On Parody In Lolita

As Nabokov's most controversial and in turn most famous novel, Lolita wins the attention of the whole world since its publication. Employment of the device of parody makes the novel a composite of various literary genres. Through parody, Nabokov re-functions fairy tale, detective story, and case study, and thus breaks the contract agreed by both writers and readers. He points out the limitations of these forms: fairy tale's unrealistic way of portraying life, the inability of detection in a world full of infinite alternatives, and the arbitrariness of case study which subjugates humanity and art under man's physical drive.Lolita is the fruit of Nabokov's artistic innovation, and Nabokov uses the device as a springboard as leaping into the highest emotional stage. The dissertation proves Nabokov's view of the independence of art.