Tom Riddle's Birth (Re: JKR Chat "The Crucial ...")

[cubfanbudwoman]

No: HPFGUIDX 92848

Dharma ["onnanokata" <averyhaze at h...>] wrote:
> They both lost their parents in tragic ways. Harry initially 
> thought that his parents died in an accident, only to find out that 
> they died to save him. Mr. Riddle abandoned Tom before he was born, 
> and his mother died without family right after giving birth to him. 
> It might seem a bit on the nitpicky-side to make those 
> distinctions, but to me they seem quite a bit different in scheme 
> of human emotion. 

Welcome, Dharma!

I don't think this is nitpicky *at all*.  If one ascribes any value 
to Erik Erikson's Eight Stages of Psychosocial Development [and most 
psych majors like me probably do], then the first stage--**upon which 
all others depend**--is Trust vs. Mistrust, in which an infant must 
form a loving, trusting relationship w/ a caregiver or develop a 
general outlook of mistrust.  Now, we don't know much about the 
treatment Tom received in his orphanage, but it seems to me at least 
somewhat likely that he was unable to develop such a loving, trusting 
relationship.  Your point that Harry at least had 15 months with his 
loving, caring parents *is* a big contrast in this way.

I'm pretty big into choice & free will, so of course I still think 
Tom/Voldy is responsible for many of the choices he's made in his 
life.  I think, however, that the foundation for *why* their general 
outlooks might be so very different could be traced to **some** 
degree to this issue.

Going out on a limb here a bit, aren't I??  :-)

Siriusly Snapey Susan