Lolita: The Etymology of a Nymphet :: Essays Papers

Lolita: The Etymology of a Nymphet The novel Lolita concerns a relationship characterized by obsession by a middle aged man, Humbert, for a prepubescent girl, Lolita. This fictional relationship has been a source of many questions as to what the writer, Vladimir Nabokov, had in mind when he wrote the novel. Thus, the novel has been looked at from different aspects in attempting to come up with what it portrays. Humbert, in his flowery description of Lolita, uses the word "nymphet" to refer not only to her but also to other girls of her age and characteristics. Little girls that came his way before Lolita, he describes as nymphets too. The purpose of this analysis will be to discover what exactly Humbert refers to as a nymphet in the novel Lolita in relation to the type of image today's society sees as a nymphet with the goal of establishing whether or not the novel portrays the influence of a nymphet. It will attempt to find the similarities and differences between the image of a nymphet that Lolita portrays and the real life image of today. The history of the word "nymphet" in English does not go beyond 1955 when the novel Lolita was published because its first use is in the novel. It was introduced into English by Mr. Humbert Humbert himself. Through his unique sexual perception, Humbert describes the behavior or the sexually luring ability of little girls as unnatural or nymphic: "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 (16)" Nymphic is adjectival for the noun 'nymph' and the Microsoft Encarta Encyclopedia defines nymphs to be, in "Greek and Roman mythology, lesser divinities or spirits of nature, dwelling in groves and fountains, forests, meadows, streams, and the sea, represented as mortal and beautiful creatures that were sometimes love objects to olympian maidens, fond of music and dancing." They could also be "vengeful and destructive", a character that will be shown to work against Humbert, not physically, but emotionally. Humbert's image of a nymphet is enhanced by the thoughts and memories of Annabel that he harbors. He sees Lolita as a reincarnation of Annabel: "It was the same child - the same frail, honey-hued shoulders, the same silky supple bare back, the same chestnut head of hair" (39). Lolita: The Etymology of a Nymphet :: Essays Papers Lolita: The Etymology of a Nymphet The novel Lolita concerns a relationship characterized by obsession by a middle aged man, Humbert, for a prepubescent girl, Lolita. This fictional relationship has been a source of many questions as to what the writer, Vladimir Nabokov, had in mind when he wrote the novel. Thus, the novel has been looked at from different aspects in attempting to come up with what it portrays. Humbert, in his flowery description of Lolita, uses the word "nymphet" to refer not only to her but also to other girls of her age and characteristics. Little girls that came his way before Lolita, he describes as nymphets too. The purpose of this analysis will be to discover what exactly Humbert refers to as a nymphet in the novel Lolita in relation to the type of image today's society sees as a nymphet with the goal of establishing whether or not the novel portrays the influence of a nymphet. It will attempt to find the similarities and differences between the image of a nymphet that Lolita portrays and the real life image of today. The history of the word "nymphet" in English does not go beyond 1955 when the novel Lolita was published because its first use is in the novel. It was introduced into English by Mr. Humbert Humbert himself. Through his unique sexual perception, Humbert describes the behavior or the sexually luring ability of little girls as unnatural or nymphic: "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 (16)" Nymphic is adjectival for the noun 'nymph' and the Microsoft Encarta Encyclopedia defines nymphs to be, in "Greek and Roman mythology, lesser divinities or spirits of nature, dwelling in groves and fountains, forests, meadows, streams, and the sea, represented as mortal and beautiful creatures that were sometimes love objects to olympian maidens, fond of music and dancing." They could also be "vengeful and destructive", a character that will be shown to work against Humbert, not physically, but emotionally. Humbert's image of a nymphet is enhanced by the thoughts and memories of Annabel that he harbors. He sees Lolita as a reincarnation of Annabel: "It was the same child - the same frail, honey-hued shoulders, the same silky supple bare back, the same chestnut head of hair" (39).

The Secret of Ella and Micha Prologue

Ella I wonder if I can fly? With the wind and rain in my hair and my arms out to the side of me, it feels like it might be possible. Perhaps if I can get enough courage to jump off the thin ledge, I'll soar away into the night, like a bird with powerful wings. Maybe then I could reunite with her. â€Å"What are you doing?† Micha says, his voice higher than normal. â€Å"Get down from there. You're going to hurt yourself.† His aqua eyes pierce me through the rain and his hands are on the beams above his head, hesitant to climb out onto the ledge. â€Å"I don't think I will,† I say. â€Å"I think I might be able to fly†¦ just like her.† â€Å"Your mom couldn't fly.† He balances onto the railing and glances down at the murky water far below our feet. â€Å"What are you on?† â€Å"I took one of her old pills.† I tip my head back and bask my face in the rain. â€Å"I just wanted to see what it was like for her. Why she thought she was invincible.† He steps down on the beam with his arms spanned out to the side and his clunky boots slip on the wet metal. The lightning flashes above our heads and collides with the earth. â€Å"Your mother didn't know better, but you do.† Bracing one hand on the metal wire above our heads, he extends his other hand toward me. â€Å"Now come over here. You're scaring the shit out of me.† â€Å"I don't know if I can,† I say softly, raising my head back up as I rotate to face him. â€Å"I'm not sure if I want to.† He dares a step closer and his thick eyelashes blink fiercely against the down pour. â€Å"Yes, you do. You're stronger than that.† His hand begs me closer. â€Å"Please, just get over here.† Staring down at the black water, my body starts to drift. â€Å"I swear to God, Ella!† Micha shouts, his tone sharp, his muscles tense. â€Å"Give me your hand!† I snap out of my daze and tangle my fingers with his. His other hand captures my waist and he leads us swiftly back to the railing, lifting me over it. My feet settle onto the concrete of the bridge that is pooled with puddles. Lights on the beams illuminate the night and Micha's car is parked in the middle of the bridge with the driver's door open and the engine and headlights on. He hops over the railing and then his arms are around me, embracing me securely, like he's afraid to let go. For a second, it feels okay, weightless and uncontrolled. I tuck my face into his chest, the wet fabric damp against my chilled skin. The scent of him takes me to a place I wish I could go back to – my childhood. Back when things weren't as heavy because I was too immature to grasp the full reality of life. Micha pulls back and smoothes my wet hair out of my eyes. â€Å"Don't you ever do that to me again. I can't do this without you.† But he needs to figure out life without this perception of me, because I don't know how long I can keep doing it without drowning. â€Å"Micha, I†¦Ã¢â‚¬  The look on his face silences my lips. He knows what I'm about to say – he always does. He is my best friend, my soul mate. In a perfect world, full of roses and sunshine we'd be together, but this world is full of broken homes, drunken fathers, and mothers who give up easily. â€Å"I'm sorry.† I cling to him as I say my final good-bye. â€Å"I didn't want to think anymore. It was just too much and my mind wouldn't slow down. But it's alright now. I can think clearly again.† He cups my cheek, his thumb searing hot as he traces the pad lightly across my cheekbone. â€Å"Next time come to me – don't just run. Please. I know things are hard right now, but it'll get better. We've always made it through every single bad thing thrown at us.† Beads of water trickle in his eyelashes, along his cheeks, over his full lips. There's a shift in the air, one I've felt coming for a long time. His lips part. â€Å"Ella, I love – â€Å" I crush my lips against his, hushing him and melting our bodies together. I allow his tongue to caress mine, letting him suck the rain from my bottom lip and savor the taste of me. We arc into each other, like we can't get enough and heat flows through our drenched clothes, warming my skin. I could let it go on forever, but that would be wrong. The girl he thinks he loves needs to disappear. I don't want tonight to be irreversible, so I pull away, breathing him in one last time. Then I walk away, leaving him on the bridge in the rain, along with the old Ella.

The French Revolution And The American Revolution - 843 Words

The French Revolution: The event that led to the transformation of the globe into the world we know it as today. One of the most revolutionary events in human history was started by a group of individuals sitting in the Palace of Versailles who decided that enough was enough and that the only answer to the injustices of the ruling regime was Revolution. These people eventually became known as the National Constituent Assembly, or, colloquially, the National Assembly. Over the course of two years, this National Assembly sparked a revolution, established a new form of government in one of the oldest European nations, and made a new society based on the principles created during the Enlightenment. The National Assembly initially grew out of a national debt issue brought about by French involvement in the Seven Years War and the American Revolution (SparkNotes Editors, 2005). The amount of debt that France had built up due to these two wars, plus the debt racked up by domestic spend ing and corruption, was so large that, according to Bentley and Ziegler, half of government revenue went to the national debt (p. 627). This, in turn, caused King Louis XVI to call a session of the Estates-General, which is called to order during times of great tension and stress within the country. The Estates-General was essentially a legislature that was broken up into three equal groups of representatives. These representatives represented the First Estate (clergy and members of theShow MoreRelatedThe French Revolution And The American Revolution1395 Words   |  6 PagesHonors English 29 September 2014 The French Revolution Some do not know what the real cause of the French Revolution was. There are many considerable factors, yet none of them have been pinned down as the true reason (SparkNote Editors). The French Revolution started as a rebellion for equality, but eventually turned out to be more and show the problems throughout the French government. As said before, there is no exact reasoning behind the French Revolution. but there are many possible factorsRead MoreFrench Revolution And The American Revolution Essay1293 Words   |  6 Pagespowerful countries in Europe. This all changed with the French Revolution which began in 1789 (Lefebvre 1). The French Revolution dramatically changed France politically and culturally. I will apply Lawrence Stone’s model to the French Revolution to examine how France’s debt, the unpopularity of the nobles and monarch, and the formation of the National Assembly led to the outbreak of the French Revolution. 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