Quote:
Originally Posted by JSWolf
Lolita would fit in Classical Literature, Free-for-all and Lottery. But it's not a classic (it's influence is to pedophiles and it's only important to pedophiles). It is not a romance. Romance is not about a pedophile lusting after a little girl.
I don't like banning books. But any book that deals with pedophilia has to go. That is one subject I do feel strongly about doing away with.
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Humbert Humbert is portrayed as a mentally ill, erudite pedophile who strategically gains control of a disturbed and confused young girl. The greatness of the book lies with Nabokov's facility with the English language, literary allusions, and psychological insight. The book does not portray pedophilia as an attractive option. Possible spoiler alert:
I agreed with Jon on this one until I read the book a month ago. It reminded me that we can't fairly judge a book we haven't read. There are many non-controversial books about pedophilia told from the victim's perspective; Lolita is only controversial because it is told from a perpetrator's viewpoint.
I came late to the party having joined up here only about six months ago, but it appears that Lolita should be nominated in the right category and win so that it can be discussed once and for all. Of the many books I've read in the past year, it is the one I would most like to discuss.