Criticism and the future Lord Voldemort

I have learned to recognise signs and symptoms of behaviour and scenarios commonly found in and associated with cults, cult leaders and cult members.

Now that I know what to look for, I can see examples everywhere. 

There is even some relevant material in the Harry Potter books: Lord Voldemort speaks and behaves like a cult leader.

The young Tom Riddle, Lord Voldemort to be, shows signs of what is to come. His response to criticism is very typical of the way people involved with cults react; I have encountered this reaction many times myself. 

Response to allegations and criticism

We need to be informed, balanced and objective and consider the source when deciding whether allegations involving cults and cult leaders are true or not. There are such things as revenge, spite and envy; people do lie and exaggerate; people do try to drag down or even destroy someone who is above them or sabotage the work of an organisation that is working to make the world a better place.

The reactions of the accused and their supporters to allegations and criticism may help us decide whether or not the claims are justified and true. Automatic dismissal and denial, ad hominem insults, counter-accusations and the attack-dog syndrome are all dead giveaways!

Tom Riddle and the rejected criticism

J. K. Rowling nails it when writing about the future Lord Voldemort and his first group of supporters.

Diana Wynne Jones’s witch: Gwendolen Chant

I am very interested in fictional witches whose attitudes, characteristics and behaviour remind me of people I have encountered in real life, including energy vampires, horrible stepmothers, unpleasant teachers and negative colleagues.

Not only that, but I also have an unpleasant and unwelcome suspicion that some of these witches show and embody something of what I might have become by default if I had taken the path of least resistance and not faced reality, escaped the clutches of energy vampires, fought my fate, defeated my destiny and overcome many unseen influences.

Gwendolen Chant, who appears in Diana Wynne Jones’s Charmed Life, is yet another witch of interest. There are some scenes in this book that make me feel very uncomfortable, not only because of how I was treated but because of how I felt and behaved – or wanted to behave – when I was much younger than I am now.

Gwendolen’s life before Chrestomanci 
Gwendolen Chant is around 12 years old; she is a very pretty and charming young girl, a golden-haired, blue-eyed princess; she has much innate magical ability; she is convinced that she has great talents and will achieve future fame; she displays queenly behaviour, feels destined for great things and expects to rule the world.