To many of us, this shouldn’t even be a comparison, let alone a competition. Harry Potter and Twilight are so different that it doesn’t seem like something worth debating. However, I feel this is a necessary article because as both series come to a close with the final movies being released this year, I think we must draw the major distinctions between the two, and most importantly, show why Harry Potter will always triumph.
1. Harry Potter Books are More Well-Written
As you may have read in my other article that completely bashed on the Twilight Saga, one of the reasons the series is so awful is the books are very poorly written. I read every Harry Potterbook as well as every Twilight book, and I can tell you I literally felt like I was being somewhat tortured as I fought through trying to finish the latter series. J.K. Rowling trumps Stephenie Meyer with absolutely no competition since clearly the Harry Potter series is more entertaining, more developed, not torturous, and just easier to read since you actually want to keep reading them.
2. The Plot is Much Stronger
While many people, probably mainly girls, enjoy reading romantic novels like Twilight, what I find interesting is that not only is there no sex in the novels making it inherently less interesting romantically, but there is no real defining plot for each book. The books are very repetitive and redundant with Edward Cullen telling Bella Swan that they can’t be together since he is a vampire yadi yadi yada. They are always trying to hide, fight, or run some other group of vampires or SPOILER ALERT SOMEWHAT Bella is pregnant and they’re trying to fight through this. Does this sound like these story ideas can develop 4 well-written novels? No, I didn’t think so either.
But if you are looking at the Harry Potter series, each novel is a different level in school for Harry Potter and his friends, where they are constantly forced to battle the dark lord, Lord Voldemort. The battles are different, new characters are constantly introduced while old ones continue to develop, and the books can be comedic at times, keeping you entertained. I personally cannot stop reading the Harry Potter books, and has read each one more than once. On the contrary, I could not stop reading the Twilight books because I couldn’t wait to just get them over and done with so I never had to look at them again.
3. The Characters are More Developed
As I discussed in my other article, Bella Swan is a terrible character because she embodies the passive female stereotype. To make it brief, she sucks. She, along with her actress counterpart, Kristen Stewart, is awkward, annoying, and dangerously attached to Edward. This does not make for a strong, likable protagonist. The rest of the characters are perhaps more likable, like Alice Cullen or Jacob, but they are really not developed enough to get you on that level yet.
On the contrary, I feel like I know Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, Ron Weasley, and even some of the lesser, supporting characters. They are made into these likable people where you just want them to be safe and happy. Even in the last novel (as well as this Part I of the last movie, SPOILER ALERT!), when Dobby the House Elf dies, I personally shed some tears. He is only a House Elf, but there is so much emotion involved with these characters that it becomes impossible to not get attached to them.
4. People are Scarily Obsessed with Twilight
Okay, yes, people are also scarily obsessed with Harry Potter (man, people really need to get lives), but I think the Twilight obsession is worse. There is a site created for those whose lives revolve around Twilight; their romantic relationships, friendships, and personal lives are all affected by this movie. If you just read some of these anecdotes, I guarantee you will feel embarrassed for liking this series at all.
5. The 7th Book was Even Better Than the 1st Book
As with most television series, as the show continues to run and they go into more seasons, the show gets worse. The same seems to hold true with many books. The author begins to run out of ideas and the only reason the book or movie is continuing to be made is for contractual purposes. This is not true for Harry Potter. As the series continued, it only got better. Unfortunately, a lot of my favorite characters died during the last few books, but this shows they aren’t fairytale novels, either. The last book was probably my favorite in the series, which is a rare find indeed.
6. Harry Potter is the Glue of My Generation
The first Harry Potter book, introduced to the U.S. as Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, came out in 1998, 12 years ago! This means I was about 9 years old. I grew up with the Harry Potter series, as did everyone else in my generation. As the series came to a close, and as these movies come to an end, I can’t help but feel solace. These books are literally the staple of my generation, bringing many people together, and giving kids the opportunity to enjoy reading. So many people began reading because of these books, which is a huge triumph in this age of new technologies with high-definition television. I looked forward to the books and I looked forward to the movies, and it saddens me to know that no new ones will be premiering. This reason alone makes Harry Potter infinitely better. Twilight may have revolutionized the vampire craze, but Harry Potter is almost a way of life.
7. There is More Action in Harry Potter
As I said earlier, Harry Potter is more intensely entertaining than the Twilight Saga. There is much more action throughout the Harry Potter series than in the latter. More importantly, the action diversifies. While Harry Potter many consistently be fighting Lord Voldemort, the action sequences change drastically for each novel. In Twilight, the vampire wars are generally the same, which makes the action scenes less interesting and appealing. You are enthralled as you read about Harry Potter’s adventures, rather than reading about the sickeningly annoying Bella Swan trying to hold on to her Edward.
8. Harry Potter is For Everyone (Twilight is a Chick Flick)
Whether it be a 12-year-old boy or a 21-year-old girl, anyone and everyone can fall in love with Harry Potter (though perhaps not literally). This series is for every age group since it is an easy read for children, but still sophisticated enough for young adults and adults. I know guys older than me who love Harry Potter, and who aren’t ashamed to admit it. Try to find the same number of guys in that age group who love Twilight, and you probably can’t do it. Chances are, they were dragged there by their girlfriends.
9. Why Twilight Ruined My Marriage
When I read this article, I was dying laughing. It’s about a man who almost lost his marriage after he bought his wife the Twilight series for Christmas one year. After reading this article, you will see how this series truly can endanger someone’s real-life romance. Also, just a perk, the author loves Harry Potter!
10. Twilight Books were Created Purely to Become Movies
While you can argue this is true for Harry Potter as well, I would disagree with you. The Twilight Saga was created for the sole purpose of becoming featured films. This is why they didn’t have to be well-written and why it didn’t matter much to develop the characters as thoroughly. I believe that J.K. Rowling realized she had developed something huge after the response she received from her first book, but I don’t think she began writing the series IN ORDER TO make movies out of them. I think it was a positive side effect since they became so popular so quickly. The sad thing is, while Harry Potter and his friends eventually made it to the big screen as an after-thought, the films and actors are way better than that of the Twilight cast. Emma Watson, Daniel Radcliffe, and Rupert Grint make a much better trio than that of Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, and Taylor Lautner. It’s sad that the series that was created to become movies couldn’t even hire actors that could make the transition a good one.
