Lolita An Unreliable Narrator Analysis

The use of a narrator in any text is important for both the story, and its readers. The narrator is the guide, the eyes through which we explore the events and the people. In this way, it cannot be overstated how much of an effect the narrator has. A reliable narrator allows the reader a true telling of the story, and allows them to make an accurate judgement of the novel as a whole. However, with an unreliable narrator, the unwitting reader may find their path runs much less smoothly than it may appear at first glance.

The term 'unreliable narrator' was first coined by the US literary critic Wayne C. Booth in 1961, in 'The Rhetoric of Fiction', who defined the term as being “when a narrator expresses values and perceptions that strikingly diverge from those of the

implied author”. Using this kind of narrator is a very interesting technique, which completely changes the original point of a narrator in some ways, while staying true to its definition in others. For example, where a reliable narrator serves as a clear window into the story, we must imagine an unreliable narrator to be a window with cracks and distorted glass. They are both facing the same thing, however the second window makes it that much more difficult to decipher what that picture truly looks like.
An unreliable narrator also allows the reader a better glimpse at themselves than a reliable narrator does. The unreliable narrator is unreliable because they do not give the reader the true explanation of the events occurring. Whether this is because they have a personal interest in warping the story, or because they are uninformed or ignorant, or even delusional, this will tell the reader a few things about the narrator. Once the reader begins to ask themselves why the narration is unreliable, the narrator's personality is scrutinized, and the reader begins to actually think about them in the context of the story rather than viewing them as something which naturally goes along with the text. They also allow the reader the opportunity to give the work their own wider interpretation, as opposed to a rigid boundary set by the story itself. 'If the narrator is unreliable, then how much is true?' 'Are these characters portrayed accurately, or are they a reflection of how the narrator sees them?' The novel which the reader holds in their hand has now become unfamiliar ground- nothing can be taken at face value, and it is now up to the reader themselves to figure out the real story.
There are many famous examples of works which contain unreliable narrators. For the purpose of this essay, I have selected two works which I feel reveal the most about unreliable narration to narrow my focus on. Both of these texts contain an unreliable narrator, yet manage to tell the story in very distinct ways.
----
'Lolita' is the story of a man (referred to as “Humpbert Humpbert”) in his fictional memoirs as he awaits trial in jail.

The manuscript follows the key events in his life, beginning with the death of his childhood sweetheart Annabel Leigh. The main bulk of the tale then focuses upon his relationship with his stepdaughter, before ending in Lolita's death in childbirth, and his own heart failure in prison.

Throughout 'Lolita', there are many clues that the narrator is being unreliable. This is touched upon through a variety of facets about Humbert's character, which the audience picks up on as the story progresses.

At the very beginning of the story, the reader can infer that Humpert has been placed in a desperate position. It is through his memoirs that he must try to sway the judgement of his readers- a fact that he is keenly aware of, and uses to the best of his ability as a writer. (“Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, exhibit number one is what the seraphs, the misinformed, simple, noble-winged seraphs, envied. Look at this tangle of thorns.”) From the get-go the character is shown to be a murderer and a criminal, and thus the motive for his unreliable narration is established very early

on.
Humpbert also uses an array of methods in order to put himself in the most sympathetic light possible in the eyes of his audience. One technique which is the most brazen within his memoirs is his use of verbose and poetic language. Humpbert appears to be rather familiar with this method, using his words to either cover-up or soften the impact of his actions. His elegant prose is a skilful weapon in his hands, and he makes the most of his ability to manipulate his wording to cast himself as the brooding, romantic lead, unduly persecuted rather than the person he truly is. In some respects, this is one of the most dangerous aspects of Humpbert. While he himself lampoons this blatantly in his memoirs (“You can always count on a murderer for a fancy prose style”) this tactic is easily overlooked unless the reader recognises his unreliability.