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Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov

!! spoilers !! read with caution !!

italicized words have definitions on the bottom of the page!

Today’s book is Lolita, which is told from the perspective of Humbert Humbert who is a professor of french literature. His retelling of the story is said to be unreliable and dishonest as he plays the victim throughout the story, often blaming his infatuation with Dolores Haze [Lolita] as her fault. If you are uncomfortable with pedophilia or anything of the sorts, then I strongly discouraged you from reading this book.

- Lolita is a foil to Humbert in the fact that she hold her childlike innocence while Humbert suffers from demonic thoughts and feelings towards her.

- This book focuses on Humbert’s attraction to Dolores Haze and the contensious topic of hebephilia.

- Charlotte Haze [Lolita’s mother] shows the archetype of the good mother, not in the sense of actually being a good mother, but in the sense that her presence protected Dolores from the sadistic things Humbert wished to do to her.

- While Humbert is a hebephiliac, he shows multiple signs of narcissism, often self-victimizing himself and his inability to think of other’s feelings.

foil - a character who contrasts with the main protagonist to bring out their characteristics

hebephilia - the attraction to young children who have yet to reach puberty

archetype - a common theme or symbol within characters or settings (ex. the tragic hero)

narcissism - being overly self centered, selfishness, entitlement, and lack of empathy/emotions

more will be added as I continue to analyze !

#lolita #books and reading #books and literature #bookshelf #books #reading #character analysis #humbert humbert #vladimir makarov

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