So obviously Humbert Humbert is an unreliable narrator, he’s probably the most famous example of one. Several times throughout the novel, he makes a point to emphasize his good looks and charm. How much do you think he is exaggerating those qualities? Is he straight up lying? His internal thoughts are very contemptuous of other people, he’s egotistical and pretentious, and clearly thinks very little of everyone, including Dolores who he claims to love so much.
Despite his insistence that other people find him extremely handsome and charming, there are several moments where other characters seem put off by him, as if they can sense his disdain for them and are picking up on his general creepiness.
At the same time it’s hard to imagine why characters like Charlotte and Rita would be attracted to him if he wasn’t at least somewhat good looking and affable. Were they just so lonely and desperate for companionship that they ignored the red flags, or was he genuinely attractive to them? Maybe a bit of both?
I know this might be a weird detail to fixate on, but either possibility is interesting to me. If he was lying about his looks, it says a lot about how superficial he really is, how he thinks he can use descriptions of physical beauty to manipulate the reader. If he really was so good looking, it says a lot about how some people ascribe moral goodness to those they find attractive, even when it’s completely unwarranted. Thoughts?
by 87penguinstapdancing