2019 Year 12 IB Extended Essays

A clearer indication of Humbert’s unstable mental health is the multiple mentions of visiting sanitoriums as well as showing signs of mental illness thus potentially affecting the reliability of his entire narration. There are multiple mentions of Humbert’s mental state throughout the novel, beginning in the fictional foreword where John Ray suggests the entire chain of events devised in Lolita could have been averted if Humbert took the initiative to see a psychiatrist in the summer of 1947 (p.5). Considering the lengths Humbert will go to ensure the reader believes his story and thinks of him as credible, he strangely also openly speaks of his times in sanatoriums. ‘It can be contended that sanitoriums are part of a ruse with the intent to win over the reader’ (Wasmuth, 2009). These connotations give Humbert means to constantly emphasise to the reader his mental unhealth, once again humanising Humbert pushing the reader to lower their guard. This edges the reader to question if Humbert is attempting to again manipulate them into sympathising for his cause by using is deteriorating mental health as a scapegoat for his actions. Hence as Humbert demonstrates deceit once more, one begins to wonder how trustworthy Humbert is to completely rely on his narrative to comprehend the situation. At the same time, there are certain instances in which it seems that Humbert’s true insanity is revealed when saying “Don’t think I can go on. Heart, head-everything. Lolita, Lolita, Lolita, Lolita, Lolita, Lolita, Lolita, Lolita, Lolita. Repeat till the page is full, printer.” (p.109). This passage demonstrates one of the rare instances where many believe the real Humbert surfaces, indicating a sort of obsessive insanity, exhaustion and disorientation. Also, the obsessive repetition of Lolita’s name, up to the point of filling a whole page obviously signifies how Lolita is all Humbert can think about, highlighting a juvenile obsession; signifying a mental breakdown. ‘Nevertheless, many contend that this sole instance is insufficient proof of mental

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