Welp, we're finally here. It was a wild ride, this book. So many emotions drawn out that made my life more complicated at the end of the day. Shall we summarize then? Is the answer yes? Then there's only one way to do it.
Now this is a story all about how
my life got flipped, turnt upside down,
and I'd like take minute so please don't be afraid,
I'll tell you all about this little girl named Dolores Haze.
In my Paris Riviera, born and raised
On the beaches, were I met my first love craze
Chillin out maxin relaxin all cool
Then my lady died of Typhus and my heart sank in a pool
But then a couple years passed and everything seemed good
Found love from a woman in my neighborhood
But I had one slight problem and again don't be scared but
I think I love my stepdaughter who's within my legal care
So I met lovely Lolita and when she came near
Our romance exploded but her mother was my fear
If anything, tripping and falling into a car was rare
But then the Doctor came knocking to swoop my girl for his affair
I. Pulled. Up to a house called the Pavor Manor
Unloaded some rounds, but I was busted by the Feds and
The door slammed shut and I was finally here
To sit in my cell until my last breath of air
Yup. That happened.
But in all seriousness with book was definitely an interesting read and was very thought provoking. I had never read a book that challenged my way of thinking quite like Lolita did. Ms. Richey definitely was not kidding when she said it was one of the best works of prose in literature. The language was so intricate that it was even entertaining for the wordplay alone. I feel that the language and vocabulary were challenging enough to give me new words to look up in the dictionary every now and then. But I was not a fan of the French sprinkled throughout; I felt left in the dark when I didn't understand the dialogue or narration.
In reading opinions on the book beforehand, I don't think anything could have prepared me for the plot line and just how emotionally invested I would become with the characters. There was almost a sense of betrayal when I saw Humbert becoming more of an antihero in the story with the deliberate manipulation to get what he wanted. And all that was left in the end was a dead man, a much later dead man, and a young girl robbed of a healthy childhood. But I'm sure if every story had a happy ending, Disney would have become the gold standard of storytelling. I feel that the ending was smart in leaving room for interpretation by the reader rather than a blatant explanation of morals and ethics. Speaking of which, now having actually read the book, I can say that the novel is very far from advocating for pedophilia. Humbert is a man broken beyond repair and seeing him slowly spiral into depression, dependence, paranoia, and then murderous rage was quite the roller coaster ride.
This project, as late and as grueling was my progress, was a positive experience. 8/10 would recommend.
Friday, May 15, 2015
Cristian 7 - Close Reading
For my final close reading entry and penultimate, I feel it would be appropriate to present a passage from the climax/falling action of Lolita. Passage is from Part II, Chapter 35.
"The whole sad business had taken more than an hour. He was quiet at last.
Far from feeling any relief, a burden even weightier than the one I had
hoped to get rid of was with me, upon me, over me. I could not bring myself
to touch him in order to make sure he was really dead." (Pg. 304)
This passage comes after Humbert murders Dolores's accused kidnapper, Dr. Ivor Quilty. After kidnapping Dolores, Quilty then attempted to force her into participating in a child pornographic orgy. When she refuses, she is kicked out and left alone and not to mention pregnant.
The symbolism of this event is an idea that has been toying with my mind ever since starting the novel. With Humbert killing Quilty, it is almost as if Humbert has destroyed the stereotype of the manipulative and abusive pedophile that preys on the innocence of children. Humbert has attempted to distance himself from this character that society has created and in killing Quilty, Humbert ultimately proves to the reader that they are not the same figure. A sense of closure is given to Humbert and to the reader. However, this does not make Humbert's actions against Dolores any more forgivable ion the eyes of the reader. As the novel progressed, we have seen Humbert coming very close to transforming into the predatory creature that Quilty exemplifies.
Conclusively, Humbert feels this differentiates them by a greater margin than we the reader truly perceive. After witnessing how unstable and manipulative Humbert, at the end of the day neither of them are forces for good, which is why Humbert's character as an antihero keeps the reader questioning whether it would be any bit sensible to trust this man. In the eyes of society, he is still a monster and a criminal. If this was a case study to prove to the general public that pedophiles were not bad people, the results of would seem favorable at first, but quickly turn into lost cause. Confession of a White Widowed Male might be a bigger understatement than ol' Humbert having a screw or two loose.
"The whole sad business had taken more than an hour. He was quiet at last.
Far from feeling any relief, a burden even weightier than the one I had
hoped to get rid of was with me, upon me, over me. I could not bring myself
to touch him in order to make sure he was really dead." (Pg. 304)
This passage comes after Humbert murders Dolores's accused kidnapper, Dr. Ivor Quilty. After kidnapping Dolores, Quilty then attempted to force her into participating in a child pornographic orgy. When she refuses, she is kicked out and left alone and not to mention pregnant.
The symbolism of this event is an idea that has been toying with my mind ever since starting the novel. With Humbert killing Quilty, it is almost as if Humbert has destroyed the stereotype of the manipulative and abusive pedophile that preys on the innocence of children. Humbert has attempted to distance himself from this character that society has created and in killing Quilty, Humbert ultimately proves to the reader that they are not the same figure. A sense of closure is given to Humbert and to the reader. However, this does not make Humbert's actions against Dolores any more forgivable ion the eyes of the reader. As the novel progressed, we have seen Humbert coming very close to transforming into the predatory creature that Quilty exemplifies.
Conclusively, Humbert feels this differentiates them by a greater margin than we the reader truly perceive. After witnessing how unstable and manipulative Humbert, at the end of the day neither of them are forces for good, which is why Humbert's character as an antihero keeps the reader questioning whether it would be any bit sensible to trust this man. In the eyes of society, he is still a monster and a criminal. If this was a case study to prove to the general public that pedophiles were not bad people, the results of would seem favorable at first, but quickly turn into lost cause. Confession of a White Widowed Male might be a bigger understatement than ol' Humbert having a screw or two loose.
Cristian 6 - Close Reading
My second close entry leads us further along the plot into Part II, Chapter 1.
"By rubbing all this in, I succeeded in terrorizing Lo, who despite a
certain brash alertness of manner and spurts of wit was not as intelligent a
child as her I.Q. might suggest. But if I managed to establish that
background of shared secrecy and shared guilt, I was much less successful in
keeping her in good humor. Every morning during our yearlong travels I had
to devise some expectation, some special point in space and time for her to
look forward to, for her to survive till bedtime. Otherwise, deprived of a
shaping and sustaining purpose, the skeleton of her day sagged and
collapsed." (Pg. 151)
In the passage, during their beginning travels of the United States, Humbert realizes the danger of him being a convicted criminal if Dolores were to ever accuse him of rape or related crimes. He then fills her ear with a hypothetical scenario of him in prison and her living the sad life of an orphan. Humbert intentionally does this to manipulate Dolores, as confessed in the passage. It is clear that Humbert is a very dynamic character, at least in the readers. It can be dually assumed from textual evidence that either Humbert had ill intentions from the start or he was spurred into this state through the events that transpired in the novel.
From an analytical standpoint, the evolution of Humberts character can very well be a representation of the evolution of the pop culture and Post Modernist themes in the novel that were presented in the Critical Lens Expert prompt. Say for instance we choose the later of the assumptions that Humbert was changed by the events in the novel. Juxtaposed to the development of Consumerism in America, they both began with a burning desire to pursue an opportunity in good faith. But as time progressed, the intentions slowly changed over time to accommodate their own selfish interests rather than that of others. Humbert is the machine and Dolores is the raw material to be bent and molded to his will with enough force and careful procedure. The same level of interpretation can be drawn from the former assumption of Humbert's constant ill intentions. The same process was carried out and it was not until the effects were irreversible and careful reference to past events that we can see where these signs may have hinted that it was opportunistic manipulation from the very start.
"By rubbing all this in, I succeeded in terrorizing Lo, who despite a
certain brash alertness of manner and spurts of wit was not as intelligent a
child as her I.Q. might suggest. But if I managed to establish that
background of shared secrecy and shared guilt, I was much less successful in
keeping her in good humor. Every morning during our yearlong travels I had
to devise some expectation, some special point in space and time for her to
look forward to, for her to survive till bedtime. Otherwise, deprived of a
shaping and sustaining purpose, the skeleton of her day sagged and
collapsed." (Pg. 151)
In the passage, during their beginning travels of the United States, Humbert realizes the danger of him being a convicted criminal if Dolores were to ever accuse him of rape or related crimes. He then fills her ear with a hypothetical scenario of him in prison and her living the sad life of an orphan. Humbert intentionally does this to manipulate Dolores, as confessed in the passage. It is clear that Humbert is a very dynamic character, at least in the readers. It can be dually assumed from textual evidence that either Humbert had ill intentions from the start or he was spurred into this state through the events that transpired in the novel.
From an analytical standpoint, the evolution of Humberts character can very well be a representation of the evolution of the pop culture and Post Modernist themes in the novel that were presented in the Critical Lens Expert prompt. Say for instance we choose the later of the assumptions that Humbert was changed by the events in the novel. Juxtaposed to the development of Consumerism in America, they both began with a burning desire to pursue an opportunity in good faith. But as time progressed, the intentions slowly changed over time to accommodate their own selfish interests rather than that of others. Humbert is the machine and Dolores is the raw material to be bent and molded to his will with enough force and careful procedure. The same level of interpretation can be drawn from the former assumption of Humbert's constant ill intentions. The same process was carried out and it was not until the effects were irreversible and careful reference to past events that we can see where these signs may have hinted that it was opportunistic manipulation from the very start.
Cristian 5 - Close Reading
As this is my first close reading entry, I will be providing a passage from Lolita to analyze. This particular passage is from Chapter 23.
"Naturally, at first, when Charlotte had just been eliminated...
there was but one thing in my mind and pulse--namely, the awareness that a
few hours hence, warm, brown--haired, and mine, mine, mine, Lolita would be
in my arms, shedding tears that I would kiss away faster than they could
well. But as I stood wide-eyed and flushed before the mirror, John Farlow
tenderly tapped to inquire if I was okay--and I immediately realized it
would be madness on my part to have her in the house with all those
busybodies milling around and scheming to take her away from me." (Pg. 101)
Shortly after Charlotte's accidental death, Humbert is struck with a troublesome amount of emotions. But is not because he had loved Charlottle at all; it was the sheer guilt that his careless actions with the journal had provoked the incident. This is shown in the returning admiration of Dolores. Not even the death of his possible future wife could work to suppress his obsessive and possessive attitude ("..warm, brown--haired, and mine, mine, mine, Lolita would be in my arms..") towards Dolores. This instance characterizes Humbert as a man who seeks to retain any possession without interference from anything else.
The passage also serves to highlight his awareness in being careful and secretive in seeing Dolores and fully recognizes the societal taboo of his affairs (as he has stated countless times before). But his determination leads him astray from the risks of pursuing these insatiable desires. The concept of an "unreliable narrator" also comes into to play as the reader recognizes the faults in Humbert's actions and thinking. At this point, especially with such a critical event just taken place, his true intentions and motives show. The veil of his intellectual and melodramatic prose slowly lifts from the readers eyes as we once again raise the question: "...You alright there, Humbert?"
"Naturally, at first, when Charlotte had just been eliminated...
there was but one thing in my mind and pulse--namely, the awareness that a
few hours hence, warm, brown--haired, and mine, mine, mine, Lolita would be
in my arms, shedding tears that I would kiss away faster than they could
well. But as I stood wide-eyed and flushed before the mirror, John Farlow
tenderly tapped to inquire if I was okay--and I immediately realized it
would be madness on my part to have her in the house with all those
busybodies milling around and scheming to take her away from me." (Pg. 101)
Shortly after Charlotte's accidental death, Humbert is struck with a troublesome amount of emotions. But is not because he had loved Charlottle at all; it was the sheer guilt that his careless actions with the journal had provoked the incident. This is shown in the returning admiration of Dolores. Not even the death of his possible future wife could work to suppress his obsessive and possessive attitude ("..warm, brown--haired, and mine, mine, mine, Lolita would be in my arms..") towards Dolores. This instance characterizes Humbert as a man who seeks to retain any possession without interference from anything else.
The passage also serves to highlight his awareness in being careful and secretive in seeing Dolores and fully recognizes the societal taboo of his affairs (as he has stated countless times before). But his determination leads him astray from the risks of pursuing these insatiable desires. The concept of an "unreliable narrator" also comes into to play as the reader recognizes the faults in Humbert's actions and thinking. At this point, especially with such a critical event just taken place, his true intentions and motives show. The veil of his intellectual and melodramatic prose slowly lifts from the readers eyes as we once again raise the question: "...You alright there, Humbert?"
Cristian 4 - Critical Lens Expert
In this entry I will be responding to an article relating to Postmodernism in Lolita, specifically its significance in showcasing a deep connection between Postmodernism and Popular Culture. Link.
Overall, I agreed with the general consensus of the article. Even before reading the article, I had rough ideas of Lolita's significance in Postmodernism and pop culture but far more separate before the article established the connection between the two.
The introduction establishes some mutual understandings and explanations of these ideas. This ncludes Frederic Jameson's idealogical definition of Postmodernism being that "there is no prior meaning, rather the cultural realm in itself makes meaning as it transpires."(Pg. 275) The speaker then explains this abstract idea that Postmodernism builds upon itself in pop culture, allowing for a constant evolution which is a characteristic of society itself. The speaker then relates the themes of Lolita to ideas of consumerism, Dolores being the commodity and Humbert being the consumer. As shallow as it might be to assume that the relationship is simply Humbert objectifying Dolores, it is a conclusion that is drawn from textual evidence. This also stems from the fact that Humbert is an unreliable narrator and not everything that he conveys to the reader can be taken as absolute. His intelligent use of prose works to mask his intentions from the reader.
While agree with the significance of the the novel with Postmodernism in pop culture, I am a little on the fence about the comparison to objectification and consumerism. However, the points presented are valid and hold as much value as any other opinion. I may be feeling this way because when reading the article, it felt like I discovered that a friend had been lying to me. I may have invested too heavily in Humberts narration to take it as trustworthy as I did. The article definitely brought me some valuable insight that I can apply to my further reading of the novel.
Cristian 3 - Responding and Reflecting
To kick off my second responding and reflecting entry, I will be going through a passage from Chapter 22 of Lolita.
"The Haze woman, the big bitch, the old cat, the obnoxious mamma,
the--the old stupid Haze is no longer your dupe. She has--she has . . ."
My fair accuser stopped, swallowing her venom and her tears. Whatever
Humbert Humbert said--or attempted to say--is inessential. She went on:
"You're a monster. You're a detestable, abominable, criminal fraud. If
you come near--I'll scream out the window. Get back!" (Pg. 91)
With a plot that involves such complicated secrecy and blind passion, I saw the inevitability of this moment coming from a mile away. For context, this exchange is Humbert and Humbert's fiancee Charlotte, shortly after she discovers his secret diary that contained his negative thoughts of her and, most importantly, accounts of his fondness for Dolores. But at this point, even with Charlotte's rage, I knew Humbert would persevere or else there wouldn't be 200 pages left in the book. Nevertheless, the intensity of the situation made me keep on reading, just to see how Humbert would recover from such a devastating setback.
And they I stopped and asked myself "Am I really rooting for this guy?" It was an odd question to ask but seeing that it was purely fiction, I answered to myself "Maybe." The fact of the matter that Humbert had grown on me as character which I had empathy for. As troubled as he was, Dolores seemed to be the only thing keeping him happy at this point. And I realized that was in jeopardy of being taken away from him. He'd had already been through enough things being taken from him that placed him in the mental and emotional state he was currently in. This normalized rationale of the situation was a turning point in the text for me as it opened my eyes a bit to the approach that I was taking with the novel and ultimately, its impact on my own thinking.
"The Haze woman, the big bitch, the old cat, the obnoxious mamma,
the--the old stupid Haze is no longer your dupe. She has--she has . . ."
My fair accuser stopped, swallowing her venom and her tears. Whatever
Humbert Humbert said--or attempted to say--is inessential. She went on:
"You're a monster. You're a detestable, abominable, criminal fraud. If
you come near--I'll scream out the window. Get back!" (Pg. 91)
With a plot that involves such complicated secrecy and blind passion, I saw the inevitability of this moment coming from a mile away. For context, this exchange is Humbert and Humbert's fiancee Charlotte, shortly after she discovers his secret diary that contained his negative thoughts of her and, most importantly, accounts of his fondness for Dolores. But at this point, even with Charlotte's rage, I knew Humbert would persevere or else there wouldn't be 200 pages left in the book. Nevertheless, the intensity of the situation made me keep on reading, just to see how Humbert would recover from such a devastating setback.
And they I stopped and asked myself "Am I really rooting for this guy?" It was an odd question to ask but seeing that it was purely fiction, I answered to myself "Maybe." The fact of the matter that Humbert had grown on me as character which I had empathy for. As troubled as he was, Dolores seemed to be the only thing keeping him happy at this point. And I realized that was in jeopardy of being taken away from him. He'd had already been through enough things being taken from him that placed him in the mental and emotional state he was currently in. This normalized rationale of the situation was a turning point in the text for me as it opened my eyes a bit to the approach that I was taking with the novel and ultimately, its impact on my own thinking.
Cristian 2 - Reflecting and Responding
For my first responding and reflecting entry, I will be analyzing the following passage from the fifth chapter Lolita.
"Now I wish to introduce the following idea. Between the age limits of
nine and fourteen there occur maidens who, to certain bewitched travelers,
twice or many times older than they, reveal their true nature which is not
human, but nymphic (that is, demoniac); and these chosen creatures I propose
to designate as 'nymphets.'" (Pg. 16)
When I first read this passage, I taken aback by this idea because it was a new one that hadn't crossed my mind when first thinking of the motivations and justifications behind pedophilia. I always assumed that pedophiles craved the innocence of children but this idea of the "nymphet" child differentiated Humbert from the preexisting idea that was in my head. Because of this, I was able to not necessarily sympathize but understand Humbert's idea. Even after I carried on reading, the passage still stuck with me because all I could think of were girls I remember from school who fit the idea of a "nymphet". The ones that grew up too fast, at an almost worrying rate. I could only imagine having a daughter who fell into this character or, even worse, realizing it when it's too late. The level of vigilance I would have to subject my own child to would be pretty worrisome.
The "nymphet" idea appears frequently throughout the novel and every time I was met with it, I was able to see how this idea could garner the same reaction I had. Granted, I would say I'm a very open person, and if this drew a reaction out of me, I can see how society could quickly reject the idea and dispute it as a justification for selfish desires. But I went in with an open mind and made an effort to ask questions and reflect to myself. Post modernism definitely has an appetite for breaking the molds of the past but there is always a metaphorical line in sand. Oddly enough, the idea alleviated the discomfort I had beginning the novel because I was able to tell myself that he wasn't necessarily taking advantage girls, but seeking those who were not so innocent; and to me, Dolores Hazes was the most extreme example of the idea.
"Now I wish to introduce the following idea. Between the age limits of
nine and fourteen there occur maidens who, to certain bewitched travelers,
twice or many times older than they, reveal their true nature which is not
human, but nymphic (that is, demoniac); and these chosen creatures I propose
to designate as 'nymphets.'" (Pg. 16)
When I first read this passage, I taken aback by this idea because it was a new one that hadn't crossed my mind when first thinking of the motivations and justifications behind pedophilia. I always assumed that pedophiles craved the innocence of children but this idea of the "nymphet" child differentiated Humbert from the preexisting idea that was in my head. Because of this, I was able to not necessarily sympathize but understand Humbert's idea. Even after I carried on reading, the passage still stuck with me because all I could think of were girls I remember from school who fit the idea of a "nymphet". The ones that grew up too fast, at an almost worrying rate. I could only imagine having a daughter who fell into this character or, even worse, realizing it when it's too late. The level of vigilance I would have to subject my own child to would be pretty worrisome.
The "nymphet" idea appears frequently throughout the novel and every time I was met with it, I was able to see how this idea could garner the same reaction I had. Granted, I would say I'm a very open person, and if this drew a reaction out of me, I can see how society could quickly reject the idea and dispute it as a justification for selfish desires. But I went in with an open mind and made an effort to ask questions and reflect to myself. Post modernism definitely has an appetite for breaking the molds of the past but there is always a metaphorical line in sand. Oddly enough, the idea alleviated the discomfort I had beginning the novel because I was able to tell myself that he wasn't necessarily taking advantage girls, but seeking those who were not so innocent; and to me, Dolores Hazes was the most extreme example of the idea.
Cristian 1 - Why I Chose this Critical Lens
The novel I chose for my project was Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov. For my critical lens I chose the Postmodernist lens. I chose this lens because I wanted to go through the text and analyze how the subject matter and ideas relate to society today. I have read other novels such as 1984 by George Orwell in the lens and it helps to understand the text better as a work that transcends different time periods no matter the time period it was written during. In the case of Lolita, I wanted to explore how some of the taboos presented such as pedophilia and infidelity were seen in society and how that affected the characters and themes in the novel.
My personal beliefs in relation to these topics are fairly negative and condemning, but nevertheless, I am willing to put aside my personal bias in order to fully understand the text before formulating an opinion on the text. I considered doing a Psychoanalytical lens but I felt that Postmodernist better suited my way of thinking when I read books which is understanding the world both inside and outside literary works. I am hoping to grasp a better understanding for how such mature and serious matters are discussed in literature.
My personal beliefs in relation to these topics are fairly negative and condemning, but nevertheless, I am willing to put aside my personal bias in order to fully understand the text before formulating an opinion on the text. I considered doing a Psychoanalytical lens but I felt that Postmodernist better suited my way of thinking when I read books which is understanding the world both inside and outside literary works. I am hoping to grasp a better understanding for how such mature and serious matters are discussed in literature.
Thursday, May 7, 2015
Entry 8
We did it, boys. We're on blog entry #8. The last one. Here's where we reflect upon things. Like a mirror. Scarlet Letter was a book. It had a plot and characters. It included an exposition, rising action, a climax, falling action, and a conclusion. Just like many other books. Scarlet Letter was about a Letter that was Scarlet. Not to be confused with Scarlett Johannson, which is apparently what most people search up when typing the word "Scarlet" into Google. The Scarlet Letter grew up in a poor family of 8. He had 3 older brothers, and two older sisters. Yes, he was the runt of the family, but he had a destiny. A destiny none could take from him.
*End Preview*
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*End Preview*
Read the rest of the story for the low price of $29.99!
Wednesday, May 6, 2015
Emily: Blogging Worries
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| From: hmhkids.tumblr.com |
Final Reflection
Text: The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne and Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov
Lens: Feminist
Upon hearing that we were going to be blogging about books, I worried. My main worry was that I am a binge reader. There is no way that I would be able to write one blog post at the beginning, one in the middle and one at the end. Thankfully, I didn’t have to do that. Actually, this was my favorite project for AP English Literature. The blogging platform allowed me to exhibit my strengths and worked with my busy schedule as I could blog anytime I wanted to.
My second worry was about critical lenses. I had a difficult time incorporating a lens into my previous project, but this time I chose a more personal lens, feminism, which gave me a larger pool of knowledge to draw from. While I read the book I was able to pull out significant pieces of evidence about feminism, I marked specific places that I used later for my close reading articles. However, looking through the feminist lens, I missed the underlying religious view of the Puritans in The Scarlet Letter and the historical context of Lolita (however, I wouldn’t have focused on it anyways, since it’s not my main interest).
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| From: EmilaleyHalemily |
I also reacted to the the blogging platform. While I still do not like Blogger, there is no homepage and each individual person cannot have a single blog, I have come to terms with it. Also, Haley and I decided to make our own blog, on Weebly (which we like much better), where we put what we really think about The Scarlet Letter and Lolita (and other book related items). View our website here: http://emilaleyhalemily.weebly.com/
I have enjoyed writing these blog posts and have realized that the smaller pieces of blogging fits better into my system than large projects. I have a deeper understanding of other books as well, as I've compared books to The Scarlet Letter and Lolita.
I have enjoyed writing these blog posts and have realized that the smaller pieces of blogging fits better into my system than large projects. I have a deeper understanding of other books as well, as I've compared books to The Scarlet Letter and Lolita.
Here are my summaries for the two books.
Scarlet Letter:
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| From: Rinkworks.com |
After Hester Prynne has a child, without her seeing her husband for years, she is convicted of adultery and forced to wear a scarlet letter “A” for the rest of her life. Outcasted from the rest of society, Hester and her daughter, Pearl keep to themselves. When Hester sees that Chillingworth is slowly making Dimmesdale feel more guilty, Hester intervenes, pleading with Chillingworth to stop. After Chillingworth refuses, wanting his revenge, Hester asks Dimmesdale to run away with her. Dimmesdale commits suicide, linked to Hester by Pearl. Chillingworth dies soon after.
Lolita:
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| From: wordpress.com |
Following a failed marriage with Valeria, Humbert Humbert attempts to visit a friend, but is instead forced to stay with Mrs. Haze. Upon looking on Mrs. Haze’s daughter, Dolores, whom he calls Lolita, he immediately falls for her. Humbert is given an ultimatum from Mrs. Haze -- marry her or get out. Humbert rather stay close to Lolita than leave and chooses to marry Mrs. Haze, who dies soon after in a car crash. Humbert takes Lolita on a road trip, where Humbert sexually abuses Lolita (or in another understanding, Lolita becomes a lover). Lolita eventually finds a way to run away with Clare Quilty, then marries another and dies during childbirth.
I hope you enjoyed reading my blog posts as much as I've enjoyed writing them! ~Emily
Entry 7
Chapters: Rest
Lens: Reader Response
Prompt: Close Reading
To finish things off, I decided to change things up. We haven't read something at point blank in a while.
"She had wandered, without rule or guidance, in a moral wilderness; as vast, as intricate and shadowy, as the untamed forest, amid the gloom of which they were now holding a colloquy that was to decide their fate." (Chapter 18. Shmoop doesn't give page numbers).
Upon first glance, this seems like an extremely important quote. But upon closer inspection, it becomes blurry. When back away to a reasonable distance once more, things become much clearer. Both literally and figuratively. You now know; close reading is extremely harsh on the eyes. But, did you know that normal reading is as well? It's true. No one wants to read this particular quote. It uses difficult words, such as "that," and "was." It's so much easier to not read anything that it's amazing that anyone ever reads at all.
Going back to the quote, we see Hester lost in a moral wilderness. This wilderness is vast, intricate, and shadowy. It is also untamed. There's a lot of gloom, which seems to be a part of Hester's fate. Sadly, a moose was not part of her fate as well. An HD moose, to be exact. She would have enjoyed that.
Lens: Reader Response
Prompt: Close Reading
To finish things off, I decided to change things up. We haven't read something at point blank in a while.
"She had wandered, without rule or guidance, in a moral wilderness; as vast, as intricate and shadowy, as the untamed forest, amid the gloom of which they were now holding a colloquy that was to decide their fate." (Chapter 18. Shmoop doesn't give page numbers).
Upon first glance, this seems like an extremely important quote. But upon closer inspection, it becomes blurry. When back away to a reasonable distance once more, things become much clearer. Both literally and figuratively. You now know; close reading is extremely harsh on the eyes. But, did you know that normal reading is as well? It's true. No one wants to read this particular quote. It uses difficult words, such as "that," and "was." It's so much easier to not read anything that it's amazing that anyone ever reads at all.
Going back to the quote, we see Hester lost in a moral wilderness. This wilderness is vast, intricate, and shadowy. It is also untamed. There's a lot of gloom, which seems to be a part of Hester's fate. Sadly, a moose was not part of her fate as well. An HD moose, to be exact. She would have enjoyed that.
Entry 6
Chapters: 13-16
Lens: Reader Response
Prompt: Responding and Reflecting
Whoa. I'm on entry 6. I'm almost there. I can see the light.
In chapters 13-16, sparknotes is giving me Crucial MX200 SSD ads. I think that maybe it's reflective of my browsing history. I wonder, if they had the interwebs back in Puritan time, would the story have gone anywhere close to the same? I'm thinking that the reverend person would have known what Hester's husband looked like from Facebook or something. Or maybe not.
So in the actual chapters 13-16... it's honestly more of the same. The characters have kind of settled in by this point. We know pretty much what's expected of them. Evil Chillingsworth is evil. Pearl is relatively typical of a girl who was only raised by one parent. Hester is relatively typical of a single parent. And reverend man is guilty, because reasons. Meanwhile, spooky scary skeletons continue to send shivers down spines.
Lens: Reader Response
Prompt: Responding and Reflecting
Whoa. I'm on entry 6. I'm almost there. I can see the light.
In chapters 13-16, sparknotes is giving me Crucial MX200 SSD ads. I think that maybe it's reflective of my browsing history. I wonder, if they had the interwebs back in Puritan time, would the story have gone anywhere close to the same? I'm thinking that the reverend person would have known what Hester's husband looked like from Facebook or something. Or maybe not.
So in the actual chapters 13-16... it's honestly more of the same. The characters have kind of settled in by this point. We know pretty much what's expected of them. Evil Chillingsworth is evil. Pearl is relatively typical of a girl who was only raised by one parent. Hester is relatively typical of a single parent. And reverend man is guilty, because reasons. Meanwhile, spooky scary skeletons continue to send shivers down spines.
Entry 3: GOTY Edition
Chapters: 5-8
Prompt: Critical Lens Expert
Lens: Reader Response
Not sure where the original Entry 3 went, but it seems to have disappeared. Guess I'm rewriting it. This new version now includes the original entry, and all 4 DLC packs!
Original: So I was going to do the Critical Lens Expert prompt for this entry, because it is required. I began reading one of the "expert analyses" on the Scarlet Letter, when I realized that I was literally going to be analyzing an analysis about a book that analyzed a society from several hundreds of years ago. Nope. Not gonna happen.
UNTIL IT ACTUALLY DOES!!!!
In the all new DLC Pack: Analyzing the analysis of an analysis, you get the full features of all your favorite analyses. Starring Will Feral, Nicholas Cage, and Batman.
According to the expert, Chillingsworth is bad, mmkay? Hester's good, mmkay? Pearl is good, mmkay? Reverand man is good, mmkay? Puritan society sucked, mmkay?
I don't disagree. Except on Wednesdays. It just so happens to be a Wednesday. Hester sucks. Pearl's a jerk. Reverand person is the worst of them all. Chillingsworth is da bomb diggity.
Can we do a duck? I want to do a duck instead of a moose. Sorry, moose.
Prompt: Critical Lens Expert
Lens: Reader Response
Not sure where the original Entry 3 went, but it seems to have disappeared. Guess I'm rewriting it. This new version now includes the original entry, and all 4 DLC packs!
Original: So I was going to do the Critical Lens Expert prompt for this entry, because it is required. I began reading one of the "expert analyses" on the Scarlet Letter, when I realized that I was literally going to be analyzing an analysis about a book that analyzed a society from several hundreds of years ago. Nope. Not gonna happen.
UNTIL IT ACTUALLY DOES!!!!
In the all new DLC Pack: Analyzing the analysis of an analysis, you get the full features of all your favorite analyses. Starring Will Feral, Nicholas Cage, and Batman.
According to the expert, Chillingsworth is bad, mmkay? Hester's good, mmkay? Pearl is good, mmkay? Reverand man is good, mmkay? Puritan society sucked, mmkay?
I don't disagree. Except on Wednesdays. It just so happens to be a Wednesday. Hester sucks. Pearl's a jerk. Reverand person is the worst of them all. Chillingsworth is da bomb diggity.
Can we do a duck? I want to do a duck instead of a moose. Sorry, moose.
Entry 5
Text: Scarlet Letter
Chapters: 9-12
Lens: Reader Response
Prompt: Responding and Reflecting
Yup. Doin another responding and reflecting prompt. Cuz it's so much easier when the prompt aligns with the lens. Chapter 9-12. Let's do dis.
Chapters 9-12 seem to be pretty focused on Chillingsworth, so I guess we'll focus on him as well. Chillingsworth is Hester's husband, whom she cheated on. He was a pretty cool guy back in the day. Learned medicine. Hung out with Native Americans. Liked to read the occasional book. Pretty... chill *chuckle*. Well after he heard that Hester cheated on him, he came to the town she lived in, and decided to try and figure out who it was with so he could get revenge. He eventually finds the right person... the other reverend guy. From there, he decides to take out his revenge on him by asking him questions of morality or something. Strange, if you ask me. Nowadays, guys will just fight the guy they found their wife cheating with. But I digress. Hmm. What does digress even mean? I'll go google it.
But the dictionary says that digress, a verb, means "to stray off of something, to wander from a path, or to turn aside, etc.". So when I say "blah blah blah, but I digress", it's like I'm saying "blah blah blah, but I stray off topic."
Yeah, that. Anyway, Chillingsworth went from a chill guy to a cold guy. As in cold hearted. Hehe. The puns are strong with this one. So yeah. Moral of the story is that if your wife cheats on you, don't be a jerk about it. Just fight it out, then leave it be. Dragging things on isn't a good idea. Cuz then you end up looking like a moose.
Chapters: 9-12
Lens: Reader Response
Prompt: Responding and Reflecting
Yup. Doin another responding and reflecting prompt. Cuz it's so much easier when the prompt aligns with the lens. Chapter 9-12. Let's do dis.
Chapters 9-12 seem to be pretty focused on Chillingsworth, so I guess we'll focus on him as well. Chillingsworth is Hester's husband, whom she cheated on. He was a pretty cool guy back in the day. Learned medicine. Hung out with Native Americans. Liked to read the occasional book. Pretty... chill *chuckle*. Well after he heard that Hester cheated on him, he came to the town she lived in, and decided to try and figure out who it was with so he could get revenge. He eventually finds the right person... the other reverend guy. From there, he decides to take out his revenge on him by asking him questions of morality or something. Strange, if you ask me. Nowadays, guys will just fight the guy they found their wife cheating with. But I digress. Hmm. What does digress even mean? I'll go google it.
But the dictionary says that digress, a verb, means "to stray off of something, to wander from a path, or to turn aside, etc.". So when I say "blah blah blah, but I digress", it's like I'm saying "blah blah blah, but I stray off topic."
Yeah, that. Anyway, Chillingsworth went from a chill guy to a cold guy. As in cold hearted. Hehe. The puns are strong with this one. So yeah. Moral of the story is that if your wife cheats on you, don't be a jerk about it. Just fight it out, then leave it be. Dragging things on isn't a good idea. Cuz then you end up looking like a moose.
Emily: The Age Gap. Twilight and Lolita
Responding and Reflecting
Text: Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov
Lens: Feminist
 |
| From: Goodreads.com |
What does Twilight and Lolita have in common?
The age gap between the main characters.
The age gap between the main characters.
Humbert Humbert is about 36 when he meets Lolita (age 12) for the first time. This is a 24 year difference.
Edward Cullen is 104 when he meets Bella Swan, a junior in high school, at age 17. This is a 87 year difference.
If you think about it, which is more disturbing: a 24 year difference or a 87 year difference?
One can argue that Edward is really 104 trapped forever in a 17 year old body and that makes it all better. It doesn’t matter that he’s 104 because he is handsome and young.
If you think about it, which is more disturbing: a 24 year difference or a 87 year difference?
One can argue that Edward is really 104 trapped forever in a 17 year old body and that makes it all better. It doesn’t matter that he’s 104 because he is handsome and young.
But it does, possibly because the perspective is different. Bella falls in love with a hot 17 year old boy, who is not just a brooding person, but a 104 man with an ideological mindset from the early 1920s. Some of Edward’s ways are repeatedly said to be old-fashioned.
How much different is that from Lolita and Humbert’s dilemma. Humbert’s ideological differences make the age gap between the two clearer. “Not only had Lo no eye for scenery but she furiously resented my calling her attention to this or that enchanting detail of landscape” (152). The extreme difference of ages lead to a difference in interests. Lolita’s age group has no patience for landscapes, while older people, Humbert’s age have more of an appreciation for it.
This comparison came up when I was attempting to come up with books with couples with extreme age differences. My first book I thought of: Twilight.
Also:
How much different is that from Lolita and Humbert’s dilemma. Humbert’s ideological differences make the age gap between the two clearer. “Not only had Lo no eye for scenery but she furiously resented my calling her attention to this or that enchanting detail of landscape” (152). The extreme difference of ages lead to a difference in interests. Lolita’s age group has no patience for landscapes, while older people, Humbert’s age have more of an appreciation for it.
This comparison came up when I was attempting to come up with books with couples with extreme age differences. My first book I thought of: Twilight.
Also:
Book
|
Author
|
Female Character
|
Age
|
Male Character
|
Age
|
Difference
|
Lolita
|
Vladimir Nabokov
|
Lolita
|
12
|
Humbert
|
36
|
24
|
Twilight
|
Stephenie Meyer
|
Bella Swan
|
17
|
Edward Cullen
|
104
|
87
|
Iron King
|
Julie Kagawa
|
Meghan Chase
|
16
|
Ash or Puck
|
419
|
403
|
Sense and Sensibility
|
Jane Austen
|
Marianne
|
16
|
Willoughby
|
25
|
9
|
Sense and Sensibility
|
Jane Austen
|
Marianne
|
16
|
Colonel Brandon
|
35
|
19
|
Sense and Sensibility
|
Jane Austen
|
Eliza
|
15
|
Willoughby
|
25
|
10
|
Pride and Prejudice
|
Jane Austen
|
Elizabeth Bennet
|
20
|
Mr. Darcy
|
28
|
8
|
Emma
|
Jane Austen
|
Emma
|
20
|
George Knightley
|
37
|
17
|
Percy Jackson
|
Rick Riordan
|
Sally (Percy's Mother)
|
35
|
Poseidon
|
2715
|
2680
|
Shadow and Bone
|
Leigh Bardugo
|
Alina Starkov
|
17
|
The Darkling
|
120
|
103
|
All of my books are fantasy based, except Jane Austen’s books which take place in a time where age differences are acceptable and normal.
I thought about it, and I couldn't think of any books with females that are way older than the male. It's more socially correct for a couple to have an older male than female, but not too old.
 |
| From: Goodreads.com |
Then later, I read The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot. I compared my understanding of Lolita and Elizabeth Patnoe’s article Lolita Misrepresented, Lolita Reclaimed: Disclosing the Doubles (Critical Lens Expert article) with Deborah Lack’s own childhood. Deborah is Henrietta’s daughter, but when Henrietta died from cancer, Deborah and her siblings were split up among family members. Deborah’s adopted father, Galen, sexually abused her, “Deborah would sit in the back, pressed against the car door to get as far from Galen as she could... After the first time he touched her, Deborah swore she’d never wear another pair of jeans with snaps instead of zippers again. But zippers didn’t stop him; neither did tight belts. So Deborah would just stare out the window, praying for Day to drive faster as she pushed Galen’s hands away again and again” (Skloot 113). Although Deborah was abused by her adoptive father, he also “showered her with attention and gifts. He bought her pretty clothes, and took her for ice cream” (Skloot 114). Deborah’s story is similar to Lolita’s, Lolita also was given gifts in return for some sexually abusive action. “I also had her dance for me with the promise of some treat or gift” (230). Through The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks I realized that Lolita’s story is one that could happen and that has happened.
But going back to Twilight, at some point Twilight was extremely popular, but there were no complaints about the age difference. It was listed as a frequently challenged book in 2009 and 2010, but not for the age difference (most challenges were for religious viewpoint and the sexual content in Breaking Dawn). (http://www.ala.org/bbooks/frequentlychallengedbooks/top10)
Lolita however, was banned under the reason that it was obscene and not appropriate for younger students. (http://www.ala.org/bbooks/frequentlychallengedbooks/classics/reasons).
Lolita however, was banned under the reason that it was obscene and not appropriate for younger students. (http://www.ala.org/bbooks/frequentlychallengedbooks/classics/reasons).
Why is Twilight, where there is a 87 year age difference, more socially acceptable than Lolita?
My answer: perspective. Lolita is told by a male perspective, the older perspective. Twilight is not taken as seriously because it’s a Young Adult book and it has magical creatures in it.
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