In many cases, one might see that Humbert Humbert is a bad guy, since he has obsessions with young girls. However, if one were to look past his pedophile ways, one can see that Humbert has been through traumatizing experiences, that has caused him to act this way. From my perspective, I have compassion for Humbert Humbert. The reader may portray him as a bad person; however, I believe that he knows what he is doing is wrong and that it is not his fault that he cannot control his feelings. One may believe that Humbert Humbert started feeling this way when he met his first love, Annabel. However, when they would spend time together, they would always get interrupted. Before they could get physical she passed away because of typhus in Corfu. I believe that Humbert started to feel this way because he could never fully be with Annabel. Humbert has never met any woman who reminds him of Annabel, until he meets Lolita. I think that Humbert finds similarities among young children because when Annabel and him were together, they were both very young. He probably could not find any woman who has similarites as Annabel, which is why he looks for younger girls instead. I also feel bad for Humbert Humbert because, Lolita seems to know what she is doing, which is leading Humbert on. Especially at the end of chapter 15 when Lolita goes back to Humbert and kisses him before she leaves for camp. Lolita also went into the car, when Humbert did not invite her. There are times where one can see that Humbert is the bad guy; however, Lolita also helps portray him as one with her actions. Humbert is also lonely. He lost Annabel when he was still young, which must have been a traumatizing event for him. Also, Valeria left him for another guy which is good and bad for Humbert; however, it is quite sad to see that he is left alone again. All Humbert wants to do is be loved, and he cannot show it because he knows what he is doing is wrong. Since he leaves his stuff laying around, he does want people to find out about his obsession so that maybe someone will stop him. Overall, I do feel bad for Humbert because he has had a hard life, and he cannot control his true feelings.
In my opinion most people would have compassion for Lolita; however, my compassion is for Humbert Humbert. In the beginning of the novel I had no compassion for Humbert Humbert and all of my compassion went to Lolita. As I read further in the novel, my perspective changed. Humbert Humbert does present himself to the reader as a pedophile. He talks about how he loves nymphets. He even goes into detail about their body features and characteristics. He knows the exact age a girl hits puberty and he has had sex with a nymphet. Although Humbert Humbert’s actions are morally wrong and disturbing, Lolita lets Humbert Humbert act pedophilic towards her. Not only does she allow it, she flirts with Humbert Humbert. She reacts flirtatiously towards his actions. After Humbert Humbert picks up Lolita from camp, Lolita asks Humbert Humbert, “Say, wouldn’t mother be mad if she found out we were lovers?”(Nabokov 114). Not only does Lolita admit to Humbert Humbert that they have a connection, she calls him her lover. She does this knowing her mother is married to Humbert Humbert, and he is her stepfather. Lolita tells Humbert Humbert this is incest, but she kisses Humbert Humbert anyways. When Lolita and Humbert Humbert kissed in the car Humbert Humbert said,” I touched her hot, opening lips with utmost piety, tiny sips, nothing salacious; but she, with an impatient wriggle pressed her mouth to mine so hard that I felt her big front teeth and shared in the peppermint taste of saliva”(Nabokov 113). By Lolita putting pressure into the kiss with her stepfather, Lolita is acknowledging she wants Humbert Humbert to act this way towards her. At times, Lolita may act that she does not enjoy Humbert Humbert’s actions; however, she does. She would not respond to Humbert Humbert’s actions, if she did not want to be touched.
In my opinion, Humbert Humbert deserves compassion from the readers. Even though Humbert Humbert is known as a pedophile, one can find innocence in his secret love towards Lolita. Since he lost his old love Annabel, he needed love from a nymphet. Many readers might refer Lolita as a protagonist or a victim. However, Humbert Humbert needs compassion from the readers. Humbert Humbert may be criticized with his perverted allusions, and his obsession on the nymphets. But, the author of this novel, Vladimir Nabokov, lets Humbert Humbert to perform his love towards Lolita. Humbert Humbert’s actions might not be “moral”, I believe that his obsession has to be respected. Despite Humbert Humbert’s immoral actions, Lolita lets him to perform his “unethical” love. Also, Lolita likes him back. “Lolita arrived, in her Sunday frock, stamping, panting, and then she was in my arms, her innocent mouth melting under the ferocious pressure of dark male jaws, my palpitating darling!” (Nabokov 66). However, until this point, her love cannot be defined as a pure love. Luckily, Humbert Humbert was able to cease Lolita’s mind. Humbert Humbert is a very calm and systematic in his plan of action. In other words, he contemplates before taking any action. Because of his decent look and act of “kindness”, Lolita also fell in love with Humbert Humbert. Maybe, Humbert Humbert was fortunate enough to get a young nymphet that falls in love with an old guy. Since Humbert Humbert was experienced in love, he took his relationship further. “I touched her hot, opening lips with utmost piety, tiny sips, nothing salacious; but she, with an impatient wriggle pressed her mouth to mine so hard that I felt her big front teeth and shared in the peppermint taste of saliva” (Nabokov 113). No one can stop the love. As long as Lolita likes Humbert Humbert back and likes his actions, their love should be accepted, and deserves compassion. Humbert Humbert’s proved that age is just a number, it is not an important factor in love.
One may have compassion for Lolita because she is a twelve year old girl. At first, I did have compassion for her. Humbert Humbert was someone who had walked into her life by accident. She did not ask for a pedophile to live in her household. Humbert Humbert’s words and descriptions were creepy and disturbing. I would have not thought that he would go into that much detail and thinking about a nymphet. Humbert Humbert would get angry if he did not get her attention or if her mother interrupted them, making him seem insane. But as the story progressed, I noticed that Humbert Humbert knew it was wrong to think what he was thinking. He did not want to harm Lolita in any way. He tried to control himself and think of situations where he would not be able to do anything pedophilic. I think one should feel compassion for him because he is the innocent one. His first love died at a young age and ever since then, he has been looking for someone to replace her. The only issue with that is that he is not a nymphet’s interest anymore. Humbert Humbert knows that, but he feels empty without a young girl’s love. Lolita was intelligent enough to notice the way Humbert Humbert was acting. Instead of ignoring it, she actually gives him the permission to treat her in the way that he does. Sometimes, she is the one who instigates it. After her mother died and Humbert Humbert picked her up from camp, she kissed him. He said, “… I was dreadfully afraid I might go too far and cause her to start back in revulsion and terror” (Nabokov 113). Lolita made the first move, leaving Humbert Humbert feeling guilty because he does not want to hurt or scare her. He actually cares about Lolita. He may be a pedophile, but he has feelings and Lolita does not keep his feelings in mind.
I tend to disagree with one who feels compassion for Humbert Humbert. Although he may have experienced a traumatic loss in his life, it makes no excuse for his current behavior. His obsession with particularly young girls is absurd. The fact that Humbert Humbert recognizes his own bizarre fantasies and fails to put them to an end makes me feel even less compassion towards him. One may claim that Humbert Humbert has gone mad; however, if he was truly insane, he would not be able to recognize that what he is doing is absurd and morally wrong. This is what causes me to feel less sympathetic towards him. Although it may appear that Lolita is flirtatious with Humbert Humbert at times, it does not excuse the actions of Humbert Humbert. While Lolita is twelve years old, Humbert Humbert is in his late thirties. The actions of a twelve year old are not comparable to that of someone in their thirties. Whether or not Lolita appears to be flirting with Humbert Humbert, as an adult, Humbert Humbert should not act upon his sexual desires. I also find Humbert Humbert’s marriage to Lolita’s mother to be quite disturbing. His reasoning for the marriage is to have incestuous relations with his new step daughter Lolita. Once again, Humbert Humbert realizes his plan of action is morally wrong, but continues to follow through with his plan. “There may have been times – there must have been times, if I know my Humbert – when I brought up for detached inspection the idea of marrying a mature widow with not one relative left in the whole gray world, merely in order to have my way with her child” (Nabokov 70). Humbert Humbert fully admits to his only reasoning for marrying Lolita’s mother. He wants to have his way with Lolita. This causes me to feel some compassion for Lolita. Lolita currently has no father. Now that Lolita will have a step father, it is only a man who wants to have sex with her rather than be there for her as a guardian. Although Lolita kisses Humbert Humbert when he picks her up from camp, I still find no excuse for Humbert Humbert to act upon it. As a step father, Humbert Humbert should have but an end to Lolita’s flirtatious behavior with him, and explain to her that it was not right.
For someone to have compassion for Humbert Humbert would be completely absurd; unless one is as disturbed as Humbert himself. Do not be fooled by Humbert Humbert’s melancholic attitude because he cannot be with Lolita. Humbert Humbert is a dangerous man who preys on young girls for his own pleasure. Sure, one might feel compassion for Humbert when referred back to his love Annabel; but to feel compassion for Humbert because he cannot be with Lolita is preposterous. First of all, Lolita is a young girl, while Humbert is a man in his thirties. If that is not enough evidence that Humbert is an insane man, then might I add that Humbert is also a killer. It boggles my mind that someone would feel compassion for a man who does not care for the life of innocent people. Out of all the characters in the book, the one character that should be felt compassion for is Lolita. Poor Lolita is a victim of a pedophiles mind. Humbert sexually fantasizes about Lolita and other innocent little girls, which of course, is morally wrong. He thinks about Lolita every chance he has and even gets excited when he comes in contact with Lolita. Humbert knows what he is doing is wrong. One might think that Humbert is sparing Lolita by not sexually abusing her, but that is foolish to think that way. If Humbert really cared about Lolita, he would move away from her and not think about Lolita in an inappropriate manner. Poor Lolita is not only a victim of Humbert, but also a victim of her mother, Charlotte. After reading a letter sent by Lolita to her parents, Charlotte says, “The dumb child has left out a word before ‘time.’ That sweater was all-wool, and I wish you would not send her candy without consulting me” (Nabokov 81). Clearly, Charlotte treats her child with disrespect. Lolita is not loved by her own mother and is sent a way for months. How would you feel if your own mother did not love you? I feel compassion for Lolita and only Lolita. I have no compassion for Humbert and I probably will not have compassion for him as I read the book because Humbert is a perverted man that should be locked up for good. Lolita is a victim of a pedophile and a victim in her own household. I have the utmost compassion for Lolita. I hope in further reading, Lolita will receive the justice she deserves and get away from an atrocious man like Humbert.
Feeling compassion for either Humbert or Lolita is difficult for me because of their tendencies to reject morals and pursue interactions with each other. Both characters make poor decisions, but I think Humbert-as the well-educated adult-should know to control himself. Lolita is manipulative, but Humbert acts on his impulses. Humbert Humbert is dangerous. While Lolita entices him, Humbert ignores his instinct that a relationship with a child is wrong. I cannot feel compassion for Humbert Humbert because much of his relationship with Lolita is in his mind. He fantasizes about her when she is absent, which does not lead me to believe that he loves her. Instead, I think he prefers to imagine himself with her, rather than dwell on the times they spent together before she left for camp. I sympathize with Lolita. Even though she is not innocent, I think she is the victim of Humbert Humbert’s uncontrollable desire for her. The extents he went to for Lolita showed his irrationality. He got married and contemplated murder to gain control of Lolita; therefore, I do not think Lolita could ever escape from Humbert. I feel sorry for her because of her youth. Her manipulation of Humbert satisfies her, yet Lolita cannot recognize that her object of ridicule could become her enemy. Humbert Humbert harms people without remorse. He stated, “The widower, a man of exceptional self-control, neither wept nor raved” (Nabokov 98). Not only does Humbert act on impulse, but he is also unaware of his lack of self-control. I think that Lolita does not notice his flaws because she is distracted by the attention of an older man. Her destructive decisions can be blamed on her age, whereas I think the only excuse for Humbert’s mistakes is his psychotic personality.
I feel compassion for Humbert so far in the novel. First of all, he thinks he is in love with Lolita. She is twelve years old and it is sad that he loves such a young girl instead of girl his age. I also feel compassion for him because he lost Annabel when was young and he really loved and cared for her. Humbert believes that the death of Annabel caused him to like young children. Humbert says, “I am convinced, however, that in a certain magic and fateful way Lolita began with Annabel” (Nabokov 13-14). It is obvious he has a sickness since he looks at and admires young children. One wishes that everyone was normal and no one had to have sicknesses. Humbert is not living a normal life. He is attracted to children and thinks about killing Valeria and Charlotte. He only marries Valeria so that people will not be suspicious that he is a pedophile. He only marries Charlotte so that he can see Lolita. At one point Humbert Humbert states that he knows what he is doing is wrong, making it sad that he knows that he has a problem. Lolita also seduces Humbert in the novel. She leads him on. There can be arguments that she is young and does not know what she is doing, but it is clear that she does. Humbert believes he truly cares about Lolita, while Lolita does not care about Humbert and uses him for fun. It is also sad because Humbert is obsessed and thinks he is in love with Lolita, but he knows when she gets older, he will not want her anymore. This proves that he really does not love her otherwise he would love her no matter her age. Many people will say its romantic because they think he loves her but in fact he does not love her making the novel far more creepy and sad.
If a 12-years-old girl has an intimate relationship with middle-aged man, naturally one feels a compassion for the 12-years-old girl, not for the middle-aged man. Humbert Humbert’s love toward Lolita can be viewed as immoral and corrupted love; Humbert Humbert can damage a vulnerable innocence and virginity of little 12-years-old girl. By providing his perverted descriptions and emotions toward Lolita, Humbert Humbert aggravates his status further. His obsession of a nymphet-a female child-for the satisfaction and desire hampers the readers to approach Humbert Humbert in humane way. But I think Humbert Humbert’s way of approaching and describing Lolita emphasizes his humanity and fragility. Humbert cannot escape his traumatic past; loss of his first love, Annabel, spoils Humbert’s conscience, distorting his perspective toward reality, leading his obsession toward a nymphet. Thus, in order to establish his identity, Humbert Humbert should establish an intimate communication with a nymphet in both physical and mental way. The breakdown of his conscience emphasizes Humbert Humbert’s radical fragility and innocence. One might not find how Humbert can be ‘innocent’, since he presents readers with his guileless thoughts, which even reveals his thought of murdering Charlotte; however, his thought of murder is an ultimate example of his innocence. A normal person does not think to kill a person since the person knows what will eventually cost him. The rational thought drives a normal person, helping the person to benefit from every incidence. But driven by the traumatic distortion, Humbert Humbert lost his rationality, maximizing his innocence toward his love, not considering the negative consequences that he will have. The author reemphasizes Humbert’s humanity by showing Humbert’s incapability of committing murder even though he had a chance to commit a murder. Therefore, in my opinion, Humbert Humbert deserves compassion from the readers. But It does not mean that Lolita does not deserve compassion. Lolita, even though she is a child, is presented with seductiveness. Because the book is narrated by Humbert, the readers can get an impression that Lolita is alluring Humbert. But Lolita is acting like a normal kid while Humbert is describing her actions with sexuality. Humbert Humbert is presenting the book with his distorted perspective, controlling the readers’ perspective.
Although Lolita instigates Humbert Humbert’s lustful desires, I do not have sympathy for him. He is a pedophile. A man in his thirties should not have romantic interest in a girl who is under the age of discretion. Although Humbert Humbert claims that he does not want to ruin a child’s innocence, I beg to differ. Prior to meeting Lolita, Humbert Humbert takes the innocence of an eighteen year old girl, Monique. To his displeasure, Humbert Humbert’s sexual relations with Monique cause the young girl to lose her naivety. He states, ”she [Monique] seemed to have grown less juvenile, more of a woman overnight” (Nabokov 23). I cannot sympathize a man who disposes of a girl after selfishly ruining her innocence. Humbert Humbert acknowledges that his actions are wrong; however, he continues to pursue his lustful desires in Lolita.
Similar to Monique, Lolita is victim to Humbert Humbert’s charming good looks and sexual temptations. Although one could argue that Lolita made the first move, I disagree. When Lolita holds Humbert Humbert’s hand, her actions are not intended to be interpreted sexually. Rather, Lolita seeks paternal affection. Without a biological father, Lolita does not know how to show love to a father-figure. She confuses parental love with sexual intimacy. This confusion causes Lolita to kiss Humbert Humbert in the car when she is picked up from summer camp. In addition, Lolita lacks the experience and maturity to understand true love. At the age of twelve, Lolita is pure and innocent. Prior to Humbert Humbert, she was never exposed to sexual intimacy. Therefore, I sympathize her. Humbert Humbert is taking advantage of her innocence. His actions are selfish and inexcusable. If he acknowledges that his actions are wrong, than Humbert Humbert should have the strength to resist his sexual temptations. Instead, Humbert Humbert ruins a young girl’s innocence; an innocence that can never be returned.
At first, I took Humbert Humbert's side because of his past psychological and emotional problems. However, it would be shameful to have any compassion for him. Lolita is not only young, but innocent. She knows what is happening between her and Humbert Humbert, but she does not take it seriously. Humbert Humbert should know better than to get closer to a girl. He constantly repeats the "horrible" actions he is tempted to do. He is filled with many pleasures going on through his mind and body. It is his own fault for wanting to stay at the Haze household in the first place. There should not be any compassion for that certain action he took. He is the one putting himself into this situation. Lolita, as any other child, minds her own business and acts playfully. She is too young to realize what Humbert Humbert is trying to do with her. Lolita is in his mind every single minute. She does not realize how she is a victim of a scandalous man. Poor Lolita sees Humbert Humbert as an attractive and kind man. She sees no harm in him, while Humbert Humbert fantasizes every detail about her. I find this to be offensive because no man should go beyond their limits. A young girl is a young girl. She is not of an experienced age nor the perfect age for an older man. Older men should know their boundaries and have more respect for others. Lolita should not be blamed for anything. "She was mine, she was mine, the key in my fist, my fist was in my pocket, she was mine" (Nabokov 125). Humbert Humbert, since the first day at the house, was on a conquest to take over Lolita entirely. But this was to be done secretly and to not ruin her innocence. Lolita feels comfortable around Humbert. On the other hand, Humbert seeks more and seems possessive of her. He is filled with lust and infatuation. It is an abnormal way of having feelings for someone, especially a child. There is no correct or right reason to sympathize with Humbert Humbert. Lolita goes along with what is happening because she is not as smart as Humbert Humbert. Lolita is clueless. Humbert Humbert knows what he is doing and no child deserves to be the main concentration of a older man's mind. Lolita is trapped in Humbert Humbert's imaginary mind. If Humbert Humbert has tried to control himself and not go to the house in the first place, then there would be compassion for him. If he was forced to live there, then this would be a different opinion. He chose his actions, therefore one cannot feel any compassion for a repulsive man like Humbert Humbert.
After only having read about 120 pages or so in the novel, Lolita, the reader discovers many events taking place. A 30 year old man, who has committed a murder, finds himself in love with a 12 year old girl. When asked whether it is Humbert Humbert or Lolita to feel more compassionate for, I found the compassion for Lolita.
One may say that Humbert has gone through many rough events throughout his lifetime, but that does not give him, or anyone, the reason to seek ways to rid this pain by engaging in sexual activities with a young child. Humbert calls these young children "nymphets." He believes such girls, between the ages of nine and fourteen, have a true nature that is "not human, but nymphic (that is, demoniac)" (Nabokov 16). Humbert goes as far as calling these nymphets "creatures," and says that men are looked down upon for their ways, but it is the fault of said creatures.
Another reason to feel compassionate for Humbert is because he is stuck on his childhood love, Annabel, who died when the two were children. However, this does not give him the excuse to seek a love like he once had as a child as a 30 year old man, especially because he found this love in a 12 year old girl. So for Humbert to desire the love of a young child is not only strange, but unfitting. Humbert has had other relationships with women after Annabel died, yet he always seems to find himself in local areas, watching the nymphets. Were none of these women fulfilling his sexual desires for the 24 years after the death of Annabel that he felt the need to engage in such habits again?
The fact that Humbert cannot control his ways, strikes me as being completely absurd. When alcoholics have problems, they seek the attention of someone who can help them. The same help can be received for those with drug problems and even those who find problems with sexual addictions. Therefore, I believe if Humbert wanted to get help, he could do so with no problem.
Humbert Humbert is the narrator and one of the main character’s in Vladimir Nabokov's novel Lolita. Humbert Humbert has a strange obsession with nymphets. Early in the novel, Humbert reveals that this strange obsession developed from his childhood love, Annabel Leigh, who died at a young age. To me, Humbert Humbert does not seem to be obsessed with just nymphets, but rather with little girls in general. He is a pedophile who uses nymphets as an excuse to seduce children. When Humbert sees Lolita for the first time, instead of seeing her as an individual, Lolita immediately reminds him of Annabel Leigh. “She was Lo, plain Lo, in the morning, standing four feet ten in one sock. She was Lola in slacks. She was Dolly at school. She was Dolores on the dotted line. But in my arms she was always Lolita” (Nabokov 9). Humbert Humbert finds himself unable to stop staring at her and begins to make excuses to go watch her sunbathe and play. Before actually getting the courage to go talk and interact with Lolita, Humbert Humbert spends countless hours and days thinking about her and how he can seduce her into being with him. His infatuation is due to Lolita’s innocent flirting. As a young girl, Lolita does not know how to flirt to capture a man’s attention. She might be a brat, but she is an innocent and has no sexual intentions. When Lolita and Humbert are together, Humbert takes the initiative to flirt with her. In Chapter 13, when Lolita was eating an apple, Humbert teasingly takes the apple away from her so that she can put her hands on him and get a hold of the apple. Humbert is clearly crazy and obsessed. He falls in love with Lolita, and immediately upon seeing her, makes it his goal and purpose of his life to have her all to himself.
His lustful thoughts begin immediately, but he is able to control them at first. The longer he is around Lolita; however, the more wild and intense Humbert’s passion becomes. Humbert builds up wildly until he cannot hold his emotions inside of him any longer. His passion to be with Lolita becomes so intense that he must speak and interact with her at all times. Humbert expresses his feelings; he cannot control himself and eventually takes over Lolita's entire life in order to have her with him always. There should be no compassion towards Humbert and the sickening life he wants to live with a naive child.
Lolita is a literary work that inadvertently forces the reader to mentally favor either Humbert Humbert, the middle aged pedophile, or Lolita, the innocent 12 year old girl. Humbert Humbert tries desperately to justify his mentality and actions to his readers. “Humbert Humbert tried to be good. Really and truly, he did. He had the utmost respect for ordinary children, with their purity and vulnerability, and under no circumstance would he have interfered with the innocence of a child” (Nabokov 19). In my opinion, Humbert did not “try” to be good. Ordinary children are of no importance to him; nymphets are his obsession. Although his actions may have been subtle and secretive, such as stalking young girls in parks, Humbert never resisted the nymphets. Humbert’s pathetic attempt to justify his perverted thoughts, in my opinion, ultimately failed. Pedophiles disgust me. Some may find it difficult, however, I feel the utmost compassion for Lolita. Lolita is the daughter of a woman who loathes her and has lost a father. Lolita is searching for love. Personally, I do not think the love she is searching for is in an intimate form; Lolita wants a father. Lolita, returning from camp states, “What thing, Dad?” (Nabokov 112). These three words emphasize Lolita’s true emotions. She loves Humbert as a father. Lolita does reach for Humbert Humbert’s hand in the car, she does kiss him before she goes to camp, she does sit on his lap and she is interested in what he is doing in his room; however, she does not perform any of the previously mentioned actions in a sexual way. Humbert inaccurately interprets Lolita’s actions and falsely portrays them in his writing. If Humbert Humbert truly felt Lolita was sexually attracted to him and was intentionally provoking him, Humbert would not feel the need to sedate her in order to take advantage of her. If Lolita’s feelings for Humbert were mutual, she would be compliant. Humbert Humbert is a pedophile whom I will never feel compassion for.
While reading Lolita, I have come to realize, as many people have already said, that it is difficult to feel any compassion towards either Humbert Humbert or Lolita. However, out of the two, I have more compassion towards Lolita. Humbert Humbert is a predator towards Lolita. He “sets traps” for her to come to his room. He knows how young children think and preys upon their innocent thoughts and curiosity. He finds simple things she says and does to be sexual and erotic. He is unable to control himself in any way. “She grasped it and bit into it, and my heart was like snow under thin crimson skin…” (Nabokov 58). Simple and innocent things turn Humbert Humbert on. It is disturbing in how he feels that tossing an apple in the air can be so sexual. Anything that Lolita does, becomes a “come on” to Humbert Humbert. Lolita is unable to do anything without seeming that she wants him. Although there are signals given to Humbert Humbert that may seem as if she is provoking him, one must also remember that she is a young child. Young children sometimes do not realize what they’re actions mean. If Lolita were to give Humbert Humbert a kiss on the cheek if he asked for one, it does not mean that she is in love with him. Young children love to show affection to people they are comfortable around. I feel that Humbert Humbert’s problem is that he reads too much into everything Lolita does. Therefore I feel more compassion towards Lolita. Lolita is not safe with Humbert Humbert. Also, Lolita is only twelve years old, so how does the reader know that Lolita wants to be with Humbert Humbert if it is only told from his point of view. How do we know that she wants to things with Humbert Humbert. As a young child, she is being manipulated by this older man who she feels safe with, to do things that she may not want to do. Because she trusts Humbert Humbert, she is in danger around him. That is why I am more compassionate towards Lolita than Humbert Humbert.
When deciding for whom I have compassion towards – Humbert Humbert or Lolita – I find the decision a difficult one to make. Though many people believe feeling compassion towards Humbert Humbert is absurd, I tend to feel otherwise. Yes Humbert Humbert is an older man with a secret love obsession for a twelve year old nymphet girl named Lolita, but Lolita is not as innocent as a large portion of Nabokov’s audience thinks she is. Humbert Humbert writes, “Suddenly her hand slipped into mine and without our chaperon’s seeing, I held, and stroked, and squeezed that little hot paw, all the way to the store” (Nabokov 51). Lolita made the first move according to Humbert Humbert. In my opinion, I do not view Lolita as the victim after this occurrence. She is equally responsible, if not more to blame, for the physical and emotional connection made between Humbert Humbert and Lolita. Despite Humbert Humbert’s often reoccurring perverse fantasies about Lolita, I believe his sole intention is to reinvent and relive the happiness he once had with his first love, Annabel. On page 9 of Vladimir Nabokov’s novel, Lolita, Humbert Humbert explains to the jury, “In point of fact, there might have been no Lolita at all had I not loved, one summer, a certain initial girl-child.” The love Humbert Humbert had for Annabel proves stronger than death. He believes Lolita is the reincarnation of Annabel; therefore, continuing his love for Annabel through the use of Lolita. The tragic death of Annabel has left Humbert Humbert emotionally scarred forever. Her death has forced Humbert Humbert to develop a constant desire for nymphets. I respect the opinions of people who feel compassion towards Lolita, viewing her as a vulnerable young girl who is stalked by a pedophile. I, however, give Humbert Humbert the benefit of the doubt, possessing compassion for him, instead. I believe he has lost his conscience while dealing with the heart break of his dead first love, Annabel.
Personally, I believe that both, Lolita and Humbert and wrong in their thinking and actions. To pick one person with higher fault, I would overwhelmingly choose Humbert. Humbert is at fault because he takes advantage of a young girl. Humbert Humbert's mind is fully developed and he knows what he is doing in regards to Lolita. Humbert even knows his actions because he repeatedly thinks to himself not to harm Lolita. He goes on to say, "I felt proud of myself. I had stolen the honey of a spasm without impairing the morals of a minor. Absolutely no harm done" (Nabokov 62). Humbert says this after masturbating as he sat up against the innocent Lolita. A man at his age is messed up in the head if he needs to masturbate in the presence of a child. Humbert is described as a handsome man, but he settles for a child to satisfy his needs. He even goes to the extent of faking love with Lolita's mother just to get closer to Lolita. The tactics displayed by Humbert are of the pedophilic nature. If he truly loved Lolita and wanted to be with her forever, he would not worry about her losing her nymphet nature. In addition, he is not in love with this child because when she asks him if they are lovers he does not acknowledge what their relationship has come to. For all of these reasons, Humbert is at fault for taking advantage of Lolita for his own pleasure.
Humbert Humbert, throughout the novel, tries to make a case to the reader that his act of consensual rape is justified and we should show our compassion towards him. After reading the novel, I feel compassion for Lolita. Lolita never had the chance to enjoy her teenage years because Humbert Humbert kept her confined to his rules. Humbert Humbert's jealousy is the reason for Humbert Humbert's want of confinement for Lolita. When reading the novel, one might pity the life Lolita endures because she is restricted by Humbert Humbert. In chapter eight part two, Humbert Humbert states,"But I was quite positive that as long as my regime lasted she would never, never be permitted to go with a youngster in rut to a movie, or neck in a car, or go to boy-girl parties at the houses of schoolmates, or indulge out of my earshot in boy-girl telephone conversations, even if 'only discussing his relations with a friend of mine'" (Nabokov 186). This is a quote that can convince the reader to show compassion for Lolita. I pity the fact that Lolita is confined to what Humbert Humbert feels. Humbert Humbert also states that he is Lolita's ruler by the use of the word "regime." Humbert Humbert, through this quote, shows the reader all the types of activities he refuses to allow Lolita to do. Lolita is restricted to complete control under Humbert Humbert and the use of her name Dolly is present in part two because Humbert Humbert controls all her actions and locations as if she is a doll. Humbert Humbert's controlling actions can turn one into showing compassion for Lolita. I also feel compassion for Lolita because she is immature and she does not know what she gets herself into with the relationship with Humbert Humbert. As an adolescent, Lolita acts upon her hormones and satisfies her lust with Humbert Humbert, but she also mixes lust with love, thus, Lolita finds herself in an unhealthy relationship. I feel compassion for Lolita because of the abuse Lolita receives from Humbert Humbert. In chapter 27 of part one in the novel, Lolita is given sleeping pills from Humbert Humbert, and Lolita, unknowingly, takes the pills (Nabokov 122). Physical abuse to Lolita's body caused me to feel compassion for Lolita. Humbert Humbert's actions towards Lolita can be considered juvenile, abusive and controlling, which causes me to feel compassion for the recipient of Humbert Humbert's actions, Lolita.
In many cases, one might see that Humbert Humbert is a bad guy, since he has obsessions with young girls. However, if one were to look past his pedophile ways, one can see that Humbert has been through traumatizing experiences, that has caused him to act this way. From my perspective, I have compassion for Humbert Humbert. The reader may portray him as a bad person; however, I believe that he knows what he is doing is wrong and that it is not his fault that he cannot control his feelings.
ReplyDeleteOne may believe that Humbert Humbert started feeling this way when he met his first love, Annabel. However, when they would spend time together, they would always get interrupted. Before they could get physical she passed away because of typhus in Corfu. I believe that Humbert started to feel this way because he could never fully be with Annabel. Humbert has never met any woman who reminds him of Annabel, until he meets Lolita. I think that Humbert finds similarities among young children because when Annabel and him were together, they were both very young. He probably could not find any woman who has similarites as Annabel, which is why he looks for younger girls instead.
I also feel bad for Humbert Humbert because, Lolita seems to know what she is doing, which is leading Humbert on. Especially at the end of chapter 15 when Lolita goes back to Humbert and kisses him before she leaves for camp. Lolita also went into the car, when Humbert did not invite her. There are times where one can see that Humbert is the bad guy; however, Lolita also helps portray him as one with her actions.
Humbert is also lonely. He lost Annabel when he was still young, which must have been a traumatizing event for him. Also, Valeria left him for another guy which is good and bad for Humbert; however, it is quite sad to see that he is left alone again. All Humbert wants to do is be loved, and he cannot show it because he knows what he is doing is wrong. Since he leaves his stuff laying around, he does want people to find out about his obsession so that maybe someone will stop him. Overall, I do feel bad for Humbert because he has had a hard life, and he cannot control his true feelings.
In my opinion most people would have compassion for Lolita; however, my compassion is for Humbert Humbert. In the beginning of the novel I had no compassion for Humbert Humbert and all of my compassion went to Lolita. As I read further in the novel, my perspective changed. Humbert Humbert does present himself to the reader as a pedophile. He talks about how he loves nymphets. He even goes into detail about their body features and characteristics. He knows the exact age a girl hits puberty and he has had sex with a nymphet. Although Humbert Humbert’s actions are morally wrong and disturbing, Lolita lets Humbert Humbert act pedophilic towards her. Not only does she allow it, she flirts with Humbert Humbert. She reacts flirtatiously towards his actions. After Humbert Humbert picks up Lolita from camp, Lolita asks Humbert Humbert, “Say, wouldn’t mother be mad if she found out we were lovers?”(Nabokov 114). Not only does Lolita admit to Humbert Humbert that they have a connection, she calls him her lover. She does this knowing her mother is married to Humbert Humbert, and he is her stepfather. Lolita tells Humbert Humbert this is incest, but she kisses Humbert Humbert anyways. When Lolita and Humbert Humbert kissed in the car Humbert Humbert said,” I touched her hot, opening lips with utmost piety, tiny sips, nothing salacious; but she, with an impatient wriggle pressed her mouth to mine so hard that I felt her big front teeth and shared in the peppermint taste of saliva”(Nabokov 113). By Lolita putting pressure into the kiss with her stepfather, Lolita is acknowledging she wants Humbert Humbert to act this way towards her. At times, Lolita may act that she does not enjoy Humbert Humbert’s actions; however, she does. She would not respond to Humbert Humbert’s actions, if she did not want to be touched.
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion, Humbert Humbert deserves compassion from the readers. Even though Humbert Humbert is known as a pedophile, one can find innocence in his secret love towards Lolita. Since he lost his old love Annabel, he needed love from a nymphet. Many readers might refer Lolita as a protagonist or a victim. However, Humbert Humbert needs compassion from the readers. Humbert Humbert may be criticized with his perverted allusions, and his obsession on the nymphets. But, the author of this novel, Vladimir Nabokov, lets Humbert Humbert to perform his love towards Lolita. Humbert Humbert’s actions might not be “moral”, I believe that his obsession has to be respected. Despite Humbert Humbert’s immoral actions, Lolita lets him to perform his “unethical” love. Also, Lolita likes him back. “Lolita arrived, in her Sunday frock, stamping, panting, and then she was in my arms, her innocent mouth melting under the ferocious pressure of dark male jaws, my palpitating darling!” (Nabokov 66). However, until this point, her love cannot be defined as a pure love. Luckily, Humbert Humbert was able to cease Lolita’s mind. Humbert Humbert is a very calm and systematic in his plan of action. In other words, he contemplates before taking any action. Because of his decent look and act of “kindness”, Lolita also fell in love with Humbert Humbert. Maybe, Humbert Humbert was fortunate enough to get a young nymphet that falls in love with an old guy. Since Humbert Humbert was experienced in love, he took his relationship further. “I touched her hot, opening lips with utmost piety, tiny sips, nothing salacious; but she, with an impatient wriggle pressed her mouth to mine so hard that I felt her big front teeth and shared in the peppermint taste of saliva” (Nabokov 113). No one can stop the love. As long as Lolita likes Humbert Humbert back and likes his actions, their love should be accepted, and deserves compassion. Humbert Humbert’s proved that age is just a number, it is not an important factor in love.
ReplyDeleteOne may have compassion for Lolita because she is a twelve year old girl. At first, I did have compassion for her. Humbert Humbert was someone who had walked into her life by accident. She did not ask for a pedophile to live in her household. Humbert Humbert’s words and descriptions were creepy and disturbing. I would have not thought that he would go into that much detail and thinking about a nymphet. Humbert Humbert would get angry if he did not get her attention or if her mother interrupted them, making him seem insane. But as the story progressed, I noticed that Humbert Humbert knew it was wrong to think what he was thinking. He did not want to harm Lolita in any way. He tried to control himself and think of situations where he would not be able to do anything pedophilic. I think one should feel compassion for him because he is the innocent one. His first love died at a young age and ever since then, he has been looking for someone to replace her. The only issue with that is that he is not a nymphet’s interest anymore. Humbert Humbert knows that, but he feels empty without a young girl’s love. Lolita was intelligent enough to notice the way Humbert Humbert was acting. Instead of ignoring it, she actually gives him the permission to treat her in the way that he does. Sometimes, she is the one who instigates it. After her mother died and Humbert Humbert picked her up from camp, she kissed him. He said, “… I was dreadfully afraid I might go too far and cause her to start back in revulsion and terror” (Nabokov 113). Lolita made the first move, leaving Humbert Humbert feeling guilty because he does not want to hurt or scare her. He actually cares about Lolita. He may be a pedophile, but he has feelings and Lolita does not keep his feelings in mind.
ReplyDeleteI tend to disagree with one who feels compassion for Humbert Humbert. Although he may have experienced a traumatic loss in his life, it makes no excuse for his current behavior. His obsession with particularly young girls is absurd. The fact that Humbert Humbert recognizes his own bizarre fantasies and fails to put them to an end makes me feel even less compassion towards him. One may claim that Humbert Humbert has gone mad; however, if he was truly insane, he would not be able to recognize that what he is doing is absurd and morally wrong. This is what causes me to feel less sympathetic towards him.
ReplyDeleteAlthough it may appear that Lolita is flirtatious with Humbert Humbert at times, it does not excuse the actions of Humbert Humbert. While Lolita is twelve years old, Humbert Humbert is in his late thirties. The actions of a twelve year old are not comparable to that of someone in their thirties. Whether or not Lolita appears to be flirting with Humbert Humbert, as an adult, Humbert Humbert should not act upon his sexual desires. I also find Humbert Humbert’s marriage to Lolita’s mother to be quite disturbing. His reasoning for the marriage is to have incestuous relations with his new step daughter Lolita. Once again, Humbert Humbert realizes his plan of action is morally wrong, but continues to follow through with his plan. “There may have been times – there must have been times, if I know my Humbert – when I brought up for detached inspection the idea of marrying a mature widow with not one relative left in the whole gray world, merely in order to have my way with her child” (Nabokov 70). Humbert Humbert fully admits to his only reasoning for marrying Lolita’s mother. He wants to have his way with Lolita. This causes me to feel some compassion for Lolita. Lolita currently has no father. Now that Lolita will have a step father, it is only a man who wants to have sex with her rather than be there for her as a guardian. Although Lolita kisses Humbert Humbert when he picks her up from camp, I still find no excuse for Humbert Humbert to act upon it. As a step father, Humbert Humbert should have but an end to Lolita’s flirtatious behavior with him, and explain to her that it was not right.
For someone to have compassion for Humbert Humbert would be completely absurd; unless one is as disturbed as Humbert himself. Do not be fooled by Humbert Humbert’s melancholic attitude because he cannot be with Lolita. Humbert Humbert is a dangerous man who preys on young girls for his own pleasure. Sure, one might feel compassion for Humbert when referred back to his love Annabel; but to feel compassion for Humbert because he cannot be with Lolita is preposterous. First of all, Lolita is a young girl, while Humbert is a man in his thirties. If that is not enough evidence that Humbert is an insane man, then might I add that Humbert is also a killer. It boggles my mind that someone would feel compassion for a man who does not care for the life of innocent people.
ReplyDeleteOut of all the characters in the book, the one character that should be felt compassion for is Lolita. Poor Lolita is a victim of a pedophiles mind. Humbert sexually fantasizes about Lolita and other innocent little girls, which of course, is morally wrong. He thinks about Lolita every chance he has and even gets excited when he comes in contact with Lolita. Humbert knows what he is doing is wrong. One might think that Humbert is sparing Lolita by not sexually abusing her, but that is foolish to think that way. If Humbert really cared about Lolita, he would move away from her and not think about Lolita in an inappropriate manner.
Poor Lolita is not only a victim of Humbert, but also a victim of her mother, Charlotte. After reading a letter sent by Lolita to her parents, Charlotte says, “The dumb child has left out a word before ‘time.’ That sweater was all-wool, and I wish you would not send her candy without consulting me” (Nabokov 81). Clearly, Charlotte treats her child with disrespect. Lolita is not loved by her own mother and is sent a way for months. How would you feel if your own mother did not love you? I feel compassion for Lolita and only Lolita. I have no compassion for Humbert and I probably will not have compassion for him as I read the book because Humbert is a perverted man that should be locked up for good. Lolita is a victim of a pedophile and a victim in her own household. I have the utmost compassion for Lolita. I hope in further reading, Lolita will receive the justice she deserves and get away from an atrocious man like Humbert.
Feeling compassion for either Humbert or Lolita is difficult for me because of their tendencies to reject morals and pursue interactions with each other. Both characters make poor decisions, but I think Humbert-as the well-educated adult-should know to control himself. Lolita is manipulative, but Humbert acts on his impulses. Humbert Humbert is dangerous. While Lolita entices him, Humbert ignores his instinct that a relationship with a child is wrong. I cannot feel compassion for Humbert Humbert because much of his relationship with Lolita is in his mind. He fantasizes about her when she is absent, which does not lead me to believe that he loves her. Instead, I think he prefers to imagine himself with her, rather than dwell on the times they spent together before she left for camp. I sympathize with Lolita. Even though she is not innocent, I think she is the victim of Humbert Humbert’s uncontrollable desire for her. The extents he went to for Lolita showed his irrationality. He got married and contemplated murder to gain control of Lolita; therefore, I do not think Lolita could ever escape from Humbert. I feel sorry for her because of her youth. Her manipulation of Humbert satisfies her, yet Lolita cannot recognize that her object of ridicule could become her enemy. Humbert Humbert harms people without remorse. He stated, “The widower, a man of exceptional self-control, neither wept nor raved” (Nabokov 98). Not only does Humbert act on impulse, but he is also unaware of his lack of self-control. I think that Lolita does not notice his flaws because she is distracted by the attention of an older man. Her destructive decisions can be blamed on her age, whereas I think the only excuse for Humbert’s mistakes is his psychotic personality.
ReplyDeleteI feel compassion for Humbert so far in the novel. First of all, he thinks he is in love with Lolita. She is twelve years old and it is sad that he loves such a young girl instead of girl his age. I also feel compassion for him because he lost Annabel when was young and he really loved and cared for her. Humbert believes that the death of Annabel caused him to like young children. Humbert says, “I am convinced, however, that in a certain magic and fateful way Lolita began with Annabel” (Nabokov 13-14). It is obvious he has a sickness since he looks at and admires young children. One wishes that everyone was normal and no one had to have sicknesses. Humbert is not living a normal life. He is attracted to children and thinks about killing Valeria and Charlotte. He only marries Valeria so that people will not be suspicious that he is a pedophile. He only marries Charlotte so that he can see Lolita. At one point Humbert Humbert states that he knows what he is doing is wrong, making it sad that he knows that he has a problem. Lolita also seduces Humbert in the novel. She leads him on. There can be arguments that she is young and does not know what she is doing, but it is clear that she does. Humbert believes he truly cares about Lolita, while Lolita does not care about Humbert and uses him for fun. It is also sad because Humbert is obsessed and thinks he is in love with Lolita, but he knows when she gets older, he will not want her anymore. This proves that he really does not love her otherwise he would love her no matter her age. Many people will say its romantic because they think he loves her but in fact he does not love her making the novel far more creepy and sad.
ReplyDeleteIf a 12-years-old girl has an intimate relationship with middle-aged man, naturally one feels a compassion for the 12-years-old girl, not for the middle-aged man. Humbert Humbert’s love toward Lolita can be viewed as immoral and corrupted love; Humbert Humbert can damage a vulnerable innocence and virginity of little 12-years-old girl. By providing his perverted descriptions and emotions toward Lolita, Humbert Humbert aggravates his status further. His obsession of a nymphet-a female child-for the satisfaction and desire hampers the readers to approach Humbert Humbert in humane way.
ReplyDeleteBut I think Humbert Humbert’s way of approaching and describing Lolita emphasizes his humanity and fragility. Humbert cannot escape his traumatic past; loss of his first love, Annabel, spoils Humbert’s conscience, distorting his perspective toward reality, leading his obsession toward a nymphet. Thus, in order to establish his identity, Humbert Humbert should establish an intimate communication with a nymphet in both physical and mental way. The breakdown of his conscience emphasizes Humbert Humbert’s radical fragility and innocence. One might not find how Humbert can be ‘innocent’, since he presents readers with his guileless thoughts, which even reveals his thought of murdering Charlotte; however, his thought of murder is an ultimate example of his innocence. A normal person does not think to kill a person since the person knows what will eventually cost him. The rational thought drives a normal person, helping the person to benefit from every incidence. But driven by the traumatic distortion, Humbert Humbert lost his rationality, maximizing his innocence toward his love, not considering the negative consequences that he will have. The author reemphasizes Humbert’s humanity by showing Humbert’s incapability of committing murder even though he had a chance to commit a murder.
Therefore, in my opinion, Humbert Humbert deserves compassion from the readers. But It does not mean that Lolita does not deserve compassion. Lolita, even though she is a child, is presented with seductiveness. Because the book is narrated by Humbert, the readers can get an impression that Lolita is alluring Humbert. But Lolita is acting like a normal kid while Humbert is describing her actions with sexuality. Humbert Humbert is presenting the book with his distorted perspective, controlling the readers’ perspective.
Although Lolita instigates Humbert Humbert’s lustful desires, I do not have sympathy for him. He is a pedophile. A man in his thirties should not have romantic interest in a girl who is under the age of discretion. Although Humbert Humbert claims that he does not want to ruin a child’s innocence, I beg to differ. Prior to meeting Lolita, Humbert Humbert takes the innocence of an eighteen year old girl, Monique. To his displeasure, Humbert Humbert’s sexual relations with Monique cause the young girl to lose her naivety. He states, ”she [Monique] seemed to have grown less juvenile, more of a woman overnight” (Nabokov 23). I cannot sympathize a man who disposes of a girl after selfishly ruining her innocence. Humbert Humbert acknowledges that his actions are wrong; however, he continues to pursue his lustful desires in Lolita.
ReplyDeleteSimilar to Monique, Lolita is victim to Humbert Humbert’s charming good looks and sexual temptations. Although one could argue that Lolita made the first move, I disagree. When Lolita holds Humbert Humbert’s hand, her actions are not intended to be interpreted sexually. Rather, Lolita seeks paternal affection. Without a biological father, Lolita does not know how to show love to a father-figure. She confuses parental love with sexual intimacy. This confusion causes Lolita to kiss Humbert Humbert in the car when she is picked up from summer camp. In addition, Lolita lacks the experience and maturity to understand true love. At the age of twelve, Lolita is pure and innocent. Prior to Humbert Humbert, she was never exposed to sexual intimacy. Therefore, I sympathize her. Humbert Humbert is taking advantage of her innocence. His actions are selfish and inexcusable. If he acknowledges that his actions are wrong, than Humbert Humbert should have the strength to resist his sexual temptations. Instead, Humbert Humbert ruins a young girl’s innocence; an innocence that can never be returned.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteAt first, I took Humbert Humbert's side because of his past psychological and emotional problems. However, it would be shameful to have any compassion for him. Lolita is not only young, but innocent. She knows what is happening between her and Humbert Humbert, but she does not take it seriously. Humbert Humbert should know better than to get closer to a girl. He constantly repeats the "horrible" actions he is tempted to do. He is filled with many pleasures going on through his mind and body. It is his own fault for wanting to stay at the Haze household in the first place. There should not be any compassion for that certain action he took. He is the one putting himself into this situation.
ReplyDeleteLolita, as any other child, minds her own business and acts playfully. She is too young to realize what Humbert Humbert is trying to do with her. Lolita is in his mind every single minute. She does not realize how she is a victim of a scandalous man. Poor Lolita sees Humbert Humbert as an attractive and kind man. She sees no harm in him, while Humbert Humbert fantasizes every detail about her. I find this to be offensive because no man should go beyond their limits. A young girl is a young girl. She is not of an experienced age nor the perfect age for an older man. Older men should know their boundaries and have more respect for others. Lolita should not be blamed for anything. "She was mine, she was mine, the key in my fist, my fist was in my pocket, she was mine" (Nabokov 125). Humbert Humbert, since the first day at the house, was on a conquest to take over Lolita entirely. But this was to be done secretly and to not ruin her innocence. Lolita feels comfortable around Humbert.
On the other hand, Humbert seeks more and seems possessive of her. He is filled with lust and infatuation. It is an abnormal way of having feelings for someone, especially a child. There is no correct or right reason to sympathize with Humbert Humbert. Lolita goes along with what is happening because she is not as smart as Humbert Humbert. Lolita is clueless. Humbert Humbert knows what he is doing and no child deserves to be the main concentration of a older man's mind. Lolita is trapped in Humbert Humbert's imaginary mind. If Humbert Humbert has tried to control himself and not go to the house in the first place, then there would be compassion for him. If he was forced to live there, then this would be a different opinion. He chose his actions, therefore one cannot feel any compassion for a repulsive man like Humbert Humbert.
After only having read about 120 pages or so in the novel, Lolita, the reader discovers many events taking place. A 30 year old man, who has committed a murder, finds himself in love with a 12 year old girl. When asked whether it is Humbert Humbert or Lolita to feel more compassionate for, I found the compassion for Lolita.
ReplyDeleteOne may say that Humbert has gone through many rough events throughout his lifetime, but that does not give him, or anyone, the reason to seek ways to rid this pain by engaging in sexual activities with a young child. Humbert calls these young children "nymphets." He believes such girls, between the ages of nine and fourteen, have a true nature that is "not human, but nymphic (that is, demoniac)" (Nabokov 16). Humbert goes as far as calling these nymphets "creatures," and says that men are looked down upon for their ways, but it is the fault of said creatures.
Another reason to feel compassionate for Humbert is because he is stuck on his childhood love, Annabel, who died when the two were children. However, this does not give him the excuse to seek a love like he once had as a child as a 30 year old man, especially because he found this love in a 12 year old girl. So for Humbert to desire the love of a young child is not only strange, but unfitting. Humbert has had other relationships with women after Annabel died, yet he always seems to find himself in local areas, watching the nymphets. Were none of these women fulfilling his sexual desires for the 24 years after the death of Annabel that he felt the need to engage in such habits again?
The fact that Humbert cannot control his ways, strikes me as being completely absurd. When alcoholics have problems, they seek the attention of someone who can help them. The same help can be received for those with drug problems and even those who find problems with sexual addictions. Therefore, I believe if Humbert wanted to get help, he could do so with no problem.
Humbert Humbert is the narrator and one of the main character’s in Vladimir Nabokov's novel Lolita. Humbert Humbert has a strange obsession with nymphets. Early in the novel, Humbert reveals that this strange obsession developed from his childhood love, Annabel Leigh, who died at a young age. To me, Humbert Humbert does not seem to be obsessed with just nymphets, but rather with little girls in general. He is a pedophile who uses nymphets as an excuse to seduce children. When Humbert sees Lolita for the first time, instead of seeing her as an individual, Lolita immediately reminds him of Annabel Leigh. “She was Lo, plain Lo, in the morning, standing four feet ten in one sock. She was Lola in slacks. She was Dolly at school. She was Dolores on the dotted line. But in my arms she was always Lolita” (Nabokov 9). Humbert Humbert finds himself unable to stop staring at her and begins to make excuses to go watch her sunbathe and play. Before actually getting the courage to go talk and interact with Lolita, Humbert Humbert spends countless hours and days thinking about her and how he can seduce her into being with him. His infatuation is due to Lolita’s innocent flirting. As a young girl, Lolita does not know how to flirt to capture a man’s attention. She might be a brat, but she is an innocent and has no sexual intentions. When Lolita and Humbert are together, Humbert takes the initiative to flirt with her. In Chapter 13, when Lolita was eating an apple, Humbert teasingly takes the apple away from her so that she can put her hands on him and get a hold of the apple. Humbert is clearly crazy and obsessed. He falls in love with Lolita, and immediately upon seeing her, makes it his goal and purpose of his life to have her all to himself.
ReplyDeleteHis lustful thoughts begin immediately, but he is able to control them at first. The longer he is around Lolita; however, the more wild and intense Humbert’s passion becomes. Humbert builds up wildly until he cannot hold his emotions inside of him any longer. His passion to be with Lolita becomes so intense that he must speak and interact with her at all times. Humbert expresses his feelings; he cannot control himself and eventually takes over Lolita's entire life in order to have her with him always. There should be no compassion towards Humbert and the sickening life he wants to live with a naive child.
Lolita is a literary work that inadvertently forces the reader to mentally favor either Humbert Humbert, the middle aged pedophile, or Lolita, the innocent 12 year old girl. Humbert Humbert tries desperately to justify his mentality and actions to his readers. “Humbert Humbert tried to be good. Really and truly, he did. He had the utmost respect for ordinary children, with their purity and vulnerability, and under no circumstance would he have interfered with the innocence of a child” (Nabokov 19). In my opinion, Humbert did not “try” to be good. Ordinary children are of no importance to him; nymphets are his obsession. Although his actions may have been subtle and secretive, such as stalking young girls in parks, Humbert never resisted the nymphets. Humbert’s pathetic attempt to justify his perverted thoughts, in my opinion, ultimately failed. Pedophiles disgust me.
ReplyDeleteSome may find it difficult, however, I feel the utmost compassion for Lolita. Lolita is the daughter of a woman who loathes her and has lost a father. Lolita is searching for love. Personally, I do not think the love she is searching for is in an intimate form; Lolita wants a father. Lolita, returning from camp states, “What thing, Dad?” (Nabokov 112). These three words emphasize Lolita’s true emotions. She loves Humbert as a father. Lolita does reach for Humbert Humbert’s hand in the car, she does kiss him before she goes to camp, she does sit on his lap and she is interested in what he is doing in his room; however, she does not perform any of the previously mentioned actions in a sexual way. Humbert inaccurately interprets Lolita’s actions and falsely portrays them in his writing. If Humbert Humbert truly felt Lolita was sexually attracted to him and was intentionally provoking him, Humbert would not feel the need to sedate her in order to take advantage of her. If Lolita’s feelings for Humbert were mutual, she would be compliant. Humbert Humbert is a pedophile whom I will never feel compassion for.
While reading Lolita, I have come to realize, as many people have already said, that it is difficult to feel any compassion towards either Humbert Humbert or Lolita. However, out of the two, I have more compassion towards Lolita. Humbert Humbert is a predator towards Lolita. He “sets traps” for her to come to his room. He knows how young children think and preys upon their innocent thoughts and curiosity. He finds simple things she says and does to be sexual and erotic. He is unable to control himself in any way. “She grasped it and bit into it, and my heart was like snow under thin crimson skin…” (Nabokov 58). Simple and innocent things turn Humbert Humbert on. It is disturbing in how he feels that tossing an apple in the air can be so sexual. Anything that Lolita does, becomes a “come on” to Humbert Humbert. Lolita is unable to do anything without seeming that she wants him. Although there are signals given to Humbert Humbert that may seem as if she is provoking him, one must also remember that she is a young child. Young children sometimes do not realize what they’re actions mean. If Lolita were to give Humbert Humbert a kiss on the cheek if he asked for one, it does not mean that she is in love with him. Young children love to show affection to people they are comfortable around. I feel that Humbert Humbert’s problem is that he reads too much into everything Lolita does. Therefore I feel more compassion towards Lolita. Lolita is not safe with Humbert Humbert. Also, Lolita is only twelve years old, so how does the reader know that Lolita wants to be with Humbert Humbert if it is only told from his point of view. How do we know that she wants to things with Humbert Humbert. As a young child, she is being manipulated by this older man who she feels safe with, to do things that she may not want to do. Because she trusts Humbert Humbert, she is in danger around him. That is why I am more compassionate towards Lolita than Humbert Humbert.
ReplyDeleteWhen deciding for whom I have compassion towards – Humbert Humbert or Lolita – I find the decision a difficult one to make. Though many people believe feeling compassion towards Humbert Humbert is absurd, I tend to feel otherwise. Yes Humbert Humbert is an older man with a secret love obsession for a twelve year old nymphet girl named Lolita, but Lolita is not as innocent as a large portion of Nabokov’s audience thinks she is. Humbert Humbert writes, “Suddenly her hand slipped into mine and without our chaperon’s seeing, I held, and stroked, and squeezed that little hot paw, all the way to the store” (Nabokov 51). Lolita made the first move according to Humbert Humbert. In my opinion, I do not view Lolita as the victim after this occurrence. She is equally responsible, if not more to blame, for the physical and emotional connection made between Humbert Humbert and Lolita.
ReplyDeleteDespite Humbert Humbert’s often reoccurring perverse fantasies about Lolita, I believe his sole intention is to reinvent and relive the happiness he once had with his first love, Annabel. On page 9 of Vladimir Nabokov’s novel, Lolita, Humbert Humbert explains to the jury, “In point of fact, there might have been no Lolita at all had I not loved, one summer, a certain initial girl-child.” The love Humbert Humbert had for Annabel proves stronger than death. He believes Lolita is the reincarnation of Annabel; therefore, continuing his love for Annabel through the use of Lolita. The tragic death of Annabel has left Humbert Humbert emotionally scarred forever. Her death has forced Humbert Humbert to develop a constant desire for nymphets.
I respect the opinions of people who feel compassion towards Lolita, viewing her as a vulnerable young girl who is stalked by a pedophile. I, however, give Humbert Humbert the benefit of the doubt, possessing compassion for him, instead. I believe he has lost his conscience while dealing with the heart break of his dead first love, Annabel.
Personally, I believe that both, Lolita and Humbert and wrong in their thinking and actions. To pick one person with higher fault, I would overwhelmingly choose Humbert. Humbert is at fault because he takes advantage of a young girl. Humbert Humbert's mind is fully developed and he knows what he is doing in regards to Lolita. Humbert even knows his actions because he repeatedly thinks to himself not to harm Lolita. He goes on to say, "I felt proud of myself. I had stolen the honey of a spasm without impairing the morals of a minor. Absolutely no harm done" (Nabokov 62). Humbert says this after masturbating as he sat up against the innocent Lolita. A man at his age is messed up in the head if he needs to masturbate in the presence of a child.
ReplyDeleteHumbert is described as a handsome man, but he settles for a child to satisfy his needs. He even goes to the extent of faking love with Lolita's mother just to get closer to Lolita. The tactics displayed by Humbert are of the pedophilic nature. If he truly loved Lolita and wanted to be with her forever, he would not worry about her losing her nymphet nature. In addition, he is not in love with this child because when she asks him if they are lovers he does not acknowledge what their relationship has come to. For all of these reasons, Humbert is at fault for taking advantage of Lolita for his own pleasure.
Humbert Humbert, throughout the novel, tries to make a case to the reader that his act of consensual rape is justified and we should show our compassion towards him. After reading the novel, I feel compassion for Lolita. Lolita never had the chance to enjoy her teenage years because Humbert Humbert kept her confined to his rules. Humbert Humbert's jealousy is the reason for Humbert Humbert's want of confinement for Lolita. When reading the novel, one might pity the life Lolita endures because she is restricted by Humbert Humbert. In chapter eight part two, Humbert Humbert states,"But I was quite positive that as long as my regime lasted she would never, never be permitted to go with a youngster in rut to a movie, or neck in a car, or go to boy-girl parties at the houses of schoolmates, or indulge out of my earshot in boy-girl telephone conversations, even if 'only discussing his relations with a friend of mine'" (Nabokov 186). This is a quote that can convince the reader to show compassion for Lolita. I pity the fact that Lolita is confined to what Humbert Humbert feels. Humbert Humbert also states that he is Lolita's ruler by the use of the word "regime." Humbert Humbert, through this quote, shows the reader all the types of activities he refuses to allow Lolita to do. Lolita is restricted to complete control under Humbert Humbert and the use of her name Dolly is present in part two because Humbert Humbert controls all her actions and locations as if she is a doll. Humbert Humbert's controlling actions can turn one into showing compassion for Lolita. I also feel compassion for Lolita because she is immature and she does not know what she gets herself into with the relationship with Humbert Humbert. As an adolescent, Lolita acts upon her hormones and satisfies her lust with Humbert Humbert, but she also mixes lust with love, thus, Lolita finds herself in an unhealthy relationship. I feel compassion for Lolita because of the abuse Lolita receives from Humbert Humbert. In chapter 27 of part one in the novel, Lolita is given sleeping pills from Humbert Humbert, and Lolita, unknowingly, takes the pills (Nabokov 122). Physical abuse to Lolita's body caused me to feel compassion for Lolita. Humbert Humbert's actions towards Lolita can be considered juvenile, abusive and controlling, which causes me to feel compassion for the recipient of Humbert Humbert's actions, Lolita.
ReplyDelete