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NATASHA: Khrenov's matter-of-fact visions
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Laurence Hochard writes:
JM: The only hitch is that Kh's reference to "something fabulous in the
paper today" takes place in the trance-like reality of the story.
Laurence H: I'm not sure I understand what you mean; I'd say that Khrenov
in the street heading for the newsstand is a vision of Natasha's: in
the "reality" of the story, Khrenov is already dead; in the kindness of her
heart, she "sees" him happy, his most intense wish come true: "sthg
fafulous in the paper" must allude to some political event in their
homeland, such as the overthrow of the violent regime that killed Khrenov's
sons and "heaved" him and Natasha out of their "natal nest", and as a
consequence, the possibility to return.
I think you're right with "popping sound".
More generally, the way Khrenov imparts his "visions" is matter-of-fact,
without "stagecraft", as if there was no emotional participation on
Khrenov's part, as if he were only the medium through which an oracle is
pronounced.
examples:
1- "I do know.....popping sound".
2- "Natasha is back" K quietly and firmly interjected,without raising his
eyelids.
3 - Old K [....] observed indifferently, in a low voice: "Wolfe has gon out
to dinner".
4 - (after his nightmare) "Yes.So that's that," K drawled indifferently.
Having visions is not something extraordinary for them, it seems...
I see Baron Wolfe and Natasha as a dreamlike version of Fiodor and Zina,
but with Natasha-Zina living with her father , not her mother.
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JM: The only hitch is that Kh's reference to "something fabulous in the
paper today" takes place in the trance-like reality of the story.
Laurence H: I'm not sure I understand what you mean; I'd say that Khrenov
in the street heading for the newsstand is a vision of Natasha's: in
the "reality" of the story, Khrenov is already dead; in the kindness of her
heart, she "sees" him happy, his most intense wish come true: "sthg
fafulous in the paper" must allude to some political event in their
homeland, such as the overthrow of the violent regime that killed Khrenov's
sons and "heaved" him and Natasha out of their "natal nest", and as a
consequence, the possibility to return.
I think you're right with "popping sound".
More generally, the way Khrenov imparts his "visions" is matter-of-fact,
without "stagecraft", as if there was no emotional participation on
Khrenov's part, as if he were only the medium through which an oracle is
pronounced.
examples:
1- "I do know.....popping sound".
2- "Natasha is back" K quietly and firmly interjected,without raising his
eyelids.
3 - Old K [....] observed indifferently, in a low voice: "Wolfe has gon out
to dinner".
4 - (after his nightmare) "Yes.So that's that," K drawled indifferently.
Having visions is not something extraordinary for them, it seems...
I see Baron Wolfe and Natasha as a dreamlike version of Fiodor and Zina,
but with Natasha-Zina living with her father , not her mother.
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/