Lolita Summary
5 min read ⌚
Sometimes we tend to judge too quickly. Not listening to the whole story, stands to reason why we mustn’t form an opinion about something.
Through this very odd, but highly entertaining novel, you’ll learn the new meaning of the term – emotional pain.
Stay with us.
Who Should Read “Lolita”? And Why?
Indeed, Lolita may cause disturbance and judgment among more conservative communities. The plot is controversial, and it requires a dose of openness to digest its message.
That being said, we advise you to read this amazing novel if you have the guts to cope with the alarming reality of life.
Vladimir Nabokov Biography
Vladimir Nabokov was a great novelist of Russian-American origins. He achieved international recognition after deciding to dedicate himself to writing American prose.
His work has been widely criticized, but regardless of critical remarks, his efforts will be etched into the hearts of future generations.
Plot
The storyline of this fictional novel is really something special. It is looked through the prism of Ray; Lolita is something similar to a confession. It all starts when a lawyer sends a manuscript named Lolita (Confession of a White Widowed Male) to Ray.
The author is somehow disguised and used a pseudonym to remain mysterious and hidden from unwanted attention. Eventually, Humbert Humbert (the writer) died upon trial in his jail cell.
Despite all the hypocrisy and wrongdoings, Ray shows admiration and support for H.H. He believes that the author’s ideas and narration are unique and special. Moreover, he adds that the novel can change the lives of everyone suffering from psychological diseases and help parents with the upbringing.
Ray loves the manuscript, in which the author recalls some amazing childish moments and his first love Annabel. Sadly, Humbert never got the chance to experience this love because of Annabel’s premature death. It stills haunts Humbert and reminds him of how cruel life can be.
Humbert’s life takes an unexpected turn because of his decision to work various jobs in a mental institution instead of pursuing a career as an English teacher.
I am sufficiently proud of my knowing something to be modest about my not knowing all.
In the meantime, he gets married to an older woman, but the whole marriage thing doesn’t end too well. He is sexually obsessed with young women that remind him of Annabel.
After a while, Humbert arrives on the shores of the United States. He rents a room in a nearby area called New England Town from an older widow – Charlotte Haze. She has a twelve-year-old daughter Dolores (Lolita), and her innocent young appearance put Humbert under a spell.
Humbert tries to conceal his pedophiliac intentions, but occasionally he follows Lolita and finds reasons to flirt with her. Charlotte Haze, on the other hand, falls in love with this mysterious man.
Humbert goes too far and even agrees to marry Charlotte to have his true love closer to him. For all intents and purposes, he remains a closed book. Humbert’s obsession reaches a whole new level when he even thinks about killing Charlotte to have Lolita all to himself.
Nonetheless, he disregards this idea and turns to a more realistic solution. Charlotte finds his diary and stands up to him! Humbert denies everything written there, but she refuses to listen.
He tries to explain, but Charlotte abandons the argument and leaves the house. Not long afterward, a car hits her, and she dies!
Humbert now believes the time is right to take concrete actions. He goes to the summer camp to find Lolita and tell her the news. She hides Charlotte’s death for a while and shares the story after they arrive at the motel.
For over a year they’ve been roaming around the country, in which time Humbert grows his love and obsession for Lolita. In his diary, he points out that Dolores was the one who tried to seduce him not the other way around.
We all have such fateful objects — it may be a recurrent landscape in one case, a number in another — carefully chosen by the gods to attract events of specific significance for us: here shall John always stumble; there shall Jane’s heart always break.
On their voyage, they got the attention of a man who grows suspicious of their endeavor. At one point, Humbert even threatens Lolita to put her in an orphanage if she doesn’t submit to him.
Humbert manages to find a job at Beardsley College and settle in the Northeast area. Lolita enrolls in a local school, and the physical effects and cravings of puberty start to roll in. Humbert becomes increasingly aware of Lolita’s adolescent energies and enforces some strict rules to keep her away from teenage boys.
Despite all these restrictions, Humbert gives the go-ahead for her to appear in a school play. Her seductive behavior makes him even angrier.
Humbert decides to take drastic measures, and they embark on a road trip. Humbert accuses her of being unfaithful and even suspects that she arranged for someone to follow them.
Lolita’s illness on the road prompts Humbert to take her to a local hospital. When he returns to pick her up, he discovers that Dolores isn’t there.
The nurses tell him that someone else came, probably her uncle. Humbert loses his temper and starts yelling and screaming. He regains composure for a moment and leaves the hospital.
For more than two years Humbert embroils in an endless search of Lolita. He plans his revenge and makes up his mind to kill the person who did it.
Finally, Humbert finds Lolita pregnant at the age of seventeen, but the man who took her away from the hospital is not her husband. He is not quite sure what to do, so he decides to contemplate his next big move.
After some “interrogation” Lolita has no choice but to reveal the name of the person who kidnapped her – Clare Quilty. He was omnipresent throughout the whole plot, working in the shadows and forging out a plan. Lolita had a deep affection for Quilty, but he abandoned her when she refused to take part in child pornography.
Lolita Epilogue
Humbert gets very angry at Clare and decides to keep track of the whereabouts of this teenager. Lolita receives $4,000 from Humbert, and that’s the last time they lay eyes on each other. Quilty is not aware that Humbert is already hot on his trail.
Humbert enters his house, fires multiple shots and evens the score.
The police take Humbert into custody, and eventually, he ends up in prison. According to his wishes, the memoir is published after Lolita’s death and sent to John Ray, Jr., Ph.D.
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“Lolita PDF Quotes”
It was love at first sight, at last sight, at ever and ever sight. Click To Tweet Don't cry, I'm sorry to have deceived you so much, but that's how life is. Click To Tweet I knew I had fallen in love with Lolita forever; but I also knew she would not be forever Lolita. Click To Tweet And presently I was driving through the drizzle of the dying day, with the windshield wipers in full action but unable to cope with my tears. Click To Tweet And she was mine; she was mine, the key was in my fist, my fist was in my pocket, she was mine. Click To Tweet
Our Critical Review
We don’t belong to the subset of critics who are not too pleased with Vladimir’s expression and ideas. Lolita is an illuminating masterpiece that penetrates deep into the decision-making of people.
We have nothing else to say, other than – It’s truly worth the effort.
Emir is the Head of Marketing at 12min. In his spare time, he loves to meditate and play soccer.
