Harry v. Tom (was: LV never loved anyone)

[delwynmarch]

No: HPFGUIDX 110529

SSSusan wrote :
"He's also learning that he could be Someone in the context of "normal
Hogwarts school life" too.  A respected student, a leader.  There's
power in THAT, too."

Del replies :
Hola ! Dangerous waters :-)
First, what's power without a goal ? Tom had a goal : becoming the
most powerful wizard ever, and immortal too (I guess he hadn't thought
of what he would do once he accomplished that goal). Being a leader at
school was not going to get him any closer to his goal, especially
because there would always be someone over him. But being Slytherin's
Heir might indeed bring him more power.

And second, being a respected student and a leader is NOT getting an
*identity*. We've seen someone else make just that mistake and ending
up on the wrong side because of it : Percy.

SSSusan wrote :
"But, see, at the point of entry to Hogwarts, I think Harry WAS
hurting most of the time.  He had no memory of his parents at that 
time; he had no input about what they were like.  The Dursleys hated 
& resented him, treated him like a servant or worse.  He WAS hurting 
most of the time."

Del replies :
Yes, Harry was hurting of course, but not in a rageful, hateful way.
He had clearly identified the Dursleys as being the only ones
responsible for his misery, and he wasn't trying to make the whole
world pay for his pain.
Tom, on the other hand, was apparently already sufficiently full of
hatred and anger at age 11 that Slytherin's ideas about the Muggles
didn't bother him.

SSSusan wrote :
"I didn't say moral belief; I said moral *understanding*.  The actor 
would have to *understand* in order to credibly play the role, and 
imo full understanding IS enough to mean choice is present."

Del replies : 
Oh sure, Tom *intellectually* understood what people considered as
right and wrong. He knew that setting a Basilisk to kill Muggle-born
students would not be appreciated by the Headmaster, no matter how
noble Tom considered the act to be. He understood intellectually how
other people thought and acted, but he didn't understand them
*emotionally*. He was an *alien*, unable to *relate* to the people
around him, to *share* their emotions and beliefs. There are actors
who do remarkable impersonifications of people they simply don't
understand emotionally.

SSSusan wrote :
"It's still your prerogative to disagree with me, of course.  We're
not GETTING anywhere in the convincing department with this, are we?  "

Del wonders :
Are we supposed to ;-) ?
Discussing shouldn't be geared exclusively towards convincing the
other, should it ? If I do manage to convince you, it's great. But
it's just as good if I manage to make you understand me, even if you
still disagree. And vice versa of course.

SSSusan wrote :
"That seems like a *bit* of a stretch.  If Tom encountered someone 
who finally took an interest in him, he'd resent it?  While Harry was
thrilled?  I don't see that that's a given, though it's possible.  "

Del replies :
I believe it was too late for Tom.
Harry wanted a *family*, he wanted parental love, so of course he was
thrilled whenever someone showed genuine interest in him.
But Tom was past that. He wanted belonging, yes, but only if his
new-found family supported him in his goal. Slytherin did, DD didn't.

Del