[HPforGrownups] Re: Tom Riddle Sr. (Was: Why Tom left Merope)

[Magpie]

No: HPFGUIDX 147064

> Jen: From my reading, the
> pensieve scene and Dumbledore portrayed her as almost child-like,
> with a child-like wish for romantic love rather than someone who is
> completely coherent that she is abusing her power. Dumbledore also
> seems to be giving her some credit for recognizing she
> was 'enslaving' Tom and making the decision to stop the love potion,
> as well as not magically luring him back when he chose to leave. I
> think the fact Merope let him leave points to how little power she
> actually felt she had.

Magpie:
I have sympathy for Merope in the situation too--and the fact that she 
ultimately seems to see the difference between love and what she's got says 
to me that she learned a painful lesson.  I don't really want to see Merope 
punished--I'd be happy for her to have found a real relationship later on. 
Unfortunately that didn't happen.  She definitely is pitiable--I think she 
deserved love as much as anyone else.

I just think it's unreasonable to think that this is what Tom Riddle should 
be feeling.  To me it does read like they were both shattered by the whole 
experience and neither of them was able to go on with life after it.

> Jen: Perhaps it was the way the story was presented? I'm not exactly
> certain of the author intent here but I didn't think 'criminal' when
> I read Merope's story.

Magpie:
Oh, I didn't either--and I don't think of her as a criminal now.  But when I 
look at the cold facts of the situation it is Merope who is acting upon the 
other person.  I wasn't so much reacting to the canon as what seemed like 
the idea that Tom Riddle should have been taking care of Merope.  That just 
throws the situation into cold relief for me, because Tom Riddle was the one 
with his free will taken away no matter how you look at it.  If we cut 
Merope some slack for being ill-used we should cut Tom Riddle some slack for 
also being ill-used. Especially since he's a Muggle and so even more out of 
control in the situation.

-m