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diff --git a/public/books/lolita/index.html b/public/books/lolita/index.html deleted file mode 100644 index f70d421..0000000 --- a/public/books/lolita/index.html +++ /dev/null @@ -1,94 +0,0 @@ -<head> - <meta charset="utf-8"> - <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1"> - <link rel="icon" type="image/png" sizes="32x32" href="/images/favicon-32x32.png"> - <link rel="icon" type="image/png" sizes="16x16" href="/images/favicon-16x16.png"> - <link rel="manifest" href="/images/site.webmanifest"> - <link rel="stylesheet" href="/css/style.css" /> - <link rel="stylesheet" href="/css/fonts.css" /> - <script async type="text/javascript" src="js/code.js"> </script> -</head> - -<div class="container"> - <ul id="bar"> - - <li> - <a href="/">go back</a> - </li> - <li>|</li> - - <li> - <a href="mailto:mati.rewa@gmail.com">mati.rewa@gmail.com</a> - </li> - <li>|</li> - <li> - <a href="https://git.denounce.ai/">git.denounce.ai</a> - </li> - <li>|</li> - <li> - <a href="https://ohmyghost.nl">ohmyghost.nl</a> - </li> - <li>|</li> - <li> - <a href="https://atlarge-research.com/mkwiatkowski/">research</a> - </li> - <li>|</li> - <li> - book blog - </li> -</ul> - - -</div> -</div> -<div class="container"> - <h2>Lolita</h2> - <p><img src="/images/lolita.jpg#floatright" alt="lolita-book-cover"></p> -<p>Lolita is a very special book due to the sensitive subjects which it touches upon. -Masterfully written, it talks about taboo topics such as relationship abuse and obsession, and includes themes of murder, rape and pedophilia. -It has been widely regarded as a literary classic and masterpiece and included in some of the most prestigious book rankings in the world <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lolita">(see here)</a>. -A colleague of mine told me that she could have not read on until the end, due to the books narrative. -After getting into a discussion with her, I have decided to give the book a try.</p> -<p>The book is narrated by Humbert Humbert, a forty year old man from Europe who emigrated to America before the outbreak of World War II. -He teaches French literature and at the start of the novel is writing a series of academic books. -Once he travels in to Ramsdale, the small, countryside town, he meets Dolores Haze, the titular <em>Lolita</em>. -At this point in the book the reader’s image of Humbert is clear - he is obsessed with a certain type of girl, usually around 12 years of age, due to an unfulfilled childhood relationship with Annabel in France: <em>In point of fact, there might have been no Lolita at all had I not loved, one summer, a certain initial girl-child</em>. -Knowing very well the intentions of Humbert towards Dolores, readers are driven to worry about her from the first steps he makes when deciding to move into the old Ramsdale home.</p> -<p>Dolores at the start of the book is around 12 years of age. -She is an energetic young girl, by all means typical for her age. -She dislikes studying, is oftentimes moody and rebellious against her mother. -<em>Charlotte Haze […] underlined the following epithets, ten out of forty, under “Your Child’s -Personality”: aggressive, boisterous, critical, distrustful, impatient, irritable, inquisitive, listless</em>. -To the readers eyes, she is just a girl in primary school. -To Humbert, she is the lost love of his life and becomes the primary object of his obsession. -The rest of the book describes in detail their relationship and how it evolves over the course of 5 years.</p> -<p>While there are many themes in the book that many literary critics like to focus on, I want to point out some remarks that make the book an important read to me. -Throughout the story Humbert oftentimes tries to convince the reader that his actions are justified. -He tries to make a point that his abuse towards Dolores is not wrong. -Moreover, he lets it take him over, and his obsession with the nymphet takes over his life. -Living together with Dolores’s mum in Ramsdale, he has everything going for him - a stable house, a loving wife, friends and work. -Nevertheless he forsakes all this in pursuit of his sexual fantasies and desires. -Dolores becomes the only thing that matters for him, and what frightens me the most is that a man could let go of so many years of his life for something so unattainable and forbidden. -Even when his newly wed wife dies, his stoic manner shows the reader how little does he think of his life outside of his obsession. -Overly protective of Dolores when she enrolls to a school at Beardsley, he is blind to the fact that with his every breath he is focused only and only on the object of his admiration. -While this may not be obvious to the reader at first glance, I think this is one of the things that caught my attention while reading. -Rather than seeking help, Humbert knowingly chooses to hurt others.</p> -<p>After reading the first few pages of the book I realized how well written it is. -Although the topic of the book is the abuse of a child by a grown man, it is written in such a way that we get to know Humbert and his personality really well. -Full of witty comments, funny observations and word games, you can forget while reading that the main theme of the book is so dark. -This truly shows how good of a writer Vladimir Nabokov is. -Besides recommending the book to others, I know for a fact that I will continue to read his works, and I cannot wait to read <em>The Pale Fire</em> next.</p> - 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