Key Facts full title Lolita author Vladimir Nabokov type of work Novel genre Postmodern novel; tragicomedy

omedy language English time and place written 19 9!19""# Ne$ %ork date of first publication 19"" publisher &lym'ia Press# Paris narrator ()mbert ()mbert narrates the novel *rom his 'rison cell# a''ro+imately *ive years a*ter the events he describes, -he *ore$ord to the novel is narrated by .ohn /ay# .r,# Ph,0, in 19""# three years a*ter the deaths o* ()mbert and Lolita, point of view ()mbert narrates his acco)nt o* his a**air $ith Lolita (a1e in the *irst 'erson# *oc)sing only on his o$n tho)ghts and emotions, tone 0arkly comic; sly; intellect)al; alternating bet$een bem)sed $eariness and s$ee'ing romanticism tense ()mbert ()mbert describes the ma2ority o* the events in the 'ast tense# b)t he *rames his acco)nt $ith 'assages o* 'resent tense narration, setting (time) 19 3!19"4 setting (place) 5nitially the 6o)th o* France and )nnamed locations in E)ro'e# then all over the 7nited 6tates protagonist ()mbert ()mbert major conflict -he 'rimary con*licts in the novel are bet$een ()mbert ()mbert and society# $hich disa''roves o* both incest and 'edo'hilia# and bet$een ()mbert ()mbert and 8lare 9)ilty# $ho com'etes $ith ()mbert *or Lolita:s a**ections, rising action ()mbert takes Lolita on the road# in an e**ort to control her behavior and cement his 'ossession o* her, ;y traveling# he ho'es to hide his and Lolita:s identities<and relationshi'<thereby avoiding society:s disa''roval and el)ding his rival# 8lare 9)ilty, climax ()mbert:s 'lan *ails $hen Lolita esca'es him# r)nning o** $ith 8lare 9)ilty a*ter a brie* stay in the hos'ital,

falling action ()mbert s'ends the ne+t several years trailing Lolita and attem'ting to e+act his revenge on 9)ilty, themes -he 'o$er o* lang)age; the dis'iriting incom'atibility o* E)ro'ean and =merican c)lt)res; the inade>)acy o* 'sychiatry; the alienation ca)sed by e+ile motifs ;)tter*lies; do)bles; games symbols -he theater; 'rison foreshadowing 8ontin)o)s? ()mbert describes 'ast events )sing the 'resent tense# dro''ing hints in the *orm o* clever $ord'lay# and he o*ten all)des to events# 'eo'le# and 'laces the reader has not yet enco)ntered, Plot &vervie$ 5n the novel:s *ore$ord# the *ictional .ohn /ay# .r,# Ph,0,# e+'lains the strange story that $ill *ollo$, =ccording to /ay# he received the man)scri't# entitled Lolita, or the Confession of a White Widowed Male# *rom the a)thor:s la$yer, -he a)thor himsel*# kno$n by the 'se)donym o* ()mbert ()mbert @or (, (,A# died in 2ail o* coronary thrombosis $hile a$aiting a trial, /ay asserts that $hile the a)thor:s actions are des'icable# his $riting remains bea)ti*)l and 'ers)asive, (e also indicates that the novel $ill become a *avorite in 'sychiatric circles as $ell as enco)rage 'arents to raise better children in a better $orld, 5n the man)scri't# ()mbert relates his 'eace*)l )'bringing on the /iviera# $here he enco)nters his *irst love# the t$elveByearBold =nnabel Leigh, =nnabel and the thirteenByearB old ()mbert never cons)mmate their love# and =nnabel:s death *rom ty'h)s *o)r months later ha)nts ()mbert, =ltho)gh ()mbert goes on to a career as a teacher o* English literat)re# he s'ends time in a mental instit)tion and $orks a s)ccession o* odd 2obs, 0es'ite his marriage to an ad)lt $oman# $hich event)ally *ails# ()mbert remains obsessed $ith se+)ally desirable and se+)ally a$are yo)ng girls, -hese nym'hets# as he calls them# remind him o* =nnabel# tho)gh he *ails to *ind another like her, Event)ally# ()mbert comes to the 7nited 6tates and takes a room in the ho)se o* $ido$ 8harlotte (a1e in a slee'y# s)b)rban Ne$ England to$n, (e becomes instantly in*at)ated $ith her t$elveByearBold da)ghter 0olores# also kno$n as Lolita, ()mbert *ollo$s Lolita:s moves constantly# occasionally *lirts $ith her# and con*ides his 'edo'hiliac longings to a 2o)rnal, Cean$hile# 8harlotte (a1e# $hom ()mbert loathes# has *allen in love $ith him, Dhen 8harlotte sends Lolita o** to s)mmer cam'# ()mbert marries 8harlotte in order to stay near his tr)e love, ()mbert $ants to be alone $ith Lolita and even toys $ith the idea o* killing 8harlotte# b)t he can:t go thro)gh $ith it, (o$ever# 8harlotte *inds his diary and# a*ter learning that he hates her b)t loves her da)ghter# con*ronts him, ()mbert denies everything# b)t 8harlotte tells him she is leaving him and storms o)t o* the ho)se, =t that moment# a car hits her and she dies instantly, ()mbert goes to the s)mmer cam' and 'icks )' Lolita, &nly $hen they arrive at a motel does he tell her that 8harlotte has died, 5n his acco)nt o* events# ()mbert claims that Lolita sed)ces him# rather than the other $ay aro)nd, -he t$o drive across the co)ntry *or nearly a year# d)ring $hich time ()mbert becomes increasingly obsessed $ith Lolita and she learns to mani')late him, Dhen she engages in tantr)ms or re*)ses his advances# ()mbert threatens to

')t her in an or'hanage, =t the same time# a strange man seems to take an interest in ()mbert and Lolita and a''ears to be *ollo$ing them in their travels, ()mbert event)ally gets a 2ob at ;eardsley 8ollege some$here in the Northeast# and Lolita enrolls in school, (er $ish to sociali1e $ith boys her o$n age ca)ses a strain in their relationshi'# and ()mbert becomes more restrictive in his r)les, Nonetheless# he allo$s her to a''ear in a school 'lay, Lolita begins to behave secretively aro)nd ()mbert# and he acc)ses her o* being )n*aith*)l and takes her a$ay on another road tri', &n the road# ()mbert s)s'ects that they are being *ollo$ed, Lolita doesn:t notice anything# and ()mbert acc)ses her o* cons'iring $ith their stalker, Lolita becomes ill# and ()mbert m)st take her to the hos'ital, (o$ever# $hen ()mbert ret)rns to get her# the n)rses tell him that her )ncle has already 'icked her )', ()mbert *lies into a rage# b)t then he calms himsel* and leaves the hos'ital# heartbroken and angry, For the ne+t t$o years# ()mbert searches *or Lolita# )nearthing cl)es abo)t her kidna''er in order to e+act his revenge, (e hal*heartedly takes )' $ith a $oman named /ita# b)t then he receives a note *rom Lolita# no$ married and 'regnant# asking *or money, =ss)ming that Lolita has married the man $ho had *ollo$ed them on their travels# ()mbert becomes determined to kill him, (e *inds Lolita# 'oor and 'regnant at seventeen, ()mbert reali1es that Lolita:s h)sband is not the man $ho kidna''ed her *rom the hos'ital, Dhen 'ressed# Lolita admits that 8lare 9)ilty# a 'lay$right $hose 'resence has been *elt *rom the beginning o* the book# had taken her *rom the hos'ital, Lolita loved 9)ilty# b)t he kicked her o)t $hen she re*)sed to 'artici'ate in a child 'ornogra'hy orgy, 6till devoted to Lolita# ()mbert begs her to ret)rn to him, Lolita gently re*)ses, ()mbert gives her #EEE dollars and then de'arts, (e tracks do$n 9)ilty at his ho)se and shoots him m)lti'le times# killing him, ()mbert is arrested and ')t in 2ail# $here he contin)es to $rite his memoir# sti')lating that it can only be ')blished )'on Lolita:s death, =*ter Lolita dies in childbirth# ()mbert dies o* heart *ail)re# and the man)scri't is sent to .ohn /ay# .r,# Ph,0, 8haracter List Humbert Humbert B -he narrator and 'rotagonist o* Lolita, ()mbert is an er)dite E)ro'ean intellect)al $ith an obsessive love *or nym'hets and a history o* mental illness, (e manages to sed)ce the reader $ith his gi*t *or bea)ti*)l lang)age# b)t he is nonetheless ca'able o* ra'e and m)rder, ()mbert# des'ite his kno$ledge o* the $orld# becomes sel*Ba$are only to$ard the end o* the novel# $hen he reali1es he has r)ined Lolita:s childhood, (e $rites the story o* Lolita *rom his 'rison cell# $here he a$aits trial *or m)rder, (o$ever# he dies o* heart *ail)re soon a*ter Lolita:s death, /ead an inBde'th analysis o* ()mbert ()mbert, Dolores (Lolita) Haze B -he novel:s e'onymo)s nym'het, =n adolescent# she is sed)ctive# *lirtatio)s# and ca'ricio)s# and she initially *inds hersel* attracted to ()mbert# com'eting $ith her mother *or his a**ections, (o$ever# $hen his demands become more 'ressing# and as she s'ends more time $ith children her o$n age# she begins to tire o* him, ()mbert attem'ts to ed)cate her# b)t she remains attached to =merican 'o')lar c)lt)re and )nim'ressed $ith his c)lt)red ideas, Event)ally# she r)ns o** $ith 8lare 9)ilty# b)t he abandons her a*ter she re*)ses to 'artici'ate in child 'ornogra'hy, 6he event)ally marries 0ick 6chiller and dies in childbirth,

lare !uilty B ()mbert:s shado$ and do)ble, 9)ilty is a s)ccess*)l 'lay$right and child 'ornogra'her $ho takes a liking to Lolita *rom an early age, (e *ollo$s her thro)gho)t the story# )ltimately kidna''ing her a$ay *rom ()mbert, -ho)gh Lolita is in love $ith him# he event)ally tires o* her, Nabokov conceals 9)ilty:s im'ortance to the story )ntil nearly the end, 9)ilty is amoral# highly literate# and com'letely corr)'t, /ead an inBde'th analysis o* 8lare 9)ilty, harlotte Haze B Lolita:s mother and ()mbert:s $i*e, = middleBclass $oman $ho as'ires to be c)lt)red and so'histicated# 8harlotte never manages to be m)ch more than a bo)rgeois ho)se$i*e, (er relationshi' $ith Lolita is strained thro)gho)t the novel, 8harlotte $orshi's ()mbert and stays blind to his 'edo'hilia and l)st *or her da)ghter )ntil she discovers his diary, 6he dies soon a*ter in a car accident, /ead an inBde'th analysis o* 8harlotte (a1e, "nnabel Leigh B ()mbert:s childhood love, =nnabel and her *amily visit ()mbert:s *ather:s hotel as to)rists, 0es'ite having many 'hysical enco)nters# ()mbert and =nnabel are )nable to cons)mmate their adolescent love, 6he later dies o* ty'h)s in 8or*), ()mbert remains obsessed $ith her memory )ntil he meets Lolita, #aleria B ()mbert:s *irst $i*e# $hom he married to c)re himsel* o* his addiction to nym'hets, ()mbert *inds Valeria intellect)ally in*erior and o*ten b)llies her, Dhen he 'lans to move to =merica# Valeria leaves him to marry a /)ssian ta+i driver, Valeria and her h)sband die in 8ali*ornia years later, $ean %arlow B = *riend o* 8harlotte:s and the $i*e o* .ohn Farlo$, .ohn and .ean Farlo$ are among 8harlotte and ()mbert:s *e$ *riends, =*ter 8harlotte:s death# she secretly kisses ()mbert, 6he event)ally dies o* cancer, $ohn %arlow B = *riend o* 8harlotte:s# married to .ean, (e handles the (a1e estate a*ter 8harlotte dies# b)t he event)ally relegates his d)ties to a la$yer beca)se o* the com'licated nat)re o* the case, =*ter .ean dies# he marries someone else and lives an advent)ro)s li*e in 6o)th =merica, Dick &chiller B Lolita:s h)sband, 0ick is a sim'le# goodBnat)red $orking man $ho is dea* in one ear# 0ick has no idea abo)t the se+)al relationshi' bet$een ()mbert and Lolita# believing ()mbert to sim'ly be Lolita:s *ather, 0ick receives a 2ob o**er in =laska# $here he 'lans to take Lolita# $hom he calls 0olly, 'ita B =n alcoholic $hom ()mbert lives $ith a*ter he loses Lolita, -o$ard the end o* their a**air# /ita has many enco)nters $ith the la$ and becomes 'aranoid that ()mbert $ill leave her, ()mbert *inds her com*orting b)t regards her as sim'leBminded, (ona B Lolita:s *avorite *riend at the ;eardsley 6chool *or Firls, Cona has already had an a**air $ith a marine and a''ears to be *lirting $ith ()mbert, (o$ever# she re*)ses to div)lge any o* Lolita:s secrets, 6he hel's Lolita lie to ()mbert $hen ()mbert discovers that Lolita has been missing her 'iano lessons, )aston )rodin B = 'l)m'# beloved French 'ro*essor at ;eardsley 8ollege, Faston is 'o')lar in the comm)nity and hel's ()mbert *ind his ho)se and settle into ;eardsley, -hey o*ten 'lay chess together# b)t ()mbert thinks him a 'oor scholar and not very smart, Faston also has a 'redilection *or yo)ng boys# $hich no one in ;eardsley seems to notice, (rs* +ratt B -he headmistress o* the ;eardsley 6chool *or Firls, ()mbert is )nim'ressed $ith Pratt:s em'hasis on social skills and her resistance to traditional academic a''roaches, 6he calls ()mbert to her o**ice to disc)ss Lolita:s disci'linary 'roblems and e+'resses concern that Lolita is not develo'ing se+)ally,

,vor !uilty B 8lare 9)ilty:s )ncle# a dentist, 0reamy and $ell liked# he thinks o* his ne'he$ $ith kind ind)lgence, (e has been *riends $ith the (a1e *amily all his li*e, ()mbert *inds 8lare 9)ilty by visiting 5vor at his o**ice, (oni-ue B = French nym'het 'rostit)te, 5nitially# ()mbert is attracted to her nym'het >)alities and begins an a**air $ith her, (o$ever# he becomes disill)sioned by her mat)ration and abr)'tly ends the a**air, $ohn 'ay. $r*. +h*D* B -he a)thor o* the *ore$ord and the editor o* ()mbert:s memoir, &hirley Holmes B Lolita:s s)mmerBcam' director, harlie B 6hirley (olmes:s son# $ho also $orks at the cam', Lolita has her *irst se+)al e+'eriences $ith him# b)t she is )nim'ressed by his manners, Later ()mbert discovers that he has been killed in Korea, /arbara B Lolita:s *riend at cam', ;arbara has se+ $ith 8harlie in the b)shes $hile Lolita stands g)ard, Finally# ;arbara convinces Lolita to Gtry it#H $hich she does, #ivian Darkbloom B 8lare 9)ilty:s *emale $riting 'artner, Lolita con*)ses ()mbert by telling him that Vivian is a man and 8lare is a $oman, =*ter 9)ilty:s death# Vivian $rites 9)ilty:s biogra'hy, GVivian 0arkbloomH is an anagram *or GVladimir Nabokov,H $ohn ($ack) 0indmuller B -he la$yer to $hom .ohn Farlo$ entr)sts the (a1e estate, (e handles the estate b)t $ants nothing to do $ith the sordidness s)rro)nding the im'ending trial, %rederick /eale. $r* B -he driver o* the car that kills 8harlotte, =nalysis o* Ca2or 8haracters Humbert Humbert ()mbert ()mbert )ses lang)age to sed)ce the readers o* his memoir# and he almost s)cceeds in making himsel* a sym'athetic 'edo'hile, (e critici1es the v)lgarity o* =merican c)lt)re# establishing himsel* as an intellect)al, (is ironic# sel*Bmocking tone and his com'licated $ord games divert readers: attention *rom the horrors he describes, (is skill $ith lang)age makes him a 'ers)asive narrator# o*ten able to convince readers to see his 'ers'ective, -hese ling)istic skills# along $ith his disting)ished a''earance# er)dition# and E)ro'ean roots# enable him to sed)ce the $omen aro)nd him as $ell, ()mbert has never $anted *or love, =s a yo)ng boy# ()mbert embarks on a shortBlived# )ncons)mmated# and )ltimately tragic romance $ith =nnabel Leigh# a Gnym'hetH @a 're')bescent girl bet$een the ages o* abo)t nine and *o)rteenA,, 6ince then# he has been obsessed $ith the 'artic)lar ty'e o* girl =nnabel re'resents, (e marries ad)lt $omen in an e**ort to overcome his craving *or nym'hets# b)t the marriages al$ays dissolve# and the longings remain, 0es'ite his *ailed marriages# his mental 'roblems# and his s'oradic em'loyment# ()mbert still attracts attention consistently *rom the o''osite se+# tho)gh he )s)ally disdains this attention, (e claims to have loved only Lolita# and his obsession event)ally cons)mes him, ()mbert is a com'letely )nreliable narrator# and his myo'ic sel*Bdel)sion and need *or sym'athy make many o* his statements s)s'ect, (e claims Lolita sed)ced him and that she $as in com'lete control o* the relationshi', (o$ever# ()mbert# as the ad)lt# clearly has the )''er hand, (e controls the money and Lolita:s *reedom# and he o*ten re'eats that Lolita has no$here to go i* she leaves him, Dhen Lolita occasionally shrinks *rom his to)ch# he vie$s her rel)ctance as an e+am'le o* her merc)rial nat)re# rather than as a child:s re')lsion at an ad)lt:s se+)al advances, ()mbert claims that his *eelings *or Lolita are rooted in love# not

l)st# b)t his sel*Bdel)sion 'revents him *rom making this case convincingly, =lternately slavish and domineering# ()mbert has little control over his *eelings and im')lses, (e never considers the morality o* his actions# and he re*)ses to ackno$ledge that Lolita may not share his *eelings, =s his relationshi' $ith Lolita deteriorates# ()mbert becomes more and more controlling o* her and less and less in control o* himsel*, (e considers 9)ilty:s love *or Lolita deviant and corr)'ting# and he m)rders 9)ilty to avenge Lolita:s lost innocence# a seemingly drastic act o* denial o* his o$n com'licity in that loss, &nly near the end o* the novel# $hen he admits that he himsel* stole Lolita:s childhood# does ()mbert allo$ the tr)th to break thro)gh his soli'sism, Lolita =ltho)gh the name Lolita has become synonymo)s $ith )nderage se+'ot# Nabokov:s Lolita is sim'ly a st)bborn child, 6he is neither very bea)ti*)l nor 'artic)larly charming# and ()mbert o*ten remarks on her skinny arms# *reckles# v)lgar lang)age# and )nladylike behavior, Lolita attracts the de'raved ()mbert not beca)se she is 'recocio)s or bea)ti*)l# b)t beca)se she is a nym'het# ()mbert:s ideal combination o* childishness and the *irst bl)shes o* $omanhood, -o non'edo'hiles# Lolita $o)ld be a rather ordinary t$elveByearBold girl, (er ordinariness is a constant so)rce o* *r)stration *or ()mbert# and she consistently th$arts his attem'ts to ed)cate her and make her more so'histicated, 6he adores 'o')lar c)lt)re# en2oys mingling *reely $ith other 'eo'le# and# like most 're')bescent girls# has a tendency to$ard the dramatic, (o$ever# $hen she sho)ts and rebels against ()mbert# she e+hibits more than the *r)stration o* an ordinary adolescent? sheclearly *eels tra''ed by her arrangement $ith ()mbert# b)t she is 'o$erless to e+tricate hersel*, Lolita changes radically thro)gho)t the novel# des'ite aging only abo)t si+ years, =t the beginning# she is an innocent# tho)gh se+)ally e+'erienced child o* t$elve, ()mbert *orces her transition into a more *)lly se+)al being# b)t she never seems to ackno$ledge that her se+)al activities $ith ()mbert are very di**erent *rom her *ooling aro)nd $ith 8harlie in the b)shes at s)mmer cam', ;y the end o* the novel# she has become a $ornBo)t# 'regnant $i*e o* a laborer, -hro)gho)t her li*e# Lolita s)stains an almost com'lete lack o* sel*Ba$areness, =s an ad)lt# she recollects her time $ith ()mbert dis'assionately and doesn:t seem to hold a gr)dge against either him or 9)ilty *or r)ining her childhood, (er attit)de s)ggests that as a child she had nothing *or them to steal# nothing im'ortant eno)gh to val)e, (er re*)sal to look too dee'ly $ithin hersel*# and her tendency to look *or$ard rather than back$ard# might re'resent ty'ically =merican traits# b)t ()mbert also deserves 'art o* the blame, ()mbert ob2ecti*ies Lolita# and he robs her o* any sense o* sel*, Lolita e+ists only as the ob2ect o* his obsession# never as an individ)al, -he lack o* sel*Ba$areness in a child is ty'ical and o*ten charming, 5n the ad)lt Lolita# the absence o* sel*Ba$areness seems tragic, lare !uilty Cysterio)s# mani')lative# and )tterly corr)'t# 9)ilty is ()mbert:s do''elgInger, (e serves as a kind o* mirror image o* ()mbert# re*lecting similar traits and tho)ghts b)t embodying a darker side o* those characteristics that ()mbert stridently disavo$s, 9)ilty and ()mbert both adore nym'hets# b)t they act on their adoration in very di**erent $ays, Dhile ()mbert slavishly $orshi's and ideali1es Lolita# 9)ilty takes her *or granted and $ishes to denigrate her thro)gh 'ornogra'hy, ()mbert 'aints himsel* as a man in love# $hile 9)ilty is# in many $ays# a more ty'ical 'edo'hile, ;oth 9)ilty and ()mbert are men o* letters# $ell read and very 'ers)asive# b)t 9)ilty has a m)ch more s)ccess*)l career, 9)ilty is also *ar less s)btle

than ()mbert abo)t his nym'het obsession, 9)ilty:s 'ro*essional s)ccess and re')tation 'erha's allo$ him to get a$ay $ith his deviant behavior# tho)gh he is $ell kno$n *or his 'redilection *or yo)ng girls and has already *aced charges, =t his *inal enco)nter $ith ()mbert# 9)ilty:s baro>)e s'eech# cavalier attit)de# and 'ersistent gameB'laying im'ly that he# like ()mbert# is not >)ite sane, (e dies in the middle o* an attem't to bribe ()mbert $ith a variety o* 'erverse 'leas)res, Physically# 9)ilty a''ears in*re>)ently in the novel# b)t his 'resence asserts itsel* thro)gh a relentless series o* hidden cl)es, -hese cl)es# $hich incl)de initials# 'lace names# titles# and many other re*erences and s)ggestions# b)ild and intensi*y# creating a dense clo)d above the act)al story that event)ally b)rsts $hen Lolita identi*ies 9)ilty as her lover, -he cl)es rein*orce the idea that 9)ilty is ()mbert:s do)ble# since he e+ists more as a shado$ than as a living h)man being, -hat Lolita adores the intangible 9)ilty and remains )nmoved by solid# 'resent ()mbert re'resents one o* the novel:s cr)eler t$ists# and s)ggests that Lolita may indeed have had her eye on a *)t)re o)tside o* ()mbert:s control, harlotte Haze = ty'ical middleBclass# middleBaged =merican $oman# 8harlotte (a1e as'ires to so'histication and E)ro'ean elegance# b)t her attem'ts *all comically *lat, 6he is religio)s and not 'artic)larly imaginative, 8harlotte sees ()mbert as the e'itome o* the $orldB$eary E)ro'ean lover o*<and in<grand literat)re, (e re'resents her chance to become the $oman she dreams o* being# b)t her v)lgar# sel*Bconscio)s stabs at so'histication# s)ch as her tendency to dro' celebrity names and mis'rono)nce French 'hrases# make ()mbert cringe, ()mbert )s)ally re*ers to her derisively as Cama or the (a1e $oman, 8harlotte:s love letter to ()mbert tra**ics mainly in sel*B'itying martyrdom and melodramatic gest)res, Nabokov 'ortrays 8harlotte $ith so little sym'athy that the tragic elements o* her character almost disa''ear, 6he dies# a*ter all# kno$ing that the man she loves l)sts a*ter her o$n da)ghter, 8harlotte is not 'artic)larly *ond o* Lolita, =ltho)gh Lolita:s adolescent tantr)ms certainly don:t make her a very likeable child# 8harlotte:s distain signals a greater lack o* motherly concern than normal, 8harlotte seems to see Lolita as a threat# almost as com'etition# and she sends Lolita to cam' to kee' her *rom hindering her romantic 'lans *or ()mbert, ()mbert# o* co)rse# sees 8harlotte only as an obstacle to his romantic 'lans *or Lolita, -ho)gh 8harlotte is not an overtly kind and $onder*)l mother# her 'resence does 'rotect Lolita<$hen 8harlotte dies# ()mbert is *ree to kidna' Lolita and change her li*e *orever, -hemes# Coti*s J 6ymbols 1hemes -hemes are the *)ndamental and o*ten )niversal ideas e+'lored in a literary $ork,

The Power of Language

Nabokov revered $ords and believed that the 'ro'er lang)age co)ld elevate any material to the level o* art, 5n Lolita# lang)age e**ectively tri)m'hs over shocking content and gives it shades o* bea)ty that 'erha's it does not deserve, Lolita is *illed $ith sordid s)b2ects# incl)ding ra'e# m)rder# 'edo'hilia# and incest, (o$ever# ()mbert ()mbert# in telling his

story# )ses ')ns# literary all)sions# and re'eating ling)istic 'atterns to render this dark tale in an enchanting *orm, 5n this $ay# ()mbert sed)ces his readers as *)lly and slyly as he sed)ces Lolita hersel*, Dords are his 'o$er# and he )ses them to distract# con*)se# and charm, (e is a 'edo'hile and a m)rderer# b)t he b)ilds )' elaborate de*enses and e+'lanations *or his actions# and his lang)age shields him *rom 2)dgment, Dith Lolita# Nabokov:s )ltimate achievement may be that he *orces readers to be com'licit in ()mbert:s crimes, 5n order to )ncover the act)al story o* 'edo'hilia# ra'e# and m)rder $ithin the te+t# readers have to immerse themselves in ()mbert:s $ords and their shado$y meanings<and th)s they m)st enter ()mbert:s mind, ;y engaging so closely $ith ()mbert:s ling)istic trickery# readers cannot hold him at a *ar eno)gh distance to see him *or the man he tr)ly is,

The Dispiriting Incompatibility of European and American Cultures

-hro)gho)t Lolita# the interactions bet$een E)ro'ean and =merican c)lt)res res)lt in 'er'et)al mis)nderstandings and con*lict, 8harlotte (a1e# an =merican# is dra$n to the so'histication and $orldliness o* ()mbert# a E)ro'ean, 6he eagerly acce'ts ()mbert not so m)ch beca)se o* $ho he is# b)t beca)se she is charmed by $hat she sees as the glamo)r and intellect o* ()mbert:s backgro)nd, ()mbert has no s)ch reverence *or 8harlotte, (e o'enly mocks the s)'er*iciality and transience o* =merican c)lt)re# and he vie$s 8harlotte as nothing b)t a sim'leBminded ho)se$i*e, (o$ever# he adores every one o* Lolita:s v)lgarities and chronicles every detail o* his to)r o* =merica<he en2oys the 'ossibilities *or *reedom along the o'en =merican road, (e event)ally admits that he has de*iled the co)ntry rather than the other $ay aro)nd, -ho)gh ()mbert and Lolita develo' their o$n version o* 'eace as they travel together# their )nion is clearly not based on )nderstanding or acce'tance, Lolita cannot com'rehend the de'th o* ()mbert:s devotion# $hich he overtly links to art# history# and c)lt)re# and ()mbert $ill never tr)ly recogni1e Lolita:s )n$illingness to let him so'histicate her, Event)ally# Lolita leaves ()mbert *or the =merican 9)ilty# $ho does not bore her $ith high c)lt)re or grand 'assions,

The Inadequacy of Psychiatry

()mbert:s 'assion *or Lolita de*ies easy 'sychological analysis# and thro)gho)t Lolita ()mbert mocks 'sychiatry:s tendency to$ard sim'listic# logical e+'lanations, 5n the *ore$ord to Lolita# .ohn /ay# .r,# Ph,0,# claims that ()mbert:s tale $ill be o* great interest to 'sychiatry# b)t thro)gho)t his memoir ()mbert does his best to discredit the entire *ield o* st)dy# hea'ing the most scorn on Fre)dian 'sychology, For e+am'le# he en2oys lying to the 'sychiatrists at the sanitari)m, (e re'orts mockingly that Pratt# the headmistress o* Lolita:s school# diagnoses Lolita as se+)ally immat)re# $holly )na$are that she act)ally has an overly active se+ li*e $ith her ste'*ather, ;y )ndermining the a)thority and logic o* the 'sychiatric *ield# Nabokov demands that readers vie$ ()mbert as a )ni>)e and dee'ly *la$ed h)man being# b)t not an insane one, ()mbert *)rther th$arts e**orts o* scienti*ic categori1ation by constantly describing his *eelings *or Lolita as an enchantment or s'ell# closer to magic than to science, (e tries to 'rove that his love is not a mental disease b)t an enormo)s# strange# and )ncontrollable emotion that resists easy classi*ication, Nabokov himsel* $as dee'ly critical o* 'sychiatry# and Lolita is# in a $ay# an attack on the *ield,

The Alienation Caused by Exile

()mbert and Lolita are both e+iles# and# alienated *rom the societies $ith $hich they are *amiliar# they *ind themselves in ambig)o)s moral territory $here the old r)les seem not to

a''ly, ()mbert chooses e+ile and comes $illingly *rom E)ro'e to =merica# $hile Lolita is *orced into e+ile $hen 8harlotte dies, 6he becomes detached *rom her *amiliar comm)nity o* /amsdale and goes on the road $ith ()mbert, -ogether# they move constantly and belong to no single *i+ed 'lace, -he to)rists ()mbert and Lolita meet on the road are similarly transient# belonging to a generic =merica rather than to a s'eci*ic 'lace, 5n o'en# )n*amiliar territory# ()mbert and Lolita *orm their o$n set o* r)les# $here normal se+)al and *amilial relationshi's become t$isted and corr)'t, ;oth ()mbert and Lolita have become so disconnected *rom ordinary society that neither can *)lly recogni1e ho$ morally de'raved their actions are, ()mbert cannot see his o$n monstrosity# and Lolita sho$s only occasional a$areness o* hersel* o* a victim, -ho)gh ()mbert s$ee's Lolita a$ay so that they can *ind a meas)re o* *reedom# their e+ile )ltimately tra's them, Lolita is bo)nd to ()mbert beca)se she has no$here else to go# and tho)gh ()mbert dreams o* leaving =merica $ith Lolita# he event)ally acce'ts that he $ill stay in =merica )ntil he dies, -ho)gh each o* them )ndergoes one *inal e+ile# Lolita to 0ick 6chiller and ()mbert to 'rison# it is clear that they are *irst and *oremost e+iled *rom their o$n selves# an e+ile so total that they co)ld never ret)rn to their original 'laces in the $orlds they once le*t, E+ile in Lolita is tragic and 'ermanent, (otifs Coti*s are rec)rring str)ct)res# contrasts# or literary devices that can hel' to develo' and in*orm the te+t:s ma2or themes,

utterflies
5mages o* and re*erences to b)tter*lies and le'ido'terology# the st)dy o* b)tter*lies and moths# a''ear thro)gho)t the novel# em'hasi1ing not only the 'hysical similarities bet$een the *ragile insect and yo)ng Lolita b)t also the distant and clinical $ay in $hich ()mbert vie$s his lovely 'rey, (e e**ectively st)dies# ca't)res# and 'ins them do$n# destroying the very delicate# living >)ality he so adores, Virt)ally every time ()mbert describes a nym'het# he )ses s)ch terms as frail# fragile# supple# silky# or fairy-like# all o* $hich co)ld 2)st as easily describe b)tter*lies, Like b)tter*lies# nym'hets are el)sive# becoming ordinary teenagers in the blink o* an eye, Lolita# in 'artic)lar# )ndergoes a signi*icant metamor'hosis# changing *rom innocent girlBchild to e+ha)sted $i*e and motherBtoBbe, Ne+t to s)ch delicate and merc)rial creat)res# ()mbert becomes a$are o* his o$n monstrosity# o*ten re*erring to himsel* as a l)mbering br)te,

Doubles
9)ilty is ()mbert:s do)ble in the novel and re'resents ()mbert:s darker side, ()mbert is evil in many $ays# b)t 9)ilty is more evil# and his 'resence s)ggests that the line bet$een good and evil is bl)rred rather than distinct, ()mbert and 9)ilty seem near o''osites *or m)ch o* the novel, ()mbert adores and $orshi's Lolita# $hile 9)ilty )ses and )ltimately abandons her, ()mbert 'resents his o$n *eelings *or Lolita as tender and 9)ilty:s as de'raved, (o$ever# the men are more similar than di**erent, ;oth are ed)cated and literary, ;oth# o* co)rse# are 'edo'hiles, ()mbert sees himsel* as the *orce o* good# avenging Lolita:s corr)'tion# yet he himsel* originally robbed Lolita o* her innocence,

;y the end o* the novel# ()mbert and 9)ilty become even more closely identi*ied $ith one another, Dhen ()mbert and Lolita 'lay tennis one day# ()mbert leaves to take a 'hone call# and 9)ilty sneaks in on the game to brie*ly become Lolita:s 'artner, Lolita event)ally leaves ()mbert *or 9)ilty# b)t her ne$ li*e is hardly an im'rovement, Dhen ()mbert *inally con*ronts 9)ilty# the men become one and the same as they str)ggle $ith each other, ()mbert# describing their *ight# says# GDe rolled over me, -hey rolled over him, De rolled over )s,H (is 2)mbled )se o* the *irstB'erson and thirdB'erson 'l)rals indicates that he and 9)ilty are no longer distinct *rom one another, -he already bl)rred line bet$een the t$o men has no$ disa''eared entirely,

!ames
=lmost all the characters in Lolita engage in games, 6ometimes they consist o* innocent am)sement# s)ch as $hen ()mbert tries to interest Lolita in tennis and dreams o* making her a tennis star, ()mbert also 'lays many silly games $ith Lolita to get her attention and to kee' her com'liant, -his sense o* 'lay rein*orces the *act that Lolita is still a child and that ()mbert m)st constantly entertain her, Fames also distract characters *rom more serio)s iss)es and allo$ them to hide sinister motives, ()mbert and Fodin 'lay chess so that they can 'ass the time $itho)t revealing their tr)e selves, 9)ilty# in 'artic)lar# 'lays $ord games $ith his hotel aliases# leaving ')11les *or ()mbert to deci'her, -he characters 'lay games to hide the *eelings they cannot reveal# to *)rther their o$n ends# and to diss)ade those $ho seek to discover the tr)th# incl)ding readers, -ho)gh the games start o)t as innoc)o)s and childlike# they soon become deadly mani')lations, &ymbols 6ymbols are ob2ects# characters# *ig)res# or colors )sed to re'resent abstract ideas or conce'ts,

The Theater
-he theater becomes a symbol o* arti*ice and artistry in Lolita, ()mbert blames Lolita:s ne$*o)nd ability to lie on her e+'erience in the school 'lay, 9)ilty )ses the same school 'lay to bring Lolita to him# and Lolita is a$ed by the theater beca)se o* 9)ilty:s in*l)ence, -his is 'artic)larly 'oignant *or ()mbert# as he himsel* $as never able to interest Lolita in any artistic endeavors, 7ltimately# Lolita itsel* can be seen as a marvel o* stagecra*t? )sing lang)age# theater re>)ires an a)dience to $illingly s)s'end its collective disbelie*# in order to 'lace themselves imaginatively in the $orld o* the 'lay, Like a theater a)dience# a reader may be a$are o* the cra*t and arti*ice involved in the narrative:s constr)ction# b)t he or she nonetheless becomes a $illing 'artici'ant in the ill)sion, -his involvement takes on a darker tone *or the reader o* Lolita# as the *orce o* Nabokov:s artistry manages to make an incest)o)s 'edo'hile not only )nderstandable b)t also oddly sym'athetic,

Prison
Even tho)gh ()mbert $rites Lolita *rom his 'rison cell# his con*inement begins long be*ore his m)rder o* 9)ilty, From the moment he loses =nnabel and reali1es that he $orshi's nym'hets# ()mbert )nderstands that he is in a 'rison o* his o$n making, (e kno$s that his 'roclivities are *orbidden by society# so he m)st ')t *orth a res'ectable *aKade and hide his tr)e desires, Nabokov also )ses the conce't o* the 'rison meta'horically to symboli1e()mbert:s secret sel*, ()mbert is initially im'risoned by his secret love *or

nym'hets# then by his love *or Lolita, ;y the end o* the novel# ho$ever# ()mbert has com'letely *lo)ted all o* society:s r)les and th)s esca'es *rom his con*inement, =t that moment# tho)gh his body lang)ishes in a real# 'hysical 'rison# he *inds himsel* *ree o* the 'rison o* res'ectability# and can th)s reveal<and revel in<his tr)e sel* *or the *irst time, -he 'rison# 'arado+ically# becomes a symbol o* his 'sychological *reedom, Fore$ord &ummary Dritten by the *ictional .ohn /ay .r,# Ph,0,# the *ore$ord in*orms )s that the a)thor o* this man)scri't# entitled Lolita, or the Confession of a White Widowed Male# died o* heart *ail)re in 19"4# $hile im'risoned and a$aiting trial, (e does not mention $hat the a)thor $as arrested *or, -he a)thor:s la$yer# 8, 8, 8lark# contacted /ay to edit and 'ossibly ')blish the man)scri't# b)t only a*ter the death o* the title character, /ay# $ho had 'revio)sly edited $orks on abnormal 'sychology# makes some changes to ens)re the anonymity o* the characters, (e states# ho$ever# that he had very little editing to do# and the book is entirely the invention and creation o* the a)thor, (e *eels that to change it *)rther $o)ld not be tr)e to the a)thor:s intent or to the richness o* the s)b2ect matter, /ay states that $hile the story in the man)scri't is entirely tr)e# almost all names have been changed beca)se its sordid nat)re, -he e+ce'tion is the name Lolita# $hich is the title character:s nickname @her real name is 0oloresA and too intert$ined $ith the tale to be changed, Lolita:s last name# ho$ever# has been changed to the 'se)donym G(a1e,H -he a)thor had chosen his o$n 'se)donym# G()mbert ()mbert,H /ay notes that a diligent reader $o)ld be able to ascertain the events o* the novel by researching ne$s events in the *all o* 19"4, (e then s)mmari1es the *ates o* vario)s characters in the novel# incl)ding the death o* a Crs, /ichard 6chiller, (e states that he received some con*irmatory details *rom at least one 'erson# a Cr, GDindm)ller#H $ho does not $ant his *amily to be connected $ith the a)thor or his crimes in any $ay, /ay admits that des'ite its lack o* *o)rBletter $ords# the book may be considered very o**ensive by some, Nonetheless# he arg)es that to change the lang)age or $ording o* the novel $o)ld be to dil)te its essence and its sens)o)s detail, /ay states that he *inds ()mbert ()mbert:s actions re'rehensible and his o'inions l)dicro)s, (o$ever# he nevertheless thinks that the a)thor manages to be very 'ers)asive# artic)late# and seemingly sincere in his love *or Lolita, Fiven his backgro)nd as an editor o* 'sychology# /ay 'rovides some 'sychological insight into the a)thor:s character, (e s)ggests that abo)t 14 'ercent o* the ad)lt male 'o')lation may share ()mbert:s condition and *)rther 'osits the notion that# $ith the hel' o* a com'etent 'sychoanalyst# the tragedies in the novel might have been avoided, /ay believes that this man)scri't $ill become a classic in 'sychiatric circles# $here it $ill be read as a 'ersonal st)dy o* abnormal behavior, 5t may also 'rove to be a ca)tionary tale# enco)raging 'arents to be vigilant in the rearing o* their children, "nalysis -he title o* the man)scri't clearly indicates that the story is a con*ession# b)t the title also 'rovides *or the do)bling o* stories $ith its )se o* the $ord or, 6ince the a)thor died in 2ail# the reader may ass)me that he is con*essing to a crime, /ay does not say $hat crime the

a)thor is in 2ail *or# b)t he does indicate that ()mbert is a 'edo'hile, -he reader $ill later learn that ()mbert is in *act being tried *or m)rder rather than 'edo'hilia, %et the con*ession concerns itsel* almost entirely $ith the 'edo'hiliac a**air @or love a**air# as ()mbert arg)esA bet$een the G$ido$ed $hite maleH and the title character# Lolita, -he do)bling o* the title also indicates that more than one story $ill be told, 5ndeed# the man)scri't tells not only o* the con*ession o* the ()mbert# b)t o* the strange li*e o* its nym'het character# Lolita, Finally# the do)bling o* the title mimics the do)bling o* the a)thor:s 'se)donym# ()mbert ()mbert, Nabokov )ses the ling)istic 'attern o* do)bled $ords and do)bled characters to s)ggest the 'lay o*<and overla' bet$een<o''osites, , /ay:s assertion that the novel tells a tr)e story mocks the 'o')lar *ascination $ith l)rid crimes and tabloid ne$s'a'er articles, Painstakingly# /ay comments on the *ates o* many o* the characters, Even here# Nabokov 'lays games in order to kee' the reader g)essing, -ho)gh /ay admits that there is indeed a real Lolita# he notably does not identi*y her *ate d)ring this time, (e does# ho$ever# note the demise o* a Crs, /ichard F, 6chiller# a 'loy that $ill become clear to the reader only near the end o* the book, Nabokov also invites the reader to investigate the *act)al events in ne$s'a'er archives b)t e+'lains that those events $ill not 'rovide the $hole story, -hro)gho)t the novel# many characters $ill claim to be honest# only to have )lterior motives and trick the reader as $ell as other characters, -he *act)al tr)th is )ltimately less interesting than the manner in $hich that tr)th is reco)nted 5n both his narrative voice and his 'oint o* vie$# the *raming device o* .ohn /ay# .r,# Ph,0,# creates a 'oint o* vie$ distinct *rom both ()mbert and Nabokov, /ay re'resents the book:s *irst reader# and# like him# $e may have many contradictory res'onses to$ard Lolita, Dhile clearly disg)sted by ()mbert:s crimes# /ay nonetheless admires ()mbert:s literary skill and his honest 'assion *or Lolita, /ay# a believer in 'sychology and an editor o* 'sychological books# does not re'resent Nabokov:s attit)de to$ard 'sychology, Nabokov $as# in real li*e# an o)ts'oken critic o* 'sychoanalysis and Fre)d# and /ay:s reliance on a 'sychological e+'lanation *or ()mbert:s actions $ill soon seem comical as the story )n*olds, For Nabokov# 'sychology $as o*ten a sim'listic and r)dimentary e+'lanation *or com'le+ h)man behavior, -ho)gh many characters 'ay li' service to 'sychology thro)gho)t the novel# sheer 'sychological e+'lanations soon 'rove inade>)ate, 5n 'artic)lar# /ay:s insistence that Lolita is a Gca)tionaryH tale $ill a''ear less like a valid analysis and more like a des'erate attem't to 2)sti*y his admiration *or a man)scri't o* s)ch ob2ectionable s)b2ect matter, Part &ne# 8ha'ters 1!" &ummary2 hapter 3 ()mbert lists the many di**erent names o* his love? 0olores# Lo# 0olly# Lolita, (e admits to being a m)rderer and states that he $ill 'resent his case to the readers# $hom he calls Ghis 2)ry,H ()mbert e+'lains that Lolita $as not the *irst girlBchild in his li*e and re*ers to a 'artic)lar girl he calls Ge+hibit n)mber one,H &ummary2 hapter 4 ()mbert begins his story *rom his birth in Paris and his childhood on the /iviera# $here a *re>)ently absent *ather and a kind# yet strict a)nt raise him, (is mother had died s)ddenly# and he describes this tra)matic event $ith only t$o brie* $ords? G'icnic# lightning,H (is

*ather r)ns a l)+)rio)s hotel# and ()mbert lives a healthy# ha''y childhood among the /iviera to)rists, (e states that his se+)al ed)cation )' )ntil the age o* thirteen has been s'oradic and some$hat dreamlike# based on old French novels and movies, &ummary2 hapter 5 5n the s)mmer o* 194L# ()mbert meets a t$elveByearBold girl named =nnabel Leigh# $ho is traveling $ith her 'arents, =ltho)gh ()mbert and =nnabel are initially 2)st *riends# that *riendshi' soon changes into 'assionate# adolescent love, ()mbert states that he doesn:t have as clear a 'ict)re o* =nnabel as he does o* Lolita# tho)gh he lyrically reco)nts their a$k$ard# *)mbling attem'ts at se+, =nnabel and ()mbert never manage to cons)mmate their love# and *o)r months later she dies o* ty'h)s in 8or*), &ummary2 hapter 6 ()mbert $onders i* his 'redilection *or yo)ng girls began $ith =nnabel and claims that she and Lolita are someho$ connected, (e claims that his brie* enco)nter $ith =nnabel had 'hysical and s'irit)al com'onents that today:s children $o)ld never )nderstand, (e mo)rns the *act that he $as never able to com'lete the se+)al act $ith =nnabel and describes one enco)nter in the mimosa grove $here they came very close, (e tells the reader that he $as only able to break *ree o* =nnabel:s s'ell $hen he met Lolita# more than t$enty years later, &ummary2 hapter 7 ()mbert disc)sses his college days# $hen he gave )' the st)dy o* 'sychiatry *or the st)dy o* English literat)re, Coderately s)ccess*)l# he ')blishes a *e$ books, 0)ring this time# he visits many kinds o* 'rostit)tes b)t *inds himsel* mostly dra$n to a 'artic)lar ty'e o* girl# the nym'het, = nym'het# according to ()mbert# is a girl bet$een the ages o* nine and *o)rteen# not necessarily bea)ti*)l# b)t 'ossessing an el)sive# se+)ally a''ealing >)ality, (e attrib)tes this >)ality to a magic s'ell and makes re*erences to historical and c)lt)ral instances o* romance and marriage bet$een )nderage girls and older men, (e states that that the all)re o* the nym'het can only be )nderstood by ad)lt men $ho are at least thirty years older and $ho have the $isdom to )nderstand the girls: enchanting >)alities, Dhile ()mbert s'ends his time $atching nym'hets in the 'laygro)nd# he rarely acts on his obsession, =s an attractive man# ()mbert *inds himsel* $ith many ad)lt *emale admirers, (o$ever# most o* them re')lse him, ()mbert *inds it )n*air that a man can bed a girl o* seventeen b)t not one o* t$elve, "nalysis .ohn /ay# .r,# Ph,0,# has already $arned the reader o* ()mbert:s 'ers)asiveness# and ()mbert con*irms this assessment by beginning his man)scri't $ith a direct 'lea to the reader, -he *irst cha'ter combines both elements that /ay commented )'on? )nre'entant l)st *or a girlBchild and the elegant lang)age o* a man $ho is determined to tell the story *rom his o$n 'oint o* vie$, -his em'hasis on lang)age sets most o* Nabokov:s $ork a'art *rom other novels o* its time, 5n Lolita# Nabokov sho$cases the connections and individ)al bea)ty o* $ords thro)gh $ord games# ')ns# and 'atterns, -he reader soon becomes involved in the games and# as a res)lt# involved in the narrative, -his involvement occ)rs even tho)gh most readers are re')lsed by the s)b2ect matter# 'edo'hilia, ()mbert relies on elegant lang)age that $ill 'rove to be very 'ers)asive# even tho)gh ()mbert himsel* may not earn o)r sym'athy and o*ten acts monstro)sly,

()mbert describes his childhood as rather idyllic# and this descri'tion reveals many 'ersonality characteristics that make him )ni>)e among other characters in the novel, Cost im'ortant# his backgro)nd is E)ro'ean<not *rom any 'artic)lar co)ntry# b)t *rom a mi+t)re o* nationalities, (is E)ro'ean character and manner $ill 'rove irresistible to many =mericans# and it sets )' the =mericanBE)ro'ean c)lt)ral con*lict, -ho)gh Nabokov e+'licitly stated that this is not a novel o* a 2aded E)ro'ean sed)cing an innocent =merican or a shallo$ =merican sed)cing an elegant E)ro'ean# the contrast bet$een the t$o c)lt)res is highlighted 'rominently thro)gho)t the book, ()mbert:s childhood# in other $ays# is edenic and dreamy# *ar di**erent *rom the childhood that Lolita $ill have, =s the only son o* a $ellB toBdo *ather# ()mbert is c)lt)red and ed)cated $ith high standards# and $as raised among the elite vacationers on the /iviera, -his 'rivileged childhood is interr)'ted and *orever marked by his enco)nter $ith =nnabel Leigh, -he name Annabel Leigh is an all)sion to Edgar =llan Poe:s 'oem G=nnabel Lee#H an ode to a yo)ng $i*e, 8ritics generally ass)me that the 'oem re*ers to Poe:s yo)ng $i*e# $ho died tragically early in their marriage, -here are m)lti'le all)sions to Poe thro)gho)t the novel# b)t none so overt as this, =nnabel:s name indicates her stat)s not only as a 're')bescent lover and ob2ect o* desire b)t also as a yo)ng li*e c)t short, Even tho)gh =nnabel 'redates Lolita# ()mbert makes clear that his love *or Lolita has bl)rred the memory o* his earlier love, ()mbert can:t recollect =nnabel:s a''earance e+actly# b)t he 'rovides a lyrical descri'tion o* their attem'ts at lovemaking, -his tendency $ill be reversed $hen it comes to Lolita# $hose 'hysical *eat)res receive long# evocative descri'tions $hile her se+)al enco)nters $ith ()mbert are narrated ambig)o)sly and obli>)ely, -ho)gh ()mbert romantici1es his trysts $ith =nnabel# he manages to 'rovide detailed acco)nts o* their *ailed se+)al enco)nters, Dith Lolita# he is too *ar in love to 'rovide anything so m)ndane, ()mbert:s conce't o* the nym'het recalls the nym'hs o* Freek mythology# $ho $ere bea)ti*)l# $ild# se+)ally active# and sed)ced by gods and men alike, -h)s# ()mbert:s invented name *or the category o* girls he likes 'laces a learned and romantic veneer over his deviant desires, -he age range o* nym'hets is *i+ed# and ()mbert has no )se *or the nym'hets $ho gro$ into ordinary $omen# an )n*ort)nate aversion, Cany ad)lt $omen in the novel are clearly attracted to ()mbert# b)t he sees them only as obstacles and hindrances, ()mbert also tries to make his love *or nym'hets timeless by linking it to the 'ractices o* historical *ig)res and *ara$ay c)lt)res, (is romantici1ation o* his attraction to )nderage girls belies his hal*B hearted attem'ts to 'rovide a d)ti*)l 'sychiatric analysis o* his tendencies, -hro)gho)t the novel# ()mbert s'eaks o* the GenchantmentH and Gs'ellH o* his moments $ith Lolita and =nnabel, -he nym'het is a symbol o* lost yo)th and ')re love# a dreamBgirl# $ho# given her romantic >)alities and the cens)re o* society# is virt)ally )nattainable to the ad)lt man, Part &ne# 8ha'ters M!9 &ummary2 hapter 8 ()mbert $onders $hat ha''ens to nym'hets as they gro$ older, (e describes his a**air $ith the yo)ng 'rostit)te Coni>)e# $hich ends $hen Coni>)e mat)res o)t o* her nym'het 'hase, ()mbert then enco)nters an aging 'roc)ress $ho 'rovides him $ith another 'rostit)te $ho# altho)gh yo)ng# isn:t a nym'het in ()mbert:s vie$, Dhen he tries to leave# the girl becomes angry, ()mbert takes her )'stairs and 'ays her# b)t he doesn:t slee' $ith her,

&ummary2 hapter 9 5n an e**ort to c)rtail his illicit desires# ()mbert decides to get married, (e co)rts and marries a Polish doctor:s da)ghter named Valeria, (e *inds the con>)est rather easy# given his good looks# b)t states that des'ite his s)ccess $ith ad)lt $omen# he considers himsel* ho'eless in matters o* se+, &ummary2 hapter : ()mbert chooses Valeria beca)se o* her childlike nat)re and *lirtatio)s# dollBlike airs# and she >)ickly *alls in love $ith him, 0es'ite his initial attraction to her girlish 'ersonality# ()mbert *inds Valeria:s intellect)al in*eriority distaste*)l# and he rarely slee's $ith her, =*ter some time# an )ncle dies and leaves him an inheritance# b)t the $ill incl)des the condition that ()mbert move to =merica and take some interest in the )ncle:s b)siness, Valeria *eels rel)ctant to leave Paris# tho)gh ()mbert tries to convince her that she:ll en2oy =merica, Finally# Valeria con*esses to having an a**air $ith a ta+i driver, 0es'ite his relative indi**erence to Valeria# ()mbert *eels dee'ly betrayed and thinks abo)t killing her, 8o)rteo)s and a'ologetic# the ta+i driver arrives to take Valeria a$ay, (e does not leave ()mbert alone $ith Valeria at any moment# so ()mbert can:t kill her, Valeria rather melodramatically 'acks her things and leaves, (e later learns that Valeria died in childbirth in 19 "# a*ter she and her h)sband moved to 8ali*ornia to 'artici'ate in a bi1arre 'sychological e+'eriment, =t this 'oint in the story# ()mbert becomes distracted by the 'oor state o* the 'rison library, (e names some o* the books available# incl)ding the Childrens Encyclopedia# $hich he likes *or the 'ict)res o* Firl 6co)ts, (e notes a s)r'rising coincidence in a co'y o* Whos Who in the Limelight and transcribes a 'age *or the reader, -he 'age incl)des the 'lay$right 8lare 9)ilty# $ho $rote s)ch 'lays as he Little !ymph and "atherly Lo#e, Whos Who claims that 9)ilty:s $orks $ith children are 'artic)larly notable, -he transcribed 'age also contains an entry on 0olores 9)ine# and ()mbert says that seeing Lolita:s given name# 0olores# still gives him a thrill, (e states that his Lolita might have a''eared in a 'lay called he Murdered $laywright# and he 'lays $ord games $ith the names G9)ineH and G9)ilty,H (e notes that he no$ has only $ords to 'lay $ith, &ummary2 hapter ; ()mbert reco)nts his travels to Ne$ %ork# $here he takes a 2ob transcribing French literat)re and $riting 'er*)me ads, (e $atches the nym'hets in 8entral Park and later has a breakdo$n d)e to the stress o* his 2ob, =*ter his release *rom the sanitari)m# ()mbert takes 'art in an e+'loratory tri' to the =rctic# $here he is charged $ith st)dying the 'sychology o* his teammates, -he tri' im'roves his health# b)t he *inds the 'ro2ect tedio)s and ')blishes a 'hony analysis o* the 'sychological iss)es he $as s)''osed to be st)dying, 7'on his ret)rn# he has another breakdo$n and is instit)tionali1ed once again# $here he en2oys con*)sing the doctors $ith *ictional sym'toms, -his behavior im'roves his mood greatly, (e stays *or a *e$ months be*ore checking o)t and reentering the $orld, "nalysis -he digression into Whos Who in the Limelight initially seems like a diversion b)t# in *act# re'resents another narrative game on Nabokov:s 'art, Like the list o* characters in the *ore$ord# the meaning o* the *acts )nearthed in the book $ill only become clear m)ch later in

the novel, ()mbert o**ers cl)es that s)ggest the reason *or his incarceration# in his $ord games @Gg)ilty o* killing 9)iltyHA and his o**hand remark that Lolita might have a''eared in a 'lay called he Murdered $laywright, -he incident contains certain cl)es abo)t 9)ilty:s character# as $ell, For e+am'le# the *act that the Whos Who notes 9)ilty *or his 'lays $ith children $ill seem dist)rbingly ironic $hen the reader learns that 9)ilty tra**ics in child 'ornogra'hy, -ho)gh ()mbert transcribes the entry on 9)ilty# he doesn:t 'ass any comment on it# remaining *i+ated on the name %olores, Nabokov:s $ord games indicate that neither meaning nor tr)th $ill be *i+ed or literal, 5n Lolita# $ords become )nmoored *rom their ostensible re*erents and take on ne$ meanings# de'ending on their narrator and the 'oint o* vie$, ()mbert reveals the darker side o* his 'ersonality d)ring his ad)lt years# $hich are marked $ith 'eriods o* anger# rage# and l)st, -ho)gh ()mbert s'eaks elo>)ently and 'ers)asively# he is also 'rone to volcanic rages and cold# calc)lating cr)elty, For e+am'le# his terri*ic anger and m)rdero)s tho)ghts )'on learning o* Valeria:s a**air *oreshado$ his many instances o* violence later in the novel, =lso# ()mbert all)des to several nervo)s breakdo$ns and bo)ts o* madness, -ho)gh he attrib)tes these breakdo$ns to melancholia# he does not describe them in detail# and the reader m)st $onder $hat kind o* mental illness ()mbert s)**ers *rom, ()mbert once again dismisses the 'ractice o* 'sychology by 'laying games $ith the 'sychologists $ho analy1e him, %et he $ill describe himsel* as a madman n)mero)s times# and his ten)o)s gras' on sanity $ill be tested thro)gho)t the book, ()mbert:s tendency to$ard violence# along $ith his obsessive nat)re# $ill 'rove to be his do$n*all in the novel# and more 'o$er*)l *orces than his elo>)ence or his ed)cation, ()mbert:s enco)nters $ith ad)lt $omen are o*ten darkly comic, (e enters into both his marriages $ith coldly rational motives that have little to do $ith love or a**ection, (e marries Valeria beca)se his obsession $ith nym'hets $orries him# and he $ants to become a normal man, (o$ever# this attem't at normalcy *ails# and he *inds both his $ives coarse and intellect)ally in*erior, (e does not describe his enco)nters $ith Valeria in detail# and the reader $ill see later in the novel that he $as >)ite cr)el to her, Dhen Valeria con*esses her in*idelities in this section# ho$ever# Nabokov in*)ses the scene $ith black h)mor, =s ()mbert seethes in anger# Valeria:s ta+i driver lover a'ologi1es *or his transgression in bad French and Valeria dissolves into hilario)sly melodramatic tears as she 'acks, -he comic action o* the scene th$arts ()mbert:s attem'ts to demand satis*action# b)t the s'aring o* Valeria s'ares ()mbert# as $ell, 0riven to la)ghter by the antics o* the t$o lovers# the reader becomes distracted and shielded *rom the e+tremes o* ()mbert:s rage, =nd by not killing his $i*e# ()mbert manages to hold onto the reader:s sym'athy *or a $hile longer, Part &ne# 8ha'ters 1E!1" &ummary2 hapter 3< 7'on his release *rom the sanitari)m# ()mbert heads *or a small to$n to stay $ith a Cr, Cc8oo, = relative o* a *riend o* his )ncle:s# Cc8oo has a t$elveByearBold da)ghter# $hom ()mbert *antasi1es abo)t, Dhen he arrives in the to$n o* /amsdale# ho$ever# he learns that the Cc8oos: ho)se has b)rned do$n, Cr, Cc8oo recommends a boarding ho)se at L 4 La$n 6treet# r)n by the $ido$ed Crs, (a1e, Neither Crs, (a1e nor the ho)se im'ress ()mbert, (e describes her as a *atally conventional $oman# one $ho# des'ite her soBcalled c)lt)ral and comm)nity activities# has many 'retensions and little imagination, (e reali1es $ith distaste

that she $ill 'robably try to sed)ce him, (e *inds the ho)se horribly )na''ealing )ntil he sees Crs, (a1e:s t$elveByearBold da)ghter# 0olores# sitting on the la$n, ()mbert *inds her resemblance to =nnabel )ncanny and immediately remembers his time $ith =nnabel t$entyB *ive years ago, (e decides to stay, &ummary2 hapter 33 From 'rison# ()mbert recalls 'assages *rom his diary regarding the time he lived at the (a1e ho)se in 19 3 and his initial tho)ghts o* Lolita, =lmost all his entries describe enco)nters $ith Lolita and contain romantic descri'tions o* her nym'het >)alities# as $ell as his vario)s attem'ts to l)re her into his 'resence, 0elighted# he learns that he resembles a celebrity Lolita adores# $hich ca)ses 8harlotte to tease Lolita abo)t having a cr)sh on ()mbert, -ho)gh he kno$s that he sho)ld not be kee'ing a 2o)rnal o* his attraction# ()mbert can:t hel' himsel*, (e o*ten goes into Lolita:s room and to)ches her things, (e describes 8harlotte (a1e disdain*)lly and hates her *or al$ays com'laining abo)t Lolita, (e kno$s that he m)st behave himsel* $ith 8harlotte aro)nd# so he daydreams abo)t killing her, &ummary2 hapter 34 8harlotte# Lolita# and ()mbert 'lan to go to (o)rglass Lake *or a 'icnic# b)t the tri' contin)ally gets 'ost'oned, ()mbert gets a *)rther disa''ointment $hen he learns that a classmate o* Lolita:s $ill accom'any them, ()mbert learns that the 'revio)s boarder# elderly Crs, Phalen# broke her hi' and had to leave s)ddenly# $hich enabled ()mbert to come and live $ith the (a1es, ()mbert e+'resses ama1ement at ho$ *ate led him here# to his dream nym'het, &ummary2 hapter 35 &ne 6)nday# $hen the tri' to the lake gets 'ost'oned yet again# Lolita becomes angry and re*)ses to go to ch)rch $ith 8harlotte, 0elighted# ()mbert has Lolita all to himsel*, Dhen Lolita starts eating an a''le# ()mbert teasingly takes it a$ay *rom her, (e *inally ret)rns it and# as Lolita sings a 'o')lar song# discreetly r)bs against her )ntil he clima+es, Lolita r)ns o**# a''arently $itho)t having noticed anything, &ummary2 hapter 36 Famished# ()mbert goes into to$n *or l)nch, (e *eels 'ro)d that he managed to satis*y himsel* $itho)t corr)'ting the child# and he $avers bet$een $anting to re'eat the e+'erience and $anting to 'reserve Lolita:s ')rity, Later# 8harlotte tells ()mbert that she is sending Lolita a$ay to s)mmer cam' *or three $eeks, ()mbert hides his misery by 'retending to have a toothache, Crs, (a1e recommends that he see their neighbor# 0r, 9)ilty# a dentist and the )ncle o* a 'lay$right, &ummary2 hapter 37 ()mbert considers leaving the boarding ho)se )ntil Lolita ret)rns in the *all, Lolita doesn:t $ant to go to cam'# b)t 8harlotte dismisses her tears, ()mbert m)ses that Lolita might lose her ')rity $hile she:s a$ay and cease to be a nym'het, .)st be*ore she enters the car to go to cam'# Lolita r)shes back and kisses ()mbert,

"nalysis -he contrast bet$een ()mbert and Crs, (a1e e+em'li*ies the contrast bet$een the old# so'histicated# decadent $orld E)ro'e and the arti*icial# 'retentio)s $orld o* the 7nited 6tates, 8harlotte (a1e as'ires to be the kind o* $oman ()mbert co)ld love# a $orldly# elegant# re*ined $oman $ho a''reciates *iner things, %et her ho)se# $ith its modern *)rnit)re# chea' art# and general )ntidiness# mani*ests a di**erent 'ersonality, -hro)gho)t the novel# ()mbert:s E)ro'ean manner and oldB$orld aesthetics attract a n)mber o* =merican $omen# each o* $hom he event)ally re2ects, -his se+)al clash bet$een =merica and E)ro'e $ill be )'ended in the relationshi' bet$een ()mbert and Lolita# $hen ()mbert *alls )nder the s'ell o* Lolita:s *resh# v)lgar =merican sensibilities, 0es'ite ()mbert:s best e**orts# any attem't to ed)cate and so'histicate Lolita $ill *ail, ()mbert generally *orgives and occasionally romantici1es Lolita:s v)lgarity# )nlike 8harlotte# $ho has little 'atience *or her da)ghter:s shallo$ness, ()mbert describes Lolita as an ob2ect# *oc)sing on the nym'het >)alities he *inds so e+citing $hile rarely addressing her inner mind or *eelings, -ho)gh he notes her bad moods and her v)lgarities# ()mbert nonetheless remains convinced o* Lolita:s essential connection to =nnabel, -his connection is signi*icant to ()mbert and ()mbert alone# $hich rein*orces his notion that only a s'ecial man like himsel* co)ld tr)ly com'rehend the rareness o* a nym'het like Lolita, =t the same time# this reasoning red)ces Lolita to a 'rivately held notion o* ()mbert:s and denies her the chance to gro$ or create meaning in her li*e, -he disconnect bet$een ()mbert:s romantic b)t ob2ecti*ying vie$ o* Lolita the nym'het and the real character o* Lolita the girl *inds a corres'ondence in ()mbert:s lang)age# $hich also romantici1es the )nromantici1able, ()mbert describes his 'erverse# )nla$*)l desires $ith elegant# bea)ti*)l 'rose# rendering attractive $hat many readers $o)ld other$ise *ind re')lsive, -his e**ect o* lang)age is 'artic)larly notable $hen ()mbert mast)rbates against Lolita, 0es'ite the tro)bling nat)re o* the enco)nter# the ra't)ro)s# satis*ying lang)age com'licates the reader:s reaction# as $e may sim)ltaneo)sly be dist)rbed by the events yet sed)ced by the 'rose, Even at this early stage# the love triangle bet$een Lolita# 8harlotte# and ()mbert a''ears volatile# 'artic)larly as the characters seem )na$are o* the darker elements o* their emotional res'onses, ;esides the obvio)s# )nsettling nat)re o* ()mbert:s in*at)ation# a strong c)rrent o* 2ealo)sy e+ists bet$een Crs, (a1e and Lolita# above and beyond the )s)al tensions bet$een mother and da)ghter, 8harlotte:s attraction to ()mbert 'arallels ()mbert:s attraction to Lolita# as neither $ill see the tr)e nat)re o* the ob2ect o* their a**ections, Dhen Lolita kisses ()mbert# he is ecstatic<Lolita has become real to him# rather than 2)st a dream, %et# given her ty'ically adolescent tem'erament# most ad)lts $o)ld vent)re that her cr)sh is o* the schoolgirl variety and )nlikely to develo' into a serio)s ad)lt love, ()mbert 'rolongs the cr)sh thro)gh his mani')lation o* her, ()mbert believes his li*e is controlled by the odd# )n'redictable 'resence o* Mc"ate# his $ord *or the 'artic)larly =merican brand o* *ate that he believes e+'lains the re'eated 'atterns and coincidences in his li*e, For ()mbert# CcFate $ields its 'o$er arbitrarily# bringing him to Lolita a*ter Crs, Phalen:s accident b)t then th$arting their time together# s)ch as $ith the 'lanned tri' to (o)rglass Lake, CcFate also $orks in more s)btle $ays, For e+am'le# the (a1es live at L 4 La$n 6treet# and ()mbert and Lolita $ill later stay at /oom L 4 in the Enchanted ()nters (otel# and $ill event)ally visit L 4 hotels, =lso# CcFate contin)ally brings ()mbert into contact $ith 8lare 9)ilty, -ho)gh he has not yet a''eared

'hysically in the narrative# 9)ilty is never *ar *rom ()mbert, 9)ilty is the celebrity $hom Lolita adores# and $hom ()mbert resembles, Dhen ()mbert gets a toothache# 8harlotte recommends 0r, 5vor 9)ilty# 8lare 9)ilty:s )ncle, ()mbert relies on CcFate to e+'lain the ine+'licable and to give order to his li*e, 6imilarly# Nabokov )ses CcFate to hide cl)es and highlight thematic 'atterns in the novel, Part &ne# 8ha'ters 1M!44 &ummary2 hapter 38 6till reeling *rom Lolita:s kiss# ()mbert is handed a note by the maid# Lo)ise, 8harlotte (a1e has $ritten him a letter# con*essing her love *or him and asking that he leave<)nless he reci'rocates the *eeling and marries her, ()mbert goes into Lolita:s room and looks at the cli''ings on the $all, &ne o* the men in the 'ict)res resembles ()mbert# and Lolita has $ritten G(, (,H on it, &ummary2 hapter 39 ()mbert considers marrying 8harlotte so he can stay close to Lolita, (e even toys $ith the idea o* giving both mother and da)ghter slee'ing 'ills in order to *ondle Lolita, (e $o)ld sto' short# he thinks# o* having se+ $ith the girl, ()mbert decides to marry 8harlotte and calls the s)mmer cam' to tell her, (o$ever# 8harlotte has already le*t# and he reaches Lolita instead, (e in*orms her that he 'lans to marry her mother, Lolita seems distracted and not 'artic)larly interested<she has already *orgotten abo)t ()mbert at cam', (o$ever# ()mbert believes he $ill $in her back a*ter the $edding, (e makes himsel* a drink and $aits *or 8harlotte to ret)rn, &ummary2 hapter 3: 8harlotte and ()mbert become lovers and start 'lanning the $edding, 8harlotte >)i11es him on $hether he:s a good 8hristian and says she $ill commit s)icide i* he isn:t, 8harlotte en2oys the 'restige o* being engaged to ()mbert and $aits on him hand and *oot, ()mbert states that he act)ally en2oys some as'ects o* the a**air and that it seems to im'rove 8harlotte:s looks, ()mbert tells himsel* that this hel's him get as close as 'ossible to Lolita, 8harlotte res'onds to the engagement by becoming highly social and redecorating the ho)se, 8harlotte doesn:t have very many close *riends besides .ohn and .ean Farlo$# $hose niece# /osaline# goes to school $ith Lolita, &ummary2 hapter 3; ()mbert describes 8harlotte *)rther and mentions that she is abo)t to s)**er a bad accident, ()mbert *inds 8harlotte e+tremely 2ealo)s# as she asks him to con*ess all his 'revio)s relationshi's and mistresses, ()mbert makes )' some stories to satis*y her romantic notions, (e gro$s )sed to 8harlotte# b)t her constant criticism o* Lolita still secretly )'sets him, &ummary2 hapter 4< 8harlotte and ()mbert go to the nearby lake in the last $eek o* s)mmer, 8harlotte con*esses that she $ants to get a real maid and send Lolita o** to boarding school, ()mbert seethes

>)ietly b)t# a*raid o* re'eating his e+'erience $ith Valeria# doesn:t $ant to intimidate her, (e considers killing her there at the lake b)t cannot bring himsel* to do so, .ean and .ohn Farlo$ 2oin them# and .ean tells o* seeing t$o yo)ng 'eo'le embracing by the $ater, 6he starts to tell a story o* 5vor 9)ilty:s ne'he$ b)t gets interr)'ted, &ummary2 hapter 43 ()mbert tries the silent treatment on 8harlotte# to no e**ect, (o$ever# $hen she decides they $ill go to England in the *all# ()mbert arg)es against it# and she immediately becomes contrite *or making 'lans $itho)t him, /egaining some control in the relationshi' 'leases ()mbert, 8harlotte tries to be near him as m)ch as 'ossible and mentions going to stay at a hotel called the Enchanted ()nters, 6he $onders $hy he locks the small table in his st)dy, ()mbert teases her by saying it contains love letters, Later# ()mbert $orries $hether the table:s key remains sec)re in its hiding 'lace, &ummary2 hapter 44 8harlotte in*orms ()mbert that Lolita can only begin attending boarding school in .an)ary, Cean$hile# ()mbert visits a doctor and 'retends to have insomnia# in order to 'roc)re stronger slee'ing 'ills to )se on Lolita and 8harlotte, Dhen he ret)rns *rom the a''ointment# he *inds that 8harlotte has broken into the table in his st)dy and *o)nd the 2o)rnal in $hich he details his l)st *or Lolita, ;itterly angry# she threatens to leave $ith Lolita# having already $ritten some letters, ()mbert goes into the kitchen to mi+ a drink and decides to tell 8harlotte that the 2o)rnal $as merely 'art o* a novel he:s $orking on, .)st as he *inishes the drink# the 'hone rings# and a man in*orms ()mbert that 8harlotte has been r)n over by a car, "nalysis = combination o* melodramatic gest)res# la)ghable attem'ts at $orldB$eary re*inement# and sincere# naked emotion# 8harlotte:s letter to ()mbert 'rovides insight into both the $oman she really is and the $oman she $o)ld like to be, -he letter also 'redicts the *)t)re in some )ncanny $ays, 5n the letter# 8harlotte mentions that $hile ()mbert is reading her letter# she:ll 'robably be s'eeding home in her car and risking an accident# a *ate she does indeed s)**er at the end o* 8ha'ter 44, 6imilarly# she tells ()mbert that i* he tries to sed)ce her $itho)t reci'rocating her gen)ine a**ection# he $o)ld be $orse than a kidna''er $ho ra'es a child# $hich ()mbert $ill indeed become, 6)r'risingly# the letter also highlights certain shared characteristics bet$een 8harlotte and ()mbert, Even as he sco**s at it# the 'assionate 'rose and )ncontrolled emotion o* 8harlotte:s letter echoes ()mbert:s o$n rha'sodi1ing o* Lolita# tho)gh m)ch less skill*)lly, ;oth 8harlotte and ()mbert are 'ro'elled by their o$n 'oetic# romantic *antasies# rather than a gen)ine connection to the 'eo'le they 'ro*ess to adore, Dhen 8harlotte discovers ()mbert:s secret# *or e+am'le# she *eels 2ealo)s that ()mbert $o)ld 're*er Lolita to hersel*, -he *act that an ad)lt man yearns to molest her da)ghter seems to be o* *ar less conse>)ence to her, Like ()mbert# 8harlotte is blinded by a 'assion that seems more directed at hersel* than the 'eo'le aro)nd her, -hro)gh 8harlotte and her reactions to the im'ending marriage# Nabokov mocks the bo)rgeois val)es o* =merican domesticity, 0es'ite her attem'ts at so'histication# 8harlotte:s 'reocc)'ations be*ore and a*ter her marriage sho$ the 'o$er o* her middleBclass sensibilities, First# she m)st ass)re hersel* o* ()mbert:s religio)s *aith# $hich she mistakenly sees as a sign o* his good character, 6he devotes hersel* to becoming a 'rominent member o* the

comm)nity by holding tea 'arties and garnering mentions in the society col)mn, 6he *ervently cleans and redecorates the ho)se according to r)les and ti's she *inds in catalog)es and decorating man)als, Dith these e**orts# 8harlotte attem'ts to create an air o* res'ectability abo)t her# be*itting society:s e+'ectations *or the satis*ied $i*e o* a 'rominent man, ()mbert describes the to$n o* /amsdale as idyllic and as arti*icially 'eace*)l as a to$n de'icted on sitcoms, 7nder the s)r*ace# ho$ever# dark emotions 'revail# and des'ite 8harlotte:s attem't to remake her li*e in the image o* a 'er*ect# =merican n)clear *amily# the *aKade soon cr)mbles, 5n these cha'ters# CcFate<the 'artic)larly =merican mi+ o* chance# destiny# and coincidence that ()mbert disting)ishes as a g)iding *orce in his li*e<seems to sho$ its hand $ith increasing *re>)ency, =t the same time# in its seemingly anarchic )n'redictability# CcFate serves as a co)nter'oint to the characters: grander attem'ts at *inding systematic meaning in their lives, For e+am'le# 8harlotte demands that ()mbert GeraseH his 'ast romances so that nothing can obstr)ct his a**ection *or her# the $oman destined to be his so)lmate, (o$ever# in bringing ()mbert to 8harlotte# CcFate has also bro)ght Lolita to ()mbert# and the girl $ill event)ally dis'lace 8harlotte and become $hat 8harlotte al$ays $anted to be? the love o* ()mbert:s li*e, 5n a 'artic)larly cr)el t$ist# CcFate $ill also mercilessly dis'atch $ith 8harlotte by sending her into the 'ath o* an oncoming car# conveniently clearing the $ay *or her da)ghter:s )s)r'ation o* her 'lace by ()mbert:s side, Like many other characters in the novel# s)ch as =nnabel or ()mbert:s mother# 8harlotte is killed o** s)ddenly and $ith little *an*are# as i* she has *)l*illed her ')r'ose and become obsolete to the narrative, 8onsidering that Lolita doesn:t re'resent an ob2ective acco)nt o* the given events# b)t rather ()mbert ()mbert:s s'eci*ic# biased vie$ o* those events# this harsh s)mmation o* 8harlotte (a1e as a oneBdimensional com'osite seems a''ro'riate, -ho)gh ()mbert ackno$ledges CcFate:s ca'ricio)s nat)re# he ass)mes that 8harlotte:s death has set him *ree so he can be $ith Lolita *orever, ()mbert $on:t al$ays be able to rely on CcFate:s hel'# ho$ever# tho)gh he $ill never *ree himsel* *rom its in*l)ence, -ho)gh he contin)ally attem'ts to 2)sti*y himsel* to )s# the readers o* Lolita# ()mbert:s c)nning and deceit*)l nat)re ham'ers o)r ability to tr)st him *)lly, Core than once# ()mbert has 'roven himsel* $illing to create *ictional acco)nts in order to satis*y the ')blic, (e lies in his career# s)ch as $ith his 'hony =rctic re'ort# and to those trying to hel' him# s)ch as the doctors in the sanitari)m, &* co)rse# he m)st constantly create *ictions in order to distract others *rom his 'edo'hilia, Dhen 8harlotte attem'ts the grand# romantic gest)re o* GerasingH their 'ast loves# ()mbert:s $illingness to invent a 'ast yet again indicates his )nreliability as a narrator, ()mbert:s dece'tion re'resents one more kind o* gameB'laying in Lolita# and $e m)st >)estion $hether his $illingness to lie to other characters in the novel e+tends to a $illingness to lie to )s, 5* $e as readers tr)ly are ()mbert:s 2)ry# as he himsel* calls )s# than $e sho)ld bear in mind that this book re'resents not 2)st a con*ession<as the s)btitle, Confession of a White Widowed Male, s)ggests<b)t also a 'otential attem't to s$ay o)r 2)dgment and so*ten o)r harsh criti>)e o* a con*essed 'edo'hile# ra'ist# and m)rderer, Part &ne# 8ha'ters 4L!43 &ummary2 hapter 45 =*ter receiving the 'hone call# ()mbert races o)tside to discover 8harlotte dead, 6he had tri''ed on the $et cement and *allen into the 'ath o* a car# $hich $as s$erving to avoid

hitting a dog, ()mbert >)ietly retrieves the letters she had been 'lanning to mail and tears them )', -he Farlo$s arrive# and ()mbert begins drinking, -hat night# ()mbert reads the letters# one o* $hich is addressed to Lolita# one to a re*ormatory school $here 8harlotte 'lanned to send Lolita# and one to ()mbert himsel*, Later# ()mbert im'lies to .ohn and .ean Farlo$ that he and 8harlotte had an a**air many years ago# $hen he $as still married to Valeria, .ean r)shes to the concl)sion that ()mbert is Lolita:s real *ather, ()mbert asks them not to tell Lolita o* her mother:s death# so as not to r)in her time at cam', (e tells them o* his 'lans to take her a$ay on a tri', &ummary2 hapter 46 -he driver o* the car that killed 8harlotte# Cr, Frederick ;eale# .r,# comes to a'ologi1e b)t states that 8harlotte $as at *a)lt, ()mbert agrees, 5n 'rivate# ()mbert *eels g)ilty over not having destroyed his 2o)rnal# and $ee's, -he ne+t day# as ()mbert leaves to get Lolita# .ean# $ho has become very attracted to him# kisses him 'assionately, &ummary2 hapter 47 ()mbert m)ses on the coincidences that have bro)ght him to Lolita b)t doesn:t allo$ himsel* to become too e+cited by the tho)ght o* being $ith her, -rying to 'lan ho$ to steal Lolita a$ay $itho)t looking s)s'icio)s# ()mbert becomes 'lag)ed by do)bts, (e 'lans to take her o)t o* the cam' by claiming that her mother has *allen sick# b)t he can:t be s)re that Lolita hasn:t already heard abo)t 8harlotte:s death, 7n*ort)nately# Lolita has gone on a hike and $on:t ret)rn *or t$o days, ()mbert b)ys Lolita many 'resents# incl)ding clothing# as he kno$s her meas)rements almost by heart, (e also makes a reservation at a hotel called the Enchanted ()nters# $hich 8harlotte had mentioned to him be*ore her death, &ummary2 hapter 48 ()mbert# $orn do$n by 'rison li*e# considers abandoning his acco)nt, (e $rites Lolita:s name o)t several times# and then commands the 'erson $ho $ill event)ally 'rint his novel to kee' re'eating her name )ntil the 'age is *)ll, &ummary2 hapter 49 Dhen ()mbert 'icks )' Lolita *rom the cam'# he thinks *or a moment that he might $ant to sim'ly be a good *ather to her, -hat moment 'asses# ho$ever# and he reali1es he still loves her, ()mbert tells Lolita that her mother is in the hos'ital# and they drive o**, Lolita tells ()mbert that she:s been )n*aith*)l to him# b)t then she kisses him *lirtatio)sly, 5n the midst o* their kiss# a 'oliceman sto's them and asks a*ter the $hereabo)ts o* a bl)e sedan# $hich ()mbert and Lolita 'ro*ess not to have seen, -hey arrive at the Enchanted ()nters and take room L 4, 7nable to get a cot *or Lolita# ()mbert reali1es they $ill have to share a do)ble bed, Lolita giggles and says that $o)ld be incest, 5n the room# Lolita sho$s ()mbert ho$ to kiss# b)t she soon loses interest in $hat they:re doing, 0o$nstairs# in the dining room# Lolita s'ots someone $ho looks like 9)ilty# the celebrity she admires, ;ack in the room# ()mbert gives Lolita a slee'ing 'ill# and she soon becomes dro$sy, =s she *alls aslee'# she tells ()mbert that she has been a disg)sting girl# b)t ()mbert tells her to tell him tomorro$, ()mbert locks the door and goes do$nstairs, "nalysis

=s ()mbert settles into the role o* the grieving $ido$er# 8harlotte:s death to)ches him $ith an a''arently gen)ine remorse# b)t he still cannot bring himsel* to deny his desire *or Lolita, -he *riction generated by ()mbert:s intense a''etites and his re*)sal to be bo)nd by conventional morality $ill contin)e thro)gho)t the novel, Ever the so'histicated E)ro'ean# ()mbert sco**s at 8harlotte:s bo)rgeois morality and her v)lgar 'retensions to class# yet he too believes in 'resenting a *aKade o* res'ectability that )ltimately is not matched by an internal sense o* decency, Dhenever ()mbert *eels g)ilt or attem'ts to be *atherly# he lingers *or a moment be*ore br)shing the *eeling aside, ()mbert contin)ally mocks the ad)lt $omen $ho are attracted to him# and their naively romantic notions, (o$ever# ()mbert:s o$n desires are e>)ally intense and e>)ally starryBeyed# and those 'assions control ()mbert as m)ch# i* not more# as the $omen:s 'assions control them, 0es'ite the elo>)ence $ith $hich he arg)es his case# ()mbert is g)ilty o* 'recisely the same *a)lts as the $omen he scorns, -he hand o* CcFate# $hich $e have already seen $orking in 'revio)s sections o* the novel# 'rovides n)mero)s coincidences in these cha'ters as $ell, For e+am'le# Lolita and ()mbert stay in /oom L 4 at the Enchanted ()nters# the same n)mber as the (a1es: street address, =t the hotel# Lolita s'ots a man $ho resembles 8lare 9)ilty# the 'lay$right $hose 'ict)re she once had on her bedroom $all, 5n the car# ()mbert and Lolita share a kiss that gets interr)'ted by a 'oliceman looking *or a bl)e sedan, (e doesn:t comment on the kiss# even tho)gh Lolita states that ()mbert sho)ld have been arrested<*or s'eeding, -his *oreshado$s the *inal section o* the novel in $hich ()mbert# a*ter killing 9)ilty# is indeed arrested *or s'eeding, -he 'oliceman:s lack o* interest in the kiss im'lies a certain societal tolerance o* the relationshi' bet$een ()mbert and Lolita# a sit)ation that ()mbert is more than $illing to e+'loit, = *inal instance o* CcFate at $ork can be seen in the name o* the hotel# the Enchanted ()nters, Later in the novel# Lolita $ill star in a 'lay o* the same name# $ritten by none other than 8lare 9)ilty, -he 'hrase itsel* re'resents many things# b)t it most clearly re*ers to ()mbert himsel*, (e *re>)ently claims that he been s'ellbo)nd by nym'hets $ho 'ossess magical 'o$ers and mythical >)alities, ()mbert is enchanted by Lolita# the ob2ect o* his obsession# both in the charming# *amiliar sense o* the $ord and the more distressing# literal sense o* being be$itched or s'ellbo)nd, Later in the novel# ()mbert $ill also become a h)nter<*irst o* Lolita# then o* 9)ilty, ()mbert notices these strange coincidences in 'rison# as he $rites the man)scri't and r)minates on events *rom his 'ast, 6imilarly# $e $on:t discover the *)ll im'ort o* these cl)es )ntil the novel has ended# and $e can look back$ard to constr)ct a 'attern o* incidents, Part &ne# 8ha'ters 4N!LL &ummary2 hapter 4: ()mbert eagerly antici'ates caressing the )nconscio)s Lolita, (e claims that he hadn:t 'lanned on taking Lolita:s innocence or ')rity b)t merely $anted to *ondle her $hile she sle't, (e admits that it sho)ld have been clear to him then that Lolita and =nnabel $ere not the same# and that i* he had kno$n $hat 'ain and tro)ble $o)ld *ollo$# he $o)ld have done things di**erently, 0o$nstairs# ()mbert $anders thro)gh the hotel:s ')blic rooms, &n the terrace# he enco)nters a man $ho insin)atingly acc)ses him o* behaving ina''ro'riately $ith Lolita, Each time ()mbert asks the man to re'eat himsel*# ho$ever# the man *eigns innocence and 'retends to make idle chitBchat abo)t the $eather, -he man# $ho remains hal*Bhidden in

the shado$s# invites ()mbert and Lolita to l)nch the *ollo$ing day# b)t ()mbert 'lans to be gone $ith Lolita by then, &ummary2 hapter 4; ()mbert ret)rns to the hotel room to *ind Lolita hal* a$ake, (e climbs into bed $ith her b)t doesn:t make any advances, =n+io)s and e+cited# ()mbert stays a$ake all night, 5n the morning# Lolita $akes )' and n)11les him as he *eigns slee', 6he asks him i* he ever had se+ as a yo)th, Dhen ()mbert says no# Lolita has se+ $ith him, ()mbert states that# *or her# se+ $as 2)st another activity bet$een children# )nconnected to $hat ad)lts do behind closed doors, &ummary2 hapter 5< ()mbert la)nches into a dreamy descri'tion o* ho$ he $o)ld re'aint the Enchanted ()nters hotel in order to make the setting o* his *irst enco)nter $ith Lolita a more nat)ral# romantic one, &ummary2 hapter 53 ()mbert once again de*ends his actions as nat)ral# )sing history as evidence, (e notes that according to an old maga1ine in the 'rison library# a girl *rom the more tem'erate climates o* =merica becomes mat)re in her t$el*th year, (e *)rther reminds the reader# $hom he calls his 2)ry# that he $asn:t even Lolita:s *irst lover, &ummary2 hapter 54 Lolita reco)nts her *irst se+)al e+'eriences, =stonished by ()mbert:s naOvetP# she tells him that many o* her *riends have already e+'erimented se+)ally $ith one another, =t s)mmer cam'# she )sed to stand g)ard $hile her *riend ;arbara and 8harlie# the cam'Bmistress:s son# co')lated in the b)shes, 6oon# Lolita:s c)riosity led her to have se+ $ith 8harlie as $ell# and she and ;arbara began taking t)rns $ith the boy, Lolita says it $as *)n b)t e+'resses contem't *or 8harlie:s manners and intelligence, ()mbert gives Lolita the vario)s 'resents he bo)ght *or her# and they 're'are to leave the hotel, (e $arns Lolita not to talk to strangers, (e later notices a man# abo)t his age# staring at Lolita $hile she reads a movie maga1ine in an armchair, ()mbert thinks the man resembles his 6$iss )ncle F)stave, ()mbert becomes )'set by Lolita:s shi*ting moods and her seeming disinterest in him# and he $orries abo)t ho$ to kee' their ne$ arrangement a secret, =s they drive o**# he tries to )ncover $hat Lolita:s *riends kno$ abo)t her se+)ality# b)t Lolita is in a bad mood and irritated by ()mbert:s to)ches, ()mbert *eels g)ilty b)t still desires her# and she remains con*)sed and )nha''y, Even as he tries to cheer her )'# Lolita says that she $as only an innocent girl and that she sho)ld tell the 'olice that ()mbert ra'ed her, ()mbert can:t tell i* she:s 2oking or not, Lolita com'lains o* 'ains and acc)ses ()mbert o* tearing something inside her, Lolita becomes angry and )'set and demands to call her mother, ()mbert tells her that her mother is dead, &ummary2 hapter 55

()mbert b)ys Lolita many things in the to$n o* Le'ingville, 5n the hotel# they have se'arate rooms# and he can hear Lolita crying, 6ometime in the night# she cree's into his bed beca)se# as ()mbert says# she has no$here else to go, "nalysis =s ()mbert and Lolita:s relationshi' trans*orms into a blatantly se+)al one# ()mbert:s demonstrated d)'licity and sed)ctive skill $ith lang)age sho)ld make )s >)estion $hether $e can *)lly tr)st his descri'tion o* the a**air, 5n 'artic)lar# ()mbert:s claim that Lolita sed)ced him# rather than the other $ay aro)nd# seems s)s'icio)s, Like many adolescents# Lolita a''ears to have mi+ed *eelings to$ard se+# ranging *rom mild re')lsion to enth)siastic c)riosity, 7ntil no$# she has a''eared to be a *lirtatio)s# v)lgar girl o* merc)rial moods# $hose s)''osed cr)sh on ()mbert varies in intensity *rom moment to moment, =s she eagerly >)estions ()mbert abo)t his se+)al relationshi' $ith her mother# $e can see that she clearly has a teenager:s ty'ical interest in se+)ality, (o$ever# des'ite the 'assionate kisses she shares $ith ()mbert# se+ seems mostly a game to Lolita, 6he describes her clandestine enco)nters $ith 8harlie as *)n# b)t in the same cha'ter she makes re*erence to the Gdisg)stingH things that she learned at cam', 6he clearly en2oys ()mbert:s attentions yet o*ten gro$s bored $ith his )nceasing ardor, ()mbert doesn:t describe the act)al act o* se+ $ith Lolita in any detail, &ne reason may be that his desire *or Lolita encom'asses something beyond 'hysical l)st<even $hen ()mbert dr)gs Lolita# he mostly daydreams abo)t e+amining her body# rather than abo)t act)ally *orcing himsel* on her, 5n some sense# ()mbert:s re*)sal to describe the event e+'licitly may re'resent a desire to 'reserve the sanctity o* the act# or o* Lolita hersel*, (o$ever# ()mbert:s reticence abo)t the 'hysical act o* se+ may be sim'ly a strategy to kee' the reader *rom being too disg)sted $ith him# enabling him to kee' alive the romantic element o* his narrative, Dhether or not Lolita initiates the sed)ction# it $o)ld be hard to arg)e that Lolita conscio)sly intends to trans*orm her relationshi' $ith ()mbert into a real love a**air, Le*t to her o$n devices# Lolita might not have chosen to contin)e $ith ()mbert a*ter their initial se+)al enco)nter, 5ndeed# a*ter their *irst night together# Lolita becomes s)llen, (er *re>)ent re*erences to ra'e and incest indicate that she )nderstands the im'ro'riety o* their relationshi'# b)t her cool sel*Ba$areness s)ggests that she isn:t as o)traged as $e might e+'ect, (o$ever# des'ite the *act that Lolita o*ten seems >)ite com'osed and sel*Bcontrolled *or a child# the *act remains that she is dee'ly a**ected by her *irst se+)al enco)nter $ith an ad)lt, Like many adolescents# she isn:t 're'ared to handle the emotions that arise *rom se+# let alone the emotions that arise *rom se+ $ith a gro$n man $ho ha''ens to be her ste'*ather, -he ne+t morning# she $ants to call her mother, Dhile she may not e+actly )nderstand $hat has gone $rong# she still seeks consolation *rom the 'erson $ho $as s)''osed to be her 'rotector, .)st as ()mbert cons)mmates his relationshi' $ith Lolita# 8lare 9)ilty a''ears as ()mbert:s dark shado$, 9)ilty remains a mysterio)s *orm thro)gho)t the novel# a trickster *ig)re and a game 'layer $ho never >)ite comes to light, Lolita *ascinates him# b)t 9)ilty doesn:t seem as controlled by his desires as ()mbert is by his, -his sel*Bcontrol $ill event)ally disting)ish 9)ilty *rom ()mbert in Lolita:s eyes, ()mbert# )na$are o* the role that 9)ilty $ill 'lay in his li*e and the danger he re'resents# *ails to recogni1e him as the celebrity that Lolita adores# and $hom he himsel* resembles, 5nstead# he notes 9)ilty:s resemblance to a 6$edish relative o* his# F)stave -ra'', -his re'resents an ironic kind o* recognition# since -ra'' and

()mbert# being relatives# 'res)mably resemble each other as $ell, -he *act that ()mbert links 9)ilty $ith -ra''# rather than himsel*# seems a 'erverse re*)sal to admit ho$ he and 9)ilty are connected<and# )ltimately# very similar, ()mbert:s inability to see 9)ilty<to neither recogni1e nor to literally see him# since he is o*ten standing at a distance# or in the shado$s<re'resents an 'o$erlessness on ()mbert:s 'art to acc)rately see himsel*, Freed *rom the constraint o* *riends# *amily# and $atch*)l society# ()mbert can no$ take advantage o* Lolita# since# as he himsel* observes# Lolita has no$here else to go, =s the novel 'rogresses# ()mbert:s control over Lolita becomes more and more *orce*)l# 2)st as she tries harder and harder to esca'e, 6igni*icantly# Lolita s)rrenders to ()mbert in the to$n o* Le'ingville# a name that recalls Nabokov:s *ascination $ith le'ido'tery# or the st)dy o* b)tter*lies, Like a b)tter*ly collector# ()mbert $ill 'in Lolita do$n and event)ally drain her o* the lively# $himsical >)ality that he loved in the *irst 'lace, ;y the end o* this section# ()mbert seems to have 'assed a 'oint o* no ret)rn# abandoning his already ten)o)s commitment to morality or decency, For e+am'le# des'ite her 'roblems $ith her mother# Lolita becomes )nderstandably distra)ght )'on hearing o* 8harlotte:s death and cries hersel* to slee', %et ()mbert remains stead*astly attached to his 'lan# even as he kno$s that she cra$ls into bed $ith him beca)se she has no$here else to go, (is obsession leads him to believe that he can *)l*ill all o* Lolita:s needs and kee' her *rom needing anyone else besides him, -his belie* re'resents one o* ()mbert:s many del)sions abo)t Lolita, (e remains remarkably insensitive to her *eelings# ascribing her s)llenness to mysterio)s bad moods rather than gen)ine grie* at her mother:s death or gen)ine disg)st $ith the se+)al act, ()mbert sees only his o$n nym'het# not the real thirteenByearBold girl, 8harlotte $as similarly obsessed $ith ()mbert and sa$ only an er)dite E)ro'ean# rather than a dissol)te# middleBaged 'edo'hile, ;oth 'arental *ig)res are blinded by their o$n 'assion and *ail to be 'ro'er 'arents and 'rotectors to Lolita, Part -$o# 8ha'ters 1B!L &ummary2 hapter 3 ()mbert and Lolita begin their travels across the 7nited 6tates# and ()mbert describes in detail the many ty'ically =merican motels and hotels they stay in, 0escribing Lolita as a child driven by $hims# ()mbert ind)lges most o* her *ancies# e+ce't $hen she $ants to mingle $ith other to)rists, (e occasionally allo$s her to mi+ $ith other girls her o$n age# b)t he restricts her access to boys, ()mbert reali1es that he m)st sec)re Lolita:s coo'eration in order to contin)e in this *ashion and to kee' her *rom com'laining too m)ch, (e em'hasi1es to Lolita that she has no one else b)t him? i* she acc)ses him o* ra'e# she:ll end )' at a stateBr)n re*ormatory school, ()mbert contin)es to distract her $ith ne$ destinations and ne$ gi*ts, &ver the co)rse o* a year# they travel all over the co)ntry# ending )' in the northeastern to$n o* ;eardsley# Lolita:s birth'lace, &ummary2 hapter 4 ()mbert states that their to)r did not do =merica 2)stice, /ather# they $andered *rom to)rist s'ot to to)rist s'ot sim'ly in order to kee' Lolita tolerably am)sed, Lolita is al$ays eager to 'ick )' hitchhikers# and ()mbert reali1es that their contin)al se+)al activity has given Lolita an air that attracts other men and boys, (e tries to 'revent her *rom seeing other boys# b)t

Lolita likes to *lirt, ()mbert en2oys $atching other *emale children 'lay# b)t Lolita $o)ld rather ride horseback or 'lay tennis, &nce# d)ring a match# ()mbert believes that he sees a man holding a racket and talking to Lolita, ()mbert claims that he tried everything to sho$ Lolita a good time b)t admits that he $as mainly concerned $ith kee'ing the a**air secret and kee'ing Lolita ha''y eno)gh to have se+ $ith him, (e states that he is very ha''y# b)t Lolita constantly h)rts him $ith her indi**erence and her desire to meet other 'eo'le, &ummary2 hapter 5 ()mbert attem'ts to relive his e+'erience $ith =nnabel by taking Lolita to the beach, (e *ails to reBcreate the 'ast and consoles himsel* by having se+ $ith Lolita in bea)ti*)l o)tdoor locations, -hey make love by the mo)ntains and get ca)ght by a $oman and her children# barely managing to esca'e, ()mbert and Lolita see many 'o')lar movies# and at one t$o $omen catch him *ondling Lolita in the movie theater, &nce again# ()mbert 2)st esca'es $itho)t incident, Even $hen they occasionally enco)nter 'olicemen# Lolita does not reveal their arrangement, =n+io)s abo)t the legality o* the sit)ation# not to mention d$indling *)nds# ()mbert decides to settle in ;eardsley and teach at the ;eardsley Domen:s 8ollege# $hile sending Lolita to the sedate girls: school, ()mbert reali1es that des'ite their $ide travels# they have really seen nothing# and he believes their tri' has someho$ de*iled a great co)ntry, (e also kno$s that Lolita cries every night# $hile he 'retends to slee', "nalysis 5n Part -$o# Nabokov $rites his version o* the allB=merican road novel# b)t *rom a 2aded# distracted# and distinctly E)ro'ean 'oint o* vie$, ()mbert and Lolita go every$here s)ggested by their vario)s road g)ides# b)t they see very little o* conse>)ence# since ()mbert 'lans the tri' mainly to evade society:s 'rying eyes and to kee' Lolita entertained, Like many e+'atriates# Nabokov incl)ded# ()mbert is sim)ltaneo)sly a''alled and intrig)ed by =merican kitsch, 5n 'artic)lar# he notes the odd names o* their destinations and the 'artic)larities o* that 'o')list =merican invention# the motel, ()mbert a''reciates =merica:s nat)ral bea)ty even as he admits that their tri'# 'rom'ted by a 'edo'hiliac relationshi'# did not do =merica 2)stice, Like many teenagers# Lolita is even less charmed by their vagabond li*estyle# 're*erring the movies and the com'any o* strangers to vag)ely ed)cational# mostly to)risty destinations, ()mbert *ails in his e**orts to ed)cate Lolita abo)t the vario)s signi*icant 'laces they 'ass# since he himsel* isn:t 'artic)larly interested in anything b)t their secret relationshi', 7nlike more classically reverential roadBtri' tales# in $hich the travelers gain a dee'er )nderstanding o* the $orld and themselves thro)gh their 2o)rneys# ()mbert and Lolita:s tri' is )ltimately a sham# a blind st)mbling *rom location to location $itho)t any s)bse>)ent s'irit)al gro$th or dee'er meaning, ()mbert has no$ crossed over into a $orld $itho)t any internal or e+ternal moral bo)ndaries, ;eca)se o* their constant travels# ()mbert remains o)tside society:s reg)lations and manages to convince most 'eo'le that he is merely an over'rotective *ather, Never remaining any$here *or long# he manages to evade society:s $atch*)l eye, (e is ca)ght *ondling Lolita t$ice and has m)lti'le enco)nters $ith the 'olice# b)t he al$ays makes a >)ick esca'e be*ore meeting any real o''osition, -ho)gh he constantly $orries abo)t the la$# ()mbert rarely e+'eriences any hindrance *rom o**icial a)thorities, 5n some $ays# this *reedom indicates a $ill*)l blindness on society:s 'art# and 'erha's even a certain amo)nt o* com'licity in ()mbert and Lolita:s relationshi',

;y traveling constantly# ()mbert has eliminated not only e+ternal obstacles to his a**air $ith Lolita b)t also any internal moral >)alms he might have had i* they:d stayed in one 'lace, (e $astes his tho)ghts on their ne+t destination or se+)al enco)nter# rather than on the conse>)ences o* his actions, ;e*ore their *irst se+)al enco)nter# ()mbert:s dreams $ere limited to dr)gging and *ondling Lolita# sto''ing short o* act)ally having se+ $ith her, No$ the reader can see ho$ naOve this 'lan $as<and ho$ com'letely ()mbert:s desire has cons)med him, (e terrori1es Lolita into staying $ith him by threatening her $ith re*orm school# then do)bles his e**orts $ith bribery# a tactic he kno$s is corr)'ting Lolita:s morals, 5ndeed# as the novel contin)es# Lolita sees their relationshi' as an increasingly *inancial one, ()mbert hears Lolita:s sobs at night# and tho)gh they ca)se him 'ain# they don:t 'rom't him to reconsider his 'lans *or her, (e remains convinced that he can make Lolita ha''y and still kee' their se+)al relationshi' intact, -ho)gh ()mbert doesn:t concern himsel* $ith $hether Lolita en2oys their carnal relationshi'# he does notice that her se+)al e+'erience has made her irresistible to men, 5t remains some$hat ambig)o)s ho$ a$are o* her attractiveness Lolita is# b)t she clearly en2oys male com'any, (er *lirtatio)sness can be seen either as se+)al 'recocio)sness or# 'erha's# a veiled attem't to reattach hersel* to more conventional society# since she is dra$n to *amilies and hitchhikers as $ell as yo)ng men, ()mbert:s 2ealo)sy ca)ses him to control her even more tightly# as $ell as to see every man as a 'otential threat# incl)ding the mysterio)s man at the tennis co)rt, ()mbert:s *ear abo)t losing Lolita to another man $ill come tr)e# as 9)ilty emerges *rom the shado$s and makes himsel* kno$n, Cean$hile# Lolita:s eagerness to mi+ $ith other 'eo'le is 2)st one sign o* her )nha''iness $ith her cla)stro'hobic relationshi' $ith her ste'*atherQlover, Part -$o# 8ha'ters !11 &ummary2 hapter 6 Dith the hel' o* ()mbert:s ac>)aintance Faston Fodin# ()mbert and Lolita move to 1 -hayer 6treet# an )nim'ressive ho)se in ;eardsley, ()mbert is disa''ointed in the ;eardsley 6chool *or Firls# $hich em'hasi1es social skills rather than intellect)al achievement, -he headmistress# Pratt# believes that ;eardsley girls m)st *oc)s on the G*o)r 0:sH? 0ramatics# 0ance# 0ebating# and 0ating, ()mbert is a''alled# b)t some teachers reass)re him that the girls do some good# solid school$ork, -he -hayer 6treet ho)se has a vie$ o* the school 'laygro)nd# $hich 'leases ()mbert# since he believes he $ill be able to $atch Lolita and# he ho'es# other nym'hets, 7n*ort)nately# b)ilders arrive to make changes and block his vie$, &ummary2 hapter 7 ()mbert describes ;eardsley and his neighbors# $ith $hom he is on civil yet distant terms, (e constantly $orries that they might snoo' on his arrangement, ()mbert also $orries that Lolita might con*ide in their cook# Crs, (oligan# and tries to make s)re that they are never le*t alone together, &ummary2 hapter 8 ()mbert:s *riendshi' $ith Faston Fodin# a 'o')lar man regarded as a French so'histicate and geni)s scholar# smoothes his arrival in the ne$ to$n o* ;eardsley, Faston kno$s all o*

the small boys in the neighborhood and has 'ortraits o* them# as $ell as *amo)s artists# in his home, ()mbert en2oys their occasional chess games b)t *inds Faston to be a mediocre scholar and some$hat dimB$itted, &ummary2 hapter 9 ()mbert and Lolita:s relationshi' has become more strained, 0es'ite her allo$ance and many small 'resents# Lolita $ants more money# and she starts to demand it be*ore 'er*orming se+)al *avors, ()mbert 'eriodically breaks into her room to steal back her savings so she cannot r)n a$ay *rom him, &ummary2 hapter : ()mbert $orries abo)t Lolita attracting boys# and he reads the local 'a'er:s teen advice col)mn *or instr)ction, (e allo$s Lolita to interact $ith some boys in gro)'s# b)t never alone# a r)le that )'sets Lolita, 0es'ite his attem't to control every as'ect o* Lolita:s li*e# ()mbert can:t be s)re that she hasn:t stolen a$ay $ith a boy, (o$ever# he has no 'artic)lar boy to s)s'ect, ()mbert imagines ho$ others see him and $onders ho$ he has managed to *ool everyone, (e still lives in a constant state o* an+iety, &ummary2 hapter ; ()mbert *inds himsel* disa''ointed by Lolita:s *riends# *e$ o* $hom are nym'hets, (e talks to Lolita:s *riend Cona to discover i* Lolita has any boy*riends# b)t Cona# rather than s)''lying ()mbert $ith details# seems attracted to him instead, &ummary2 hapter 3< 5n a brie* aside# ()mbert describes ho$# sometimes# he $o)ld cra$l over to Lolita:s desk $hile she $as doing her home$ork and beg *or some a**ection, Each time# Lolita reb)**s him, &ummary2 hapter 33 &ne day# Pratt in*orms ()mbert that Lolita isn:t mat)ring se+)ally and e+hibits disci'linary 'roblems, Pratt:s 'sychological analysis bothers ()mbert# as do the eval)ations given by Lolita:s teachers, Pratt ends by asking ()mbert i* Lolita kno$s abo)t se+# and she tells him that Lolita sho)ld start dating boys and# *)rthermore# that she sho)ld be allo$ed to take 'art in the school 'lay, Pratt goes on to say that Lolita has an alarming vocab)lary o* c)rse $ords, =*ter his a''ointment $ith Pratt# ()mbert goes to see Lolita in the st)dy room# $here Lolita and another girl are reading >)ietly, 6itting beside Lolita# and behind the other girl# ()mbert 'ays Lolita si+tyB*ive cents to mast)rbate him, "nalysis Like /amsdale# ;eardsley is a >)iet# 'lacid little to$n $here neighbors are on good terms and *amilies meet ha''ily in the streets, Even the ;eardsley 6chool *or Firls is essentially an artistic *inishing school# designed to teach girls to be 'leasant and 'olite com'any, 5n many $ays# ;eardsley re'resents the very model o* a clean# *amilyBoriented 19"Es to$n# b)t# like /amsdale# secrets l)rk 2)st beneath the s)r*ace, Nabokov indicates# *or e+am'le# that the beloved Faston is a 'edo'hile $ith a 'enchant *or small boys# l)ring them to his home $ith

the 'romise o* chores and small chocolates, -he 'ortraits o* yo)ng boys $hich hang in Faston:s home are matched and echoed by the 'ortraits o* artists# all o* $hom are homose+)al# $hich also hang on Faston:s $alls, ()mbert doesn:t think m)ch o* Faston# yet the bare *acts o* their sit)ations are remarkably similar# as both men are 'edo'hiles $ho manage to *ool conventional society<'artic)larly that element o* society $ith aesthetic and c)lt)ral 'retensions, 6imilarly# Lolita:s *riends# tho)gh they are yo)ng teenagers in a small to$n# seem se+)ally kno$ledgeable and e+'erienced, Cona# *or e+am'le# has already had a relationshi' $ith a marine, =nd the ;eardsley 6chool# *or all its oldB*ashioned ideals# is nonetheless very concerned $ith the se+)al and romantic lives o* its st)dents, &n the s)r*ace# ;eardsley is a 'ro'er small to$n# b)t# like ()mbert# the genteel image hides darker l)sts and motives, ()mbert:s s)ddenly blocked vie$ o* the 'laygro)nd *oreshado$s ()mbert:s $eakening gri' on Lolita and her ne$ly develo'ed a'tit)de *or dece'tion, &nce established in the small to$n# ()mbert e+'ects that he and Lolita $ill live as a normal *amily d)ring the day $hile contin)ing to be lovers at night, (o$ever# Lolita:s )nha''iness# as $ell as her normal adolescent tendencies# ca)ses her both to rebel against ()mbert and to attem't to mani')late him, ()mbert bemoans her lack o* morals as she starts demanding higher *ees *or se+)al *avors# and he becomes increasingly 'aranoid as Lolita establishes hersel* in her ne$ comm)nity, -he relationshi' 'arodies the standard *ather!teenageBda)ghter relationshi'# $ith ()mbert establishing r)les and Lolita *inding $ays to rebel, 7ltimately# ()mbert:s *ears are reali1ed $hen Lolita 2oins the school 'lay, -he combination o* 9)ilty:s in*l)ence and her ne$ dramatic training $ill teach Lolita eno)gh to esca'e her ste'*ather com'letely, Nabokov:s h)moro)s# tho)gh dist)rbing# de'iction o* an enco)nter bet$een ()mbert and Pratt is indicative o* the darkly ironic h)mor that 'ervades the novel, -he more Pratt talks abo)t Lolita:s se+)ality# the more ()mbert a''ears to be embarrassed, -he more embarrassed ()mbert a''ears# the more Pratt engages in sim'listic 'sychological analysis o* Lolita, Not only is her highly inacc)rate diagnosis o* Lolita:s se+)al kno$ledge a slight to the 'ractice o* 'sychology# b)t it also rein*orces ()mbert:s belie* that he has managed to *ool everyone, Pratt:s in2)nction that ()mbert take charge o* his da)ghter:s se+)al ed)cation gets *)l*illed# b)t in a $ay that grossly 'arodies her initial intent, 5nstead o* going to Lolita and 'aternally teaching her abo)t 'ro'er# healthy relations $ith the o''osite se+# ()mbert visits Lolita:s classroom and 'ays her si+tyB*ive cents to discreetly ')t her hands do$n his 'ants, -he scene re'resents yet another moment $here ()mbert 'asses a moral threshold in his actions, ()mbert is gro$ing reckless# not only bringing their se+)al relationshi' into a ')blic 'lace# b)t doing so in the 'resence o* another yo)ng girl, -he nameless other girl<$ho seems dollB like# $ith her 'orcelain skin and 'latin)m hair<and the classroom setting add a ne$ element o* de'ravity to the act# as i* ()mbert is no$ g)ilty o* violating more than 2)st Lolita, Part -$o# 8ha'ters 14!13 &ummary2 hapter 34 =*ter Lolita recovers *rom an illness# ()mbert allo$s her to thro$ a small 'arty $ith boys, -he 'arty isn:t a s)ccess# and the boys don:t im'ress Lolita# $hich is s)ch a relie* *or ()mbert that he b)ys her a ne$ tennis racket, For her birthday# he b)ys her a bicycle and a

book o* modern =merican 'aintings# and $hile he en2oys $atching her ride the bike# he remains disa''ointed by her inability to a''reciate *ine art, &ummary2 hapter 35 Lolita begins rehearsing *or a 'lay entitled he Enchanted &unters# in $hich she 'lays a *armer:s da)ghter $ho be$itches a n)mber o* h)nters, ()mbert notes that the 'lay has the same name as the hotel he and Lolita *irst stayed in# b)t he doesn:t think m)ch o* it, (e also doesn:t mention the coincidence to Lolita# *or *ear that she:ll mock him and his nostalgia, =t the time# ()mbert ass)mes the 'lay is nothing more than a tri*ling $ork $ritten s'eci*ically *or schoolchildren, (e tells the reader that he no$ kno$s the 'lay to be a recent com'osition# $ritten by a noted 'lay$right, ()mbert sco**s at the 'lay:s overt romanticism and *antasy, &ne day# as Lolita rides her bike# she teasingly asks ()mbert i* the Enchanted ()nters $as# in *act# the name o* the hotel $here he *irst ra'ed her, &ummary2 hapter 36 6ome days later# ()mbert becomes o)traged $hen he gets a call *rom Lolita:s 'iano teacher# $ho tells him that Lolita has been missing her lessons, Dhen con*ronted# Lolita claims she has been rehearsing *or the 'lay in a local 'ark, Lolita:s *riend Cona corroborates the story# b)t ()mbert ass)mes both girls are lying, Dhile ()mbert and Lolita disc)ss the iss)e heatedly# he reali1es that she:s changed and 'ossesses *e$er nym'het >)alities, ()mbert 'anics and threatens to take her a$ay *rom ;eardsley i* she contin)es lying, Lolita becomes *)rio)s# and they have a lo)d# angry *ight in $hich she acc)ses him o* violating her and m)rdering her mother, ()mbert grabs her by the $rist and attem'ts to restrain her, .)st then# a neighbor calls to com'lain abo)t the noise# and as ()mbert a'ologi1es# Lolita esca'es *rom the ho)se, ()mbert drives aro)nd looking *or her and *inally *inds her in a tele'hone booth, Lolita tells ()mbert that she hates the school and the 'lay and $ants to leave ;eardsley# b)t only i* they go $here she $ants to go, /elieved# ()mbert agrees to her demands, =t home# Lolita tells ()mbert to carry her )'stairs# as she:s *eeling romantic, ()mbert con*esses that this bro)ght him to tears, &ummary2 hapter 37 ()mbert tells the school that he:s been hired as a cons)ltant *or a movie in (olly$ood# b)t 'romises to ret)rn, E+cited to be traveling again# Lolita 'lans o)t $here they:ll go and $here they:ll stay, =s they:re driving a$ay *rom the to$n# Ed)sa Fold# the acting coach# ')lls )' alongside them in her car, 6he says it:s a shame Lolita co)ldn:t *inish the 'lay# since the 'lay$right himsel* $as so taken $ith her, =s Ed)sa drives o**# ()mbert asks Lolita $ho $rote the 'lay, Lolita tells him it $as some old $oman# G8lare 6omething,H Dith that# ()mbert and Lolita start their travels, &ummary2 hapter 38 ()mbert and Lolita stay in a s)ccession o* hotels, ()mbert kee's a very close $atch on Lolita# to kee' her *rom comm)nicating $ith anyone he doesn:t kno$, (o$ever# Lolita occasionally manages to disa''ear# even )nder ()mbert:s $atch*)l eye, 6he changes her mind o*ten abo)t their destinations# sometimes $anting to stay on *or no a''arent reason, &ne day# ()mbert goes o)t b)t s)ddenly *eels nervo)s# and he ret)rns to the hotel room to *ind Lolita com'letely dressed, ()mbert:s s)s'icions# $hile still vag)e# gro$ stronger,

&ummary2 hapter 39 ()mbert secretly kee's a g)n that belonged to Lolita:s *ather and stands g)ard $ith it at night, (e reminds the reader that# in Fre)dian analysis# a g)n re'resents the *ather:s 'hall)s, "nalysis 5n these cha'ters# ()mbert gro$s intensely s)s'icio)s o* both Lolita:s increasing ability to deceive him# as $ell as the vario)s men they meet on their travels, (o$ever# des'ite his mo)nting 'aranoia# ()mbert remains )nable to gras' the tr)th o* his sit)ation, For e+am'le# tho)gh he reads he Enchanted &unters care*)lly and recogni1es the strange coincidence bet$een the 'lay:s title and the name o* the hotel $here he and Lolita *irst cons)mmated their relationshi'# he doesn:t take the 'rod)ction as a $arning sign, 7nable to see this coincidence as *oreshado$ing anything# ()mbert can only o**er a 'assive# ine**ect)al res'onse? a intellect)al# critical analysis o* the 'lay:s literary val)e, Cean$hile# he Enchanted &unters brings 8lare 9)ilty directly into Lolita:s li*e and# 'res)mably# ca)ses her to reeval)ate her relationshi' $ith ()mbert, -he 'rod)ction o* he Enchanted &unters is the t)rning 'oint at $hich ()mbert *irst begins to lose Lolita# and he *ails to recogni1e its signi*icance, ()mbert:s inability to see the reality o* his 'redicament also e+tends to his relationshi' $ith Lolita, ()mbert loves $hat Lolita re'resents? a 'er*ect s'ecimen o* his ideal ty'e o* *emale# the nym'het, ()mbert loves an image o* a girl# b)t not the girl hersel*, -his re*)sal to ackno$ledge the real Lolita allo$s him to observe all the h)man elements o* his iconic $oman<her v)lgarity# her d)'licity# her rebellio)sness<and remain stead*astly ass)red that# someho$# he can 'ossess Lolita *orever, &nly a*ter losing Lolita $ill ()mbert reali1e ho$ mistaken he $as, =t this 'oint in the novel# ho$ever# ()mbert is still the enchanted h)nter# too s'ellbo)nd by his obsession to com'rehend the reality o* his lover or the imminent threat 9)ilty re'resents, 5n these cha'ters# Lolita seems less $himsical and more calc)lating, 7' to this 'oint# $e might have ass)med that Lolita:s tem'eramental moods co)ld be attrib)ted to the ty'ically merc)rial nat)re o* all teenagers or to the e+treme 'ress)re o* leading a secret# deviant li*estyle, (o$ever# Lolita:s moods seem more 'lanned no$, For e+am'le# she e+'lains a$ay her missed 'iano lessons $ith 'reternat)ral calm# even arranging *or Cona to lie *or her, For once# ()mbert:s s)s'icions seem 2)sti*ied, ()mbert blames her dramatic training *or teaching Lolita to dissemble# and he:s not entirely $rong? the theater is res'onsible *or her d)'licity# b)t not >)ite in the $ay ()mbert imagines, &nce again# ()mbert o**ers an ine**ect)al# intellect)al res'onse# making a symbolic connection bet$een the necessary 'retense involved in acting and the a''arent 'retense Lolita is em'loying, ()mbert misses the more sim'le# straight*or$ard e+'lanation *or Lolita:s lies? the theater is res'onsible *or Lolita:s betrayal beca)se the school 'lay introd)ces her to 9)ilty, ()mbert:s attem'ts to kee' their relationshi' *rom changing# as $ell as his attem't to arrest Lolita:s gro$th and kee' her in a 'er'et)al state o* nym'hethood# end )' having the o''osite e**ect? ')shing Lolita a$ay and resisting his *antasy role *or her, Lolita and ()mbert act o)t a version o* a more traditional 'arentBchild relationshi'# $ith Lolita lying and evading her *ather *ig)re in order to challenge his strict# o''ressive reg)lations, ()mbert doesn:t gras' this element o* their relationshi'# $hich leads him to )n>)estioningly acce't her decision to leave ;eardsley,

Even at this early stage# $e can see ho$ this 2o)rney re'resents a reversal o* the earlier road tri', Dhereas ()mbert himsel* 'lanned the *irst tri'# in order to assert his control over and 'ossession o* Lolita# he no$ *ollo$s Lolita:s $hims and desires# )nkno$ingly *acilitating her esca'e, Previo)sly# ()mbert $as the enchanted h)nter# charmed and *ascinated by his 'rey# Lolita, No$ ()mbert has become a di**erent kind o* enchanted h)nter? he:s be$itched and s'ellbo)nd by Lolita:s d)'licity# and# blinded by his o$n obsession# he is never able to clearly s'ot his 'rey# 8lare 9)ilty, 5* ()mbert has become an ine**ect)al h)nter in these cha'ters# he soon reali1es that he:s also become the h)nted# as his shado$y do)ble# 8lare 9)ilty# tracks him do$n in order to steal Lolita, Part -$o# 8ha'ters 1N!44 &ummary2 hapter 3: =s they contin)e heading $est# ()mbert becomes increasingly 'aranoid, &ne day# ()mbert catches Lolita talking to a strange man# $ho resembles ()mbert:s relative F)stave -ra'', Lolita says she $as sim'ly giving him directions and shr)gs o** ()mbert:s s)s'icions, &n the road the ne+t day# ()mbert s)s'ects they:re being *ollo$ed by a red car b)t manages to evade it, Lolita says she has misread the to)r book# and by mistake they *ind themselves at a theater# $atching a 'lay $ritten by 8lare 9)ilty and Vivian 0arkbloom, ()mbert is s)s'icio)s abo)t the 'lay:s a)thors b)t cannot see them $ell in the shado$s, Dhen >)estioned# Lolita states that Vivian is act)ally a man and 8lare is the *emale a)thor o* he Enchanted &unters, ()mbert recalls that Lolita )sed to have a cr)sh on the celebrity 8lare 9)ilty# b)t Lolita la)ghs o** the idea, &ummary2 hapter 3; =t the 'ost o**ice# ()mbert reads a letter to Lolita *rom Cona# $ho describes the school 'rod)ction o* he Enchanted &unters, Dhen he *inishes the letter# he reali1es that Lolita has disa''eared, ()mbert chases a*ter her# and $hen he *inds her# Lolita says she had seen one o* her *riends *rom ;eardsley, ()mbert interrogates her vigoro)sly# b)t she does not b)dge in her story, ()mbert tells Lolita that he has $ritten do$n the license 'late n)mber o* the car *ollo$ing them# b)t he discovers that Lolita has erased the n)mber and smacks her *or it, Later# ()mbert reali1es that the man *ollo$ing him<$hom he has taken to calling -ra''# a*ter ()mbert:s 6$iss relative# $hom the man resembles<has been s$itching cars, Dhen ()mbert:s car gets a *lat tire# -ra'' sto's not *ar behind them, ()mbert gets o)t o* the car to con*ront him# b)t -ra'' t)rns and s'eeds a$ay $hile ()mbert:s car# $ith Lolita at the $heel# starts moving, Lolita claims that she $as trying to sto' the car *rom rolling a$ay, ()mbert begins to kee' the g)n in his 'ocket, &ummary2 hapter 4< 0es'ite believing that Lolita:s acting e+'erience has ta)ght her to be deceit*)l# ()mbert *ondly remembers $atching her go thro)gh her drama e+ercises, (o$ever# that thrill doesn:t com'are to the 2oy he *eels $hile $atching Lolita 'lay tennis, ()mbert goes on at length# describing ho$ maddeningly attractive Lolita is on the tennis co)rts, (e admits that he *inds all kinds o* games romantic and magical# incl)ding his chess games $ith Faston, 5n the middle o* one tennis game# at a hotel in 8olorado# ()mbert receives an )rgent note that the ;eardsley 6chool has called, (o$ever# ()mbert reali1es that the school $o)ld have no $ay

o* getting in to)ch $ith him there, From a $indo$ in the hotel# ()mbert looks back to the tennis co)rt and sees a strange man 'laying do)bles $ith Lolita, ;y the time ()mbert ret)rns# the man has le*t and neither Lolita nor the other do)bles 'air $ill tell him abo)t the mysterio)s stranger, Lolita tells him she $ants to go s$imming, &ummary2 hapter 43 Later# at the 'ool# ()mbert sees a darkBhaired man $atching Lolita lascivio)sly, (e sees that Lolita can tell the man is $atching her# and he $atches as Lolita *lirts $ith the man *rom a*ar, ()mbert recogni1es him as -ra''# the man $ho has been *ollo$ing them# b)t -ra'' disa''ears be*ore ()mbert can con*ront him, ()mbert drinks heavily and starts to $onder i* he:s imagining -ra'', &ummary2 hapter 44 Later that night# Lolita claims to be ill, 6eeing that she has a high *ever# ()mbert takes her to the hos'ital, (e stays in a nearby motel# se'arated *rom Lolita *or the *irst time in t$o years, Lolita recovers >)ickly# and ()mbert visits her in the hos'ital# bringing 'resents, (e sees a letter on Lolita:s bed tray# b)t the n)rse insists that it belongs to her# not Lolita, Later# ()mbert himsel* becomes *everish# b)t he tells the hos'ital he:ll 'ick )' Lolita the *ollo$ing day, (o$ever# $hen he arrives at the hos'ital# the doctors in*orm him that Lolita has already le*t $ith her )ncle, ()mbert goes into a violent rage b)t manages to get himsel* o)t o* the hos'ital, (e vo$s to kill Lolita:s abd)ctor, "nalysis 5n this section# the novel begins to resemble a traditional crime novel and detective story, =s in the gangster movies Lolita adores# ()mbert and Lolita *ind themselves ')rs)ed by mysterio)s cars and strange# shado$y men, ()mbert begins to *all into the role o* a *ilm noir 'rotagonist# ado'ting the a''ro'riate lang)age and habits# drinking heavily and calling his g)n his Gch)m,H ;oth the reader and ()mbert *ind themselves a$ash in cl)es# b)t many o* those cl)es $ill end )' as nothing more than red herrings# or dead ends, -he combination o* ()mbert:s 'aranoia# the mysterio)s cars# and Lolita:s ine+'licable absences make ()mbert:s sit)ation seem dire indeed, -he more ()mbert tries to 'revent the inevitable# the less control he has over Lolita<or even himsel*, 0es'airing# he t)rns to violence# ho'ing to eliminate his mo)nting sense o* dread by eliminating his shado$y ')rs)er# $hom he re*ers to as G-ra''#H $ith a ')n on Gtra'H that is all too a''ro'riate to ()mbert:s sit)ation, ()mbert:s 'aranoia can be attrib)ted# in 'art# to this shi*t in the narrative:s genre, ()mbert considers himsel* an aesthete# an intellect)al# and a romantic, (e en2oys styling himsel* the hero in a love story# b)t he:s 'ro*o)ndly )ns)ited to the role o* g)mshoe in a hardBboiled thriller, -he b)tter*ly moti* contin)es in these cha'ters# as Lolita trans*orms *rom girl to $oman# *rom ha'less innocent to seemingly r)thless mani')lator, 5* the novel )ndergoes a shi*t in genre# *rom romance to crime thriller# Lolita:s role in the narrative shi*ts as $ell, Dhereas be*ore# Lolita re'resented the ideali1ed loved one# she no$ re'resents the *emme *atale# a cr)cial character ty'e in the *ilm noir genre, Femme *atales are cr)el yet irresistible# and# like that category o* character# Lolita gro$s increasingly indi**erent to ()mbert:s disintegration# sed)cing him into tr)sting her only to betray him# leading him to his destr)ction, Lolita l)res ()mbert to the s)mmer 'rod)ction o* 9)ilty:s 'lay b)t then hides $hat she kno$s abo)t 9)ilty# convincing ()mbert that 9)ilty is act)ally a $oman, 6he then de*ies ()mbert by

secretly erasing 9)ilty:s license 'late n)mber, ()mbert:s threats and bribes are having less and less o* an e**ect on Lolita# as she sli's o)t o* ()mbert:s control, Like a classic *ilm noir 'rotagonist# ()mbert begins to drink too m)ch and rely too heavily on his g)n, De sho)ld note# ho$ever# that altho)gh ()mbert seems to have *allen into this crime thriller )n$ittingly# he remains the narrator o* this tale, -his means that ()mbert controls the shi*t in genre# and that the decision to cast himsel* as the beleag)ered# ha'less detective is# )ltimately# his, Lolita may come across as a *emme *atale in these cha'ters# b)t her inner 'syche and secret intentions remain 2)st as o'a>)e as be*ore? it:s never made clear $hether Lolita is masterminding the $hole scheme or $hether she:s sim'ly acting on 9)ilty:s instr)ctions, 6imilarly# $hat ()mbert inter'rets as a cr)el 'lot to destroy him may# in *act# be the des'erate actions o* a girl trying to esca'e an o''ressive# )nhealthy sit)ation, =*ter all# i* ()mbert can convince )s# his 2)ry# that the ob2ect o* his sincere devotion cr)elly d)'ed him# then he manages to cast himsel* as the tr)e victim in this sit)ation# 'erha's earning o)r sym'athy, Part -$o# 8ha'ters 4L!49 &ummary2 hapter 45 ()mbert retraces the to)r he and Lolita took across the co)ntry# attem'ting to *ind some cl)es as to Lolita:s $hereabo)ts, =s he revisits the L 4 hotels and motels they stayed at# he learns that Lolita:s abd)ctor had been *ollo$ing them *or some time, -he abd)ctor has signed into vario)s hotel registers $ith a series o* so'histicated# $ittily all)sive *ake names, ()mbert ded)ces that Lolita and the kidna''er have been in to)ch since the beginning o* their road tri', &ummary2 hapter 46 7'on ret)rning to ;eardsley# ()mbert 'lans to accost an art 'ro*essor at ;eardsley 8ollege# $ho once ta)ght a class at Lolita:s school, =s he sits o)tside the 'ro*essor:s classroom $ith the g)n in his 'ocket# ()mbert reali1es that his s)s'icions have made him 'aranoid, ()mbert hires a detective# $ho 'roves to be )seless, &ummary2 hapter 47 ()mbert imagines he sees Lolita every$here and tries rid himsel* o* her 'ossessions, (e $rites a missing 'ersons ad in verse, ()mbert 'sychoanaly1es his o$n 'oem b)t does not 'ost it, &ummary2 hapter 48 5n his loneliness# ()mbert begins a relationshi' $ith /ita# a $oman in her late t$enties $ith a checkered history, ()mbert *inds her ignorant b)t com*orting# and their relationshi' lasts *or t$o years, 0)ring this time# ()mbert gives )' his search *or Lolita:s abd)ctor and s'ends his time $andering $ith /ita# drinking heavily, Nonetheless# he *inds himsel* ret)rning to the old hotels to relive memories o* Lolita, (e cannot# ho$ever# bring himsel* to go to the Enchanted ()nters hotel, Cean$hile# /ita gro$s increasingly )nstable and becomes convinced that ()mbert $ill leave her,

&ummary2 hapter 49 Frad)ally# /ita and ()mbert begin to live a'art# tho)gh ()mbert visits her *re>)ently, 0)ring one visit# ()mbert discovers that t$o letters have been *or$arded to him, -he *irst is *rom .ohn Farlo$# $ho remarried a*ter .ean died o* cancer, .ohn states that he has handed over the com'licated case o* the (a1e estate to an attorney named .ack Dindm)ller, -he second letter is *rom Lolita, =ddressing ()mbert as G0ad#H she $rites that she has become Crs, /ichard F, 6chiller and is c)rrently 'regnant, 6he $rites asking *or money b)t $ithholds her home address in case ()mbert is still angry, &ummary2 hapter 4: =*ter reading the letter# ()mbert goes in search o* Lolita and her ne$ h)sband, -aking the g)n along $ith him# ()mbert 'lans to kill Lolita:s h)sband# $hom he ass)mes is the same man $ho abd)cted Lolita *rom the hos'ital, -ho)gh Lolita didn:t give her s'eci*ic address# ()mbert manages to *ind the to$n she lives in# 8oalmont, Nervo)s and agitated# ()mbert bathes and dresses in his *inest clothes be*ore in>)iring a*ter the 6chillers, &ummary2 hapter 4; ()mbert *inally tracks Lolita do$n to a small# cla'board ho)se on ()nter /oad, Lolita has gro$n taller and $ears glasses no$# and is h)gely 'regnant, -ho)gh she has mat)red 'ast the nym'het stage# ()mbert reali1es he still loves her dee'ly, ()mbert sees Lolita:s h)sband# 0ick# a sim'le $orking man# o)tside in the yard, Lolita tells ()mbert that 0ick kno$s nothing abo)t their 'ast se+)al relationshi', ()mbert reali1es that 0ick didn:t abd)ct Lolita *rom the hos'ital# and Lolita# $anting ()mbert:s *inancial hel'# con*esses that the man $ho took her $as the 'lay$right 8lare 9)ilty, Lolita describes 9)ilty as the great love o* her li*e, 6he tells ()mbert that 9)ilty kne$ 8harlotte and had come to /amsdale many times to visit his )ncle# 5vor 9)ilty# the dentist, 0ick comes inside the ho)se# and Lolita introd)ces ()mbert as her *ather, ()mbert reali1es that he bears the man no ill $ill, Dhen 0ick ret)rns o)tside# Lolita contin)es her story, =*ter she ran a$ay $ith 9)ilty# she lived on his ranch $ith his *riends# all o* $hom engaged in strange se+)al 'ractices, Lolita re*)sed to 'artici'ate# claiming that she only loved 9)ilty# and 9)ilty kicked her o)t, 6he *o)nd $ork as a $aitress and event)ally met 0ick, ()mbert reali1es that he $ill love Lolita )ntil he dies and begs her to come a$ay $ith him, Lolita thinks ()mbert might give her money i* she goes to a motel $ith him# b)t ()mbert says he:ll give her the money regardless o* her ans$er and hands her *o)r tho)sand dollars, Lolita is e+cited by the money b)t *irmly and gently re*)ses to go a$ay $ith ()mbert# saying she $o)ld rather go back to 9)ilty, ()mbert leaves her $ith the money and drives o**# $ee'ing, "nalysis -hese cha'ters contin)e to 'lay $ith the idea that Lolita has trans*ormed into a detective novel, =*ter losing Lolita# ()mbert goes on a $ild goose chase# retracing their 'revio)s road tri's, (e )ncovers seemingly incredible coincidences# s)ch as $hen he reali1es that he and Lolita met at L 4 La$n 6treet# cons)mmated their relationshi' in /oom L 4 o* the Enchanted ()nters hotel# and registered in L 4 hotels across the 7nited 6tates, (o$ever# these cl)es don:t add )' to anything, 5n the end# the 'resence o* these incessant# re'etitive n)mbers

sho$s that ()mbert $as right# and CcFate did indeed 'lay a role in his 2o)rney, ;eyond that# they re'resent nothing more than a meaningless string o* *ascinating *l)kes, 6imilarly# the cl)es that Lolita:s abd)ctor has scattered along the $ay 'rove to be nothing more than teases# 'roviding insights into the 'ersonality o* the kidna''er b)t no concrete evidence as to his identity, De learn that the mysterio)s stranger is $itty and $ell read# and shares ()mbert:s o$n interest in ')ns and $ord games, (o$ever# the anagrams# Latin 'hrases# and literary all)sions seem to do nothing more than 'roclaim their o$n 'resence# since ()mbert event)ally gives )' on the 'ros'ect o* *inding Lolita, -he mystery o* Lolita:s disa''earance can:t be solved by any ordinary kind o* investigation# as $e learn *rom the comically ine**ect)al detective ()mbert ends )' hiring, Long a*ter any in*ormation might have 'roved )se*)l# the 'rivate eye re'orts Gan eightyByearBold 5ndian by the name o* ;ill ;ro$n lived near 0olores# 8olo,H -he *ake registry entry *or a GDill ;ro$n# 0olores# 8olo,H ends )' having an )ne+'ected basis in reality# b)t the connection remains a s'ecio)s one; *or all the names and n)mbers ()mbert collects# they end )' amo)nting to nothing more than Gnonsense data,H ()mbert:s reaction to losing Lolita# as $ell as his reaction to seeing her again# e+em'li*ies 2)st ho$ com'licated his *eelings *or Lolita tr)ly are, &ver the co)rse o* the novel# ()mbert has al$ays strived to demonstrate that he:s not a common 'edo'hile, For e+am'le# he grants his desire mythic >)alities# describing the ob2ects o* his a**ection as magical creat)res ca'able o* be$itching a man, ()mbert believes that# rather than signi*ying some kind o* deviant tendency# his love *or yo)ng girls demonstrates his re*ined aesthetic sense, ;y linking all s)bse>)ent girls to the original girl# =nnabel Leigh# ()mbert also sit)ates the girls $ithin the dramatic narrative arc o* his o$n li*e, -he nym'hets become symbols o* ()mbert:s dee'# innate romanticism# not victims o* his abnormal a''etites, 5n this section o* the novel# his attit)de to$ard nym'hets changes, No$ that he:s lost Lolita# ()mbert still *inds himsel* se+)ally dra$n to yo)ng girls# b)t he s)''resses that craving more *orce*)lly and can:t imagine co')lating $ith them anymore, Dhen he sees her again# he reali1es that Lolita is no$ long 'ast her nym'het 'hase# yet he *inds that he:s still smitten $ith her, 5t:s )' to the reader# as ()mbert:s 2)ry# to decide $hether this devotion constit)tes a gen)inely sel*less love and# i* so# $hether that e+c)ses ()mbert:s crimes, 6imilarly# $e have to determine $hether 8lare 9)ilty:s crimes are categorically $orse than ()mbert:s, ()mbert $o)ld arg)e that his *eelings *or Lolita are a)thentically romantic# $hile 8lare:s are basely se+)al, ()mbert has al$ays sit)ated his relationshi' $ith Lolita in a larger artistic conte+t# com'aring the t$o o* them to *ig)res *rom literat)re and history, 8lare is an artist as $ell b)t 'rod)ces the kind o* art ()mbert denigrates as v)lgar and )ns)btle, Fiven that ()mbert has al$ays tried<)ns)ccess*)lly<to c)ltivate a taste *or *ine art in Lolita# the *act that Lolita believes 8lare to be a Ggeni)sH seems cr)elly ironic, ()mbert *eels disg)sted by 8lare:s attem't to )se his stat)s as an artist to shield and e+c)se his 'erverse behavior, (o$ever# ()mbert is 2)st as g)ilty o* artistically mani')lating the sit)ation, =*ter all# Lolita is not a straight*or$ard# disinterested acco)nt o* the events in >)estion, ()mbert has taken literat)re# his chosen medi)m# and *ashioned a 'iece o* art that beg)iles its a)dience as cleverly as Lolita beg)iles him, Part -$o# 8ha'ters LE!LM &ummary2 hapter 5<

()mbert de'arts to *ind 0r, 5vor 9)ilty, =ttem'ting to take a shortc)t# ()mbert:s car gets ho'elessly st)ck in a m)ddy ditch, (e $alks several miles# in the rain# to a *armho)se and $aits *or someone to ')ll his car o)t, =ro)nd midnight# he manages to drive on# b)t e+ha)stion ca)ses him to sto' in a small to$n# not *ar *rom the Enchanted ()nters hotel, &ummary2 hapter 53 ()mbert remembers a 'riest he once kne$ in 9)ebec# $ho $o)ld disc)ss the nat)re o* sin $ith him at length, (e con*esses that# des'ite receiving m)ch s'irit)al solace *rom the 'riest# he himsel* can never *orget the sin*)l things he in*licted on Lolita, (e claims that he $ill never *ind 'eace beca)se# as he ')ts it# a maniac de'rived 0olores (a1e o* her childhood, &ummary2 hapter 54 ()mbert reali1es that beca)se he $as so cons)med by his desire *or her# he never really )nderstood the real Lolita, 5n his narrative# he begins addressing Lolita directly, ()mbert recalls a time# back in ;eardsley# $hen Lolita b)rst into tears a*ter $itnessing the ordinary# normal a**ection bet$een her *riend and her *riend:s *ather, ()mbert reali1es that even her strained relationshi' $ith 8harlotte $as 're*erable to Lolita:s li*e $ith him and that Lolita m)st miss her mother, &ummary2 hapter 55 ()mbert ret)rns to /amsdale, (e visits the old (a1e ho)se# no$ occ)'ied by a ne$ *amily $ith a nym'het da)ghter, ()mbert visits Dindm)ller:s o**ice# then goes to see 0r, 5vor 9)ilty on the 'rete+t o* needing some dental $ork, From 5vor# ()mbert learns that 8lare 9)ilty lives in Pavor Canor# on Frimm /oad, Dith that kno$ledge# he leaves 0r, 9)ilty abr)'tly, &ummary2 hapter 56 ()mbert drives 'ast Pavor Canor and imagines $hat kind o* scandalo)s# re'rehensible activities m)st be taking 'lace inside, (e drives back into to$n# to ret)rn the ne+t morning, -hro)gh the trees# he sees the screen o* a driveBin movie, ()mbert can see a man in the *ilm raise a g)n be*ore the trees obsc)re his vision, &ummary2 hapter 57 -he ne+t day# ()mbert arrives at Pavor Canor $ith his loaded g)n, ()mbert enters the h)ge and e+travagantly *)rnished ho)se and h)nts *or 9)ilty, 9)ilty emerges *rom a bathroom and a''ears )nmoved by ()mbert:s re>)ests that he recall Lolita, Dhile ()mbert e+'lains to 9)ilty $hy he m)st die# 9)ilty tries to distract him $ith clever $ord'lay, 9)ilty l)nges *or the g)n# and the t$o men $restle, ()mbert regains control o* the g)n# then reads a 'oem detailing 9)ilty:s crimes, 9)ilty criti>)es the 'oem and o**ers ()mbert many bribes# incl)ding conc)bines and erotic 'ict)res, ()mbert shoots# and 9)ilty tries to esca'e# r)nning thro)gh the ho)se, ()mbert shoots him many times# b)t 9)ilty does not seem to die, 9)ilty begs *or his li*e# b)t ()mbert *inally kills him, ()mbert reali1es that he does not *eel any 'eace and is s)r'rised to see a gro)' o* 'eo'le sitting in the dra$ing room do$nstairs# drinking, ()mbert claims he killed 9)ilty# b)t no one notices,

&ummary2 hapter 58 ()mbert then drives o**# and# o)t o* sheer rebellion# s'eeds do$n the $rong side o* the road, (e gets arrested a*ter r)nning a red light and driving into a meado$, ()mbert reali1es that the real tragedy is not that he has lost Lolita# b)t that Lolita has been robbed o* her childhood, From 2ail# ()mbert $rites that he o''oses ca'ital ')nishment b)t $o)ld sentence himsel* to thirtyB*ive years *or ra'e and dismiss the rest o* the charges, (e addresses the last section to Lolita# telling her to be tr)e to her h)sband 0ick and advising her not to talk to strangers, (e also asks her not to mo)rn 9)ilty# as he *elt that killing 9)ilty $as a ')blic service, (e also states that# i* given a choice bet$een 9)ilty and ()mbert# ()mbert sho)ld live# so he might chronicle this story and immortali1e Lolita thro)gh his art, "nalysis =s ()mbert $inds do$n his 'resentation to the 2)ry o* his readers# the >)estion o* a''ro'riate ')nishment<the inevitable concl)sion to any criminal trial<m)st be addressed, ()mbert e+'licitly raises the iss)e o* his o$n ')nishment t$ice in this section# *irst in 8ha'ter L1 and then again in 8ha'ter LM, 5n 8ha'ter L1# ()mbert s)ggests that no legal ')nishment co)ld 'ossibly 'rove s)**icient and a''ro'riate *or his crimes, (e $ill 'ersonally# ho$ever# s)**er eternally )nder the kno$ledge that he is )ltimately res'onsible *or the loss o* Lolita:s childhood, 5n 8ha'ter LM# ()mbert recommends that he be sentenced to thirtyB*ive years in 2ail *or his crimes# tho)gh he can:t advocate the death 'enalty# being morally o''osed to ca'ital ')nishment, -he novel itsel* re*)ses to o**er any clos)re on the s)b2ect o* ()mbert:s ')nishment, De never see ()mbert tried in a literal co)rtroom# since# as $e learn *rom the *ore$ord to Lolita# ()mbert dies in 2ail be*ore reaching trial, -he novel arrests itsel* at the stage o* 2)dgment# leaving the task o* a''raising ()mbert:s g)ilt and determining his sentence in o)r hands, =t the end o* the novel# ()mbert sto's 'resenting his case to )s# the 2)ry# and instead addresses his victim directly, ()mbert doesn:t 'lead *or Lolita:s *orgiveness# b)t he does attem't to make 'eace $ith her, (e tells her that he is Gthinking o* a)rochs and angels# the secret o* d)rable 'igments# 'ro'hetic sonnets# the re*)ge o* art, =nd this is the only immortality yo) and 5 may share# my Lolita,H (ere# ()mbert all)des to several *ig)res *rom art history# *rom the a)rochs# or bison# o* ancient cave 'aintings to the religio)s iconogra'hy o* the &ld Casters# rendered in their Gd)rable 'igments,H Like the G'ro'hetic sonnetsH o* Dilliam 6hakes'eare<in $hich 6hakes'eare 'redicted that his 'oems $o)ld li*e *orever and that the s$eetheart described $ithin them $o)ld like$ise be immortali1ed<()mbert o**ers his $ork o* art as a 'resent and 'enance to his darling, ()mbert and Lolita share the GimmortalityH o* Lolita# beca)seas long as the novel e+ists# there $ill be a record that 'reserves their time together, -ho)gh ()mbert @and NabokovA co)ldn:t have kno$n this at the time# Lolita has also become a canonic master'iece o* $estern literat)re# thereby granting it another level o* immortality, (o$ever# the >)estion o* $hether ()mbert:s artistic talent can mitigate his moral g)ilt remains an o'en one, ()mbert believes that the tr)e de'ravity o* his crime lies in his $anton destr)ction o* a bea)ti*)l thing<Lolita, 5* he manages to reca't)re that lost bea)ty in another bea)ti*)l creation# the novel Lolita# can $e someho$ *orgive the corr)'t criminal ()mbertR Dhen 8harlotte dies# ()mbert denies any c)l'ability in the matter# claiming that G'oets never kill,H (o$ever# as 8ha'ter L" demonstrates# 'oets do indeed kill, ()mbert even com'oses an ode in honor o* 9)ilty:s m)rder# $hich he recites 2)st be*ore shooting him,

5n the *inal lines o* 8ha'ter LM# ()mbert s'eaks o* Gthe re*)ge o* art#H and $e may ask o)rselves $hether ()mbert is indeed attem'ting to take shelter $ithin his bea)ti*)l# ma1elike creation# hiding his sin*)lness $ithin elegant 'rose, -he novel ends $ith the $ord Lolita# $hich# >)ite *amo)sly# o'ens the novel as $ell, ;y bracketing the novel $ith s)ch an e+'licit instance o* symmetry# Nabokov dra$s attention to the novel:s *ormal# literary >)alities, Lolita doesn:t re'resent a s'ontaneo)s o)t'o)ring o* emotion# b)t a 'lanned# controlled# com'osed acco)nt o* a dee'ly dist)rbing series o* events, 5t may seem ina''ro'riate# then# to res'ond to Lolita emotionally# even tho)gh ()mbert:s agony o*ten seems gen)ine and heartbreaking, (o$ever $e react to the ending o* ()mbert:s tale<$hether $e *orgive ()mbert beca)se o* the obvio)s 'ain he has s)**ered# or beca)se he has created an e+>)isite $ork o* art# or $hether $e contin)e to hold him acco)ntable *or the incredible damage he has ca)sed< Lolita *orces )s to interrogate the moral as'ects o* art a''reciation,