blend with the main storyline; and they just don't. And don't get me started on the so-called villains..they are quite forgettable...

so i found out she was going to be in the movie twilight and i read the series. not great literature and repetitive, its like something out of my diary in high school. that being said, my diary in high school was pretty entertaining.

kristen makes bella into a likeable character.

i am looking fwd to the next 2 movies, however if they make a 4th i prob wont go, i dont want to see a pregnant kstew bein nearly killed by her half vampire half human baby.

I absolutely love Harry Potter.  The books hooked me right from the beginning.  And I tried to read Twilight and couldn't do it.  I couldn't handle the writing style.

 But I do have to say that Gemma Doyle is one of the best characters ever!!  If you haven't read A Great and Terrible Beauty, you should. Amazing!

I still remember the first time I read Twilight so many years ago. I put it down breathlessly - I loved it. But that being said, I've also been a huge Harry Potter fan since 2nd grade.

Both books have their strengths and weaknesses but in the end I would have to say that the Harry Potter series is superior by far. Rowling's books have a variety of colourful characters, many mythological and magical references (you can tell she did her homework), and worthwhile messages behind it. On the other hand, while I do relate with Bella so much and I absolutely adore Alice to pieces, the Twilight series seems more...superficial. The writing's pretty but really, is there anything behind it? And compared to Harry Potter's plot, it's not as intricate and interesting. But of course the Harry Potter series had more books to draw out and set the plot.

It's been a while since I've read either series but in retrospect I just get the feeling that you get more out of reading Harry Potter than the Twilight books.

And it's good to hear that teenagers are talking about books. Too bad I don't live anywhere near Seattle. Debate + Books sounds like my kind of thing.

, Harry Potter and Twilight?

 Harry Potter was an incredible series that impacted the youth of the entire world! It sparked imagination in so many audiences with an absolutely original storyline, and a character for almost everyone to relate to. It touched on so many different themes, and took an entire generation by storm, creating readers out of a video game nation, and letting everyone believe in magic again.

Twilight, on the other hand, took a bunch of horny teen girls by storm, and made them want to have sex with vampire boys who don't sleep. I got up to chapter three of the first book before I gave up. The writing was awful; I could actually feel my brain melting as I turned the gibbirish-filled pages. It was PAINFUL, not to mention unimaginative, and boring! It was the worst 40 or so pages of size 16 font i've ever read in my life.

 Twilight has weak characters, no themes, and is (to put it bluntly) porn for pre-teens.

Therefore, they cannot be compared. Twilight, in my opinion, cannot truthfully be called literature any more than a paperback romance bought at the drug store.

I'm a bit of a literary snob, but this is how i feel.