# True or False- Harry Potter is the most famous literary character in the last 50 years? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 24, 2010, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/true-or-false-harry-potter-is-the-most-famous-literary-character-in-the-last-50-years/537238 "2010-04-24T20:53:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2010, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/true-or-false-harry-potter-is-the-most-famous-literary-character-in-the-last-50-years/537238/21 "2010-04-24T23:34:54Z")
> [@JoelUpchurch](#): > > So what? The rules don’t require you to remember the character’s name, just the character, therefore the guy from the DaVinci Code counts. Remember: the name is not the thing. > > While we are at it, we should throw in the shark from Jaws. Well, I also think it’s a factor that nobody can tell you a thing _about_ Langdon, as there’s not a scrap of character development in the book. Everybody can describe Harry Potter or James Bond or Frodo in two or three words. They’re memorable characters. Langdon, despite appearing in a popular book, is not. ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2010, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/true-or-false-harry-potter-is-the-most-famous-literary-character-in-the-last-50-years/537238/22 "2010-04-24T23:40:51Z")
I couldn’t edit, so I’ll add: one of the most damning scenes in that great 60 minute teardown of _The Phantom Menace_ is a scene where random people are asked to describe in a few words without reference to appearance, clothing, or hairstyle characters from the first Star Wars trilogy like Princess Leia, Han Solo, and Darth Vader. No problem. Then they were asked to do the same with prequel characters like Qui-Gon Jinn and Queen Amidala. Uh… ---
**Author:** ![Peremensoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@Peremensoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peremensoe)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2010, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/true-or-false-harry-potter-is-the-most-famous-literary-character-in-the-last-50-years/537238/23 "2010-04-24T23:47:03Z")
> [@JoelUpchurch](#): > > So what? The rules don’t require you to remember the character’s name, just the character, therefore the guy from the DaVinci Code counts. I’ve even seen a fragment of the movie, and I’m not _sure_ who the character is you’re talking about. I’m _guessing_ that it was the guy portrayed by Tom Hanks, but even if that’s correct, I don’t know that you could say I “remember the character,” since I couldn’t tell you anything at all about him except that he was portrayed by Tom Hanks. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2010, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/true-or-false-harry-potter-is-the-most-famous-literary-character-in-the-last-50-years/537238/24 "2010-04-24T23:47:24Z")
> [@Zsofia](#): > > How many people know “Robert Langdon” if you name-drop him as opposed to “that guy from the DaVinci thing”? There’s also Jack Ryan, protagonist of several Tom Clancy books, and portrayed on screen in four films by three different actors. It helps Potter’s recognition that his name is in all the titles. It took me a few seconds to think “who’s that guy in _The Hunt for Red October_?” ---
**Author:** ![Peremensoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@Peremensoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peremensoe)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2010, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/true-or-false-harry-potter-is-the-most-famous-literary-character-in-the-last-50-years/537238/25 "2010-04-24T23:51:53Z")
I don’t think the shark counts as a “character.” Does it have any identifiable characteristics of personality, motivation, relationships or development that would distinguish him from other sharks? Being a particularly big and sharky shark doesn’t do it, IMO. ---
**Author:** ![eleanorigby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee7513/32.png) [@eleanorigby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eleanorigby)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2010, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/true-or-false-harry-potter-is-the-most-famous-literary-character-in-the-last-50-years/537238/26 "2010-04-24T23:56:51Z")
I would say Dorothy or Alice (which should be immediately recognizable to anyone who speaks English), but they are outside of the OP’s parameters. Maybe Holden Caulfield? :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2010, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/true-or-false-harry-potter-is-the-most-famous-literary-character-in-the-last-50-years/537238/27 "2010-04-25T00:01:53Z")
> [@eleanorigby](#): > > I would say Dorothy or Alice (which should be immediately recognizable to anyone who speaks English), but they are outside of the OP’s parameters. > > Maybe Holden Caulfield? :dubious: Dubious indeed–the chance that more people know HC than HP seems vanishingly small. Darth Vader is pretty great, though, given the technicality. “Appeared” in the OP is a little imprecise, but I think the best meaning of it is akin to “was published”. So Mr. Vader would win, most likely. ---
**Author:** ![JoelUpchurch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f05b48/32.png) [@JoelUpchurch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JoelUpchurch)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2010, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/true-or-false-harry-potter-is-the-most-famous-literary-character-in-the-last-50-years/537238/28 "2010-04-25T00:04:21Z")
> [@Kyla](#): > > In comparison, the Harry Potter series had sold over 400 million copies as of 2008 (happily ganked from [Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harry_Potter). And if you think adults aren’t reading them, you are completely wrong. I used to work in a bookstore, and adults bought the Harry Potter books, apparently for themselves, all the time. The best selling book in the series sold 44 million. 400 million includes books on Quidditch and such. The total number of people that have read a book in the Harry Potter series undoubtedly greater than 44 million, but greater than 80 million? [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List\_of\_best-selling\_books#At\_least\_100\_million\_copies](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_best-selling_books#At_least_100_million_copies) The 44 million number looked a little stale. I tried to find a more recent number and came across this list: > [@](#): > > **TOP 10 BOOKS OF THE 2000S** > > 1. Twilight, Stephenie Meyer > 2. The Da Vinci Code, Dan Brown > 3. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, J.K. Rowling, art by Mary GrandPre > 4. New Moon, Stephenie Meyer > 5. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, J.K. Rowling, art by Mary GrandPre > 6. Harry Potter and the Half- Blood Prince, J.K. Rowling, art by Mary GrandPre > 7. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, J.K. Rowling, art by Mary GrandPre > 8. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, J.K. Rowling, art by Mary GrandPre > 9. Eclipse, Stephenie Meyer > 10. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, J.K. Rowling, art by Mary GrandPre [http://www.usatoday.com/life/books/news/2009-12-23-bk-decade\_N.htm](http://www.usatoday.com/life/books/news/2009-12-23-bk-decade_N.htm) [http://www.usatoday.com/life/books/news/2009-08-03-twilight-series\_N.htm](http://www.usatoday.com/life/books/news/2009-08-03-twilight-series_N.htm) This raises the disturbing possibility that **Edward Cullen** may be the actual winner. ---
**Author:** ![Cuckoorex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ad7895/32.png) [@Cuckoorex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cuckoorex)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2010, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/true-or-false-harry-potter-is-the-most-famous-literary-character-in-the-last-50-years/537238/29 "2010-04-25T00:12:21Z")
Wow, that 50-year cutoff really makes a difference! Other than the ones mentioned here already, the only one I could think of that might make a top 10 list would be the Vampire Lestat. ---
**Author:** ![choie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/choie/32/7829_2.png) [@choie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/choie)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2010, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/true-or-false-harry-potter-is-the-most-famous-literary-character-in-the-last-50-years/537238/30 "2010-04-25T00:15:47Z")
Harry Potter, easily. Simply by cultural osmosis, if nothing else, even if they haven’t read the books. Contrast that with this Langdon dude – whose name isn’t even remembered by people who’ve _read_ the book! I don’t think Edward from _Twilight_ is as well known by non-readers. It does help that Harry’s name is in the book title, but I also think he’s just more of an iconic figure. In the public consciousness, young wizard who must save the world \> 100+ year-old virgin stalker vampire. With the novelization loophole mentioned above, Darth Vadar is certainly up there, and possibly Luke Skywalker too. Plus they’ve had several decades now to infiltrate our brains. ---
**Author:** ![Jihi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jihi/32/17768_2.png) [@Jihi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jihi)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2010, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/true-or-false-harry-potter-is-the-most-famous-literary-character-in-the-last-50-years/537238/31 "2010-04-25T00:16:57Z")
About the Davinci Code, I couldn’t have named the character despite having seen the movie and enjoyed it for what it was. Take that for what it’s worth. I have to say I think **Dio’s** mention of Roger Rabbit is an interesting case, though I don’t think he’s as well known as he was 20 years ago. Fleming’s first Bond novel, Casino Royale, was published in '53, missing the cutoff by 6 years. Otherwise I think he’s the only one that might be able to challenge Potter on this. I’ve never even come close to reading a Harry Potter book or watching any of the movies, but I’m familiar with most of the characters and the plot on a rudimentary level. Names… Hermione, Ron, Draco, Snape, Dumbledore, Voldemort, Hagrid, the Hogwart wizard’s school… I’m familiar with all of these more than I should be considering I’ve never even cracked a dust jacket. I could probably give a simple description of each of the characters personalities and roles simply through cultural osmosis. I think that’s telling. Potter easily takes a 50 year limit… If we had expanded it ten years Bond might eclipse him. ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2010, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/true-or-false-harry-potter-is-the-most-famous-literary-character-in-the-last-50-years/537238/32 "2010-04-25T00:20:20Z")
I think that Spiderman (first appearance 1962) is more famous by an order of magnitude. ---
**Author:** ![Jihi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jihi/32/17768_2.png) [@Jihi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jihi)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2010, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/true-or-false-harry-potter-is-the-most-famous-literary-character-in-the-last-50-years/537238/33 "2010-04-25T00:22:58Z")
> [@Peter\_Morris](#): > > I think that Spiderman (first appearance 1962) is more famous by an order of magnitude. The OP specifically excludes comics, he even mentions Spidey by name. Read the the thread dude. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Cuckoorex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ad7895/32.png) [@Cuckoorex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cuckoorex)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2010, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/true-or-false-harry-potter-is-the-most-famous-literary-character-in-the-last-50-years/537238/34 "2010-04-25T00:22:59Z")
nevermind! ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2010, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/true-or-false-harry-potter-is-the-most-famous-literary-character-in-the-last-50-years/537238/35 "2010-04-25T00:27:51Z")
> [@middleman](#): > > (excluding comics or Spidey wins hands down) Oh, wait, I didn’t spot that in the OP ---
**Author:** ![Bootis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e8c25b/32.png) [@Bootis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bootis)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2010, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/true-or-false-harry-potter-is-the-most-famous-literary-character-in-the-last-50-years/537238/36 "2010-04-25T00:32:35Z")
I’m not sure Darth Vader is more famous than Harry Potter. I dont think theres very many people at all who know who Vader is, but not Harry Potter. But millions of children know Harry Potter but never heard of Darth Vaader ---
**Author:** ![Kyla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/eada6e/32.png) [@Kyla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kyla)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2010, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/true-or-false-harry-potter-is-the-most-famous-literary-character-in-the-last-50-years/537238/37 "2010-04-25T00:35:17Z")
> [@JoelUpchurch](#): > > This raises the disturbing possibility that **Edward Cullen** may be the actual winner. As disturbing a thought as that is, I don’t think it could be true. I feel like in my own experience, I hear more references to Harry Potter than I do to Twilight. Which is a Good Thing. ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2010, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/true-or-false-harry-potter-is-the-most-famous-literary-character-in-the-last-50-years/537238/38 "2010-04-25T00:41:00Z")
Looking through the Top Selling Books list on the Wikipedia I see **Charlotte** from Charlotte’s Web; **Arthur Dent** and **Ford Prefect** from The Hitchhiker’s Guide series; **Charlie Bucket** from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory; **The Berenstain Bears** ; **Clifford** the Big Red Dog; **Fiver** , **Bigwig** , and **General Woundwort** from Watership Down. ---
**Author:** ![Lamia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Lamia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamia)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2010, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/true-or-false-harry-potter-is-the-most-famous-literary-character-in-the-last-50-years/537238/39 "2010-04-25T01:12:08Z")
I don’t think sales figures are a very accurate measure of a character’s fame. They count for _something_, but if a character is truly famous then s/he should be known even to people who have never read the books or seen the film adaptations. A novel can also be a bestseller without having characters that are particularly memorable or that have much cultural impact. Consider for example the question of which protagonist is more famous: Adso of Melk or Harry Potter. Can there be any doubt that Harry Potter is by far the better known of the two? I’ve read the book featuring Adso and seen the film version, but even I wouldn’t have known his name without checking. In fairness the more famous character from this book is probably William of Baskerville (whose name I did remember on my own), but even then I doubt the Average Joe/Jane could tell you who William of Baskerville was or what book he was in. Most people would probably guess (incorrectly) that he’s the estate owner in the Sherlock Holmes novel _The Hound of the Baskervilles_. And yet according to [Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_best-selling_books#Between_50_million_and_100_million_copies) _The Name of the Rose_ (published in 1980) sold at least 50 million copies, several million more than the best-selling single _Harry Potter_ title and at least 20 million more than _Gone With the Wind_ or _To Kill a Mockingbird_. In terms of sales figures _The Name of the Rose_ is in the same league as _Anne of Green Gables_, _Black Beauty_, and _Heidi’s Years of Wandering and Learning_ (better known as just _Heidi_), but I don’t think there can be any doubt that these other books all have far more famous characters. (They are all too old for their fame to count for this thread, though.) ---
**Author:** ![TruCelt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trucelt/32/523_2.png) [@TruCelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TruCelt)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2010, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/true-or-false-harry-potter-is-the-most-famous-literary-character-in-the-last-50-years/537238/40 "2010-04-25T01:53:47Z")
Hmmnnn. Willy Wonka? There’s a serious contender. Darth Vadar could be it though. To give you an example of how upbiquitous he is: When the Celtling (3 years old) wants to be the scary person in a game of chase, she always makes a noise like Darth Vadar’s breathing. Coooooo-Keeeeeeee cooooo-Keeeeee! She can have no idea of why this is supposed to be scary. Of course this always sounds to me like a long drawn out request for a cookie. Which means Darth Cookie Monster always wins, 'cause I end up gasping for breath on the floor it’s so funny! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/true-or-false-harry-potter-is-the-most-famous-literary-character-in-the-last-50-years/537238.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/true-or-false-harry-potter-is-the-most-famous-literary-character-in-the-last-50-years/537238.md?page=3)