Lolita

Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov

I feel guilty for saying I liked this book, but I really thought it was interesting in a sick and twisted way. I thought it had a very original plot that can really get a rise out of readers or “Humbert's Jury”. I felt dirty reading this book and it really made me think about Humberts lack of morals and how he thinks its okay to fall in love with his little nyphets.
At first I couldn't understand why a successful, wealthy and attractive young man would have such a odd obsession with nine to fourteen year old girls, but as I read on I discovered that Humbert doesnt think he has a problem and he finds it unfair that a man can sleep with a seventeen year old but not with a twelve year old. I also found it very disturbing that he married his wife because she had features that reminded him of a young girl.
“Although I told myself I was looking merely for a soothing presence, a glorified pot-au-feu, an animated merkin, what really attracted me to Valeria was the imitation she gave of a little girl. She gave it not because she had divined something about me; it was just her style—and I fell for it.” In this passage you get a good sense of his problem and how morally degrading this novel is. You aslo learn how professional he is at keeping his problem a secret.
I feel as if Humbert represents everything that is wrong, but you cant blame him because he is sick in the head and this really reminds me of the mentally ill child killer in Fritz Langs “M”. After sometime I begin to feel disturbed by the reading and its lack of moral fiber.
Another segment of the reading that got to me was in chapter nine, where Humbert describes Lolitas nymphet qualities and his plans to lure her in. At this point was when I began to grow angry with the character's sickness and I began to wonder if it was more like an obsession.