Levels and contradictions in JKR's writing ( was Re: It's over, Snape is evil )

[Deb]

No: HPFGUIDX 138366


> Elanor Pam said: 
> Actually, what I see is that Voldemort had problems feeling 
empathy,
> probably slightly autistic in nature.
> 
> Lupinlore said: 
> We have had an emphasis on the
> importance of choice and JKR's statements about how no one is born
> evil. 
 
 
 
Rachel writes: 
 I actually think that JKR has provided us with the story of 2 
children brought up in unloving environments, both orphans, and the 
divergent character development that insues.  This to me is a 
contradiction in the choice matter as they have similar beginnings 
and extreme differences in character.
> 
> Harry, unloved and mistreated for the first 11 years of his life, 
is a good person with a strong understanding of right and wrong. He 
values friendships, relationships, and has empathy for others.  For 
those 11 years, he has no idea what his parents were like or how 
much they have sacrificed because they love him.   On the other 
side, we have Tom Riddle, brought up in an orphanage.  Even as a 
student, Riddle is already trying to manipulate others to amass 
power for himself. He is a loner with no friends and enjoys 
frightening other children.  He shows at Hogwarts that he is not 
above blaming innocent people for things to go his way.   
> 
> One has to wonder why Harry turned out to be such a decent person, 
while Tom turned out to be truly evil, if their personalities are 
not grounded in nature.  LV also seems to me, so far, to be a 
shallow fairly uncomplicated character, whereas Harry has some depth 
to his character and struggles with his emotions.  
> 
> Rachel


Deb (djklaugh)- another Deb or the other Deb ;) writes:

Rachel there are several very, very important differences between 
Harry's childhood and TR's! And these differences are IMO the key to 
why they make such radically different choices in how they live 
their lives

 1-Harry was born to healthy parents who both apparently come from 
good genetic stock. And I would imagine that Lily did everything she 
could possibly do to insure she had a healthy child - she most 
likely ate properly, exercised, took vitamins, etc.  TR, on the 
other hand, came from at least one family where there is a history 
of mental instability and generations of inbreeding (think of 
Harry's Aunt Marge "It's one of the basic rules of breeding ... If 
there's something wrong with the bitch, there'll be something wrong 
with the pup") and Merope was malnourished during her pregnancy plus 
extremely stressed by being abandoned and being on her own for the 
first time.  

2-Harry was born into a family- a mother and father who loved each 
other and who both wanted to have a child! He had 15 months of good 
old fashioned nurturing - cuddling, rocking, loving, gentleness, 
good food, kindness, guidance, physical and emotional warmth -- and 
I would wager he got this from both parents and also from any friend 
who came to visit. He probably also had toys, outings, sweets on 
occasion, all the usual things a loving parent gives to their 
child.  So Harry had about 9 1/2 years at the Durselys where as TR 
had his whole life at the orphanage.  And TR came from a father who 
wanted nothing to do with him and a mother who was physically, 
emotionally, and spiritually depleted - she had nothing more to give 
and TR was born one hour before she died. After that he was raised 
in an orphanage. "...a grim place in which to grow up" according to 
Dumbledore. Here he would most likely have had many different care 
givers, who would have had little time to give to each child. He 
probably had to compete with many other children for attention, for 
food, for any little extras there might have been. Remember this is 
where he began taking "trophies" from his victims. He had no 
opportunity to bond with one or two people, he formed no attachments 
to anyone, even from birth he was detached from other humans. 

3-Even after his parents died, Harry was raised by relatives. Yes 
the Dursleys are not much to shout about, but they are family and 
Petunia is blood kin to Harry. No matter how emotionally abusive and 
physically neglectful they were, growing up in a family setting  was 
a darn sight more that what TR got at the orphanage. At age 11 Harry 
did not know much about his parents but he did know their names, and 
he did know that he had family. That's much more than TR knew about 
his heritage at age 11.  

 These things may seem minor to you, but they are as I said the key 
to why each boy made the choices he did ... and why they have become 
the people they are. Harry had the early childhood base of good 
parenting, of being given all the love and nurturing he needed. This 
is why he is so able to give and receive love... this gift was 
enhanced by his mother's sacrifice, certainly, but he had it even 
before that.  TR got from his parents only his existence. It is the 
early years of childhood... the formative years.. that are key here. 
IMO. 

 Deb (djklaugh)