Conclusion
The fear and shame associated with taboo topics in society determined Lolita’s undesirability at a time when taboo discourses were seen to corrupt the morality of communities. The prudery with which older generations have regarded literature has been replaced with a freedom to discuss contentious issues in a safe and constructive environment that advances the study of literature as opposed to hindering it. It is now common practice to interrogate accepted truths. The taboos in Lolita address sensitive issues such as paedophilia, rape and molestation of a young girl, which in today’s society, with its focus on protecting children’s rights, are seen as abhorrent and this raises uncomfortable issues. However, the breaking of the central tenet of parenthood—protection of a child—is a legitimate area of concern for society as it is still a prominent crime within our communities.
Thus, breaking central tenets of parenthood require discussions and education around all of its nuances. Implicitly, our morality, ethics and ethos will be interrogated as well. This is an important reflection for society as it interrogates ethical absolutisms that create boundaries between communities. 151 It is not for the reader to attempt to identify the author’s moral position in the fiction he creates. Instead, it is for the reader to interrogate their own learned morality, and by implication, assess whether the absolutes that define society at a given time are valid beliefs—that is