"For reasons that may appear more obvious than they really are, I am opposed to capital punishment; this attitude will be, I trust, shared by the sentencing judge. Had I come before myself, I would have given Humbert at least thirty-five years for rape, and dismissed the rest of the charges. But even so, Dolly Schiller will probably survive me by many years. The following decision I make with all the legal impact and support of a signed testament: I wish this memoir to be published only when Lolita is no longer alive” (308-309).
It is amusing that Humbert would begin this passage by sardonically claiming that he is opposed to capital punishment, and that he is sure that this sentiment will be “shared by the sentencing judge”, particularly, since, he is sitting behind bars for carrying out the execution of Quilty in a Hollywoodesque scene that is as comedic as it is heroic. Certainly, it is the heroic Humbert presenting himself here, as he suggests that his sentence shall be only “thirty-five years” for raping Lolita. He then goes on to suggest he should be rewarded for ridding the world of a man as evil as Quilty. Humbert continues his theme of obsessed hero as he acknowledges he should not outlive “Dolly Shiller” and as such, he is prepared to nobly, support a “legal impact” that would seal his fairy tale until her death. Humbert, though, has no idea of what chivalry or heroism looks like in real life and, as a result, the version he presents of himself does not materialize into a noble protector or father figure. Ultimately, this passage may serve as a reminder to just how unreliable Hubert is as a narrator and offers the reader the chance to abandon a moral reading of this text in favor of an aesthetic one.

Does Humbert’s unreliable narration enable readers to separate their own moral lens from the text? Should this novel be treated as an American fairytale or is it merely smut?

Romanticizing obsession

“And I looked at her, and knew as clearly as I am to die, that I loved her more than anything I had ever seen or imagined on earth, or hoped for anywhere else”  (277)

This quote illustrates the two main themes of the novel: Obsession and how languages is used to deceive the reader. When H.H. has his final confrontation with Lolita he still thinks he has a chance to live happily ever after with her, even though he knows that she is with child and has clearly moved on. His love and passion for her goes beyond the call of fatherhood and clearly shows how insane and obsessed H.H. is. His obsession for Lolita has totally destroyed his life, he is filled with the single thought of Lolita and is unable to move past the fact that he has lost her. Instead of realizing he is at fault H.H. blames this all on Quincy and sets out to kill him and get revenge for what was “taken” from him.

Additionally, with this quote H.H. tries once again to romanticize his relationship with Lolita. He tries to convince the reader that he is a hopeless romantic and we should sympathize with him and forgive his terrible crimes. H.H. clearly does not see a problem with his behavior and wants to manipulate the readers. If anything the final meeting between H.H. and Lolita is ironically fitting for him because she is able to be happy without him in her life and she receives financial compensation for her terrible childhood.

Why do you think H.H. places all of the blame on Lolita’s kidnapper Quilty? Why can H.H. not take responsibility for his perverse actions?

There Was in Her a Twilight

“…and it struck me, as my automaton knees went up and down, that I simply did not know a thing about my darling’s mind and that quite possibly, behind the awful juvenile clichés, there was in her a garden and a twilight, and a palace gate- dim and adorable regions which happened to be lucidly and absolutely forbidden to me, in my polluted rags and miserable convulsions;” – pg. 284

Despite the countless hours spent with Lolita over the course of their relationship, Humbert never depicts his nymphet’s personality or the inner workings of her mind to the reader. As a result, Lolita has no “voice” in the events of narrative, which gives Humbert’s character full control over the way that we view their relationship. As this passage points out, it wasn’t until long after she’d been taken away from him before it finally “struck” Humbert that he “simply did not know a thing” about the true, inner Lolita. The realization that within the objection of his affection there are parts forbidden to him in his “polluted rags” frustrates Humbert and only seems to remind him that their “love” was doomed from the start. The imprisoned Humbert writing the story appears to be deeply distraught as he looks back and discovers there to be an entire side to Lolita that escaped his power, control, and manipulation, and perhaps, even worse, a side to Lolita that he can not describe, exaggerate, idolize, fantasize, or obsess over as he rots away in a prison cell.

One is then left to wonder why it is that Humbert’s obsession with Lolita never spurred him to truly get to know her. Was it because Humbert was more interested in preserving the perfection of the nymphet figure that he had constructed in his fantasies than he was in the real, human Lolita? If he had taken the time to understand and learn about Lolita’s thoughts, opinions, and quirks, would Humbert have still chosen to pursue her as her lover, or instead as a loving father?

Lolita- pg 283

“Nothing could make my Lolita forget the foul lust I had inflicted upon her. Unless it can be proven to me- to me as I am now, today, with my heart and my beard, and my putrefaction- that in the infinite run it does not matter a jot that North American girl-child named Dolores Haze had been deprived of her childhood by a maniac, unless this can be proven (and if it can, then life is a joke), I see nothing for treatment of my misery but the melancholy and very local palliative of articulate art.” (pg. 283)

This quote is found directly after the scene in which Humbert encounters Dolores Schiller for the first time since she made her escape. Humbert pleads with her to come back with him and she bluntly states that she would be more willing to take Cue back because he only broke her heart, whereas Humbert broke her life. Following his departure from Coalmont, Humbert seemingly takes full responsibility for his actions for the first time through this demonstration of deep remorse. He finally admits that he has in fact ruined her life by robbing her of her childhood and that there are no measures he could take to rectify the situation.

While this passage seems to be a sincere affirmation of regret on the surface, as a reader I still have a difficult time buying into it. There have been plenty of instances in which Humbert uses his prose to manipulate the audience and I wonder if this is yet another ploy to deceive. I do not discount the fact that he certainly has come a long way from the Humbert we were initially introduced to. Perhaps he genuinely does love her in his own distorted way; however I feel that if he were truly taking on the burden of full responsibility for ruining his Lolita’s childhood, he would not be obsessed with seeking revenge against Quilty. If he believes that he is the guilty one, why does Humbert find it necessary to kill the man who rescued Lolita from the torture that Humbert alone was inflicting upon her?

What is your take on Humbert at the end of this novel? Is he being sincere and does he really recognize the impact that his actions had on Lolita?

Fatherly Advice

"Be true to your Dick. Do not let other fellows touch you. Do not talk to strangers. I hope you will love your baby. I hope it will be a boy. That husband of yours, I hope, will always treat you well, because otherwise my spector shall come at him, like black smoke, like a demented giant, and pull him apart nerve by nerve" (Chapter 36, pg 290-291).

So Humbert concludes his memoir after discovering Lolita married and pregnant at seventeen and killing Clare Quilty for kidnapping her. Quilty and Humbert were remarkably alike: both have an obsession with nymphets and possess the ability to manipulate language, though Quilty is more like a typical pervert in how he uses Lolita. Quilty's death at Humbert's hand almost makes it seem like Humbert was trying, too late, to protect Lolita from a worse version of himself.

Over the course of the novel, Humbert has established his relationship to Lolita as a romantic one under the guise of a paternal one, but perhaps this relationship, like many of the events in the book, has been twisted by Humbert's perception. Now, knowing he can never return to Lolita, he gives her parting wisdom which sounds like a a mixture of what a father would tell his daughter over the course of her life, from the "Don't talk to strangers" spiel given in childhood to the threat that hangs over Dick should he mistreat her. He kills Quilty for stealing her away. Humbert is even willing to go to jail for Lolita's rape, but believes he shouldn't be charged for the murder because in the former case he recognizes he stole Lolita's innocence, but in the latter he was trying to protect her.

Has Humbert finally learned to be a father, or is he covering himself for his crimes? Does his shifting relationship with Lolita mean he is a changed man?

The Nymphet Obsession

"...I seldom ever dreamed of Lolita as I remembered her - as I saw her constantly and obsessively in my conscious mind durng my daymares and insomnias. More precisely: she did haunt my sleep but she appeared there in strange and ludicrous disguises as Valerie or Charlotte, or a cross between them." -pg. 254

This passage illustrates H.H's constant projection of his "nymphet" obession onto those he meets in his life. Lolita had served to perfectly embody and personify Humbert's idea of this "nymphet" that he had lost in Anabelle as a young child. In many ways, Lolita full-filled everything that Humbert had always wished to find. Before he found Lolita, however, H.H attempted to project his "nymphet" ideas onto anyone who would do at the time, such as his first wife, Valerie, who he only liked because of her child-like qualities. Humbert also projected his obsession onto Charlotte, only because of what he was sure he could get from her - the real thing, that is, Lolita. I think that having Lolita appear to him in his dreams as both of these women serves to further highlight the idea that, in many ways, every other women or girl Humbert encountered was just another way for him to deal with his nymphet obssesion. Every other relationship was just a stepping stone until he could achieve what he had so longed for; finding a nymphet.

After Humbert loses Lolita, I think it is safe to say that this obsession in no way dies down. In contrary, it becomes even more passionate and fierce. He starts to only think of Lolita, the nymphet, he has lost. This shows that no matter what H.H did in his life, his obsession would always be there, whether he was projecting it on other women in any way he could, or whether it was by aquiring his own nymphet like Lolita. H.H is an obsessed man who cannot be cured, no matter what he does.


How is the idea that Humbert Humbert constantly dreams of Lolita, mixed with the other women in his life, sufficient in embodying his obsession with nymphets? Can the readers determine if there is an end to Humbert's destructive and alarming obsessed spiral?

Lolita and HH

"Suddenly, as Avis clung to her father's neck and ear while, with a casual arm, the man enveloped his lumpy and large offspring, I saw Lolita's smile lose all its light and become a frozen little shadow of itself…she was gone—to be followed at once and consoled in the kitchen by Avis who had such a wonderful fat pink dad and a small chubby brother, and a brand-new baby sister, and a home, and two grinning dogs, and Lolita had nothing." (286)

Humbert realizes how empty and worthless Lolita has felt all along; that he took her childhood from her and cannot make it up in any way, and that he never really knew the real Lo: "It struck me…that I simply did not know a thing about my darling's mind and that quite possibly…there was in her a garden…which happened to be lucidly and absolutely forbidden to me…" (284).

The reader can also tell he feels very small after he goes to the house where she and her husband live. He asks her to take him back and run away with him, Lolita opposes. From that scene on, it seems like he lowers his guard and forgets all about his French pride and writing skills and is begging Lo to take him back. I find ironic that when they were together, he would take away from her the money he gave her so that she wouldn't escape. But now that she is all escaped and married and pregnant and not his anymore, he is even able to give her $4000 acknowledging she will not go back to him anymore.

Has Humbert become a more sensible, sane man by this point in the story? Or do the last moments of Humbert outside of jail reinforce the themes that have been associated with him? (Insanity, control, evilness)

Lolita- page 185

"...what I feared most was not that she might ruin me, but that she might accumulate sufficient cash to run away. I believe the poor fierce-eyed child had figured out that with a mere fifty dollars in her purse she might somehow reach Broadway or Hollywood- or the foul kitchen of a diner (Help Wanted)..." -Page 185




This passage includes the themes of both obsession and control. He is so obsessed with Lolita that he would rather be altogether ruined than be without her. However, the two are closely related. It is as if Humbert doesn't think that far ahead. If he were to be "ruined," he wouldn't have Lolita anyways.

Money is one way that Humbert control's Lolita. He pays her 21 cents everyday as long as she does her 'duty.' However, money as a means of control often backfires. It backfires because Lolita knows that Humbert really desires her 'duties' and because Humbert fears she could use this money to leave him.

At the end of passage I, Lolita is very upset with Humbert but in the end goes back to him sobbing because "she had absolutely nowhere else to go" (142). She does appear to be saving up money. But for what? Do you really think that she might attempt to run away? Sometimes, the abused save up enough resources, but never get the the courage to run away. Do you think that is Lolita's case?

Control

'Look,' she said as she rode the bike beside me, one foot scraping the darkly glistening sidewalk, 'look, I've decided something. I want to leave school. I hate that school. I hate the play, I really do! Never go back. Find another. Leave at once. Go for a long trip again. But this time we'll go wherever I want, won't we?'
I nodded. My Lolita.” Chapter 14 pg. 207

This reversal of roles shows how the control has shifted. Before Lolita was being possessed by Humbert and he planned the trip around America, however, now Lolita is calling the shots. She seems to have learned that by controlling physical intimacy she can control Humbert, as he does not have self-control over his obsession. Humbert believes he is making her happy and keeping her within his grasp when he is actually helping her to escape in the future. Humbert is confused and enchanted by Lolita's new found maturity and he is so blinded by his obsession with her he misses his real threat, Clare Quilty. Humbert is the enchanted hunter and because he is so enchanted and distracted by Lolita he is unable to see Quilty in the shadows plotting to steal Lolita away.
This new trip also shows Lolita's freedom and she seems less like a fairy child and more calculating teenager. For example, she explains away her piano lessons coolly and arranges for her friend to lie for her. The theater seems to be Humbert's explanation and he is correct, but in the wrong way. It is not only the theater that causes his slipping grip on Lolita, but it is Quilty in the theater. Humbert's superior European knowledge has failed in analyzing the situation and making the connection between the play and real life. Humbert is trying to save his relationship with Lolita and keep her a nymphet for himself and it causes the relationship to become a strange father-daughter relationship, pushing her farther and farther from his lover fantasy. He does not see this aspect and so he follows her out of Beardsley to save their relationship.

Will Lolita finally escape Humbert? Does his inability to accept her maturity and escaping make you pity Humbert? While Humbert is losing control of Lolita does Quilty and the shadows represent self-control? Is Lolita running from one pedophile to another?

Genealogy

“—I would have to get rid somehow of a difficult adolescent whose magic nymphage had evaporated-to the thought that with patience and luck I might have her produce eventually a nymphet with my blood in her exquisite veins, a Lolita the Second, who would be eight or nine around 1960, when I would still be dans la force de l'age; indeed, the telescopy of my mind, or un-mind, was strong enough to distinguish in the remoteness of time a vieillard encore vert-or was it green rot?-bizarre, tender, salivating Dr. Humbert, practicing on supremely lovely Lolita the Third the art of being a granddad” (174).

In this passage, Humbert laments that he made “a great mistake” when he did not flee for Mexico and set into motion this incest driven fantasy. An interesting contrast exists here in Humbert’s blurring of the loving roles of husband, father, and “granddad” with his pedophilia. Humbert’s willingness to combine these roles provides an example of his fractured sense of self and time. He seems only to be capable of thinking about time in terms of his “dans la force de l'age” and a “nymphet’s” peak years. Everything else, such as, consequences, is a remote impossibility for Humbert who claims through the “telescopy of my mind, or un-mind” to be able to imagine each generation he will prey upon. Ultimately, he fails to fill in the spaces between the periods of molesting his progeny and perceive how his actions are incompatible with the roles he imagines assuming. As a result, Humbert seems like a determined and fragmented monster that is similar to a mid-evil vice character in his inability to be moral. Therefore, this passage may serve to remind readers that Humbert’s solipsism, which is rooted in rhetoric and control of language, sometimes fails to persuade due to his inability to define or express love in a way most would understand.

Obsessions

"...I would park at a strategic point, with my vagrant schoolgirl beside me in the car, to watch the children leave school-always a pretty sight...she would insult me and my desire to have her caress me while blue-eyed little brunettes in blue shorts, copperheads in green boleros, and blurred boyish blondes in faded slacks passed by in the sun." (I have the ebook so the page numbers are a bit off, but it can be found in chapter 2).

This particular excerpt effectively encapsulates Humbert's obsession with nymphets and feminine youth, not necessarily Lolita. Lolita is a victim in many respects, but what stands out in particular (to me, anyway) is the flagrant manner in which Humbert has projected onto her both Annabel's memory and his deeply grotesque fascination with pubescent girls. I find this scene particularly disturbing (aside from the fact that he wants Lolita to fondle him while he watches young girls exit a school bus) because it highlights her insignificance in a way. Despite Humbert's apparent obsession with Lolita, he remains attracted to other nymphets and, at times, compares Lolita to those who are more appealing to him, if even by a smidgen. She is enticing because she is more accessible than other nymphet's due to his title of convenience: stepfather. Also, Lolita is vulnerable because she has no one else to turn to, and Humbert preys on that, frightening her with the threat of being sent to a reformatory school should he be thrown into jail. In addition, Humbert goes out of his way to locate a beach so as to reenact the scene from his childhood, and, ironically, his sexual plans with Lolita are foiled, much as they were with Annabel. This is just one of many instances in which Lolita appears to play the role of the puppet, a stand-in of sorts.

Lolita's usefulness will perceivably expire when she breaches the realm of maturity, via age or the loss of innocence, the latter of which has already occurred. So why is Humbert still obsessed with this tainted nymphet? The target of Humbert's lust, like a pendulum, seems to sway back and forth between Lolita and youth in general. He appears to justify his attraction to her by labeling it "love", but is that accurate? Can Lolita conceivably become a component of Humbert's future sans nymphet-ness?

Page 207

"In our hallway, ablaze with welcoming lights, my Lolita peeled off her sweater, shook her gemmed hair, stretched towards me two bare arms, raised one knee:

'Carry me upstairs, please. I feel sort of romantic to-night.'" (207)

This passage made me question Humbert's trustworthiness and Lolita's sanity even more than I had before. What is going through Lolita's mind at this point? Has she become completely used to what she is doing with Humbert and now provokes it or is this Humbert's attempt at defending himself? After I read this part, I continually questioned everything that Humbert said. Was he telling how things really happened or was this all made up in an attempt to defend his crime? If Lolita is really behaving the way that Humbert describes in this passage, what is she thinking? This shows how much of an affect the things that he has done to her have had. In part two, we see how much Lolita is changing. The things that she and Humbert have been doing have had an enormous impact on her relationships with other people her own age. Will Lolita ever be able to escape Humbert and live a normal life? Is Lolita okay with the way they are living?

Deception

"By permitting Lolita to study acting I had, fond fool, suffered her to cultivate deceit. It now appeared that it had not been merely a matter of learning the answers to such questions as what is the basic conflict in "Hedda Gabler," or where the climaxes in "Love Under the Lindens," or analyze the prevailing mood of "Cherry Orchard"; it was really a matter of learning to betray me. How I deplored now the exercises in sensual simulation that I had so often seen her go through in our Beardsley parlor when I would observe her from some strategic point while she, like a hypnotic subject or a performer in a mystic rite, produced sophisticated versions of infantile make-believe by going through the mimetic actions of hearing a moan in the dark..." (Chapter 20, pg. 215-216).

Here, Humbert Humbert bemoans his decision in allowing Lolita to participate in her school's drama department, believing she has learned to deceive him by constantly acting around him. As Part Two of Lolita continues, it is clear the Humbert is growing increasingly paranoid, thinking Lolita is perhaps having a tryst with another older man. His worries carry a double irony, the first being that he is unwilling to lose Lolita as a sexual partner, though she is a couple years the nymphet age, and the second is his fussing over her supposed deception when the audience (be it the readers or the jury) have to take smooth-talking Humbert's words with a grain of salt, since he needs to portray himself in a positive light if he hopes to be found "not guilty" for whoever's death he caused. If Humbert were to think clearly, however, it would not be certain if Lolita learned the dramatic skill set through her school or rather, has she been using it throughout their relationship, stringing Humbert along and constantly toying with his emotions.

Has Lolita now found a way to fool Humbert, so she may carry out her plans? Or rather, has she been doing this all along, toying with Humbert's emotions because she knew he had more to lose than she did?

Lolita vs. Humbert

Miss Pratt: “…Dolly is obsessed by sexual thoughts for which she finds no outlet, and will tease and martyrize other girls, or even younger instructors because they do have innocent dates with boys…” (197)

Humbert: “…I sat beside Dolly just behind that neck and that hair, and unbuttoned my overcoat and for sixty-five cents plus the permission to participate in the school play, had Dolly put her inky, chalky, red-knuckled hand under the desk. Oh, stupid and reckless of me, no doubt…(but) I simply had to take advantage of a combination that I knew would never occur again” (198)

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Here we have a young girl, who, on one side of the coin, seems terribly dysfunctional, teases her classmates for not being sexually active, and does not excel in school; but who, looked at from the other side of the coin, gets paid 65 cents to masturbate her (legal?) guardian.

In my opinion, this scene is probably the most perverse and macabre in the story. Lolita is not only 100% adjusted to having a corrupt childhood but also has an incentive for maintaining it. This lifestyle is what leads her to “be obsessed by sexual thoughts for which she finds no outlet.” As a result, people around her notice the undisguised side effects of Humbert’s presence in her life (even though he strives to keep it all a secret). At this point the readers’ point of view on Lo is a drastic one, either they sympathize with her and are understanding of her behavior or think of her as a dumb girl who, one way or another, got herself into this.

Humbert, on the other hand, is definitely reduced to his lowest terms. He tries to control every aspect of Lolita’s life, which leads him to become paranoid and lunatic. The reader can even see in the first quote’s scene how Miss Pratt is awkwardly confused for his refusal to let Lolita engage in school activities. Humbert definitely lost control in the situation.

Will Lolita realize she is been the protagonist of a tragedy? Or will she keep assuming her childhood is the ‘norm’ and that all other girls are staying behind? 

Lolita Part I- page 132

"Frigid gentlewomen of the jury! I had thought that months, perhaps years, would elapse before I dared to reveal myself to Dolores Haze; but by six she was awake, and by six fifteen we were technically lovers. I am going to tell you something very strange: it was she who seduced me." -Page 132

The 'anesthesia' from the purple pills had worn off. Dolores, wakes up with Humbert Humbert in the same bed as she and pretending to be asleep. She isn't freaked out, frightened, or even just a little surprised. Instead,
Dolores’ reaction is to kiss him and then have sex with him.

This really makes me question even further what is going on in Lolita’s head and that she may actually be the seducer more than Humbert. However, taking a step back, it appears that Humbert’s presentation of his defense is “working” on me, at least to a small extent. At this point in the novel, is Humbert’s defense “working” on you? Yes, pedophilia is wrong, disgusting, and loathesome, but do you  think that Humbert should hold all of the blame?

Mother/fatherhood and Sanity?

"I could of course visualize Lolita with hallucinational lucidity; and nursing as I did a triangle on my breastbone at the exact spot her silky top had come into contact once or twice with my heart; and feeling as I did her warm weight in my lap (so that, in a sense, I was always "with Lolita" as a woman is "with child"), I was not surprised to discover later that my computation had been more or less correct." -p 107

This passage is one example of those that play a key role in the novel. It reminds us, with the example of being "with child," that Humbert Humbert is no ordinary pedophile. He is a pervert, yes, but he's also crazy. He compares himself to a pregnant woman here, demonstrating his need for control and possession and anything to be close to Lo, his obsessive love and now, questionably, daughter. Per usual, his logic is not clear here. Why does he also want to be a father figure to the one he lusts after? Can he control his awful urges of lust to Lolita or is it actually the result of some childhood trauma or strange need for control or a child-like relationship?

Perhaps he cannot control his urges, as they occur so frequently throughout the novel. You can never read too long without coming becoming uncomfortable with a subtle or entirely too blunt description of Lolita with an inappropriate response of Humbert's body to it, as his "breastbone" with "her warm weight in [his] lap." More likely though, Nabokov uses these instances to remind us of his filth and constant lust and desires. It keeps us from ever viewing Humbert as the hero or rooting for him to succeed. This makes us question the purpose for the novel and what Nabokov wants our response to be. Are we supposed to sympathize with Humbert, and if not what is the point in reading a disgusting pedophile's thoughts? Are we supposed to see a real love here? But how can we see this as a love novel with the constant interruptions of pedophiliac lust? It is much more complex than love or lust, but Nabokov presents us with tough decisions in every page about our response to this Humbert Humbert.

Child No More

"Her kiss, to my delirious embarrassment, had some rather comical refinements of flutter and probe which made me conclude she had been coached at an early age by a little Lesbian." -p. 133

When Humbert and Lolita are finally reunited, it's shocking to learn that Lolita was never the innocent little girl that I had imagined. From the mental image that Humbert had conceived of her before, I believed that Lolita was a charming, young, innocent girl whose purity needed to be preserved, lest Humbert steals it from her. Yet, upon her return from camp, Lolita is actually the one who makes the first initial move on Humbert. Furthermore; Lolita is even more experienced than Humbert, and even coaches him. After learning that Lolita has been a promiscuous child while she has been away at camp, it makes me wonder if Humbert had been crazy all along. It seems almost conceivable that when he imagined that Lolita took a liking to him, it could have actually been true. All of Humbert's crazy fantasies before seem not so crazy anymore.

Or are maybe Lolita and Humbert both crazy? And if so, did Lolita notice Humbert's previous sexual encounters with her?

Love vs. Sexual Attraction

“Mingled with the pangs of guilt was the agonizing thought that her mood might prevent me from making love to her again as soon as I found a nice country road where to park in peace. In other words, poor Humbert Humbert was dreadfully unhappy, and while steadily and inanely driving toward Lepingville, he kept racking his brains for some quip of the bright wing of which he might dare turn to his seatmate” (140).

At this moment, Lo and Humbert have just left the hotel where he lived out his fantasies and succeeded in having a sexual encounter with Lolita. These were his thoughts when he noticed that she was rather quiet and had an unhappy look on her face. While it is refreshing to have a glimpse of Humbert’s seemingly nonexistent conscience, that breath of fresh air is quickly soured by his other thoughts about the situation. Once again, we see just how immature and selfish he is. By referring to himself as “poor Humbert Humbert,” I found myself disgusted with his request for sympathy. There is a definite contradiction between his claims of loving Lolita so much and his actions. If love were actually present, he would be concerned with her sudden hostile mood and silence, but instead he does not pay attention to her present needs or feelings. He is only worried about how “dreadfully unhappy” he is because he knows that Lo is not going to give in to him again that day. This excerpt only supports the argument that his “feelings” for Lolita are purely sexual.

Does Humbert feel guilty about what he has done? Or do his other thoughts completely overshadow and contradict any possible feelings of guilt? Do you think there is any way that he actually loves for Lolita?

Plunged into a nightmare (pg. 129)

Pg. 129 (End of Chapter 32)

"This was a lone child, an absolute waif, with whom a heavy-limbed, foul-smelling adult had had strenuous intercourse three times that very morning. Whether or not the realization of a lifelong dream had surpassed all expectation, it had, in a sense, overshot its mark -- and plunged into a nightmare."

At this point in the novel, Humbert Humbert has successfully accomplished his mission of having sexual intercourse with Lolita. However, he begins to feel uneasy and realizes that perhaps the aftermath wasn't exactly what he expected. Lo acts distant and even more harsh than her usual self while in the car the next morning. Humbert even states that he feels "as if I were sitting with the small ghost of somebody I had just killed." Humbert clearly feels uncomfortable with the situation at hand. This is also evident in the way he describes himself in the section I chose. Usually very cocky and arrogant about his looks and self, he is now insulting and belittling himself. Lo is in some sort of pain and seems to be very upset with Humbert, to the point where she calls him rude names, accuse him of physical damage to her body, and then goes as far as to say she should call the cops on him and tell them that he raped her. All of this said, of course, in her "dynamic" way, in which Humbert can't tell if she is joking or if she's actually posing some sort of threat to him. This adds greatly to his alrady miserable and paranoid state.

How has this sudden turn of events effected Humbert Humbert? Did he really expect things to resume normally after having intercourse with his precious and delicate Lolita? How do you think the relationship between them has changed? Does Lo's threat of turning in H.H. completely obliterate any hopes he had of continuing this secret, sexual/romantic relationship with her?

A Claim at Innocence

"Frigid gentlewomen of the jury! I had thought that months, perhaps years, would elapse before I dared to reveal myself to Dolores Haze; but by six she was wide awake, and by six fifteen we were technically lovers. I am going to tell you something very strange: It was she who seduced me."
(pg. 132)

This passage is important in that it highlights some of the reasoning behind Humbert Humbert's motives. Although he recognizes himself (to some extent, depending on the day) as a pervert, he still seems very determined to preserve Dolores' innocence. The reader can be sure that his desire for the little girl is overwhelming and seems to contrast that idea of him keeping her whole. By referring the jury and telling them it was Lolita who seduced him, H.H is putting the blame onto her. He is washing his hands of his horrible deeds, as if he didn't actually have any free will against her at all. He is making Lolita out to be the guilty one, the "nymphet" who used her powers to undermine his own self-control. H.H is once again using the magic of words to twist himself into a more favorable light. He allows Dolores Haze to be the cause of the eventual seduction, seemingly forgetting that she is a twelve year old child and he is the adult. In this way, Humbert Humbert is redeeming himself, not in the reader's eyes, but in his own. He is finding some way, any way, to rid himself of the guilt he feels for being a pervert and for desiring this "seduction" by Dolores Haze.



In what way can this situation that is presented by Humbert Humbert be seen as a plea for his own innocence against the powers of nymphets like Dolores Haze? In what ways is it very obvious that even Humbert himself does not fully believe what he is saying?