Essay on Defining Lolita: the Novel and the Name

Tropp, Sandra Fehl., and Ann Pierson. D'Angelo. "Pornography (1983)." Essays in Context. New York: Oxford UP, 2001. 543-47. Print.

The book Lolita is a highly controversial novel written by Vladimir Nabokov. Lolita tells the story of a man, Humbert Humbert, and his utter infatuation with a young “nymphet” named Lolita. The book and subsequent film adaptations, specifically Stanley Kubrick’s 1962 adaptation and Adrian Lyne’s 1997 adaptation aim to create a feeling of sympathy for the protagonist, Humbert Humbert. Through the use of first person narration, Humbert Humbert is able to manipulate readers with simple inaccuracies, making him an unreliable narrator.

Furthermore, Humbert further provides a dishonest narrative through his creation of a ‘grotesque theatrical character’ (Courtier 1996), in order to disassociate himself from the monster he truly is. This is aided by how Nabokov uses a diary-like structure to allow Humbert to experiment with his own format, for example ‘Main character: Humbert the Hummer. Time: Sunday morning in June. Place: sunlit living room.’ (Nabokov 1955) which resembles a script that Humbert himself has created when in reality he is reciting yet another lust-filled encounter with Lolita. Throughout this passage, and the novel, Nabokov switches from third person to first person narrative which further illustrates Humbert’s confusion over his desires, and how he

So far, so good. Having had intercourse with Lolita earlier that morning Humbert, not surprisingly, sees her as his victim, sees both her childlike innocence and the signs of his own brutal assault on that innocence. But at the end of the passage, Humbert's understanding of Lolita and her "lost innocence" changes radically as he proclaims her to

Blindly driven by his lust for Lolita, he uses any set of words in order to defend his actions. For example, he claims that Lolita is the one that came onto him and that she had complete control in their relationship. However, in truth, Humbert is the adult who restricts Lolita’s money and freedom. It is only at the end of the novel in which Humbert finally admits to being the one who stole Lolita’s childhood.

One aspect of ‘Lolita’ that may deem it unacceptable as being part of the literary canon or having any canonical value is its subject matter; a middle-aged man’s obsession with a twelve-year old girl. On the surface, this seems disgusting and creates a feeling of repulsion within the reader. But under the surface, there are connotations of deep, sincere love from both Humbert and Lolita. “…and I looked and looked at her and knew clearly as I know I am to die, that I loved her more than anything I had ever seen or imagined on earth, or hoped for anywhere else.” Nabokov’s poetic elegance turn Humbert’s mentions of love into sweeping statements of an emotion that seems to be deeper than love. In a way, even after Lolita has left him at the end of the novel, Humbert writes his memoirs as if to ensure that

The two passages, written by Humbert Humbert, describes two of his ‘nymphet’ loves. In the passage, both Annabelle and Lolita gets introduced. Read the passages carefully. Then, write an essay that compares H.H.’s perspective of the two characters to show his feelings on both of them.

Vladimir Nabokov’s Lolita is notable for its controversial subject: the protagonist and unreliable narrator. Through the years since the book was published there has been an emencice amount of controversy on the actual contents of the book, but when applying the psychoanalytic literary lens an entirely different understanding of the text is presented. Through an abstract point of view, an intense inner conflict in the narrator, and an unusual definition of beauty, the text evokes an intense emotional response from readers that can not be expected from the initial perspective of the book.

There are several points where I disagree with Mr. Prescott about Lolita, but that was expected since this review was written in 1958. One point that Mr. Prescott makes is that the novel is disgusting and that, “to describe such a perversion with the pervert's enthusiasm without being disgusting is impossible.” He also states that Mr. Nabokov failed at doing so in Lolita, but I disagree. I actually believe that Nabokov succeeds in confusing the reader and makes the narrative of a pervert not as disturbing as most would think it to be. All of the french words and phrases used as well as the numerous uses of figurative language in the text distract the user from the disgust they feel about his perversion. One place where this occurs is in a small

In the book “Reading Lolita in Tehran”, the author portraits a story of oppression towards Iranian woman and the kind of life they go through. As known, some Iranian men are commonly known for their sexism and oppression towards the woman population in Iran. The story takes place during and after the revolution in Iran. During this period the Iranian State was transitioning into an extremist Islamic regimen.

Love and obsession are often misinterpreted to be the same thing, yet one can cause people to flourish, while another destroys the people involved. Humbert Humbert becomes obsessed with the childlike innocence in young girls and pursues a 12 year old girl, Lolita. Humbert and Lolita develop a sexual relationship that inevitably takes away her innocence more each time that they are together. Vladimir Nabokov uses irony and diction in Lolita to show how Humbert is obsessed with Lolita’s childlike innocence, and how his obsession leads to the destruction of the childhood that he is so desperately trying to obtain.

Only at the end of the novel does Humbert truly acknowledge and recognize all that he has caused: the robbing of Lolita’s childhood. Thus, he gives himself new nicknames: “the tyrannic old father,” “the demented,” “a

Humbert had forced Lolita to have constant sex with him throughout their trip or else she would become a ward of the state and would no longer be able to receive extravagant gifts. Lolita, startled by this complies with his rules.

Dick receives a job offer in Alaska, where he plans to take Lolita, whom he calls Dolly. • The name Lolita has become a synonymous with underage sexpot • Lolita is not attractive nor is she particularly charming. Humbert remarked her with her skinny arms, vulgar language, freckles and unladylike behavior • He has objectified Lolita • He controlled money was well as Lolita’s

Vladimir Nabokov, one of the 20th century’s greatest writers, is a highly aesthetic writer. Most of his work shows an amazing interest in and talent for language. He deceptively uses language in Lolita to mask and make the forbidden divine. Contextually, Lolita may be viewed as a novel about explicit sexual desire. However, it is the illicit desire of a stepfather for his 12-year old stepdaughter. The novel’s subject inevitably conjures up expectations of pornography, but there in not a single obscene term in Lolita. Nabokov portrays erotic scenes and sensual images with a poetic sensibility that belies the underlying meaning of the words. The beautiful manipulation of language coerces one to understand Humbert’s interdict act of