The Story of Annabel Lee: Does it Justify Humbert Humbert's Actions

The story of the love affair between Annabel Lee and Humbert Humbert tells the reader a lot of information. The story of Annabel Lee tells us that Humbert Humbert's want for "nymphets" comes from the missed opportunity of sex with Annabel Lee (Nabokov 14-15). The story justifies Humbert Humbert's want for Lolita, a girl that is the age of 12 and the story of Annabel Lee tells us that Humbert Humbert did not always express his desires for younger girls, "nymphets." There is a possibility that this story can be false through different interpretations which can change the basis of Humbert Humbert's views. In chapter four of part one, Humbert Humbert states,

She [Annabel Lee] sat a little higher than I, and whenever in her solitary ecstasy she was led to kiss me, her head would bend with a sleepy, soft, drooping movement that was almost woeful, and her bare knees caught and compressed my wrist, and slackened again; and her quivering mouth, distorted by the acridity of some mysterious potion...then my darling would draw away with a nervous toss of her hair. (Nabokov 15)

Annabel Lee shows some resistance to Humbert Humbert's sexual actions through Humbert Humbert's descriptions. When Hubert Humbert states that Annabel Lee "caught and compressed" his wrists, Humbert Humbert is showing that Annabel Lee is resisting his sexual actions. When Humbert Humbert describes Annabel Lee's "quivering mouth," Humbert Humbert is showing Annabel's fear. When Humbert Humbert describes Annabel Lee giving a "nervous toss of her hair," Humbert Humbert is stating that Annabel Lee is having an unstable reaction to Humbert Humbert's sexual acts. These acts can be viewed as Humbert Humbert's attempted rape of Annabel Lee. If the love affair story is one of rape, then Humbert Humbert's want for "nymphets," and his want for Lolita is not justified through the Annabel Lee story. The Annabel Lee story can be viewed as an excuse for Humbert Humbert to desire adolescent girls.

Humbert Humbert's Sleeping Pill Act can be Justified

I, personally, do no not think that Humbert Humbert's act of giving Lolita sleeping pills is justified, but with a closer analysis, this act can be justified. Humbert Humbert gives Lolita these pills so he can molest her, and Lolita would have no knowledge of it. This can be considered a justified act because this shows that Humbert Humbert cares about the Lolita's sanity and well-being. Who knows what Lolita would think if Humbert Humbert forcefully rape her. Her behavior can show signs of insanity or she can experience unstable conditions. Humbert Humbert is looking out for her well-being by giving her the sleeping pills with the intent of raping her. In chapter 27 of part one, Humbert Humbert states, "'Oh, just Purpills. Vitamin X. Makes one strong as an ox or an ax. Want to try one?'" (Nabokov 122). Humbert Humbert does not force Lolita to take the pills, he tricks her in to taking the pills which can justify his act as well. If he were to force Lolita to take the pills, Humbert Humbert would show his act of violence and abuse, ultimately, causing this act to be unjust. The fact that Humbert Humbert performed this act on Lolita without using violence or force, and the fact that he performed this act with the intent of keeping Lolita stable can make this act justified. Is this act justified, yes or no?

Existentialism

At one point while I was reading Lolita, I noticed that "existentialism" is mentioned very briefly. Humbert says it in passing, so I first thought of it as nothing. After finishing this novel, I've learned to never take anything Humbert says for granted. We all know that existentialism is the study of existence after learning about this topic earlier in the year, but why would Nabokov make a reference to this study? Looking back, I feel like Nabokov is trying to make the "jury" question the importance of Humbert's existence. Why is it important that Humbert exists?

Despite Humbert’s vile and atrocious actions, he is one of the most intriguing characters I have ever read about. He writes about each of his encounters in such a way that the reader can truly sympathize with him even though his actions may seem unforgivable to certain people. I feel that Nabokov created Humbert to show that such a character can exist. His encounters with Lolita seem so surreal and out of the ordinary, yet at the same time, Nabokov portrays Humbert in a way that the reader can easily agree with him. In this manner, Humbert is the most realistic character that I have ever seen within a novel.

Society

People are judgmental and they will always remain that way. They believe that being gay or lesbian is wrong, that having sex with a brother or sister is wrong, or an adult having sex with a child is wrong. I believe that people should live their life and stop judging the lives of other people. Going back to the idea of pedophilia, if I were a man in my late 30’s, would I ever have sex with a young girl? No. Do I believe it is wrong for an adult to have sexual intercourse with a child who is willing to have sex with an adult? No. Right now, you may be saying in your head that I am disturbed or crazy, but think about it.

Lolita wanted to have sex with Humbert. If she did not, she would not have seduced him multiple times. “Well, you haven’t kissed me yet, have you?” (Nabokov 112). In this instance, Lolita wanted Humbert to kiss him. Eventually, she jumped on him and kissed his lips. This shows that Lolita is as attracted to Humbert as he is to her. She was old enough to know that in her society it is wrong to show any sexual attraction to an adult, but rejecting societal values, she does it anyway. Humbert is not influencing her in anyway to kiss him, she is the one invoking Humbert to kiss him. Since he does not kiss her, she forces herself on to him.

Furthermore, Lolita continues to further her sexual acts with Humbert. While in Enchanted Hunters, Lolita asks if Humbert ever had sex as a child. “You never did it when you were a kid?...Here is where we start” (Nabokov 133). In this instance, it is evident that Lolita wants to have sex with Humbert. By brining up the subject of sex, she is trying to sexually arouse him. Lolita is a slut and she wants Humbert to fulfill her sexual desires.

Overall, I believe that pedophilia is not wrong if the child influences the adult to have sexual intercourse. If a child and adult both agree on having sex, leave them be. At the respectable age of 12, I believe that a child is old enough to make a decision to have sex with an adult just as Lolita made the decision to have sex with Humbert.

Who has the Power?

After reading Vladimir Nabokov’s novel, Lolita, I witnessed a power struggle between the two main characters, Humbert Humbert and Lolita Haze. Humbert, a pedophile in his late 30’s who desired sexual intercourse for a nymphet, uses Lolita to fulfill his pleasures. Meanwhile, the young girl, Lolita, takes advantage of Humbert’s sexual desires and the law against pedophilia in order to gain possessions. By being advantageous of one another’s strengths and weaknesses, one is able to obtain power from the other party.

With his disturbing, perverse mindset, Humbert used Lolita to fulfill his sexual desires. “Her legs, her lovely live legs, were not too close together, and when my hand located what it sought, a dreamy and eerie expression, half-pleasure, half-pain came over those childish features (Nabokov 14). In this instance, this was the first time Humbert had sexual intercourse with Lolita. He desired a nymphet, and he used Lolita to fulfill his craving. By using Lolita’s body to pleasure himself, he took her innocence and purity that she had. Even though she knew it was wrong to have sex with him, he was able to persuade her to have sex with him. Because Humbert satisfied his sexual desires by using Lolita, he shows that he has control over her mind and body. In addition to using Lolita for sex, Humbert took advantage of Charlotte’s death. After she died, Humbert knew that this was his opportunity to be with Lolita. When he eventually tells her about her mother’s death, she shows her sadness that night. “At the hotel we had separate rooms, but in the middle of the night she came sobbing into mine” (Nabokov 142). In this instance, Lolita shows that she needs someone to comfort for in her time of need. The only person who she believes cares for her is Humbert. Because Humbert is all she has, she wants to follow his demands which is to have sex with her.

While Humbert uses Lolita to fulfill his sexual craves and makes her believe that he is the only person who cares for her, Lolita uses his sexual desires to backfire on him. Because Humbert has sex with Lolita to pleasure himself, Lolita is able to get what he wants from him. “She constantly received from me all kinds of small presents...she earn her three pennies--or three nickels--per day” (Nabokov 184). In this instance, this shows that she now has control over Humbert. She is able to take advantage of his sexual desires in which she is able to gain money and presents from him. Even though she is young, she shows that she is manipulative and an intelligent person. In addition, she is able to use the law against pedophilia to her advantage. In an instance where Humbert argues with Lolita, she accuses him of rape. “She said I had attempted to violate her several times when I was her mother’s roomer” (Nabokov 205). Since Humbert is a man in his late 30’s and Lolita is 13 years old, she is able to threaten him with the police. If he is found out of his crime, he will be taken away from Lolita. As a result, Humbert agrees to her demands in which she wants to leave Beardsley and live somewhere else. Here, Lolita shows that she has control over him is able to influence his decisions.

Overall, I believe that Lolita remains powerful over Humbert. By receiving $4000 from Humbert and keeping her life the way it is, that shows that she has total control over him. Even though she had a disturbed childhood, she still has her husband who cares for her, while Humbert is left $4000 poorer and alone.

Body Language

Once I have finished reading the book, Lolita, I realized that there is much body language throughout that goes on. The way each character reacts to specific actions should be looked at carefully. One example is when Lolita and Humbert Humbert are alone in the house. Lolita may or may not be intentionally putting her legs on top of Humbert Humbert, but Humbert Humbert is instantly changed. He views her body language to be a fascinating part of Lolita. With this body language, Humbert Humbert responds in his own body language. He moves around and realizes he has pleased himself without making her know. "I has stolen the honey of a spasm without impairing the morals of a minor. Absolutely no harm done" (Nabokov 62).

During the ending of Lolita, Humbert Humbert finds Clare Quilty and seeks revenge. Clare shows how nervous he is when Humbert Humbert finds him and begins to talk to him. Humbert Humbert watched Clare trying to change the subject about Lolita. Clare tries to make Humbert Humbert think of something else while Clare tries to find something. "He turned his head away, looking for something. He beat his pockets. He attempted to rise from his seat" (Nabokov 296). Clare's body language proves that he is trying to avoid the situation by bringing up different topics for their conversation. Clare tries to ignore what Humbert Humbert is trying to talk about. Clare attempt to move on from the topic and fidgets. Reading through this final chapter, one will find many signs of nervous body language with Clare. However, Humbert Humbert's body language seems to be a strong and powerful force he uses against society. This means he can usually hide his love for Lolita in public.

Misleading Love Story

Vladimir Nabokov’s novel, Lolita, does not portray the same story and the movie. The novel allows the reader to interpret Humbert and Lolita’s relationship as either mutual or one-sided. I personally believe that a young girl could never initiate a relationship with a grown man, but the movie is not open to the same interpretation. In the movie, Lolita is portrayed as an older looking girl and clearly responsible for seducing Humbert. Was the novel written with the intent to make readers side with Humbert? I believe that because Humbert is the narrator of the story, readers tend to understand his perspective. While to some he may be seen as innocent because the story is written from his point of view, I believe he is guilty of being a pedophile.

The contrast between the novel and movie becomes clear in the scene in which Humbert picks up Lolita from Camp Q. The book portrays Humbert’s inappropriate thoughts as he plots to “whizz over to Camp Q, tell Lolita her mother was about to undergo a major operation at an invented hospital, and keep moving with my sleepy nymphet from inn to inn while her mother got better and better and finally died” (Nabokov 106). Contrasting the novel, the movie shows that Humbert is lying to Lolita to protect her and does not show much emotion or excitement about seeing her. I believe the movie was made to persuade viewers to see Lolita as a seductive, shady character. Also, the novel was written in Humbert’s perspective to make readers sympathize with him, however, I do not.