Contrasting Harry's and Tom's beginnings

[hickengruendler]

No: HPFGUIDX 150247

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, Kemper <iam.kemper at ...> wrote:
>
<snip> 
> Merope experienced no love, yet held hope for it though she
> misperceived lust for love.  When she stopped the love (should be
> renamed to infatuation or fixation) potion, she suffered the truth 
of
> her situation: a loveless life.  In that suffering she lost hope for
> love, giving up love entirely.
> 
> Tom was not conceived in love (not too uncommon in the RW,
> unfortunately), he was also not in utero with love, and he wasn't
> birthed in love.  Yes, she gave him a name but then she went away.
> 
> Though the Orphanage had seemingly caring people working in it, I
> believe in a real world sense that it would be hard for any staff
> working with this population to fully give a parent's love.  Not
> because these staff would be callous, but because they, too, don't
> want to be heartbroken or have been heartbroken too much, so they 
give
> what they can.  But sometimes, if not most, it's not enough.
> 
> Harry was the opposite, up until he became orphaned.  He was
> conceived, in utero, birthed, and reared (for 15 months) in and with
> love.
> 
> -Kemper, not knowing what these thoughts suggest to the plot, if 
anything
>

Hickengruendler:

I agree with you and I see it mostly as symbolical. Since love is the 
power Voldemort doesn't know, according to the prophecy, it makes 
sense in a metaphorical way, that even his conception was without 
love.

Hickengruendler, who apologizes for the short post, but really 
doesn't know what else to add