Why did Voldemort go bad?

[mmizstorge]

No: HPFGUIDX 184137

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "justcorbly" <justcorbly at ...> 
wrote:
<snip>
Even at the end, JKR has Harry give Voldemort a chance to show 
remorse, knowing that if he did his future would be altered.  
Voldemort chooses another path.
<snip> justcorbly

This bit of their battle discussion that seemed to me the 
most outrageous part of their absurd duel. First, no one in that 
situation - and especially not Lord Voldemort - is going to say, "Oh 
dear, you're right! I have done simply terrible things and I 
suddenly feel bad about it! Here, take my wand, even if it isn't 
really the Elder wand. I don't deserve the privilege of practising 
magic." Voldemort was not the sort of character to 'come along 
quietly', any more than Dumbledore was, and wasn't going to languish 
in confinement like Grindlewald did. 

Second, all the other Horcruxes had been destroyed at that point. 
Voldemort had only a fraction of a soul left. Remorse wasn't going 
to rejoin the bits of his soul, so why bother mentioning it? 

Third, if this was meant to be an expository insight into the 
religion in JKRs world and Harry was expressing his personal concern 
about the destination of Voldemort's soul in the hereafter, then 
where in the world did that sentiment come from? Harry expressed no 
religious beliefs of any sort during the previous books. When did he 
become a theologian? 

And the part about 'be a man' was something I found insulting even 
as a reader. You're barely legal, Potter - don't lecture the adults.

Other than being there to strech out what was supposed to be the 
dramatic climax of the book, Ii thought that the demand to 'feel 
some remorse' was unnecessary and even out of character.