Persuasion

“Although I could never get used to the constant state of anxiety in which the guilty, the great, the tenderhearted live, I felt I was doing my best in the way of mimicry” (188).

In Humbert’s attempt to convince the audience, community, and himself of his successful attempt at fatherhood, he uses almost every language trick in the book to form his “fancy prose.” In this paragraph, he refers to himself as “dark-and-handsome, not un-Celtic, probably high-church, possibly very high-church, Dr. Humbert,” “Professor H.,” “Mr. Edgar H. Humbert,” “Monsieur H. H.” To create credibility, he gives himself official titles. He is attempting to fool us in this paragraph just as he used his credentials to fool his colleagues and neighbors. Humbert provides us with a listing of the Fatherly Activities he engages in. The paragraph ends with Lolita’s friend comparing him to a movie character. The little girl notices that he resembles someone playing a role. He is, in fact, playing a role, the role of Good Father.