Attention summer book club members: We are in for a real treat. My brother Gabe came up with several questions to help facilitate our discussion of Lolita. If you haven't read the book yet, hold off on reading the questions, as they give away the ending.
ADD Reading Group Discussion Questions
Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov
- What do you think of the cover of the book? The one with the sexy lips on it? Do you find the lips to be sexy? If you do, does that make you a pedophile?
- According to the first chapter, Dolores Haze had many names: Lo, Lola, Lolita, etc. Discuss other figures in popular culture who have many names. (Example: Sean "Puffy" Combs or Jennifer Lopez, who dated each other for a time.) Is it a coincidence that Jennifer Lopez goes by J-Lo and Dolores goes by "Lo, plain Lo, in the morning" or is Lopez consciously drawing a parallel between herself and Haze, hoping she will remain young in the eyes of her public? If yes, did the semi-creepy gamble pay off? If no, you have to admit that it's quite a coincidence.
- Look out the window. What do you see?
- Should Humbert be admired for writing so eloquently while in prison? You know what they do to pedophiles in prison, don't you?
- Have you ever dated someone because you were interested in one of his or her family members? How did that work out for you?
- If gay marriage is ever legalized, won't guys like Humbert just be running rampant?
- Lolita had her first sexual experience at summer camp. Is this common? Go around the room and discuss your own "summer camp firsts". Include smoking/drug use in addition to kissing/more than kissing. Do these experiences make you hesitant about sending your own children to summer camp?
- What song is playing through each of your heads right now? If two of you had the same song in your head, laugh at what a coincidence that is.
- Humbert murders Quilty. Was that the right thing to do? Is there a "Quilty" in your own life (someone you have killed)?
- In the movie, Quilty is played by Peter Sellers. Are any modern character actors as interesting as Sellers? Johnny Depp?
- Would you let Vladimir Nabakov baby-sit your daughter?
2 comments:
Ooh, I'm reading the book now so I'm forcing myself not to read those tempting questions!! I'm having fun in Chicago, but I have yet to see any nutria so it's not THAT fun.
Willem Dafoe is arguably as interesting as Peter Sellers. Remember that odd movie he did with Madonna? He's the first actor to have portrayed both Jesus Christ and the Green Goblin.
Post a Comment