What did Tom know and when did he know it? (was: Voldy's mum)

[blpurdom]

No: HPFGUIDX 37456

--- In HPforGrownups at y..., "naamagatus" <naama_gat at h...> wrote:
> This is all pure speculation, of course, but I do think that if 
> Tom Riddle had learned of his background at a later age (say 
> sixteen?), he wouldn't have reacted in the way he did. 
> I'm not sure I can explain this very well, but his fantastic 
> hatred feel deeply rooted in long childhood abuse and neglect.  As 
> if he channelled the abuse he suffered at the orphanage into 
> building up a completely hateful father image. The hatred - 
> planning what he would do to his father once he was grown up - 
> might have been his main solace there.

No doubt he built up a lot of hate while at the orphanage, but I 
believe when he discovered he was a wizard, most likely at age 
eleven, and went to Hogwarts, he first began formulating a plan for 
revenge, now that he had greater access to his powers.  By the time 
we see the Tom of the diary, he's been at Hogwarts for five years.  
That's plenty of time to building up the image of his father that 
you mention.  Have you ever let resentment seethe in you for five 
years?  It seems like an eternity.

> It doesn't seem to me psychologically sound that he would need to 
> construct this father image at a later age, especially if you 
> consider that he was at Hogwars at the time -  successful, well-
> liked and finding great powers. 

It's quite plausible, actually, in light of the neglect he suffered 
earlier.  It probably didn't take much other than finding out his 
father was responsible for him being in that awful place for him to 
immediately want to plan his murder.

--Barb