After reading Lolita, I have come to a conclusion: Humbert Humbert is full of excuses. He acknowledges that his pedophilia is wrong. Rather than accepting his punishment, Humbert Humbert provides a series of excuses for his relationship with Lolita. As the jury, the readers must decide whether his excuses are the truth or the product of his defense. I believe that Humbert Humbert is an unreliable narrator, who uses excuses to defend his pedophilic thoughts and actions.
Humbert Humbert's first excuse is evident with his creation of the word, "nymphet." Nymphet, a fictional word, describes a young girl, who possess sexual appeal and knowledge beyond her years. By identifying Lolita as a nymphet, Humbert Humbert defends his actions. He states, "Frigid gentleman of the jury! ... I am going to tell you something very strange: it was she who seduced me" (Nabokov 132). He claims that Lolita made the first move because she is a nymphet. However, the jury must remember that nymphet is a fictional word, created for Humbert Humbert's excuse.
Furthermore, Humbert Humbert defends his obsession with Lolita. He claims that he loves her. However, I believe that he is using this argruement to excuse his actions. If Humbert Humbert "loves" Lolita, than it is it excusable for him to try to control her. However, I believe that Humbert Humbert controls Lolita because he needs her sexually. In addition, Humbert Humbert uses the excuse that he "loves" Lolita to justify his murder of Clare Quilty. The reader is led to believe that he kills Quilty because of his love for Lolita. However, I believe that Humbert Humbert kills Quilty because of his excessive pride. Similar to Valeria's lover, Humbert Humbert cannot bear the thought that Lolita would leave him for someone else. Therefore, Clare Quilty must die.
As a member of the jury, do you believe that Humbert Humbert is telling the truth? Or do you believe that his "love" for Lolita is an excuse for his pedophilic actions?
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ReplyDeleteDeanna, you made some really good points. I do not believe that his “love” justifies his actions. I agree with you that instead of accepting that he is a pedophile, he tries to give us reasons about why he is not. I feel if he really loved her, it would be more believable. I also agree that if he loved her he would not control her. Love is not locking someone in a closet, like he wanted to do to Lolita. Humbert also did not let Lolita spend time with her friends. At one point he did not let her be part of the play. This is not love. I also feel that if he loved her truly, she would not always seem so scared of him.
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