In this section things heat up and Humbert Humbert and Lolita's relationship transforms into a sexual one. What's interesting about his section is How it is described and how Lolita acts. Humbert Humbert doesn't transpire any actual details about his sex with Lolita. In fact, immediately after it occurred, he goes on about what he wish he could have done to make the moment more romantic. This leads me to believe in a way that Humbert Humbert's attraction to Lolita isn't purely physical as one might think. Even when he drugged Lolita and had ample opportunity to force himself onto her and sate his desires, he didn't. He mainly daydreamed about "caressing" her, to preserve the sanctity of the moment. I think that Humbert Humbert, though still obviously attracted to Lolita physically, is really in love with Lolita's innocence, or the idea of it. Which is ironic to me because as we are introduced to more and more of Lolita, her vulgarness seem to become more apparent. Lolita is like the typical teenager, moods ranging from obsessive curiosity to disinterest an disgust. Lolita's reactions to the events that happen in this section illustrate that tug between adulthood and childhood that most teenagers suffer. She accuses Humbert Humbert of incest and rape, implying that she understands the indecency of their actions. Yet, like most children, teenagers or not, she's not prepared to deal with the emotional consequences these actions caused, wanting desperately to retreat to the safe-haven of her mother.
What do you think of Humbert Humbert as a narrator given the irony of his infatuation versus what we are seeing of Lolita. Humbert is stuck in his own world, dazed and only seeing this enchanting nymphette instead of an actual thirteen year old girl.
Do you think that this perception is affecting the story in any way? If so, what do you think is being significantly changed?
How do you feel about Lolita's reaction to the sex between her and Humbert Humbert? Sex is almost like a game to her, describing the sex she had with Charlie as "fun" but easily becomes despondent, bored, and sometimes disgusted by it as well.
I thought about this top as I read. He wants to preserve the moments with her, not so much preserving her innocent mind. He wants her to only be his but the obsession is deeper than that. He had already figments up his actions before they ever became physical. In Lolita's mind he is supposed to be a father figure but her point that she is in she is searching for that male attention. Humber even "regards her as my child" which makes us feel like he has a parental mind of protection over her yet he wants to induce and seduce the adult and child states of her mind.
ReplyDeleteAt one point he even states that mrs haze "simply hated her daughter" and loathed that her son died. Her mother is reiterating the need for male dominance rather than to nurture the child remaining she pushes her away which makes it easier for her to be with Humbert. At this point in time she is aware of the wrong but the lines have been crossed by her so there is no turning back.
I definitely think H.H. is stuck in a fantasy world that he has projected on Lolita. He assumes that she is the embodiment of all his desires; he envisions his wants onto her, regardless of whether or not the real Lolita fits these ideals.
ReplyDeleteH.H. is completely lost in his own thoughts, ignores the details of the situations, and is just generally trying to enforce his own sense of morals on the reader as well as the other character(s).
The perception of the story is certainly skewed toward H.H.'s views; is causes the reader to be more aware of the content within the novel.
The perception of the narration is skewed because it is coming from H.H, if it were to come from Lolita now that would be a different book altogether. H.H again tries to have us sympathize if not say "well he could have done a lot worse" especially in the scene where he plans to drug and molest Lolita but ends up not doing it anyway. He is definitely stuck in a fantasy world and Lolita can't live up to these fantasies causing a rift in their relationship. This in turn causes him to try to appease her more and become overly obsessive and possessive with her. Lolita, still being a child, is still trying to navigate that thin line of growing up into adulthood but H.H is stunting this growth, which leaves her unhappy.
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