Merope's "utter selfishness"? (was: Why Tom left Merope)

[cubfanbudwoman]

No: HPFGUIDX 147027

<SSSusan snips all of what I took to be an excellent explanation by 
Betsy Hp of how what Merope did with Tom was enslavement/abuse of 
power>

Carol:
> > I agree that Tom Sr. never loved Merope; he never *could* have    
> > loved her because, poor thing, she was so unloveable. But he 
> > could at least have hidden her away somewhere and provided for 
> > their unborn child once he recovered from the shock of having 
> > married and impregnated her. But he was rich, handsome, and 
> > arrogant (GoF chap. 1).
 
Betsy Hp:
> Not arrogant enough, unfortunately.  He had some sympathy towards 
> Merope (so she must have been somewhat loveable) and she used it to 
> take him as her pet.  And, having never had any toys before, she 
> broke him.  Then, in an act of utter selfishness, she couldn't even 
> be bothered to try and stick around for her son.  Huh.  Maybe I'm 
> not all that sympathetic after all. <g>


SSSusan:
Ooooh, you had me ALL the way to here, Betsy.  Even right up to 
Merope having never had a toy before, she broke this one. ;-)  

But to call what she did at the orphanage "an act of utter 
selfishness"?  I can't go that far.  She had been left by Tom, she 
was flat broke, she had no family she could turn to for help, and no 
assets left.  Did you not feel despair in what she did? desperation? 
depression?  (Hmmm -- a different 3 Ds from the 3 Ds we get 
introduced to with apparition lessons.)  I do think Merope was 
despondent, desperate and depressed, and to me that's enough to 
remove the label "utter selfishness" from the action she took.  
Without context I'd call it that, but with the context, I cut her 
some slack for seeing no way out.

Siriusly Snapey Susan