Tom Riddle's mother - an important question...

[lizcrosssmith]

No: HPFGUIDX 68875

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "Cindy" <xpectopatronum at y...> 
wrote:
> Why did Tom Riddle's mother marry a muggle?! She must have known
> something about her family tree and bloodline (as all purebloods are
> interrelated and seem to take great pride in knowing where they come
> from - tapestry in ootp).
> It doesn't really make sense.
> -Cindy (Snape's girl)

Cindy,

As one of the major themes in the books is overcoming ones 
blood/birth/expectations.  We have seen that to some pure bloods 
their lineage is very important.  To other pure bloods it is not.  
All pure bloods are not in Slytherin.  All we really know is that 1) 
Salazar felt strongly that pure bloods are superior; and 2) Tom M. 
Riddle felt the same way.  We know nothing about all the generations 
between.  Just because there are blood ties all the way back to 
Salazar doesn't mean that there weren't some folks along the way that 
felt quite differently.  We know that on the Black family tree there 
are a number of them (which we can tell from the burn holes).  Why 
not on the Slytherin family tree as well?  Perhaps Tom's mom was one 
of those.  It is possible that Tom latched onto the pure blood mania 
as a way to compensate for the desertion of his father that left him 
to grow up in an orphanage.  It must have been just the crutch he 
needed to feel good about himself.

I'd better stop now.  I'm actually beginning to feel a little sorry 
for Lord Thingy!

Anyway, just a thought...

Liz