Explanations You Would Want Revealed by Book 6 (poll)

[Imelyen]

I dont think it was really much of a choice for Harry and Voldemort, when they got the letter it was; Stay here in a crappy life, or take a chance on something that would undoubtedly be better. As far as 11 year olds not really knowing the difference between right and wrong, they do...they just don't really understand the consequences of their actions.

[Tween_Luv]

Did you know the age psychologists say the development the personality is finished? 40. You have basic character traits at the age of eleven, but that's it. That's not my personal opinion that's a scientific fact.

well. i know of 150 (in Los Angles alone) kids who had amazing personality and character traits at a very early age, we're all part of this program and all were accepted into colelge from ages 9-15. One of them is my 9 year old friend, who is a sophmore in college. Although i know that the people in this program ARE the ecxeptions...they could have made their own decisions. i know many 10 or 11 year olds outside of this school..and they know what right and wrong is and can easily distinguish and make a good choice

[Tanuki]

Tom riddle was an attractive, smart, and charming boy... he managed to scan everyone into thinking he was a good boy. By your account, scamming a bunch of kids into becoming his loyal followers would have been childs play. If he could make the much smarter teachers at his school love him, and the other students respect him... even though he was in Slytherin, and according to your own posts, people instantly judge Slutherin as bad. Do you honestly believe a boy with this much power over people could have ever been bullied? It goes against everything teh second book established about Tom Riddle. I say he was two faced; playing the good respectable boy for the rest of the world, gaining influence and reputation, while plotting to kill every one of them

you dont know quite what i am talking about with this bullying. the most cruel thing in the world are children. they cant help it, but they have less of an idea of right and wrong. there are different types of bullying. there is the kind that doesnt last for long, and there is the kid who everyone teases, insults, beats up, for no real reason

I was bullied in Jr. High, thrown in Trash cans, punched, insulted, had my locker raided, excluded, called "white boy", the whole nine. Don't assume so much about me. I'm bitter for good reasons

harry wasnt always like that. i think that mainly he was not liked. he could always escape to his cupboard

The Dursley's could still get into the cupboard; where was his escape from them?

salazaar was chucked out

He left, he wasn't chucked out.

Listen kid, you're not a bad person, and I do respect you, but you are way too forgiving. Every person is accountable for their actions, whether they grew up a certain way or not.

[Hagger 9003]

when you change schools, you change alot. you are given a chance to reform your life. thats what i did when i went to holland. there is no one there who knew what you were like before. so you can do what you want. many people who were bullied can change. i was bullied, but in more subtle ways. i was teased, not physically beaten. mental bullying can have big affect. i imagine it may have hardened him, and made him realise what he wanted to do.

harry was a different personality. your personality changes. you have a basic one from the start, but what happens to you affects you. for example, if you are hardy, or forgiving, you can tolerate bullying. if you are full of pride, you will soon lose it. Tom had the wrong personality, so he was changed by the bullying in negative ways.

Im just tryin to understand voldie. but i do think that it is hard for some1 to be always accountable for their actions. you are only human. no matter what, somethings will happen that you didnt mean to happen. you dont deserve to be blamed for these. if you are bullied by some people, is it your fault if, when you meet them later in life, you dont like them? no! some things are just nothing to do with you. sure, this is an unfair world, but i try to make it fair. im just saying that, given the circumstances, lots of people would have done what tom did. its the easiest way, especially since you couldnt see another way.

[Tanuki]

No matter the intentions, a person is ALWAYS accountable for their actions, there are no exceptions in real life. Everyone pays the piper eventually.

If you read book two, could you honestly tell me that there is anything about young Tom Riddle that denotes that he was being bullied

no matter what, somethings will happen that you didnt mean to happen. you dont deserve to be blamed for these. if you are bullied by some people, is it your fault if, when you meet them later in life, you dont like them? no!

You may not be the one to administer justice, but along the line, someone will... and this person will have earned it. That is justice, and I believe very strongely in justice

[Cedric]

With the magical skills Tom Riddle had while he was in school, I cannot even imagine him being bullied around in school. Personally, I'd be afraid of someone with that much power. I mean he bullied Hagrad because he was different...that was in the second book also. Maybe not so much bullied but blamed more like it.

[Tween_Luv]

With Tom Riddle's kind of power, he probably either was isolated from the other students, or he was so frightening that others just followed him around mindlessly. Like Dudley, but a smart one.

[Tanuki]

with the restriction of undersage magic, he wouldn't have been able to intimidate others; however, everyone does point out that Tom Riddle was very handsome and charismatic. He could control the people he wanted to by seeming so likeable they did what he wanted. He knew how to play people and he probably did from childhood on. That is why I said he couldn't have been bullied, his people skills were too good

[Hagger 9003]

i still think he was. i just cant think of another reason for him to do what he does. i mean, why else would he act the way he does? i dont think any1 is born evil, and JK has said she thinks so too, so i want to know what made him make the decisions he made in life.

bullying seems to be the answer. im pretty certain that it must have been at the orphanage, as there was no other time between his birth and hogwarts when something could have happened. i remember that his mum died soon after birth, and his dad dumped him at the orphanage. unless somthing else pretty incredible happened, he would have been made bitter by something at the orphanage. that is likely to have been bullying. we know that he hated the orphanage, so i dont know what else could have happened there. i just know that you can be changed by bullying, so i think that it is likely.

i think he may have been a bully at school. james and sirius managed it without being noticed, and teachers are not that in touch with the students. he was almost certainly in a gang, and bullies were often bullied earlier on. its just my opinion.

[Cedric]

i still think he was. i just cant think of another reason for him to do what he does. i mean, why else would he act the way he does? i dont think any1 is born evil, and JK has said she thinks so too, so i want to know what made him make the decisions he made in life.

another reason he turned out bad was because he realised there was MORE power out there then what he had. If you remember back in I think it was book two, DD and Harry were having the conversation about why he and Voldemort were so alike and why he wasn't put into Slytherin. DD told Harry it was because he CHOSE not to! It's our choices that make us who we are not other people. We are able to change ourselves without the help of other people. Harry in every book has been bullied by Malfoy and his gang and is still remaining on the good side. Even when the whole school is against him, he still CHOOSES to remain truthful and honest.

Being bullied to turn bad isn't a bad idea, please don't get me wrong. I'm just using the information that we have to get an answer that is probably more likely.

[Imelyen]

Voldemort said (in essence) in book one, that there is no good and evil, just power, I have to say I kind of agree with him.

[Tween_Luv]

Voldemort said (in essence) in book one, that there is no good and evil, just power, I have to say I kind of agree with him.

yeah, although i do not fully agree with that, that is what voldemort believed, and so that might be why he turned so evil. also because didn't he say something about muggle father who was terrible to him?

[Tanuki]

i still think he was. i just cant think of another reason for him to do what he does. i mean, why else would he act the way he does? i dont think any1 is born evil, and JK has said she thinks so too, so i want to know what made him make the decisions he made in life.

bullying seems to be the answer. im pretty certain that it must have been at the orphanage, as there was no other time between his birth and hogwarts when something could have happened.

He was left in an orphanage...essentially abandoned by his father simply for what he is. Being in an orphanage means he probably was poor (50+ years ago, orphanages were lousy places to grow up) and resented his father for leaving him. In some people, that's enough. He wanted to prove he was better than his father, and to never have to live the life he had before; that grew into resentment at all muggles... and evnetually, evil

With everything you know about Voldy, how charismatic he is... what in your right mind tells you that it was bullying. People liked him, he could get them to do what HE wanted, so bullying is not an option, or an excuse

[Cedric]

So true. So true.

[Tween_Luv]

yeah, i agree with that. the orphanages were terrible places back then. they did not have much money to fund them. and anyways, the children probably got sick pretty often so it probably made it even worse. i researched adoption and Riddle/Voldemort probably felt really abandoned (well, duhh) and so wanted revenge against his father for putting him in such a place.