I quoted the above from kbullfrog because I was reflecting on how Humbert's middle-age makes a difference, in my mind, somehow it is worse than if he was only 25 .. but then if he were 25 it would still be pedophilia and the damage to Lolita would be the same ... or would it be the same? perhaps his age makes real difference because he is old enough to be her father.

I don't know if it is so much his age as his power over her. If she had loved him and wanted to be with him and did not see what they were doing as wrong it would have made some difference in my mind. The fact that she had no where else to go and he made sure she did feel like she could not leave by making her feel partly responsible for what happened. If he was 25 and did the same thing it would be just as bad.

if it is so much his age as his power over her. If she had loved him and wanted to be with him and did not see what they were doing as wrong it would have made some difference in my mind. The fact that she had no where else to go and he made sure she did feel like she could not leave by making her feel partly responsible for what happened.

this is a point i thought very poignant. she, lolita, did feel very resigned into the behavior. and his influence over her as an older man, not a young man but her father's age, was more of an authority. sex for her was a learned act, to apease Humbert.

I did pick up some hesitation in Lolita's voice when she was talking to Humbert when he found her pregnant and married. It seemed more like she was annoyed with him though not filled with regret. I think in her mind she saw it as a need too at the moment and it was just a phase kind of attitude.
To me, the whole book really wanted you to feel sorry for Humbert. It was like him almost saying its not my fault. It's nature's. Whatever! She was twelve! You were supposed to be her caregiver. The "man' (I use this term loosely) who was supposed to make sure she grew up and became a responsible and productive member of society. She had to do that all on her own. It is sad when kids have to raise themselves. This theme seems to be a continuing one (kids raising themselves) I am now read Secret Garden and I am finding the same thing.

I certainly don't regret having read Lolita.
All the things you have written are true, but this is a novel, it's not about abused children or pedophilia-- and yes, I had to read the novel bit by bit because being inside Humbert's mind was hard to bear.

Here is a review I've just found.

" It (Lolita) failed to make the American Library Association's most recent Top 100 list of "Most Challenged Books" and, apart from some troubles (hilariously exaggerated by Nabokov) in finding an American publisher, really has had no significant problems

thank you ophelia for posting such an insightful excerpt--it is difficult to put these kind of reader feelings into words, but that certainly hit the mark. nabakov wrote about the one thing no one wants to admit happens in our society, but it so prevalent.

Anyone watch Eastern Promises?

Never heard of it. Feel free to fill us in.

It's a movie revolving around the diary of a Russian girl taken as a sex slave. Much of it has more to do with the workings of the Russian mafia however.

Sheesh, I knew there was a reason why I was staying away from this thread. Is the Russian sex slave journal fiction in the form of a journal or is it based on an actual journal, like the Diary of Anne Frank? (I ask, muttering all the while in my head, I must be crazy. Why in the world would I even think about reading and discussing anything on this topic in the hours that I am not working?)

GR9,
Because things of this nature is like a train wreck. You don't want to see the carnage but you just can't turn away from it.