Carolyn,

 

Your theory about VN being the Hegelian synthesis of his dialectic parents (if I’ve got my terms right) is very interesting to me. Have you also considered the implications of the combination of VDN (VN’s father), VVN, and DVN (Dmitri) as regards the similarities and differences of their various intellects, interests, aesthetic gifts, and life histories? I’m thinking specifically of the musical gene that seems to have had place in VDN, knight-jumped (well, almost; a knight-jump minus the “L”-shape’s base) VVN, and atavistically appeared in DVN. I’m sure there are many more, and probably much more interesting, examples than mine. With all the recent talk of “Father’s Butterflies,” I have to wonder if the foregoing has something to do with a spherical, mirror-of-nature pointing to the Original of Nabokov?

 

I would love to hear what better minds than mine have to say about this.

 

Best,

Matt Evans