All the reasons why Tom Riddle was the HBP

[pandrea100]

No: HPFGUIDX 103721

mnaperrone at a...> wrote:
> 1)  JKR said she almost chose the title HBP for COS, which is all 
> about a young Tom Riddle.  No other character - except for Harry - 
> who could qualify as the HBP played an important role in this book -
> at least not an important enough role to warrant a title about him.

But she also said she changed the book so much that the title no 
longer fit, so it's possible the role of whoever or whatever the HBP 
is was substantially reduced or even written out.  If Riddle was 
indeed the HBP, why would the title no longer fit?
 
> 2)  JKR has said that we will find out more about Riddle and why he 
> turned out the way he did.  Well, we're running out of books.

Doesn't mean it has to be in the title, we can still learn about 
him.  For instance, suppose she'd said "Book Five will reveal why 
Snape really hated James", you wouldn't argue "But the title is The 
Order Of The Phoenix, therefore it must be linked!"

> 3)  The young Tom Riddle WAS NOT V.  He became V.  So its 
consistent 
> for JKR to say that the HBP is not Harry or V and have it be about 
> Riddle.

Only if there is some reason why Tom Riddle was the Prince and 
Voldemort was not.  We have to take her statement that Voldemort was 
NOT the Prince at face value, so why, then, did he stop being the 
Prince?

> 4)  JKR is coming to the end of the series - its necessary for her 
to 
> narrow our focus to the resolution as opposed to expanding the 
> canvas.  Introducing a new character as the HBP or greatly 
expanding 
> the history of an existing character would all tend to expand the 
> canvas as opposed to narrowing it.  

Only if she wants to fully flesh out every detail.  I would imagine 
that as a writer she would be more excited about bringing in new 
stuff than painstakingly going over everything/everybody previously 
mentioned and explaining everything about them, what a slog.

> Book 6 will be about Riddle's past and also about V's power 
becoming 
> more widespread and open and obvious.  

I agree.  I also think there will be stuff about the history of 
Hogwarts - doubtless giving Hermione more cause to quote her 
favourite book, which has been mentioned (I think) in every volume to 
date.

>Book 7 will resolve all those 
> Harry questions - the green eyes, Lily, the Marauders/Snape, 
Godric's 
> Hollow, etc.

Possibly.  I don't really understand why everyone makes such a big 
deal about his eye colour though.  I think it's just description, 
like his hair sticking up, and a convenient way for people to be 
inspired to talk about his parents ("You look so like them ...").

Pandrea