Tom's Secrect Riddle!

What exactly do you think caused Tom to turn into Voldemorte? Was it his childhood? ego? or plain evil? please share!

I believe that Tom's childhood was the fuel for his darkness. Since he was an orphan he had to travel the tough road alone. He never really had that "Love",that Dumbledore mentioned was the reason he failed to kill Harry. Tom had no mother father or anyone to confide in and be a recprient and giver of Love. Its such a crucial aspect of development which Tom never recieved. That is why when he was bullied in the orphanaged his only defense was wrath. Without Love, the only person one can confide in is oneself. Likewise Tom's only way to fill in this "void" is to revenge those who bullied, opressed, and hated him. Secluded in Hogwarts....Tom devised a plan to become the greatest Wizard the world has ever known. Was it from selfish and "better-than-you" aims? No. He devised this plan because he was lost in this world. Without a foundation of Love, a person is the most vulnerable being in existance. Tom became Voldemorte because of all of the aspects of Love he was missing:security,acceptance, companionship,self-acceptance, ability to give and recieve,ability to show compassion, forgiveness, and peace. I will break each aspect down in a future post,but for now I hope you can see why without these aspects Tom really needed to fill this void with something attainable. Power in his mind was the greatest thing that could fill in this void. This is the security and peace Toms was aiming at. By striking fear into others, Tom had a sense of security and control that filled in the void of Love. He needed friends. The Death Eaters were that aspect of companionship that filled the void of Love. Mind you only through fear did he acquire these "friends"s since Tom really was a lone. But notice most of all these "fill-ins" fill only about 50% if that of each aspect of Love. Why? You really cannot replace something for something else.

Tom was unlike the other kids...he was a wizard making him an outcast from the orphanage itself.

I think he was just an evil little boy. Everyone has a choice, and he chose the most evil route imaginable.

I think it had a lot to do with the place he grew up. I think that he never forgave his mother for dying and when he found out that he was half muggle that just made everything worse.
He was angry at being dumpedand I think angry about being different at first. It was then that he probably decided to do mean things, if you are not liked anyway what have you got to lose.
It is all about power and control and about who has the most.

we are all power hungry to a certain degree.
some more than others.
no one is selfless.
Tom was just more hungry than others.

One, not EVERYONE is power hungry in some way.
Two, calling Voldemort "just more hungry than others" is the understatement of the year.

understatement indeed
but everyone wants more of something.
some were meant to lead others were meant to fallow