Humbert the Pedophile

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Humbert the Pedophile

Lolita, the novel by Vladimir Nabokov, tells the story of Humbert Humbert, who is a perfect example of a pedophile. Although the character Humbert Humbert describes his feelings toward the twelve year old Lolita as love, in actuality, it is obsessive lust. Nabokov does an excellent job displaying the characteristics of pedophilia through this character. Reading Lolita makes us conscious of the need to be more aware that pedophilia is alive and well in our society today. In developing this point, I will examine pedophilia and its clinical characteristics as they relate to Humbert Humbert and our society.

While America sits smugly in front of it's televisions and computers, somewhere a pedophile fantasizes about fondling and holding a beautiful child in his arms. According to David Finkelhor's research in A Sourcebook on Child Sexual Abuse(43), pedophiles are adults, both male and female, who have a sexual preference toward prepubescent children (generally aged 13 or younger). It is important to realize that pedophilia does not always include child sexual abuse. The pedophile must act upon his desires before it is considered sexual abuse. Humbert, in fact, does act upon his urges by looking, fantasizing, and actually holding Lolita on his lap. In Aristos Bouius's essay, Pedophilia Versus Abuse, it is suggested that a real pedophile loves children and doesn't want to hurt them in any way, but rather wants a relationship with the child which can be an enjoyable and loving experience on both sides. Pedophiles often take on a parental role toward the child, and the child, craving love and attention, accepts the touching, holding or even the act of sex. Most likely, the child has never experienced "normal" par...

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... 1970.

2) Briggs, Freda. From Victim to Offender. Australia, Allen & Unwin Pty Ltd. 1995

3) Finkelhor, David. A Sourcebook on Child Sexual Abuse. Newbury Park, Sage

Publications Inc. 1986.

4) Ferguson, Donna. The Assault on America's Children. Newport Beach, CA., Harbor House

Publishers, Inc. 1994.

5) Bouius, Aristo J. Pedophilia Versus Abuse. Simplex. 1996. Http://www.

Simplex.nl/users/aristos/engels.htm

6) Medinger, Alan P DSM-IV and Pedophilia: What Did the APA Do? 1995

Http://www.messiah.eduthpages/facstaff/chase/h/articles/regene ra/dsm.htm

7) Medinger, Alan P. Pedophilia No Longer a Disorder Psychiatric Association Decides.

1994. Http://www.messiah.eduthpages.facstaff/chase/h/articles/regene ra/dsm.htm

8) Pedophilia Symptoms Mental Health Net and CMHC Systems, 1995- 1997.

Http://www/cmhc.com/disorders/sx63.htm

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