Delightful Perversity?

Title: Lolita
Author: Vladimir Nabokov
Published: 1958
Pages: 317

Reading Time: January 8-January 16, 2010.

Plot Teaser:
Awe and exhiliration - along with heartbreak and mordant wit - abound in Lolita, Vladimir Nabokov's most famous and controversial novel, which tells the story of the aging Humbert Humbert's obsessive, devouring, and doomed passion for the nymphet Dolores Haze. Lolita is also the story of a hypercivilized European colliding with the cheerful barbarism of postwar America. Most of all, it is a meditation on love - love as outrage and hallucination, madness and transformation.

How I Got It:
This was another leftover in my parents' basement, left behind by my youngest sister when she moved out. I attempted to read it a couple of years ago, but failed because I could not get past the subject matter. I thought I would give it another shot, given its reputation.

The Review:
There is not much new to say about Lolita. Every critical word that could have possibly been spoken about the book has already been mentioned countless times over by other and far more skilled critics than me. So, I will tread on some well-trodden territory, while trying to focus on my own personal experience with the book. If I can remove hyperbole, I will say that the book is certainly memorable for all of its pedophilia and dazzling word play, and it becomes more of an object of curiosity the more one analyzes it.

For the unfamiliar, Lolita tracks the relationship of an aging narrator who calls himself Humbert Humbert, and his perverse obsession with "nymphets," or pre-pubescent girls of a particularly sensual type. The main relationship is between Humbert and Dolores Haze. Lolita. The first part of the book in particular is full of Humbert's own sensual depictions of his violations, and descriptions of the object of his desire. There is certainly perversity involved here, but the way Nabokov presents the topic is nothing short of hypnotic. Humbert is a highly literate European who has come to the trivialistic United States, and his eccentric habits and civilized mind are on full display in Lolita.

I have to admit, I had a very difficult time separating the subject matter from the prose at first. I simply did not "get" the purpose of the book, if a book can have one set purpose. Nabokov's afterword seems to indicate that he hates critical boxes and allegorical interpretations of his works, and that the focus should be more on the process and writing itself. If I were only to judge the book on the beauty, wit, and elegance of its words, it certainly would be one the most perfect books I had ever read. Nabokov's mind and his knowledge of literature and English wit are almost awe-inspiring in the amount of clever and playful thoughts, ideas, and sentences he dishes out here. It is very difficult not to laugh or crack a smile when Humbert dotes upon thoughts of marrying then murdering a woman who is trying to get Lolita involved in more school activities, which would in turn take her away from Humbert's attention. The man is a monster, but one who flits and gambols about in a way that is difficult not to give an "aw, shucks" to.

Humbert is an engaging and evocative narrator. Despite his horriffic failings as a human being, his obsessive personality and gift for elongated description make him hard to ignore. To illustrate this point, here he is talking about Lolita playing tennis:

"My Lolita had a way of raising her bent left knee at the ample and springy start of the service cycle when there would develop and hang in the sun for a second a vital web of balance between toed foot, pristine armpit, burnished arm and far back-flung racket, as she smiled up with gleaming teeth at the small globe suspended so high in the zenith of the powerful and graceful cosmos she had created for the express purpose of falling upon it with a clean resounding crack of her golden whip."

As a lover of books, it is impossible to do anything but admire such in-depth and alluring prose. Simply put, they cast a spell, and the fact that there is also so much tongue-in-cheek in the book makes it a strange combination of satirical comedy and disgusting horror.

In regards to Humbert himself, Nabokov paints him as an unreliable narrator. It is up to the reader to pull his or her mind out of Humbert's and assess what is really happening outside of the flowery narrative style. Humbert constantly refers to his readers as "ladies and gentlemen of the jury," imploring us to sympathize with him and to understand where he is coming from. His goal is to enchant and generate pity. However, by the end of the book only the most gullible or perverse personality would feel anything but disapproval of Humbert and his actions throughout the story.

In the end, I do not want to say "this is a book about one thing or another." Nabokov hates allegorical interpretations, so any allusions to a civilized Europe meeting an immature America are purely speculative. However, as authors are often the worst judges of their own works, I do not believe any extraneous critique of this book can truly be discounted. Yes, it is an incredibly controversial work, but the fact that it has had such an arresting effect on readers and popular culture in general shows the quality of its artistry. Personally, this is a very rich book with plenty to dissect and analyze. Even if one is not prone to critical analysis, he or she can always just enjoy Nabokov's mesmerizing writing style, or cringe through the pedophilia and wonder how a man can actually feel this way for a twelve year old pre-pubescent girl. Or you can even mix the two and delight in Humbert's sick-but-magnetic personality. Afterall, we are all drawn to the strange and twisted, especially when it is wrapped in such pretty packaging.

The Verdict:
There are so many opposing adjectives to describe the content and style of this book. It is this tension between admiration for the form and disgust for the action that is the crux of Lolita. There is a danger in doting too much on one side or the other, but if one can find a balance, he or she should feel nothing short of appreciation for such a complex, trance-like and entertaining work.

4.5/5

Next Up:
The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro.

The Pains of Youth

Title: Peter Pan
Author: J.M. Barrie
Illustrator: F.D. Bedford
Published: 1911 (Wordsworth Edition, 1993)
Pages: 176

Reading Time: December 23-December 30, 2009.

Plot Teaser:
The magical Peter Pan comes to the night nursery of the Darling children, Wendy, John and Michael. He teaches them to fly, then takes them through the sky to Never-Never Land, where they find Red Indians, wolves, Mermaids, and...Pirates. The leader of the pirates is the sinister Captain Hook. His hand was bitten off by a crocodile, who, as Captain Hook explains "liked me arm so much that he has followed me ever since, licking his lips for the rest of me." After lots of adventures, the story reaches its exciting climax as Peter, Wendy and the children do battle with Captain Hook and his band.

How I Got It:
I found this edition on top of a $4.99 bargain table at Chapters in Ancaster, Ontario. I remember also picking up The Wizard of Oz that day, which I really enjoyed. I think I wanted to read a couple of the classic children's stories, since I had never done so before.

The Review:
Most North Americans and Europeans are likely familiar with the story of the boy who would not grow up. Whether it is through this book, or the popular children's film, the story is simple and universal. Essentially, Peter Pan is about the desire to remain a child forever, and to stay in the emotions and ignorance of youth. It follows the life of the Darling children, particularly Wendy, as they are swept off to a magical land of fantasy and adventure, where they slowly forget their past lives and parents. The children desire to remain in Neverland forever, and never want to grow old. It is something most of us can relate to, and the book captures the energy and innocence of childhood.

First of all, the way Barrie tells the story like a paternal figure sitting by the reader's bedside is appropriate for the subject matter. He constantly gives hints of future events, or plays with the narrative by writing about the various avenues the story could take, or what he can talk about, and this creates a sense of distance, while showing off his storytelling ability. He makes the reader an active part of the adventure. If anything, he knows his audience and how to speak to them.

The adventure housed within the pages also moves at a linear and brisk pace. Barrie goes from place to place, and keeps the reader interested, largely as a result of his storytelling style. It must be said that this book truly is more for children than adults with its handholding style, aside from an allusion to a fairie orgy and Tinkerbell's sexual frustration, that are not enough to take the book out of the realm of children's fiction. Barrie's handling of Peter Pan as a short-sighted and immature boy is also interesting, as I was sometimes not sure whether to like him or loathe him for his arrogance and thoughtless ignorance. Consequently, the themes explored are more than relevant to all age groups, and the ending in particular resonated with me as an adult.

Still, the reasons I like the book and why I think many young adults would enjoy it, are also the reasons I do not love it. Maybe I am not looking into the book deeply enough, but it is a pretty basic tale of the growing pains associated with coming of age, and realizing that you are no longer a child. As Barrie says, "two is the beginning of the end." I admire his ability to encapsulate the vibrant energy of childhood, but feel there is a lack of complexity in the analysis, aside from the ending and his handling of Peter. It may sound like I am complaining about a children's book being a children's book, and I do feel the ending is excellent and the exploration of mothers interesting, but I can not help but feel slightly underwhelmed by the events. It may because I knew the story going in, and felt more like I was playing out something that was already familiar and not needing further discussion.

The above points aside, this is an enjoyable romp through a fantasy land, and when you consider it was novelized in 1911, it is even more impressive. However, I must grade the book on how it stands up today, and not how it would have stood in its time of publication. With that in mind, I enjoyed the book for what it is, but it is a story that does not need to be told more than once. I suppose I may just be a bitter adult in saying that, but so be it.

The Verdict:
There are better fantasy adventures out there, but if you simply must read the classics or are interested in coming of age stories and the transition from childhood to adulthood, this is a solid bet. Again, I can only grade my own experience with the book, which was a little above mildly enjoyable. I am sure there are others who adore it, and you are free to take their word for it as well.

3.5/5

Next Up:
Fallen by David Maine.

A Reward For Good Behaviour

Title: Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

Author: Roald Dahl
Illustrator: Quentin Blake
Published: 1964
Pages: 155

Reading Time: December 3-December 5, 2009.

Plot Teaser:
Augustus Gloop eats himself sick. Veruca Salt is a spoiled-rotten brat. Violet Beauregarde chews gum day and night. Mike Teavee is a television fiend. Charlie Bucket, Our Hero, is brave and true and very, very hungry. What do these five have in common? Why, they're the luckiest children in the entire world: they've each won the chance to enter Willy Wonka's famous, mysterious chocolate factory. What happens when the big doors swing open to reveal Mr. Wonka's secrets? What happens when they come upon the tiny factory workers who sing in rhyme? What happens when, one by one, the children disobey Mr. Wonka's orders? In Roald Dahl's most popular story for children, the nasty are punished and the good are deliciously, sumptuously rewarded.

How I Got It:
This is not my book. I do not remember how the conversation started exactly, but I had mentioned to my girlfriend that I had never read a Roald Dahl book. I think it might have come up in a discussion of the 2005 Tim Burton film, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. This was in 2008. Regardless of where or how it happened, a discussion related to Roald Dahl and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory came up, and a collection of two Roald Dahl titles, this one and Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator, made their way from Brossard, Quebec to Toronto, Ontario. I have put both of these books on my backlog because they were carted over for the purpose of me reading them, and I have felt bad letting them just sit there, neatly tucked into their slipcase.

The Review:
Like many people of my generation, and the generation or two before it, I was first exposed to the story of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory through the 1971 film directed by Mel Stuart, which bore the title Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. The title was a natural choice because as much as the story was about Charlie Bucket's rise from poverty to abundance, it was Gene Wilder's intriguing portrayal of the chocolate factory owner that gave the film its playful-yet-creepy centre. Now, having had the opportunity to read the book that has inspired two major films, I must say that it is indeed Wonka's captivating presence that is the heartbeat of the story. Along with Roald Dahl's wonderful prose and Quentin Blake's childlike illustrations, Willy Wonka's ubiquity as a decorous guide gives the book a sense of devilish fun and wicked morality.

If you have read the plot teaser above, you know most of what you need to know about the plot. Centrally, the story follows five children who have discovered five golden tickets in one of Willy Wonka's candy bars, and who now have an opportunity to visit the mysterious factory of the master chocolatier. The children are each given a definining character trait that makes them easy to identify, and even easier to dislike; all aside from Charlie Bucket of course, who is a poor but honest boy. As the children and their parents make their way through the factory, each child is undone by their own flaws, and is punished by karma for their lifestyle choices up to that point. The moral of the tale seems to be that proper behaviour and honesty are eventually rewarded, while obnoxiousness, gluttony, and other despicable traits such as chewing gum or watching TV all day long, are ironically and horrifically punished. Not only is each child punished, but they are then immediately eulogized in song by Oompa-Loompas, the tiny aboriginal workers of the factory, who have a gift for rhyme and mischief.

What makes this book so delightful is that Dahl has a real talent for keeping things moving, and keeping things interesting, while not simply smashing together a load of events for the sake of action. No. Each hilarious consequence and plot point has a purpose, and Dahl keeps the ball of complete engagement rolling for the entire 157 pages of the adventure. He simply knows what children, or adults for that matter, need in a work of fiction. He gets the reader completely caught up in the action, and makes you care about what is happening. For example, when discussing the feverish atmosphere that has taken hold of the world because of Wonka's golden tickets campaign, he moves from scene to scene with a rambunctious and joyful energy.

"And now the whole country, indeed, the whole world, seemed suddenly to be caught up in a mad candy-buying spree, everybody searching frantically for those precious remaining tickets. Fully grown women were seen going into sweetshops and buying ten Wonka candy bars at a time, then tearing off the wrappers on the spot and peering eagerly underneath for a glint of golden paper. Children were taking hammers and smashing their piggy banks and running out to the shops with handfuls of money. In one city, a famous gangster robbed a bank of five thousand dollars and spent the whole lot on candy bars that same afternoon. And when the police entered his house to arrest him, they found him sitting on the floor amidst mountains of candy, ripping off the wrappers with the blade of a long dagger."

Dahl understands the importance of rhythm and verb choice in creating a story that continuously moves along. "Searching," "tearing," "peering," "smashing"; while it seems simple, Dahl's use of animated and spirited verbs shows off exactly why he was such a beloved children's author.
Alongside Dahl's lively words, the artwork of Quentin Blake is a perfect complement. He has a thin and wavery style of drawing, which makes his creations feel like they can literally burst at the seams at any moment; it is only the tenuous lines that keep the details inside the characters. His lines also are not perfect, and sometimes cut through their otherwise natural stopping points. This imperfection in his artwork adds to the sense of childlike energy and playfulness. The art feels as genuine, real, and full of life, as does the actual storyline.

So, what is the purpose of this story? It can be seen as a moral tale that is meant to scare children straight, so that they behave well and listen to their parents. Willy Wonka's non-committal responses and untamed personality make him a rascally moral guide throughout, and his "they deserved it" attitude give the book a surprising edge. However, it is interesting to note that unlike the movie, Charlie Bucket is almost invisible once the children enter the factory, and barely makes any moral decisions at all. Is the reader to take from this that kids should mind their own business and simply float on the outskirts of society, without ever really getting involved, and they will eventually be rewarded for not meddling? Nevertheless, whatever lessons are meant to be taken from the book, it is an achievement that Dahl has crafted a deceptively simple book that can be interpreted in more than a couple of ways.

The Verdict:
As a Dahl virgin, I was charmed and delighted throughout Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Its gaiety, whimsy, and wicked sense of humour give it a deserving place in the realm of childhood classics. The book will also make you crave chocolate once you are finished, and that is hardly a bad thing.

4.5/5

Next Up:
Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator by Roald Dahl.