Cam’s answer to “is this book disturbing in bits?” > Likes and Comments
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Yes, you nailed it.
I was going to answer this question but you put into words exactly what I think. Right on.
I believe the correct nomenclature is 'ephebophile' and not 'paedophile'.
She's 12 when they initially meet, actually.
It's true, I looked it up afterwards. I think it is still pedophilia though.
Not that this has anything to do with the literary merit of Lolita, but Wikipedia (I know, right), defines paedophilia as 'when a person sixteen years of age or older is primarily or exclusively sexually attracted to children who have not begun puberty (generally eleven years old or less)', and it defines hebophilia as 'persistent sexual interest by adults in pubescent (early adolescent) children (especially those showing Tanner stages 2-3 of development), typically ages 11–14'.
As Lolita goes, HH is interested in girls (nymphets, in particular) aged 9 - 15, so the character is a bit of a cross-over, though he specifically prefers 'maturing' females over 'immature' or 'mature' ones, so there's that.
Separately, HH is an unreliable narrator, so one can't even quite be sure of what, if anything, in his narration is true.
what the hell is wrong with you humbert humbert is literally a disgusting human being who should be shot like a dog
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Karen
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Nov 08, 2014 02:30PM
Yes, you nailed it.
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I was going to answer this question but you put into words exactly what I think. Right on.
I believe the correct nomenclature is 'ephebophile' and not 'paedophile'.
She's 12 when they initially meet, actually.
It's true, I looked it up afterwards. I think it is still pedophilia though.
Not that this has anything to do with the literary merit of Lolita, but Wikipedia (I know, right), defines paedophilia as 'when a person sixteen years of age or older is primarily or exclusively sexually attracted to children who have not begun puberty (generally eleven years old or less)', and it defines hebophilia as 'persistent sexual interest by adults in pubescent (early adolescent) children (especially those showing Tanner stages 2-3 of development), typically ages 11–14'. As Lolita goes, HH is interested in girls (nymphets, in particular) aged 9 - 15, so the character is a bit of a cross-over, though he specifically prefers 'maturing' females over 'immature' or 'mature' ones, so there's that.
Separately, HH is an unreliable narrator, so one can't even quite be sure of what, if anything, in his narration is true.
what the hell is wrong with you humbert humbert is literally a disgusting human being who should be shot like a dog
