 "Photo:")
Harry Potter, Twilight. Twilight, Harry Potter. These sagas belong in completely different categories, but as movies and books they have both gained cult followings among young people on both sides of the Atlantic, and so they can be compared.
As pieces of popular culture, it would be pretentious to debate their literary value, but I can make a case for why my personal preference will always lie with the story of a certain British wizard.
"Twilight" makes a decent movie, but it lacks the substance needed to make a good book. I would argue the Harry Potter movies are good representations of the book, but the book still has more development of the characters and their histories, as well as allusions to other myths and legends.
J.K. Rowling puts so much detail into the magical world she creates that we can easily be drawn into it. Some people might argue that the Twilight series is more realistic because the characters don't operate in a separate society unknown to non-magic folk.
However, this only makes it more realistic in superficial ways. In the real stuff, Twilight shows us emotions that are only as deep as the crushes that young girls have on charming, cute boys.
On the contrary, the themes in the Harry Potter series speak messages to our modern world about tolerance, love, integrity and bravery. The characters also have more internal conflicts than do those in Twilight, such as the search for identity and the formation of values.
Harry struggles to understand his similarities with Voldemort and learns to identify himself by the choices he makes that distinguish him from the Dark Lord. In each book, Harry also attempts to form his identity by seeking bits and pieces of his parents and the life he might have had with them.
Harry and his friends learn to differentiate between good and evil. One of the biggest examples of this is the fact that Harry, like Batman, always chooses to let the justice system punish his enemies, rather than stooping to their level and murdering them himself.
It is beautiful that in "Twilight" Edward also chooses to fight his urges and not feed on human beings. However, "Twilight" is not an epic of good versus evil; it really seems to revolve around the way the characters relate to each other.
This can make an interesting story, but this kind of story is better if it explores the problems and significance of real relationships, into which "Twilight" does not delve. Harry Potter tells the story of whole groups of people choosing between right and wrong, but also explores the choices, emotions and relationships of the individual characters.
The Harry Potter series is not all serious, however. It is full of comic relief in the best tradition of British humor, which is known for its quirkiness and use of irony. Rowling is not harshly sarcastic with her humor because her books are aimed at children.
Instead, she creates characters who are quirky and have a silly, sweet brand of humor that will bring a smile to your face. While reading "Twilight," I have to admit Bella's self-depricating introspections made me laugh as well, but Rowling's humor takes place in the context of the wizard world, making it feel more fresh and imaginative.
Finally, "Twilight" is a story of romantic love. For me it was a fun read, taking me back to the way I fantasized about romance as a young teenager, but it didn't measure up to the expectations everyone had built up for me. It just wasn't that interesting. The first book moves slowly, so I was hoping for an interesting plot twist or exciting climax at the end. I was disappointed.
Jill Beathard is a junior English major.
Be the first to comment on this article!