Earlier this year, I checked out and watched a newer version of Lolita that I found at the MSU library. I had no idea what the movie was going to be about because when I get movies at the Library I often don't look at the summary on the back. I watched the movie and thought it was really well made. Today in class some students brought up the fact that the idea behind Lolita was sick - that an older man being attracted to a much-younger girl was wrong. Any sane person would agree, without watching the movie first. If you watch the movie, you learn that the man who was attracted to Lolita tragically lost a childhood girlfriend that haunted him until he was adult. He saw something in Lolita that he missed from this childhood relationship, and I think he was just trying to fill in the empty pieces of the puzzle.
Another thing to take into consideration in Lolita and any other Innocent/Evil stories is if it's always the evil side that is doing the antagonizing. In Lolita, the man wasn't the only one initiating contact - it was equally Lolita's initiation. Same with "Where Are You Going..." Connie enjoyed the attention of the boys - obvious by her actions and the way she dressed. Arnold Friend preyed on Connie's insecurities.
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