Voldemort and nurturing (was: Levels and contradictions in JKR's writing)

[zeldaricdeau]

No: HPFGUIDX 138335

> From: "lupinlore"
> 
<SNIP>
> In other words, we have a powerful and glaring contradiction woven 
> into the basic fabric of the narrative, in which choice and trust
> is emphasized but the main villain is a monster from birth, the 
> son of a poisoned bloodline.
> 
> 
> Elanor Pam:
> 
<SNIP>
> Not having had any parents to teach him about treating other people
> well or turning the other cheek, why would he choose to be stomped 
> on? He would look out for himself, and only himself. 
<SNIP>

zeldaricdeau: 

I've wondered about this apparent contradiction myself. In Voldemort 
we have a child who was raised from the moment of birth (excluding 
the hour or so before Merope died) seemingly without love or 
nurturing of any kind. I get the impression that the orphanage was 
the kind of place that cared for physical needs but was none too 
interested in (or, perhaps, able to) care for emotional ones.

I've often read that the first year of a child's life is believed to 
be the most important in terms of emotional and psychological 
development (though, I am not a psychologist so please feel free to 
shoot this down in flames). I have also read that it is during this 
time that bonding with the parents (especially the mother) takes 
place and trust is learned.

Harry grew up from age 1-11 in a situation that, I would say, was 
worse than Voldemort's in that he experienced outright abuse as 
opposed to just neglect (not that just neglect isn't horrible 
enough!). However, for that first year, it appears that he 
experienced a highly loving and nurturing family, unlike Voldemort, 
giving him the ability to empathize and trust in a way that 
Voldemort never could.

So where does choice come in? I think that in order to even have the 
capacity to chose what is right over what is easy for you, you have 
to be able to empathize (I know in this I am repeating some of what 
others on this list have said); otherwise choosing something that 
benefits someone other than yourself is nonsensical. Harry clearly 
has the capacity to empathize. He clearly isn't perfect, but 
considering his situation with the Dursley's he has turned out quite 
well. But what would have happened if he hadn't been given that one 
year with Lily and James? Would he be just like Voldemort? 

Maybe the question is, can a child raised without love or nurturing 
empathize and thus be free to make a choice between what is right 
and what is easy? Meaning, is Harry just as much a contradiction to 
one of the major themes of the series as Voldemort is?

-ZR