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Tom and Harry, Alike, yet so different |
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 Jan 29 2007, 08:36 PM
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#1
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 Chief Cat Herder   Posts: 3,467 Joined: 10:28am August 6, 2005 Location: In the Corner Booth - home of the elusive Holy Grain!  |
Harry James Potter and Tom Marvolo Riddle - both orphans, both half-bloods, both late to discover they are wizards, and Parselmouths. We have seen that Harry has had a difficult childhood and growing up in a Muggle orphanage in the 20's and 30's was no picnic. The parallels might lead one to expect that these two characters would turn out similarly, yet they couldn't be more different.
In Chamber of Secrets, Harry learns of a boy named Tom who earned an award for Special Service to the school, was Head Boy, and showed Harry a memory of Hagrid hiding a creature in the school. He seems to be an upstanding young man, and it is not until the events down in the Chamber that Harry learns the reality of Tom's true nature. Tom tells Harry that there are many similarities between them, and Harry later expresses his fears to Dumbledore about whether he was sorted into the correct House. Dumbledore tells Harry "It is our choices, Harry, that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities." Let's discuss the contrasts between these two seemingly similar characters. Why did they end up so different from each other? At what points along their development have choices been critical? What is it about Harry that leads him to make the choices he does, or about Tom that led him to make such drastically different choices? --------------------  To listen and share great filks, check out Swishandfilk.com New stuff: MJ's Can't Sit Waiting & Leaky Sister's Flying Free |
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Feb 1 2007, 05:28 PM
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#2
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Gambol and Japes' Research Department   Posts: 1,375 Joined: 3:41pm July 24, 2005 Location: The Time Room of the DoM, trying to find a way to slow down time   |
A very large part of development is nurture, but nature plays its role too. I have little doubt that the incest we later discover occured on Tom's mother's side of the family resulted in insanity. Harry not only doesn't have that problem, he has been repeatedly told how well-bred he is by fellow wizards through endless praise sung of his parents.
Arguably, the most significant choice Harry has made up to CoS was when he chose to chase after Snape (as he believed) to try to get the Stone. He took the first step necessary for becoming a hero; he took action. And, Aislinn, thanks for the pronunciation guide. -------------------- "Of course it is happening inside your head, Harry, but why on earth should that mean that it is not real?"  Thanks for the use of the Garden image tanyal33! |
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Feb 1 2007, 06:42 PM
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#3
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Just Through the Brick Wall Posts: 2 Joined: 10:09am August 4, 2005 |
I apologize if this is not the proper spot to post in, but I wasn't sure where else to post, and it does involve both Harry and Tom. I've always wondered about the following passage in Chamber of Secrets, and am curious whether anyone else thinks it's a bit peculiar.
In chapter 13, The Very Secret Diary, when Harry is following Tom, the passage reads: "But to Harry's dissapointment, Riddle led him not into a hidden passageway or a secret tunnel but to the very dungeon in which Harry had Potions with Snape. The tourches hadn't been lit, and when Riddle pushed the door almost closed, Harry could only just see him, standing stock-still by the door, watching the passage outside. "It felt to Harry that they were there for at least an hour. All he could see was the figure of Riddle at the door, staring through the crack, waiting like a statue. And just when Harry had stopped feeling expectant and tense and started wishing he could return to the present, he heard something move beyond the door. "Someone was creeping along the passage. He heard whoever it was pass the dungeon where he and Riddle were hidden. Riddle, quiet as a shadow, edged through the door and followed, Harry tip-toeing beihnd him, forgetting he couldn't be heard. "For perhaps five minutes they followed the footsteps, until Riddle stopped suddenly, his head inclined towards the direction of new noises. Harry heard a door creak open, and then someone speaking in a hoarse whisper." So the new noises come from Hagrid, and Tom proceeds to accuse him of setting Aragog loose on the castle, of course, but who's footsteps had they been following before Tom's sudden change of interest? It seems like it could be important. Any ideas? |
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Feb 1 2007, 09:34 PM
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#4
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Shopping for a New Firebolt Posts: 844 Joined: 9:18pm July 24, 2005 |
I have thought often about the difference between Tom and Harry, and I think the answer can be broken into two parts.
First, I feel that the death of the mother plays a big role. Consider that Tom's mother died because she just couldn't go on any longer. I think that Tom is right in thinking that his mother could have lived if she wanted, but she had given up because Tom Sr. didn't love her and her heart was broken. There wasn't enough love in her for her son except to try and get him into a place where he would be protected. Harry's mom, on the other hand, gave her life for Harry. This act of love left a lasting impression even if he had no significant memory of it. Second, Tom actively sought power, while Harry has it thrust upon him. There is a very old saying, "Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely." I personally don't think this is completely accurate. I think it is much more like the Biblical misquote. "Money is the root of all evil." This is far from true. The correct quote, though, is very true. "The love of money is the root of many evils." Power doesn't have to corrupt, but those enamoured with power will be corrupted by it, and those who love absolute power will be absolutely corrupted. When we read what Tom's response was when he found he was a wizard we know that he was obsesed with the absolute power over life and death. Specifically his life and the deaths of others. That is as corrupt as one can get. |
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 Feb 1 2007, 10:59 PM
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#5
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Cauldron Bottom Measurer  Posts: 122 Joined: 4:53am December 12, 2006 Location: sECOND tO tHE rIGHT, tHEN sTRAIGHT oN tILL mORNING |
...Harry and Tom Riddle have loads of things in common, too many that Lord Voldemort have chosen Harry and not Neville to be what the prophecy is pointing...Their parents have the same fate..They were Parselmouths...And based on the adventures so far of Harry hunting <or hunted> LV, they are a match...Exept maybe that LV is much more of a bright student and Harry's average...
-------------------- "If you want to know what a man's like, take a good look at how he treats his inferiors, not his equals."  |
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Feb 1 2007, 11:39 PM
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#6
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Kibble Boy/Girl at the Magical Menagerie  Posts: 295 Joined: 1:08am December 30, 2006 Location: Lounging in Leaky to discuss DH... |
Yeah Harry and Tom Riddle had many things in common...even their appearences were slightly matching...They both were Half-bloods, Parsletongues and orphans(Of course, Riddle is responsible for the last two things)
But yet, For me, which makes them very different from each other is their attitudes and choices.. Riddle was very obsessed with his parentage...He was proud to be the heir of Slytherin..It doesn't matter, anyone would've been excited to know they are the remaining heir of a great wizard... But what makes Riddle such a cruel one is his attitude about the non-magical people...also, he wants to dominate everyone, scare everyone, punish those who offend him..Well, he seems more like a psycopath to me.. But Harry has quite differnt attitude and choices from Riddles'. He never wanted to dominate, or scare everyone..On the contrary, he wants to be friends with all and he loves all.. So on the whole, they both may look similar in apperance and some talents...But they're totally different in their charecters.. This post has been edited by Magicquill: Feb 1 2007, 11:40 PM --------------------    |
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Feb 2 2007, 11:04 AM
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#7
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Dumbledore's Personal Secretary   Posts: 3,438 Joined: 10:28am December 31, 2006 Location: In a bowling alley with my boss. |
They say no one is born evil but Tom Riddle comes close to busting this notion. In spite of the fact that they were both orphans and did not get love in their childhood, Harry and LV turn out to be diametrically opposite characters.
The streak of insanity in the Gaunt family no doubt contributed to what LV became, but as DD says, one always has the choice to choose between what is right and what is easy; and LV definitely did not choose what is right (he chose what seemed right to him, no doubt).  Harry was protected by the love his parents had for him, and in particular, Lily's sacrifice which not only shielded him from the Avada Kedavra but also from the lure of evil that consumed LV. LV never loved and was never loved the way Harry does and was(and still is) and thus he is unable to understand the power of love over all the powers that be. It is also interesting to note that the colours red and green figure largely in their differences. 1) Harry's eyes are green whereas LV's are red. 2) Harry is in Gryffindor whose colour is red and LV was in Slytherin which is green. 3) In the graveyard scene in GoF, Harry uses expelliarmus which sends a jet of red light and LV uses AK which of course is green. 4) This is more fanciful, but I'll put it down nevertheless - LV is very violent and causes a lot of bloodshed in the world (figuratively, as very little actual blood is shed by him). Violence is associated with red in colour analysis and green signifies growth, freshness, hope and new life, all of which can be connected with Harry. All said and done, I agree with DD that it is the choices we make that shows what we are rather than our abilities. 
This post has been edited by rowena r: Feb 2 2007, 11:07 AM --------------------  |
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Feb 2 2007, 02:56 PM
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#8
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Eeylops Owl Cage Cleaner  Posts: 234 Joined: 2:05pm December 22, 2006 Location: Takin' the A Train |
Aislinn asked us, "At what points along their development have choices been critical?" When Dumbledore says "It is our choices..." he and Harry are talking about the importance of Harry choosing to be a Gryffindor. Then he says that Harry is a "true" Gryffindor. It was a critical choice for Tom as well to become a "true" Slytherin and by charm and cunning amass a group of "real friends" that helped him rise to power.
Its weird, but Harry must have felt for an moment that he had found someone who really understood him. Hogwarts is everything to Harry in COS: "See why I've got to go back to Hogwarts? It's the only place I've got - well, I think I've got friends." So he believes what Tom shows him about Hagrid against everything he knows about Hagrid because "Riddle was going to go back to some Muggle orphange if they closed Hogwarts." But like Magicquill said, Tom is a psycopath. How did he feel about Hogwarts at that same age? Certainly not like it was home. Although just like Harry he never had a home, unlike Harry he doesn't seem to want one. He is lacking that human element. [ Pebble, I have no idea but does anyone else? -------------------- Member of D.O. 116 days until 07-21-07 |
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Feb 3 2007, 07:53 PM
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#9
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Being Eaten by the Pea Soup  Posts: 41 Joined: 10:16am July 12, 2005 |
An answer to Pebble:
While Tom and Harry are waiting hidden in Snape's dungeon, they hear footsteps approaching. This footsteps are Hagrid's, who is trying to approach Aragog's hidding place very quietly. Then Harry and Tom follow Hagrid's footsteps until he reaches Aragog's hidding place. The new sounds heard are Aragog's clicking and scratching when Hagrid opened his box. Is that correct? I always assumed it was this way... Hope it helped!
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Feb 3 2007, 08:27 PM
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#10
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Just Through the Brick Wall Posts: 8 Joined: 1:21pm June 15, 2005 |
I believe that mercy, which can be connected with compassion, which is connected with love are the biggest differences between Harry and LV. Because Harry has these things he is able to have a connection with Ron and Hermonie, and so many others.
Although I wonder about LV when did he start down this path? We know he had alredy began torture by age 11, but how and when did it start? What did he do to those kids in the cave? What went short in LV mind, and when did it really start to happen? We know he didn't cry much as a baby, but that dosen't really mean they are evil I think something more had to have happened. Maybe I am way off base here, but I think we have more yet to learn about LV. |
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