Life is made up, not of great sacrifices or duties, but of little things, in which smiles and kindnesses and small obligations, given habitually, are what win and preserve the heart, and secure comfort.

Sir Humphry Davy

Sunday, January 30, 2011

Lolita pages 145-176

Humbert and Lolita begin traveling across the United States. Being a very descriptive narrator Humbert describes very detailed images of the hotels they stay in during their travels. A lot of the reason Humbert is traveling around the US and buying Lolita so many gifts is to keep her distracted and content and to keep her from complaining. In an attempt to keep Lolita from complaining he sort of threatens her and reminds her that she has noone except for him. Humbert continues to be very controlling of Lolita and allows her to occasionaly spend time with other girl friends but adamently restricts her interactions with boys.

Throughout their journey Humbert has come to notice that Loliita enjoys meeting new people and trying to pick up hitchhikers. Despite the tremendous effort Humbert puts forth to keep Lolita from interacting with boys Humbert says that Lolita enjoys to flirt and is attracted to other boys and men. Humbert describes one account at a tennis match he saw Lolita talking to another guy and Humbert decides that he still wants to just try to make Lolita happy so he can have sex with her. Humbert feels as though despite Lolita hurts him with her indifference towards him and her interest in other men, Humbert is overall fairly happy.

Humbert and Lolita, on various occasions, try to be intimate in the outdoors but are caught by people. Once they attempted to be intimate by the mountains but got caught by a woman. Another time they were caught at the movies by another woman. After having traveled for quite some time Humbert decides he needs to settle down in one city and get a job. He decides to live in Beardsly and teach at Beardsly Women's college. He also sent Lolita off to an all girl's school.

Humbert seems to be more of a fatherly figure to Lolita than a lover. He is very controlling over her and not letting her to interact with any other boys because he is afraid of her finding someone else. It seems as though the relationship between the Humbert and Lolita is forced because he has to remind her that she has noone else to depend on so she has to stay with him. Also the fact that she cries every night instead of sleeping is further evidence of her unhappiness and unwillingness to be in the relationship. The fact that Humbert chose a Woman's college to teach at does not suprise me and neither does that fact that he chose an all girl's school for Lolita to attend. This book continues to be interesting however, the way Humbert treats Lolita is frustrating... By the way I have become used to the age difference so it does not creep me out as much any more.

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