Lolita Case

1. Lolita.

2. Vladimir Nabokov, 1955.

3. Russia.

4. Major Characters:

Humbert Humbert: From the beginning of the novel, the reader is almost programmed into feeling sympathetic when it comes to the deranged actions and thoughts of Humbert. Humbert is a man with a powerful background, wealth, he is educated and he is extremely attractive. The narrative makes the reader actually begin to like Humbert due to his linguistic skills and intellect. As a young boy he fell in love with Annabel and the girl she was set his preferences. He realizes that he needs to cover up his dark desires so he marries a woman and tries to forget about nymphets, she however cheats on him and they soon divorce. Humbert becomes obsessed with his second wife's daughter, Dolores, to him Lolita. Humbert becomes quite delusional believing that he is not in the wrong and sprawls down to deterioration.

Lolita: Lolita is a rather stubborn child, she is not striking nor does her personality make one want to be in her presence for long. The only reason that Humbert believes that what he feels for her is love is because of the fact that she's a nymphet, and that on its own is hypnotizing to Humbert. Lolita refuses to learn, to expand her mind, she would rather socialize and take part in activities girls her age participate in. She tries to get away from Humbert, she had her innocence stolen by him and Quilty. Lolita is broken and empty; she has outbursts and is lost in Humbert's obsession.

Minor Characters:

Quilty: Quilty is Humbert's foil, he is exactly like Humbert, they share the same dark desires, Quilty however is absolutely corrupt, his dark desires are a darker tone than Humbert's. Humbert truly believes that he is in love with Lolita, and although he makes Lolita an object, she is an object of his love, Quilty on the other hand has her as an object and she is an object to his darkness, he does not love Lolita, he only wants to take advantage of her. Due to his success, Quilty has managed to not face any real consequences when faced with pedophile charges; his wealth allows him to almost be untouchable. Quilty like Humbert is not completely sane and before Humbert murders him he tries to bribe Humbert with the promise of fulfilling his darkest desires.

Charlotte Haze: Charlotte is Humbert's second wife and Lolita's mother. She is completely obsessed with a European ideal; she aims for a European air to her nature but fails miserably. She believes that Humbert is the answer to her prayers, and she is so in love with hi,. Unfortunately, he does not feel the same, everything that she does tends to bother Humbert, and Nabokov never allows the reader to feel any sense of pity towards her. Charlotte is a rather useless woman and a terrible mother. Charlotte is threatened by her own daughter, she competes with her daughter, and the only good that she did Lolita was providing some protection while alive.

Annabell Leigh: Annabell is the root of Humbert's obsession, she was the first girl Humbert fell in love with as a child, they would fool around with one another exploring each other. However, they never had the opportunity of consummating their love for each other, Humbert never truly gets over Annabell even after years, he only begins to forget about her when Lolita comes into his life.

Valeria: Valeria is Humbert's first wife when he believed in order to stop his obsession with nymphets he had to marry a woman his age. Humbert does not truly care about her and leads her into the arms of another man, she has an affair with a Russian taxi driver and after leaving Humbert she soon remarries and they both die later in the novel in California.

John and Jean Farlow: John and Jean are a married couple that Humbert and Charlotte are acquainted with. After Charlotte's death Jean expresses that she has feelings for Humbert, John also takes care of the Haze estate soon realizing that he bit off more than he could chew. After Jean dies John remarries and decides to live his life with his new partner and explore South America.

Dick Schiller: Dick is Lolita's husband, he is a kind man with a gentle nature, he has absolutely no idea about the relationship Lolita once had with Humbert and Quilty. He is almost innocent and likes to believe the people around him are as well, he honestly believes that Humbert is only her father and nothing more. after receiving a job offer in Alaska he decides that is where he wants to escape with Lolita.

Rita: Rita is the woman that Humbert moves in with after losing Lolita. Him and Rita have a real relationship, Humbert seeks comfort from her and nothing more, Rita honestly believes that Humbert will soon leave her, she is constantly insecure.

Gordon Gordin: Gordon is the French professor at Lolita's school; he takes care of practically everything for Humbert when he first moves to settle in Beardsley.

5. Setting: Setting sets expectations in Lolita, Humbert is the son of a wealthy man, as a child he was raised alongside the Riviera and had the best education France could offer. His European roots are what draw women towards Humbert, he carries a European air, a man of "old-world" manners, and it is also what drives him to escape to America. Humbert is in search of something new, something that does not have so much history.

The Haze house in Ramsdale is "a white frame horror, looking dingy and cold, the kind of place you know will have a rubber tube affixable to the tub faucet in lieu of shower." (Nabokov, 36) is where Humbert falls in love with Lolita. Everything in the Haze house holds him back, it is almost a prison and all Humbert worries about is how he and Lolita can get out and be together. After finally leaving the Haze home after Charlotte dies Humbert and Lolita spend most of their time in multiple states and small motels and hotels. During their time together going from one hotel to the next was when their relationship fully developed, it is when they first have intercourse, on the road in another American hotel, The Enchanted Hunters hotel. "The Park was as black as the sins it concealed--but soon after falling under the smooth spell of a nicely graded curve, the travelers became aware of a diamond glow through the mist, then a gleam of lakewater appeared-and there it was, marvelously and inexorably, under spectral trees, at the top of a graveled drive--the pale palace of the Enchanted Hunters." (Nabokov, 117) Humbert is absolutely delusional, he allows himself romantic thought, to him this hotel is when his life began to piece itself together, having Lolita under his control and finally losing himself in her.