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Re: the Real Question regarding Humbert's Innocence
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On Sun, Nov 3, 2013 at 7:24 PM, joseph Aisenberg <vanveen13@sbcglobal.net>wrote:
...
> So in answer, I do think at some level Humbert is a reliable
> narrator--Vladimir Nabokov himself, the precise fatal synchronizer of all
> his books. And yet--the fun of his books--is that even as they collapse,
> their dreamy worlds remain intact, Humbert's misdemeanors are bracing,
> repellent, compelling; Lolita is sharp, funny, courageous, and
> heartbreaking.
>
...
I think Joseph Aisenberg's mention of Nabokov as the narrator raises an
important point. Nabokov's occasional reminders that we're reading fiction
may be intended to make us good readers who, instead of getting lost in
human interest, admire the author's skill. This may be why, as Joseph
points out, those reminders often consist of Nabokov pointing at himself.
Jerry Friedman
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...
> So in answer, I do think at some level Humbert is a reliable
> narrator--Vladimir Nabokov himself, the precise fatal synchronizer of all
> his books. And yet--the fun of his books--is that even as they collapse,
> their dreamy worlds remain intact, Humbert's misdemeanors are bracing,
> repellent, compelling; Lolita is sharp, funny, courageous, and
> heartbreaking.
>
...
I think Joseph Aisenberg's mention of Nabokov as the narrator raises an
important point. Nabokov's occasional reminders that we're reading fiction
may be intended to make us good readers who, instead of getting lost in
human interest, admire the author's skill. This may be why, as Joseph
points out, those reminders often consist of Nabokov pointing at himself.
Jerry Friedman
Search archive with Google:
http://www.google.com/advanced_search?q=site:listserv.ucsb.edu&HL=en
Contact the Editors: mailto:nabokv-l@utk.edu,nabokv-l@holycross.edu
Visit Zembla: http://www.libraries.psu.edu/nabokov/zembla.htm
View Nabokv-L policies: http://web.utk.edu/~sblackwe/EDNote.htm
Visit "Nabokov Online Journal:" http://www.nabokovonline.com
Manage subscription options: http://listserv.ucsb.edu/