"Lolita" pages 109-140

This blog covers pages 109-140 that we will discuss on Friday.

We pick back up with this weird story. Humbert had married Lolita’s mother in a pathetic attempt to stay close to Lolita. But when his wife found out that he had been writing in his dairy of his love for Lolita and his contempt for his wife they had a scrum. This ended when his wife ran out into the road and was immediately struck by a vehicle which killed her. Humbert is now driving to pick up Lolita from her camp, she doesn’t yet know that her mother is dead, only thinks that she is ill. This section covers where Humbert schemes to drug Lolita in an attempt to molest her in her sleep. On page 116 Humbert shows his true intent of giving her the drug. ‘“Oh, I want to see that picture. Let’s go right after dinner, Oh let’s!” Exclaims Lolita. “We might,” chanted Humbert-knowing perfectly well, the sly tumescent devil, that by nine, when his show began, she would be dead in his arms.’ I believe that this is showing that possibly Lolita’s soul may die that night, not her actual physical body. What Humbert wanted to do would effectively ruin her life.

I found it strange that when Humbert took her to the motel that she was at first somewhat surprised that they would be sleeping in the same room. She states ‘” Are we to sleep in one room?” said Lo, her features working in that dynamic way they did – not cross or disgusted (though plain on the brink of it) bu just dynamic – when she wanted to load a question with violent significance.
“I’ve asked them to put in a cot. Which I’ll use if you like.” – Humbert
“You are crazy,” said Lo
“Why, my darling?” – Humbert
“Because, my dahrling, when dahrlling Mother finds out she’ll divorce you and strangle me.” – Lolita

I felt that this is significant because Lolita was not actually saying that she disapproved of the arraignment but only that her mother and his wife would. This gives a clue to what happens the next morning. Humbert manages to sneak into bed with her. But when they wake up the next morning she actually seduces him. At this point they proceed to become lovers. Afterward Humbert finds out that he is not the first. She has had sex with a boy at camp to find out what it was all about. All of the sudden they start acting like any boyfriend and girlfriend that just spent the night together. There seems to be no mention of their age difference.

After leaving the hotel in very quiet way they begin the drive “home”. But the Lolita begins to complain of some pain and starts kind of joking or maybe serious talk with Humbert. On page 140 Humbert thinks about what they have done. “Cold spiders of panic crawled down my back. This was an orphan. This was a lone child, an absolute waif, with whom a heavy-limbed, foul-smelling adult had had strenuous intercourse three times that very morning.” Maybe Humbert is feeling some type of remorse at what he has done to her. I’m not sure. In my opinion he has raped her and now kidnapped her. If she decides to try and get away he may have to kill her. I would not put it past him. This is the end of the section I am to read.
Here are a few words that I looked up.

On page 116 the word tumescent was used, it means to become swollen.

On page 123 Humbert uses the word abysmal which means very profound; limitless.

Additionally I looked up hoary which was used on page 117. This means gray or white with or as if with age.