Humbert Humbert in 2008

Raving Lunatic · Posted: Mon Oct 06, 2008 7:32 pm Post subject: Humbert Humbert in 2008

If Humbert was a real person in today's society, would he have been arrested and labeled as a sexual predator in today's society>

Grim · Posted: Mon Oct 06, 2008 9:00 pm Post subject:

When in fact most true sexual predations go unreported. Having seen only the original movie I would say even seeming pedophilic unions can be consensual and perhaps contain components of what you could consider a "modern" definition of "love."

Ophelia · Posted: Sun Oct 12, 2008 1:45 pm Post subject:

Raving wrote:

Lawrence · Posted: Mon Oct 13, 2008 11:50 am Post subject: newsweek

There is an article on Lolita's 50th anniversary by Gates in the October 11 Newsweek. I found it very interesting. I don't know how to hypertext to it. L

Ophelia · Posted: Mon Oct 13, 2008 2:10 pm Post subject:

Thanks Lawrence.
Here is the link.
www.newsweek.com/id/163440

Raving Lunatic · Posted: Mon Oct 13, 2008 6:58 pm Post subject:

Very interesting

Grim · Posted: Tue Oct 14, 2008 3:23 pm Post subject:

Am I to understand the the character Lolita represents a 12-year old girl? I would tend to imagine closer to 16 or 17.

Ophelia · Posted: Tue Oct 14, 2008 6:11 pm Post subject:

Yes- the actress in Kubrick' film looks 16 or 17, , but Humbert makes it clear throughout the book that his obsession is for a 12-year-old nymphet, and that's Dolores's age when she mets him.

Grim · Posted: Tue Oct 14, 2008 7:54 pm Post subject:

That's just wrong.

Raving Lunatic · Posted: Thu Oct 16, 2008 6:02 pm Post subject:

In the first few chapters of the book, Humbert states that the perfect age for his nymphets is 9-14 of age. He states that only nymphets of this age group have a certain air about them. Not all girls are nymphets.

I agree it is very wrong. What scares me even more is there are actual people, both men and women, who feel this way about children. I have no clue how they can view innocent human beings in such a way.

bohemian_girl · Posted: Fri Nov 07, 2008 8:11 am Post subject:

I think that their 'innocence' is part of what, sadly, draws them to them. The thought of the nymphet being untouched and 'pure.'

I think for sure that things would go in a similar way today. It certainly illegal and in most jurisdictions, even if a twelve year old did consent, the law states that a person is only capable of giving consent after a certain age... so whatever consent 'Lolita' may have given, it would still be a crime. Of course there's the issue of whether it would be reported or not. A lot of things do go unreported. Would a girl in Lolita's shoes be more or less inclined to report it in this day and age? Who knows?

Lawrence · Posted: Sat Nov 08, 2008 4:52 pm Post subject: age of lolita

My understanding of the age of the girl in the movie is that she was 16. All of the sexually explicit scenes was the body of a stand in girl who was 19 because the California law did not allow a minor to do sexually explicit scenes. This is not factual only 50 year old recall. L

realiz · Posted: Sat Nov 08, 2008 5:18 pm Post subject:

I have not seen the movie but it sounds like the movie changed Lolita's character. I have not finished the book, but Lolita was more child than woman. At the beginning of the book she is in grade 7 with juvenile budding breasts, and weighing 86 lbs (if I remember correctly). Humbert was indeed a pedaphile and this was not a love affair but an exploitation of a young girl and he would indeed be arrested if it was reported today.

To add to Ophelia's quote:
Humbert:

Raving Lunatic · Posted: Tue Nov 11, 2008 12:15 pm Post subject:

Sorry I haven't been on here for so long. I am still continuing to read the book but it has been heavily damaged due to a new puppy. With that said, let me respond to this discussion.

It is correct that alot of these offenses are not reported. In fact alot of families would prefer to handle this type of thing "internally". Goes along with the phrase "airing out dirty laundry".

Their innocence is what attracts them. I would love to have seen a second book that is from Dolly's view. Would she think he was a dirty old man? Would she see him as a god only to later see him as a villian in the end?

realiz · Posted: Tue Nov 11, 2008 12:24 pm Post subject:


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