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- Feb. 2 (a) Looking for literary devices in Lolita
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Please post your answers here. You do not need the attachments I emailed you this morning.
The directions are on top of that page. You are supposed to find examples of metaphors, similes, alliteration, and personification.
A much clearer copy with numbered lines from p. 50 of the pdf version of Lolita is in Files. When you are done, please watch the film clips from the two movie versions from 1962 and 1997. There are two videos for today.
The sun made its usual round of the house as the afternoon ripened into evening. I had a drink. […] Most of
the dandelions had changed from suns to moons. […]An old fence at the back of the garden separated us
from the neighbor’s garbage receptacles and lilacs; but there was nothing between the front end of our lawn
(where it sloped along one side of the house) and the street. Therefore I was able to watch (with the smirk of
one about to perform a good action) for the return of Charlotte […]. As I lurched and lunged with the hand
mower, bits of grass optically twittering in the low sun, I kept an eye on that section of suburban street. It
curved in from under an archway of huge shade trees, then sped towards us down, down, quite sharply, past
old Miss Opposite’s ivied brick house and high-sloping lawn (much trimmer than ours) and disappeared
behind our own front porch which I could not see from where I happily belched and labored. The dandelions
perished. A reek of sap mingled with the pineapple. Two little girls, Marion and Mabel, whose comings and
goings I had mechanically followed of late (but who could replace my Lolita?) went toward the avenue (from
which our Lawn Street cascaded), one pushing a bicycle, the other feeding from a paper bag, both talking at
the top of their sunny voices. Leslie, old Miss Opposite’s gardener and chauffeur, a very amiable and athletic
Negro, grinned at me from afar and shouted, re-shouted, commented by gesture, that I was mighty energetic
today. The fool dog of the prosperous junk dealer next door ran after a blue car–not Charlotte’s. The prettier
of the two little girls (Mabel, I think), shorts, halter with little to halt, bright hair–a nymphet, by Pan!–ran
back down the street crumpling her paper bag and was hidden from this Green Goat by the frontage of Mr.
and Mrs. Humbert’s residence. A station wagon popped out of the leafy shade of the avenue, dragging some
of it on its roof before the shadows snapped, and swung by at an idiotic pace, the sweat shirted driver roof-
holding with his left hand and the junkman’s dog tearing alongside. There was a smiling pause–and then,
with a flutter in my breast, I witnessed the return of the Blue Sedan. I saw it glide downhill and disappear
behind the corner of the house. I had a glimpse of her calm pale profile. It occurred to me that until she went
upstairs she would not know whether I had gone or not.
Please try to find at least ten literary devices in 20 minutes. The entire novel is of the same literary style, so this is a way for you to become aware of how Nabokov writes.
Do it like this: line 1 the sun made its rounds = personification
Line 5 : the dandelions had changed from suns to moons = personification
Line 11: bits of grass optically twittering in the low sun = personification
Line 26: Green Goat = alliteration
Line 32: I saw it glide downhill and disappear = personification
Line 33: calm pale profile = alliteration
Line 11: that section of suburban street = alliteration
Line 11: As I lurched and lunged with the hand = smilie / alliteration
Line 29: sweat shirted = alliteration
Line 6: The gin and Lolita were dancing in me = personification
Line 27: A station wagon popped out of the leafy shade of the avenue = metaphor
Line 5: It was crowded with dandelion = metaphor
<p dir=”ltr” style=”line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;”><span style=”font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;”>1. Metaphor: “Most of the dandelions had changed from suns to moons.” This compares the appearance of dandelions to suns and moons.</span></p>
<b id=”docs-internal-guid-17079a6b-7fff-7c1e-47c1-b496eb2c5ce5″ style=”font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration: none; caret-color: #000000; color: #000000; font-weight: normal;”> </b>
<p dir=”ltr” style=”line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;”><span style=”font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;”>2. Personification: “Bits of grass optically twittering in the low sun.” </span></p>
<b style=”font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration: none; caret-color: #000000; color: #000000; font-weight: normal;”> </b>
<p dir=”ltr” style=”line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;”><span style=”font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;”>3. Simile: “Bits of grass optically twittering in the low sun.” This compares the movement of grass to the action of twittering.</span><b style=”font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration: none; caret-color: #000000; color: #000000; font-weight: normal;”></b></p>
<p dir=”ltr”></p>
<p dir=”ltr” style=”line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;”><span style=”font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;”>4. Alliteration: “I lurched and lunged with the hand mower.” The repetition of the “l” sound creates alliteration.</span></p>
<p dir=”ltr” style=”line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;”><span style=”font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;”>5. Personification: “Bits of grass optically twittering in the low sun.” The grass is given the ability to visually twirl or move in the sunlight.</span></p>
<b id=”docs-internal-guid-e90127ff-7fff-7684-532c-0346502fb6af” style=”font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration: none; caret-color: #000000; color: #000000; font-weight: normal;”> </b>
<p dir=”ltr” style=”line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;”><span style=”font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;”>6. Metaphor: “Miss Opposite’s ivied brick house and high-sloping lawn (much trimmer than ours).” This compares Miss Opposite’s house and lawn to a brick structure covered in ivy.</span></p>
<b style=”font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration: none; caret-color: #000000; color: #000000; font-weight: normal;”> </b>
<p dir=”ltr” style=”line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;”><span style=”font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;”>7. Alliteration: “Leslie, old Miss Opposite’s gardener and chauffeur, a very amiable and athletic Negro.” The repetition of the “l” sound creates alliteration.</span></p>
<b style=”font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration: none; caret-color: #000000; color: #000000; font-weight: normal;”> </b>
<p dir=”ltr” style=”line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;”><span style=”font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;”>8. Simile: “A nymphet, by Pan!” This compares the little girl’s appearance to that of a nymphet, using the word “like” or “as” is implied.</span></p>
<b style=”font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration: none; caret-color: #000000; color: #000000; font-weight: normal;”> </b>
<p dir=”ltr” style=”line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;”><span style=”font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;”>9. Personification: “The fool dog of the prosperous junk dealer next door ran after a blue car.” The dog is described as a fool, giving it human-like qualities.</span></p>
<b style=”font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration: none; caret-color: #000000; color: #000000; font-weight: normal;”> </b>
<p dir=”ltr” style=”line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;”><span style=”font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;”>10. Metaphor: “The prettier of the two little girls, shorts, halter with little to halt, bright hair—a nymphet, by Pan!” This compares the little girl’s beauty to that of a nymphet.</span></p>
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