Yes, the young Tom Riddle was supposed to be "handsome" and charming. He became Head Boy, got a school award, etc. Many sociopaths do have that ability to cover up their essential lack of a soul with charm and achievement. They know how to snow-job. Tom Riddle, in his Hogwarts days, managed to snow-job almost everyone except, it appears, Dumbledore (and I wager McGonagall as well; she was a smart girl and I bet she wasn't really fooled by Tom's act).
I think it's great to delve into the complexity of Tom's character, and to explore what makes him tick, what his school days were like, how he became Voldemort, etc. But remember - JKR said this herself - he never loved anyone. He may have had a girlfriend or two but he never loved them! He'd use women for trophies or for sex or whatever and then coldly break it off. Tom Riddle was NOT Fitzwilliam Darcy or even Heathcliff! He was NOT a romantic hero! He. Was. A. Sociopath. Like Ted Bundy. He was capable of murder even as a teenager. Sound like the kind of boy you want to bring home to mum?
In the CoS episode, I think that while Tom did violate Ginny mentally, and one could say it was a rape of sorts, nothing sexual happened. At any rate, Ginny was only eleven. If Tom were to have sex with her that wouldn't be romantic, that would be statutory rape. Blech.
Yes, I'm just a Gryffindor at heart. :) I can definitely understand the appeal of "bad boys" like Sirius Black, and yes, I'm sure I would have fallen hard for Sirius were he a real character and I in his universe, but Sirius, unlike Tom Riddle, was capable of love. Tom was scary, and while I don't want to stop writers from penning Tom stories or even Tom romances if that floats your boat, if I see Tom Riddle depicted as Ginny's or Minerva's fluffy-wuffy snoogy oogums, I will click the "back" button.
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timeasmymeasure
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Date: 2005-01-31 09:18 pm (UTC)Yes, the young Tom Riddle was supposed to be "handsome" and charming. He became Head Boy, got a school award, etc. Many sociopaths do have that ability to cover up their essential lack of a soul with charm and achievement. They know how to snow-job. Tom Riddle, in his Hogwarts days, managed to snow-job almost everyone except, it appears, Dumbledore (and I wager McGonagall as well; she was a smart girl and I bet she wasn't really fooled by Tom's act).
I think it's great to delve into the complexity of Tom's character, and to explore what makes him tick, what his school days were like, how he became Voldemort, etc. But remember - JKR said this herself - he never loved anyone. He may have had a girlfriend or two but he never loved them! He'd use women for trophies or for sex or whatever and then coldly break it off. Tom Riddle was NOT Fitzwilliam Darcy or even Heathcliff! He was NOT a romantic hero! He. Was. A. Sociopath. Like Ted Bundy. He was capable of murder even as a teenager. Sound like the kind of boy you want to bring home to mum?
In the CoS episode, I think that while Tom did violate Ginny mentally, and one could say it was a rape of sorts, nothing sexual happened. At any rate, Ginny was only eleven. If Tom were to have sex with her that wouldn't be romantic, that would be statutory rape. Blech.
Yes, I'm just a Gryffindor at heart. :) I can definitely understand the appeal of "bad boys" like Sirius Black, and yes, I'm sure I would have fallen hard for Sirius were he a real character and I in his universe, but Sirius, unlike Tom Riddle, was capable of love. Tom was scary, and while I don't want to stop writers from penning Tom stories or even Tom romances if that floats your boat, if I see Tom Riddle depicted as Ginny's or Minerva's fluffy-wuffy snoogy oogums, I will click the "back" button.