Sometimes I think about Harry Potter and just how dark it is for a children's story.
I could go on for hours about the various extremely dark aspects, but right now I'm focused on the conception of Voldemort.
Tom Riddle Sr is a victim. Merope was a victim that continued the abuse.
Yes Merope was abused, but instead of just leaving, she chose to be abusive herself. Drugging someone constantly to keep them with you. Having sex with someone under the influence is extremely abusive.
People tend to think badly of Tom Riddle Sr. But really? Leaving was valid. Yes he abandoned his child...but I can't think badly of him for that when he was essentially escaping his rapist. She was essentially trying to baby trap him. Not to mention the fact that he didn't know about magic before so he was probably really freaked out. I can't blame him for running home.
It's framed that Merope died because he left....but really she died because of a cycle of abuse. She definitely could have lived in she didn't give in to despair, but she did. And that's also valid.
Merope is classic case of the cycle of abuse. She was abused, so to escape she resorted to other abusive behavior, it was desperation so when the fantasy she had created shattered, she lost the will to continue living.
This is so dark, what's even darker though is that we're told this in a way that frames it as the reason Voldemort doesn't have the ability to care for people. We could have just been given his life at the orphanage for why he turned out twisted, but no. It's suggested that he's twisted because of how he was conceived. Which is so twisted and plants these thoughts into children. A very incorrect thought that I hope doesn't stick to people's minds.
The message we are given is that if we aren't loved as a baby we will never be capable of love. That was the big difference between Harry and Voldemort. It's so messed up and twisted and this is a children's book.
I love this series, but oh my gosh is it darker now than I ever remembered it being.
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