Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov (1955)

Name: Lolita
Author: Vladimir Nabokov

Lolita is a novel by Vladimir Nabokov, first published in 1955 in Paris and later in 1958 in New York. It is the story of Humbert Humbert, a middle-aged professor of French literature, who is obsessed with a 12-year-old girl, Dolores Haze, whom he calls Lolita. Humbert is determined to possess Lolita, and he marries her mother, Charlotte Haze, in order to be close to her. The novel follows Humbert and Lolita as they travel across the United States, and Humbert's obsession with Lolita grows. Eventually, Lolita escapes from Humbert and he is left alone and heartbroken. The novel is narrated by Humbert, and his unreliable narration is a major theme of the novel. Lolita is a controversial novel, and it has been both praised and criticized for its exploration of themes such as pedophilia, morality, and the power of language. It is considered one of the most important works of the 20th century, and it has been adapted into several films and plays.

By Vladimir Nabokov · First published 1955 · Genre: Literary Fiction, Romance, Psychological Fiction · 60 chapters · 110,877 words

First lines

It was then that began our extensive travels all over the States. To any other type of tourist accommodation I soon grew to prefer the Functional Motel-clean, neat, safe nooks, ideal places for sleep, argument, reconciliation, insatiable illicit love. At first, in my dread of arousing suspicion, I would eagerly pay for both sections of one double unit, each containing a double bed. I wondered what type of foursome this arrangement was even intended for, since only a pharisaic parody of privacy could be attained by means of the incomplete partition dividing the cabin or room into two communicating love nests. By and by, the very possibilities that such honest promiscuity suggested (two young couples merrily swapping mates or a child shamming sleep to earwitness primal sonorities) made me bolder, and every now and then I would take a bed-and-cot or twin-bed cabin, a prison cell or paradise, with yellow window shades pulled down to create a morning illusion of Venice and sunshine when actually it was Pennsylvania and rain.

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Lolita is listed on Textopian as a novel by Vladimir Nabokov, dated 1955 CE.

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Work type: Novel
Author: Vladimir Nabokov
Date: 1955 CE
Language: English
Genres: Literary Fiction, Romance, Psychological Fiction, Satire
Length: 110,877 words
Structure: 69 chapters, 3,261 paragraphs
Reading fit: Fairly Difficult (10th-12th Grade)

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Discussion starters

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Genres

Literary Fiction — Lolita is a classic example of literary fiction, with its complex characters, intricate plot, and sophisticated writing style.
Romance — The novel follows the story of a man's obsessive love for a young girl, making it a romance novel.
Psychological Fiction — The novel delves into the psychological motivations of its characters, making it a psychological fiction novel.
Satire — The novel is a satirical take on the themes of love, obsession, and morality, making it a satire novel.

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