In the end of the book, Humbert has not only lost Lolita but also his will to live. He is seen in the last chapter swinging from one side of the highway to the other in a dream-like state. Humbert is then detours to side of the road and is caught by the police who put him into prison. He describes how he finishes writing this book in fifty-six days and how he is going to use this in his trial. He then proceeds to write this last paragraph:
"Thus, neither of us is alive when the reader opens this book. But while the blood still throbs through my writing hand, you are still as much part of blessed matter as I am, and I can still talk to you from here to Alaska. Be true to your Dick. Do not let other fellows touch you. Do not talk to strangers. I hope you will love your baby. I hope it will be a boy. That husband of yours, I hope, will always treat you well, because otherwise my specter shall come at him, like black smoke, like a demented giant, and pull him apart nerve by nerve. And do not pity C. Q. One had to choose between him and H.H., and one wanted H.H. to exist at least a couple of months longer, so as to have him make you live in the minds of later generations. I am thinking of aurochs and angels, the secret of durable pigments, prophetic sonnets, the refuge of art. And this is the only immortality you and I may share, my Lolita."
This excerpt from the last passage proves many things. First, we see Humbert Humbert giving advice to Lolita when he says: "Be true to your Dick," and "Do not talk to strangers." This shows us that Humbert cares about Lolita and is giving her advice like a parent. Except this advice is being given when "neither of them are alive." In other words, Humbert is giving advice to a dead Lolita and thus this information is pointless. He even states that he will come after her husband and "pull him apart nerve by nerve" if he is not treating her well.
Not only do we see that this information will not be received by Lolita, we also see how Humbert is not owning up to his actions. The second last line shows us again that Humbert is taking "refuge" in his art. Meaning that instead of facing these miserable events he will escape with art. This was his whole tone throughout the book, Humbert never clearly stated that what happened to Lolita was his fault. This paragraph just proves how Humbert is a unsympathetic individual because he is totally undeterred by what has happened.
Humbert also gives us insight to why he had to kill Clare Quilty. He states that between Quilty and him, he "wanted H.H. to exist at least a couple months longer." This shows that Humbert still wants to have an unobstructed path to his Lolita. This paragraph is to Lolita, who will be dead, and Humbert is giving her the reason for murdering her favorite actor. Humbert has to justify his actions instead of apologizing and these actions reflect his detached personality.
The whole passage has such a melancholy tone to it. Nabokov is definitely using the rhetorical device of pathos to make the reader sympathize with him. Pathos is always used to evoke some emotion from the reader such as compassion or sorrow. Humbert Humbert has written this last passage to get some sympathy from the reader. At this point the reader feels sorry for Humbert and eliminates any other angry feeling they previously held. Looking through the psychoanalytical lens we see that Humbert has lost everything in his life and now he has lost Lolita. This is probably why the first and last word of this book is her name. Humbert not only remembers Lolita thorough this novel but also keeps her alive. Even when he dies and she dies, she will still be remembered for generations to come.
This excerpt from the last passage proves many things. First, we see Humbert Humbert giving advice to Lolita when he says: "Be true to your Dick," and "Do not talk to strangers." This shows us that Humbert cares about Lolita and is giving her advice like a parent. Except this advice is being given when "neither of them are alive." In other words, Humbert is giving advice to a dead Lolita and thus this information is pointless. He even states that he will come after her husband and "pull him apart nerve by nerve" if he is not treating her well.
Humbert also gives us insight to why he had to kill Clare Quilty. He states that between Quilty and him, he "wanted H.H. to exist at least a couple months longer." This shows that Humbert still wants to have an unobstructed path to his Lolita. This paragraph is to Lolita, who will be dead, and Humbert is giving her the reason for murdering her favorite actor. Humbert has to justify his actions instead of apologizing and these actions reflect his detached personality.
The whole passage has such a melancholy tone to it. Nabokov is definitely using the rhetorical device of pathos to make the reader sympathize with him. Pathos is always used to evoke some emotion from the reader such as compassion or sorrow. Humbert Humbert has written this last passage to get some sympathy from the reader. At this point the reader feels sorry for Humbert and eliminates any other angry feeling they previously held. Looking through the psychoanalytical lens we see that Humbert has lost everything in his life and now he has lost Lolita. This is probably why the first and last word of this book is her name. Humbert not only remembers Lolita thorough this novel but also keeps her alive. Even when he dies and she dies, she will still be remembered for generations to come.
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