- Do you see any difference between the film and novel versions of Harry, Ron, and Hermione? How much has the film of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire shaped how you imagine the book, especially upon a re-read?
- How do you feel about the pairings that start to emerge in the series around Goblet of Fire? Are you rooting for any particular pair of Harry Potter characters to get together? Ron seems pretty hung up on Hermione (though he doesn't know it yet). What might the Ron/Hermione romance – or any romance in Harry Potter – add to the series?
- Harry Potter came to popularity basically alongside the rise of the Internet. While J.K. Rowling largely steers clear of Internet fan sites, she has commented, "I love writing more than almost anything in the world, so the idea that Harry has inspired other people to write [fan fiction] makes me very happy" (source). How does the Internet – and the rumors and fan speculations that circulate on it – influence your enjoyment of the Harry Potter series?
- What would be your response to concerned parents and teachers who say that Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire is too violent for children? What age group do you think this novel is appropriate for? Who shouldn't read it (if anyone)?
- Book 4 is much longer than any of the three previous Harry Potter novels. What are some of the plot demands that make it so much bigger than its predecessors? Do you feel that the story's pace slows down or drags at particular moments in the novel? Does the length of the book affect your enjoyment of Goblet of Fire in comparison to, say, Prisoner of Azkaban? If so, how?
- As Harry grows up, his world expands. In Goblet of Fire, Harry becomes more aware of the international wizarding community than he has been before. How does J.K. Rowling depict foreigners in Harry's world? Which tools of dialogue and appearance mark these characters as foreign to Britain? Do these characters change how you imagine the wizarding world?
- By the end of Book 4, what loose ends has J.K. Rowling left open to be tied up in later novels? How successfully does Goblet of Fire balance its own ending with the need to leave open ends for the rest of the series?
- People often compare the Harry Potter and Twilight series. There are a couple of reasons for this: first, they're the only two book series in the world with such huge sales. And second, actor Robert Pattinson has been in both film adaptations – lucky for us. He plays Cedric Diggory in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire and (of course) Edward in the Twilight movies. Do you see anything else that these two series share in common? Are the fan communities for Harry Potter and Twilight similar?