Lolita

LOLITA
by Vladimir Nabokov

 Nomination: National Book Finalist 1959

 Date Read: November 7, 2010

 This controversial but infamous Nabokov novel follows the unlikely named Humbert Humbert's life as he becomes obsessed with a 12 year old girl. He subsequently becomes her stepfather and embarks on a sexual relationship with her. Scrap that. The language that should be used here is rape, since there is no way a 12 year old child can give consent. He rapes her. Repeatedly.

 From the moment of its release Lolita became a classic and is now listed on just about every top 100 book list imaginable. Even the name Lolita has come to personify a sexually precocious young girl. To all of this I have to say, "Ew!" Young girls are children. Period. Full stop. 

 All that being said, the novel never delves into Lo's perspective at all since Humbert is the sole narrator. The reader has no idea what she is thinking or feeling about what is happening to her or her thoughts and opinions of Humbert. She is a voiceless entity to be merely desired and objectified by Humbert.

 To continue beating the horse, I find it interesting and very telling that new teacher manuals have been written on how to teach this novel in the modern age with increased awareness of consent, statutory rape and child trafficking. I have a novel (pun intended) idea: stop teaching it. In a world with such rich and diverse literature, filling this void would be easy.

Ranked #4 in the Modern Library's 100 Best Novels.

 Looking Forward: Look At The Harlequins, The Luzhin Defense, Pale Fire, Pnin, Transparent Things


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