Sullen and evasive. They rolled over him. We rolled over us” (Nabokov 299). Throughout the novel, the reader is entranced by Humbert’s fancy prose style.


She is said to make Humbert nervous. Two eyes. "Indeed, there's an intimacy in manipulating description -- finding it, combining it, converting it into new works of art.

Nymphets are introduced as fantastical beings: “‘Nine’ and ‘fourteen’ [are] the boundaries-the mirrory beaches and rosy rocks-of an enchanted island haunted by those nymphets…and surrounded by a vast, misty sea” (Nabokov 16). In the beginning of the novel, Humbert reads a review. “Would not have made it through AP Literature without the printable PDFs. We are unhappy, mild, dog-eyed gentlemen sufficiently well-integrated to control our urge in the presence of adults, but ready to give years…of life for one chance to touch a nymphet. Humbert almost acts as his own lawyer, and in an eloquent persuasive tone, tries to sway the reader in his favour.Humbert also uses wordplay to foreshadow Clare Quilty’s involvement and significance to the story. Dolores Haze takes on multiple names: Lo, Lola, Dolly, Hot Little Haze, and Lolita.



Younger boys, however, are never described in the same light as young girls. When Humbert reveals in a most insensitive way that Charlotte is dead, Lolita is truly heartbroken. Although the narrator is biased in his assertions, Nabokov makes sure to include several clues to help the reader discover Humbert’s deception. Humbert writes: “At the hotel, we had separate rooms, but in the middle of the night she came sobbing into mine, and we made it up very gently” (Nabokov 142). For the veterans among your Humbert ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions. Lolita begins the novel as a flirtatious, energetic twelve-year-old interested in comic books, crooners, and becoming a movie star. At times during the “confession”, Humbert’s writing becomes almost self-reflective-it seems he gets lost in his past experiences. It is important to note Humbert does not dwell on the age of these men or the time period they lived in (hundreds of years ago).In addition to this, Humbert makes a direct comparison between Annabel, his childhood love, and Lolita.

His possessiveness in this part of the novel indicates that he is defending his honour rather than hers.

Type of grape: Palomino. Clare Quilty’s name appears, alongside others, and plays are listed including The Little Nymph and Fatherly Love. Humbert is quoted many times as saying: “Charlotte, I begin to understand you!” (Nabokov 149). The conjurer had poured milk, molasses, foaming champagne into a young lady’s new white purse; and lo, the purse was intact.But I am no poet.

During one particular fight, Humbert writes: “Later, I heard a great banging of doors and other sounds coming from quaking caverns where the two rivals were having a ripping row” (Nabokov 48). No plagiarism, guaranteed!We're here to answer any questions you have about our servicesCopyright © 2003 - 2020 - UKEssays is a trading name of All Answers Ltd, a company registered in England and Wales. Absolutely no harm done. However, through the use of diction and punctuation, Nabokov suggests that Humbert does not directly quote characters in the novel. They're like having in-class notes for every discussion!”

Conversely, Lolita’s sexual scenes with Humbert are quick and do not describe any physical interaction.



The novel’s title character, and Humbert Humbert’s great nymphet love. She does not say much, except for her frequent arguments with Charlotte. Humbert tries to label Lolita as the seducer and instigator of their physical relationship: “She played with and kept sticking to my lap” (Nabokov 45).

He claims Lolita seduced him and that she was in complete control of the relationship.

But our culture is in a place right now where it wants everything explicitly rendered, high definition if you will. By stating that he is not attracted to all young girls, Humbert tries to separate himself from “regular” pedophiles.

Although Humbert does not appreciate Lolita’s idolization of American pop culture, nothing much else is said with regards to her intellect. However, once Humbert sleeps with Lolita and breaks the physical barrier between himself and the nymphet, he simultaneously breaks the barrier between what is reasonable and what is unreasonable within his mind.

The statement illustrates a young girl with no one to turn to except for the adult who victimizes her.

Through his dynamic characterization of the other characters, Humbert inadvertently reveals he is only interested in telling the story from a viewpoint that will allow the reader to sympathize with him.In addition to character development in Lolita, diction is also suggestive of Humbert’s unreliable narration. Note: all page numbers and citation info for the quotes below refer to the Vintage edition of Lolita is a 1955 novel written by Russian-American novelist Vladimir Nabokov.The novel is notable for its controversial subject: the protagonist and unreliable narrator, a middle-aged literature professor under the pseudonym Humbert Humbert, is obsessed with a 12-year-old girl, Dolores Haze, with whom he becomes sexually involved after he becomes her stepfather.

After Humbert has consummated his “relationship” with the young girl, they engage on a long road trip including many pit stops and shopping trips. One assumes that Humbert does this to avoid arousing disgust in the reader. Our

Oh, my Lolita, I have only words to play with!…and my moaning mouth, gentlemen of the jury, almost reached her bare neck, while I crushed out against her left buttock the last throb of the longest ecstasy man or monster had ever known.I had stolen the honey of a spasm without impairing the morals of a minor. Of course, moodiness is a common concomitant of growing up, but Lolita exagerrate[d].




The most beautiful language is used to convince the reader of the power of these nymphets. He is the man who kidnaps his “daughter” and then abandons her.