Young Writers Society

I was just thinking about this the other day. Does anybody else find it interesting that Stephenie Meyer is compared to J. K. Rowling but she experiences none of the controversy? I mean, Harry Potter was censored and banned among a lot of Christians because of the "magic" element, but Twilight has vampires and werewolves and ancient Native American legends about spirit wolves...and yet there hasn't been a big stink about it. As a matter of fact, I'm pretty sure a lot of Christians really support Twilight.

Anybody have theories?

I think it really has to do with the wicthcraft element. People who were against Harry Potter believed it was about teaching the witchcraft that Christianity is against, and that it encouraged children to participate in it. Whereas a story about vampires and werewolves does not encourage such "sinful" behaviour and beliefs.

Maybe some sinful thoughts thoughe

It doesn't have the world 'witch' in it used in a positive sense. I'm convinced that if Harry Potter had used some other word for 'witch' the controversy would have been avoided.

lyrical_sunshine wrote:I mean, Harry Potter was censored and banned among a lot of Christians because of the "magic" element, but Twilight has vampires and werewolves and ancient Native American legends about spirit wolves...

Not to mention messages about how the main character is nothing without her twu wuv and wants to essentially commit suicide and completely change herself so she can stay the same age as him for eternity. [/cuts rant short to save time]

I agree with those who've said Twilight doesn't get as much controversy because the series doesn't have a positive use of witches/witchcraft element like Harry Potter does.

Personally, I don't think Stephenie Meyer and Twilight should be compared to J.K. Rowling and Harry Potter except in terms of success, addiction, and Robert Pattinson's performance in the movies, because Harry Potter and his story pwns Bella Swan and her story.

I think Sureal is right in that if JKR had changed the word "witch" to, I don't know, "wizardess" than the controversy would have been a lot more minimal.

*giggles at Perra's rant*
I like parts of the Twilight series, but yeah, New Moon made me want to vomit and then throw myself off a cliff. "I want to die just because my boyfriend wants to protect me!!! Can I be any more pathetic!! And I'm so selfish that I don't even care that my dad and my best friends are about to die of worry!!!"

Ick.

Add me to the "HP has the witchcraft element" bandwagon. I first found it weird when one of my friends was not allowed to read Harry Potter, but was allowed to buy and read the Twilight series.

I agree with the whole New Moon, suicide sorta thing. My least favorite out of the whole group so far. My friends did tell me I wouldn't like it as much.

Sureal wrote:It doesn't have the world 'witch' in it used in a positive sense. I'm convinced that if Harry Potter had used some other word for 'witch' the controversy would have been avoided.

I think you're right, but this also confuses me. The Oz books also have the word 'witch' used in a positive sense (Glinda, anyone?), and yet nobody kicked up a fuss over those. So I thought that perhaps it's because they show an evil witch as well, but then I thought back to HP - you can't really get any eviller than Voldy. In fact, most of the Oz fiction has 'witch' used in a good sense. Wicked, the musical, doesn't really show any bad witches at all, and yet there's been no fuss over that either. Perhaps it's because HP shows children being trained to become witches/wizards? In any case it's all very confusing and pointless to me. /tangent

Well, I've never read Twilight, so it's HP for me!

HP. Not...like. I have nothing more to say.

But I have a friend who is Christian, and her family loves HP! Hehe...because of me...
but I suppose it's your level of tolorence in the family, because these guys are heavily Christian, but their still...I dont know..human...?

because Harry Potter and his story pwns Bella Swan and her story.

Totally. No quams about it!

Bear in mind that Christianity - and Catholicism has done much to encourage this mindset, being the dominant of the Christian religions - has had a long stand against the concept of "witch-craft". To quote Craig, Graham and Kagan, "[In the 13th Century] the Christian clergy believed in and practiced magic - the holy sacraments and exorcism of demons. ... The Church declared its magic to be the only legitimate magic. Given that magical powers were not human, theologians reasoned that they had to come either from God or the devil. Anyone who practiced magic outside the church obviously derived their power from the devil." Religion as an organism resists change - I'm sure that elements of such thoughts continue into the present day.

Vampirism, contrastly, involves no magic. I imagine that, since, in fiction, such a state is beyond the control of the individual vampire, no room is left for accusations of encouraging "unclean affiliations". Religiously speaking, it would be like accusing a person demoniacally possessed of being in league with the devil - does he or she have a choice in the matter?

[/rambles] You catch my drift. The point is that HP magic is portrayed as something positive, something even to wish for, whereas vampirism is portrayed as something beyond human control.

That's a very good point, but just remember. Magic is thought of almost as bad or as bad as a sin, since magic could be the sign of the devil. No human can express magic as a power unless being controled by the devil or god.

But vampirism involves no magic whatsoever.

But I don't know which one I liked better. The two are very different from each other, so I couldn't possibly choose.

I thought all of the controversy was started by a joke article in The Onion and some woman from the Midwest took it seriously. Oh well.

I agree with what everyone's saying. Twilight's pretty negative on the vampire thing anyway. The wizards in HP aren't (almost annoyingly) self-loathing. They love magic, which, to some, presents the wrong message, or whatever.

patience_isnt wrote:That's a very good point, but just remember. Magic is thought of almost as bad or as bad as a sin, since magic could be the sign of the devil. No human can express magic as a power unless being controled by the devil or god.

But vampirism involves no magic whatsoever.

But I don't know which one I liked better. The two are very different from each other, so I couldn't possibly choose.

Yeah that’s exactly why Stephanie Meyer hasn’t had the controversy over Twilight. Harry Potter is all about magic and what some Christians disliked about the series was that they thought it would lead some readers into believing in the power of magic which they believe to exist but only by the devil or god. However I think that perhaps some Christians went a little over board about the series because lets be honest I doubt many people take these kind of books seriously even some of the most obsessive fans.

Twilight involved vampires and there was no mention of any magic in the book so it hasn’t been as controversial as Harry Potter. I still don’t understand why some Christians disliked Harry Potter because to be honest there’s not a lot of realism in the magic in the books its all very much fantasy.

Harry Potter: Characters, plot, very intricate, actual reason for continued series (7 years at Hogwarts)...

Twilight: Angst, vampires, and werewolves.

I think the reason Twilight hasn't gotten much attention is because it isn't even close to being as popular as HP. Never will.

Perra wrote:

lyrical_sunshine wrote:I mean, Harry Potter was censored and banned among a lot of Christians because of the "magic" element, but Twilight has vampires and werewolves and ancient Native American legends about spirit wolves...

Not to mention messages about how the main character is nothing without her twu wuv and wants to essentially commit suicide and completely change herself so she can stay the same age as him for eternity. [/cuts rant short to save time]

I agree with those who've said Twilight doesn't get as much controversy because the series doesn't have a positive use of witches/witchcraft element like Harry Potter does.

Personally, I don't think Stephenie Meyer and Twilight should be compared to J.K. Rowling and Harry Potter except in terms of success, addiction, and Robert Pattinson's performance in the movies, because Harry Potter and his story pwns Bella Swan and her story.

And that should be printed on the back of the Twilight Books.


I suppose there's also the factor that in Harry Potter, teenagers are being taught to use "witchcraft". Maybe it's not so much witchcraft in itself, but that Witches and Wizards in the religous sense are teaching children witchcraft in the book. (And Religious fanatic assume that would somehow encourage teenagers/children in the real world to practice witchcraft).

...But I mean c'mon. Any kid who actually believes the stuff in Harry Potter and attempts to mix potions of try spells is just...stu-in need of help. I blame the parents.