(Sorry about the silly tittle I couldn't help it) You both make great points, and actually, as Leslie mentioned at the end of her blog, the points agree with each other. What's bothering me is I cannot decide whether I lean more towards Humbert being in love, as Bruno leans, or just selfishly obsessed, as Leslie leans. Ultimately after much mental torture I decided to land on the same middle ground they did in saying that love births that insane almost selfish obsession if it is not kept in check.
Just for fun I decided to compare Hum's "love" to the "love" in the Christian bible.
1 Corinthians 13:4-6 4Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always preserves.
Hum patient? I'd say no; he couldn't wait for Lolita to become of consensual age. (But then again in the Bible days I think 13 was old enough)
Hum kind? I would say yes (I haven't finished the book so I'm not 100% on this) but aside from raping her he was always very kind to Lolita, never yelled or beat her.
Hum envious? I would say yes. He envied her independence from him.
Hum boastful? No, at least not towards Lo.
Hum proud? Defiantly not! He practically begs.
Hum rude? Not to Lolita.
Hum self-seeking? Yes. No explanation needed.
Hum easily angered? Yes, i believe so. He finds he mannerisms very irritating and her want for other social interaction infuriating.
Hum keepin' records of wrongs? Yup. He can always list a long reel of the new and old calamities of Lolita
Hum delights in evil? Yeah! He delighted in her mother's death, kidnapping her, lying to everyone they know and doing her. Shes 12...
Hum rejoices in truth? NO! The truth gets Lolita taken away forever.
Hum protects? Yes, from everyone and thing but himself.
Hum always trusts? Rarely trusts, so no.
Hum always hopes? Yes, but for the wrong things i.e. she stays 12 forever.
And finally, Hum always preserves? Yes, and this is the problem. His love for her will always be preserved by his obsession.
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