Section 1: Introduction- Analysis of Characterization and Literary Devices

Introduction (plot detail + setting):  

The novel's foreword is written by a fictional doctor, John Ray. It explains the seriousness of the story that is to follow. The doctor warns the reader about the egregious situation but also confesses that the literary style and wording of the perverted author was ornate and beautiful and he believes that the book will become popular among scholars in the psychiatry field and teach people about the importance of structure and support in childhood development.

The novel takes place from 1947-1952 initially in France and then in the U.S. It introduces to us a boy of 13 in a fervent romance with another girl his age. It describes how that relationship and the death of his young love lead to an unlikely infatuation and eventually a relationship when he got older between himself and a much younger girl that reminded him of his first love.

The novel written from the point of view of the miscreant enables the audience to observe how the main character justifies what he does and how he deals with the constant knowledge that what he is doing is wrong. We discover in this section that he has been put in jail and is writing to inform the readers or the public in general of his story and to try and lament to them about how his situation progressed and was caused by external factors. Throughout this sections we see his apparent guilt for the situation but also his explanation of how it was not his fault and his belief that he didn't do anything entirely appalling. His hypocritical views lead the reader to confusion in analyzing the true disposition of the character, which I expect will be clarified in the next sections of the book.

Characters and Continuation of Plot Developments:

Humbert Humbert- is the narrator of the story and also what could be observed as the protagonist in the story even though the audience would justify his acts and desires as immoral and repulsive. He is a middle aged European intellectual with a perverted obsession for what he calls "nymphets", or girls aged nine to fourteen. He falls in love with young Lolita and seduces her into thinking she loves him in order to get her to do the things he envisions.

Annabel- Humbert's childhood lover who died leaving Humbert alone to relish over the memory of her. The memory of Annabel haunts him until he meets Lolita, who he believes is the reincarnation of Annabel's spirit and mien.

Dolores (Lolita) Haze- a twelve year old, gregarious, young girl who Humbert falls in love with while staying with Mrs. Haze. As the story progresses Lolita finds herself falling in love with the man who seduced her vulnerable self. Besides her promiscuous relationship with Humbert, she is a completely normal girl, preoccupied with pop culture and the normal activities of American school girls of the time.

Charlotte Haze- The mother of Lolita and caretaker of Humbert while he stays with them. She secretly fancies Humbert which prevents her from seeing the obvious truth of her daughters and Humbert's perverse relationship, which she believes to be simply friendly and innocent. Throughout this section she tries to maintain a ostentatious nature in her middle class lifestyle and tries to appear sophisticated to Humbert, which we see does not appeal to Humbert even in the slightest. We also see that her relationship with her daughter is distant and uninvolved.

Valeria- Humbert's first wife who he marries as an attempt to rid himself of his desire for young girls and hopes will suppress his longing. However, he does not develop any great interest in her and sees her as simply something that he can have when he wants. Eventually Valeria leaves Humbert for another man and Humbert moves to the U.S to find a new job and get his mind off of things. However underlying this all he ventures into America in search of prettier young girls he can observe.

Important Literary Devices:

Although the topic of the novel is rather sordid, the writing style the author uses is rather sophisticated. The expressive style and wording of what the character is writing helps develop a better image of him, and his intelligence and cunningness makes his character almost amiable to the reader. Imagery is used frequently to show the detail of the surroundings and even the inner thoughts of the main character's view of people or things.

Another device the author used in this novel was the point of view. As the main character tells his story he shifts from saying "I" to he or referring to himself as Humbert Humbert as if he were separate from the perverted person whose life he is describing. In one specific part of the novel he describes himself as if he were a spider and calls himself "Humbert the Wounded Spider" and describes a scene where it seems as if he has woven a web connected to each person in the house so that he can envision where and what they are doing at all times (51). This I believe is symbolic for the relationships he has developed amongst each of the people in the house. He concludes this scene by adding a realization that what he had thought to have been the the web that he had thought he had created between him and the others in the house was only imaginary, and adds that he is the victim in the situation being "wounded" and lonely. This creates a sense of ambiguity and makes the reader feel like Humbert does not feel any guilt for what he did. He also shifts his view on how he feels about his past actions which shows he might be emotionally conflicted himself. For example he says that his actions are "degrading and dangerous desires"(26). He later goes on to say that there was "absolutely no harm done" in his relationship with Lolita (61). He also said that he "intended to protect the purity of her", however this contradicts any sensical solution a personal can make because while he did not actually rape her thus far, he has certainly damaged her mental state and composure permanently and probably affected her impression of her childhood that will stay with her for the rest of her life. He describes his own life and tragedy that led him into personal anguish and that he believed caused his strange and unconventional fascination and uses this as another justification to why he did the things he did. He also makes frequent allusions to characters in the Bible, religious or historical figures, or even people of other cultures who he believes have committed crimes similar to his own, however he does not realize that these people lived in a time period or culture where marriages between a man and a much younger woman were considered more acceptable, and should not be related to his situation where it is considered inappropriate and deemed immoral. This proves that while he feels responsible he also feels that he is not the monster people are making him out to be and had reasons or events that led him to doing what he did.

Possible Themes and Symbolism:

Alienation leads to rebellious characters- Lolita was ignored by her mother which made her want to act out against her mother's demands and against the moral standards of society. Humbert lost the love of his life and was forced to continue life alone, confused, and without social guidance. These to characters both grew up not knowing rights from wrongs or the consequences of their actions which made them do questionable and unethical things.

Symbolism of Butterflies and Fairies- Humbert describes girls as "pale", "fragile", "silky", or in a fairy-like manner. He describes them like butterflies or fairies, as things that he views as beautiful but delicate. He describes himself almost like a predator who preys upon these alluring creatures and destroys the beautiful qualities or memories they had and replaces them with vulgar and disconsolate images.

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