Lolita, first published in 1955, is an infamous novel by Vladimir Nabokov that tackles the heavy themes of pedophelia and obsession, wrapped in flowery language and hidden behind an unreliable narrator and his delusion. The story follows Humbert Humbert, a scholar, romantic, and, disturbingly, a pedophile, as he begins to pursue his landlord’s daughter named Dolores, who he dubs “Lolita.”
Given the dark subject matter and room for misinterpretation, it’s understandable if I’m giving off red flags by praising Lolita, but hear me out. There’s one thing that’s made abundantly clear throughout the plot despite the lush, romantic prose and verbose turn-of-phrases used by the predatory protagonist: this is not a love story.
Although disturbing, Lolita shows a glimpse into the mind of a sick man who tries to manipulate and convince readers with his worldview. He isn’t the kind of man who’d be a pedophile, after all; Humbert is good-looking, a gentleman, and an academic. The prose is spun so beautifully that, without context, you’d truly think it was about a passionate romance. (“Lolita, light of my life, fire of my loins. My sin, my soul,” as per the opening passage.) Humbert even justifies how his perversity came to be, blaming it on the trauma of not being able to consummate his first love as a child and the fact that he’s still chasing that experience. Furthermore, to ease his conscience he invents the concept of “nymphs” — corrupt, demonic children that purposely seduce adults. Humbert uses his colourful language to deceive himself and readers, begging for us to believe that Dolores consents to sexual acts and is inviting violation.
The aspect that distinguishes Lolita from other questionable works of art is its self-awareness. Humbert acknowledges Dolores’ unhappiness, demands sexual favours that demonstrate he lacks consent, and even at times shows remorse for what he does. For any readers who catch on to the unreliability of Humbert’s narration, the signs are all there that this is not a happy, consensual relationship.
Through a strange turn of events, Humbert ends up as Dolores’ stepfather. Because of this key plot point, Dolores has little agency in a story that largely centres around her. Despite having a responsibility to care for her, Humbert continually prioritizes his own desires over her safety and well-being; it’s the foundation of their relationship after all. We aren’t privy to Dolores’ thoughts or feelings except through what Humbert chooses to acknowledge (which, as you can imagine, is scant) — and yet, what we see of her constitutes a story of survival. Dolores manages to escape Humbert’s clutches and make a life for herself as someone else’s wife and as a new mother, and she makes it abundantly clear she wants nothing more to do with her stepfather. The novel’s final word is that although she may have been known as Lolita to Humbert, she’s always truly been Dolores, even if he refused to see it.
Lolita continues to be an important work of fiction with its themes unfortunately having continued relevance in mainstream society. Dolores never presses charges against Humbert, similar to how many survivors of abuse stay silent for a number of reasons after an assault. For a period of time Dolores suffers from repetition compulsion, engaging in maladaptive behaviour that results in the self-induced repeating of trauma, which, though it may not seem to make sense, is a very real phenomenon. Humbert also justifies his relations with a minor by saying she’s a “nymph,” essentially shifting all blame onto the victim of his crime. This subtle but damaging tactic to push the narrative of “She was asking for it” is part of the reason why the #MeToo movement is still going strong, supporting victims of sexual abuse and raising awareness of allegations against prominent men.
Lolita is both pleasurable and disgusting to read. While the prose is lavish and beautifully crafted, it acts as a transparent distraction from the true horror of Humbert’s sexual abuse of a minor. As a narrative, Lolita is clearly aware of the layers of deception it possesses, but all the same it can be a disturbing read. So, while it’s an amazing book, it may just be the best one you won’t want to pick up.
Lolita Graphic. (Olympia Press)
Chandy is a biology major/chemistry minor who's been a staff writer, Arts editor, and Managing Editor at The Cascade. She began writing in elementary school when she produced Tamagotchi fanfiction to show her peers at school -- she now lives in fear that this may have been her creative peak.