Subject
Lolita in the Enchanted Hunters
From
Date
Body
From: Joshua E. Hecht <jhecht@mail.wesleyan.edu>
I think the question of whether or not Lolita was a willing partner for
Humbert in the Enchanted Hunters is a bit of a moot point. Clearly there
was heavy manipulation on both sides -- recall especially HH's own
admission that Lolita "had nowhere else to go." If the choice is sex with
HH or out on your own at thirteen, which option would you choose?
Furthermore, I think there is something very dangerous in summing up the
incident with "She knew what she was doing; reeling him in." Humbert
works very hard to cast Lolita as the tempting seductress, not the least
of which is his continual allusions to Carmen. To believe him and to say
that Lo simply bit off more than she could chew and would later be sorry
for playing with Humbert's fire is to dishonor the suffering she undergoes
and the very real power of coercion. Rape takes many forms -- physical
force is not the only criterion. Whether or not Lolita said yes, given
her circumstances (including, but not exhausted by her age) she was
violated, and that means rape.
Joshua Hecht
Wesleyan University
I think the question of whether or not Lolita was a willing partner for
Humbert in the Enchanted Hunters is a bit of a moot point. Clearly there
was heavy manipulation on both sides -- recall especially HH's own
admission that Lolita "had nowhere else to go." If the choice is sex with
HH or out on your own at thirteen, which option would you choose?
Furthermore, I think there is something very dangerous in summing up the
incident with "She knew what she was doing; reeling him in." Humbert
works very hard to cast Lolita as the tempting seductress, not the least
of which is his continual allusions to Carmen. To believe him and to say
that Lo simply bit off more than she could chew and would later be sorry
for playing with Humbert's fire is to dishonor the suffering she undergoes
and the very real power of coercion. Rape takes many forms -- physical
force is not the only criterion. Whether or not Lolita said yes, given
her circumstances (including, but not exhausted by her age) she was
violated, and that means rape.
Joshua Hecht
Wesleyan University