Poor sod was bullied by the Dursleys on a daily basis!

Tom Riddle's childhood wasn't that bad. Sure, he grew up in an orphanage- but he spent that time torturing his fellow orphans. Really diminishes any pity I might feel for his orphan status.

I almost picked Severus because I think he came from a poor family and his father abused him. But I'm not sure how severe it was and he did still have his mother who supported his magical education and whom he seemed to care for.

But I went with Harry because he suffered physical, emotional and mental abuse every day until he was 11. Frankly, it's a miracle he survived to that age.

I agree with fanfly. After going through what Harry did, a normal kid would probably be in severe depression.

By the way, I like the icon you used for Harry. :)

and snape's..my heart breaks when i imagine how their childhood was

Harry suffered the most, in my opinion because like fanfly said, it's unbelievably difficult to be physically, mentally, emotionally, etc. abused at such a young age. To be stashed in a cupboard, make breakfast for your aunt, uncle, and cousin, to be beaten when you do one thing wrong, and live with people who lied to you about how your parents died is one thing. And then to learn that your parents were actually killed by the dark sorceror, Voldemort and how he tried to kill you as well but that backfired is another. And yet, Harry's pure strength, choices, and bravery allows him to overcome the horrid truth the Dursleys kept from him, allowing him to believe he lost his parents in a car accident and go on with life is such an amazing thing, I think.

he was in a lunitic assylum or something like that

^No he wasn't. He was raised in an orphanage.

i picked harry. but i just started the books after being a long time movie fan sooim only on book 5 so i dont now snapes story

Neville had a bad one, too... not as bad as these guys, but still bad.

Horrible </3 Then Snape :/

All of them,but most Harry:(

Ah ok, but from what I've heard orpanages are really rough.

and Tom

Being treated bad is way not as crap as seeing treating bad.

I picked Severus because, while Tom never saw other kids being abused (except when carrying the abuse on them himself) and Harry had the image of a family that did not like him but was united in front of him and his oddity (we may say what we want, but the Dursleys loved each other and sticked together as a real family should), Severus not only suffered abuse but was in the middle of a completely dysfunctional family where disunity was the rule. Poor Severus...

How you already said, there was no fun in Harrys life until he went to Hogwarts. He got bullied by the Dursleys and in school, had to work in the house and live in a cupboard. He didn't know his life was going to get better. I think if I was him, I would have probably killed myself.

Snape definitely. Just look at the circumstances he came from...

I'm normally quite nice and polite on fanpop, but this is an issue I feel very strongly about because I feel JKR was unjust and self-righteous about it.
In my opinion:

Harry is the least badly treated. There was no fun in his life, yes, but at the same time, as soon as he got to Hogwarts (which is still his childhood) he was famous, rich, had friends, was loved by most of the people he met and everyone else sucked anyway so it didn't matter (or that was how it was shown). He knew his parents loved him, he always did, and things got better for him. He also saw the Dursleys as LadyNotthingham said acting like a true family unit and giving him the example he needed for the rest of his life.

Snape had an awful childhood, as far as we can see. He never had an example of a good family, BUT most of what people think about his childhood is inferred/not proven/speculated about. We know it was awful, we know he lived with an unhappy family in poverty and that his father was a wizard-hating man, but what else, really? Snape also had an understanding of the power he controlled, and Lily, which no doubt gave him love/friendship/companionship.

Whereas, Tom (who lets be honest, was the most screwed up out of all of them), was NEVER cared for, NEVER loved, NEVER had any friends, went to an orphanage where we know people thought he was strange, knowing that his mother didn't give a s*** about him. And let's face it, it wasn't the sort of nice orphanages you get today, it was in London in the 1920s/1930s and during the war, which means based on historical knowledge of the time that people there were regularly beaten and/or sexually molested. I'm not saying he was, I'm just saying that happened. And on top of that, he was given this incredible power that he didn't understand (unlike Harry who isn't as powerful and Snape who DID understand it) and given the opportunity in a life of neglect and the beginnings of insanity to get back at kids that were mean to him ('I can hurt people who are mean to me'). Then he went to Hogwarts where Dumbledore who loves anything and everything in his sight didn't like him, didn't even pity him ('are you saying you feel pity for Lord Voldemort?') into a house that hated people from a muggle background.

The reason why this topic means a lot to me is that reading the books (which, like everyone here, I'm very passionate about) JKR made it seem like Tom and Harry were the same, and the only difference between them was only choice. But it wasn't. From the time he was eleven, Harry was loved, rich, famous, had good friends and a strong support base, things that Tom never, ever had. The difference between being loved and not is huge; if you've never received love, how can you be expected to feel it properly, why would you make the choice for good when as far as you're concerned you have the power and intelligence to have whatever you want?

I'm just saying. Sorry if I offended anyone - and no, I don't think this makes Voldemort's actions justifiable, nor do I think it makes Harry and Snape any less tragic and awesome.

I dont see how Voldemort's was as bad as Harry and Snapes. His poor Mother tried to save him and died. His stupid father rejected him and his mother. BUT he chose to take the wrong path. Snape's father was abusing not only to him but to his mother. He was mocked by non other than Harry's father and godfather. Yes he was mean too when he called Lily a mudblood, but I think he was trying to hide his affection for her ( as we all very well know now). And Harry lost both his parents, had to live with his dreadful Aunt and Uncle and spoiled to death cousin. Endure bully Draco and his cronies, and not Understand why Snape had such a grudge on him, but at the same time care about his well being. While being haunted by his arch nemesis coming back in strange forms and in weird places.

I agree babybell

Snape

I know I'm late in responding to babybell's comment but I have to say my piece.

Tom's and Harry's childhood until they were 11 was very similar. Neither one of them were loved or cared for. Harry didn't know how much his parents loved him until he was 11. In fact, he knew very little about them at all- and what he thought he knew turned out to be a lie. Harry absolutely suffered physical and mental abuse. It's well documented. He had no friends and was constantly told how worthless he was. Tom most likely suffered physical abuse although it's never explicitly said and he most likely was made to feel worthless. However, the main difference in their childhood is their reaction to their abuse. Harry very rarely acts out in any way and although he resents the Dursleys he never tries to seriously harm them. Tom, on the other hand, before the age of 11 is already abusing his fellow orphans. He's become a thief and sadist before he even made it to Hogwarts. And when he got there, everyone loved him except Dumbledore. He was popular and well-liked by almost all. But instead of allowing that good will towards him to heal his past, he used it to manipulate people.

When Harry got to Hogwarts, yes everyone was enamored of him but very few people were his true friends. The other students feelings towards Harry vacillate wildly and often, from hero worship to contempt. Harry could have used his celebrity status to manipulate people and gather power- that's what Tom would have done. But Harry chose not to. So yes, JK is right...the major difference between Tom and Harry is in their choices. Tom did not suffer any more than Harry did. He just reacted to it differently.