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Fw: Fw: pynchon-l-digest V2 #3588 PALE FIRE Psychoanalysis
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----- Original Message -----
From: "Jansy Berndt de Souza Mello" <jansy@aetern.us>
>
> ---------------- Message requiring your approval (710
lines) ------------------
> Oh, dear... how did psychoanalysis enter the story?
> One must not forget that psychoanalysis is never a solitary activity and
> that it takes at least three to make two.
> Free-associations may become mere ramblings if not motivated by what Freud
> described as "transference".
> Not everyone can be psychoanalysed. Brainwashed, perhaps.
> Jansy
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "D. Barton Johnson" <chtodel@cox.net>
> To: <NABOKV-L@LISTSERV.UCSB.EDU>
> Sent: Monday, October 06, 2003 1:27 PM
> Subject: Fw: pynchon-l-digest V2 #3588 PALE FIRE
>
>
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: "pynchon-l-digest" <owner-pynchon-l-digest@waste.org>
> > To: <pynchon-l-digest@waste.org>
> > Sent: Monday, October 06, 2003 12:00 AM
> > Subject: pynchon-l-digest V2 #3588
> >
> >
> > >
> > > pynchon-l-digest Monday, October 6 2003 Volume 02 : Number
> > 3588
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > Re: NPPF commentary line 149, p. 143- continued
> > > NPPF commentary line 149 -- some notes
> > > A German book about the history of Mittelwerke/Mittelbau Dora
> > > Representing"Hottentots" in Early Modern England
> > > RE: NPPF commentary line 149, p. 143- continued
> > > re: Zhlubb
> > > RE: NPPF commentary line 149, p. 143- continued
> > > RE: NPPF commentary line 149, p. 143- continued
> > > RE: NPPF commentary line 149, p. 143- continued
> > > Re: NPPF commentary line 149, p. 143- continued
> > > NPPF Commentary to line 162: With ihs pure tongue, etc.
> > > Re: NPPF commentary line 149, p. 143- continued
> > > Re: NPPF commentary line 149, p. 143- continued
> > > NPPF: Commentary to Line 167, 169
> > > Re: NPPF commentary line 149, p. 143- continued
> > >
> > > ----------------------------------------------------------------------
> > >
> > > Date: Sun, 5 Oct 2003 08:17:39 -0400 (EDT)
> > > From: Michael Joseph <mjoseph@rci.rutgers.edu>
> > > Subject: Re: NPPF commentary line 149, p. 143- continued
> > >
> > > Please keep me informed of its findings.
> > >
> > > On Fri, 3 Oct 2003, sZ wrote:
> > >
> > > > > >>>Anyone can be pyschoanalized, because psychological realities
are
> > real
> > > > > whether one chooses to recognize them or not. <<<
> > > > >
> > > > > WOW! A discussion of this assertion could get us going for
> > > > > a while.
> > > > >
> > > > well, the night is young
> > > >
> > > > Ok then. Let's begin by using the method proposed by the assertion,
on
> > the
> > > > assertion.
> > > > Do you see where the unconscious is (s)peaking through in the
> assertion
> > > > itself? If you
> > > > do, make note of it, hold it in your mind, and begin writing
> everything
> > that
> > > > flows through
> > > > your consciousness as you think about it. If you do not recognize
it,
> > the
> > > > p-list psycho-
> > > > analytic subgroup will psychoanalyze you off-list.
> > > >
> > > > The metre is running.
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > >
> > > ------------------------------
> > >
> > > Date: Sun, 5 Oct 2003 10:32:34 -0400
> > > From: "Jasper Fidget" <fakename@verizon.net>
> > > Subject: NPPF commentary line 149 -- some notes
> > >
> > > p. 138
> > > "Aros and Grindelwod"
> > >
> > > Both suggest towns in Switzerland: Arosa and Grindelwald (see
Grindelwod
> > > again p. 105).
> > >
> > > p. 138
> > > "Bregberg" "Bregberg Pass" (139)
> > >
> > > Could this imply the German "Burgberg" or Mountain Fortress (e.g.
> Harzburg
> > > or Colditz (from which a number of POWs escaped via tunnels))?
> > >
> > > p. 138, 149
> > > "Gulf of Surprise"
> > >
> > > Charles II escaped England into exile on board the Surprise (later
> renamed
> > > the Royal Escape). Also points back to Dim Gulf (ln 957); see Poe's
"To
> > One
> > > in Paradise":
> > >
> > > A voice from out the Future cries,
> > > "On! on!"-but o'er the Past
> > > (Dim gulf!) my spirit hovering lies
> > > Mute, motionless, aghast!
> > >
> > > If Dim Gulf is the past (Shade's first book), then Gulf of Surprise is
> the
> > > future, so another time parallel.
> > >
> > > p. 139
> > > "Thunder was rumbling in the terrible brown sky."
> > >
> > > This made me think of Washington Irving's "Rip Van Winkle" -- the dog,
> the
> > > farmhouse, the dosing off, the stranger sighted from a distance, and
> some
> > of
> > > the mountain descriptions add to it. Also "the ripple-warped
> reflection"
> > > (p. 143), and "the Rippleson Caves" (p. 145).
> > >
> > > p. 139
> > > "after pushing through the black wall of the forest"
> > >
> > > Reminiscent of the "heavy black drapery" (p. 133) at the entrance to
the
> > > Royal Theater from the secret tunnel.
> > >
> > > p. 139
> > > "His mother was an American from New Wye in New England"
> > >
> > > Sylvia O'Donnell, see p. 247
> > >
> > > p. 140
> > > Griff
> > >
> > > Anglo-Indian abbreviation for Griffin (OED)
> > >
> > > p. 143
> > > "Great fallen crags diversified the wayside."
> > >
> > > See Wordsworth's "The Prelude": "Black drizzling crags that spake by
the
> > > way-side" (Bk 6 ln 631).
> > >
> > > http://www.bartleby.com/145/ww292.html
> > >
> > > p.145
> > > "'War?' queried her consort. 'That must have been the explosion at
the
> > > Glass Works in 1951 -- not war.'"
> > >
> > > Connects back to "Extremists from the famous Glass Factory where the
> > > revolution had flickered first" (p. 120) and "the 1950 Exposition of
> Glass
> > > Animals, when part of it was almost destroyed by fire" (p. 112).
> > >
> > > Three years after his ascension to the throne in 1685, James II
(brother
> > of
> > > Charles II) was forced to repeat his brother's escape routine and flee
> to
> > > France after attempting to convert England to Roman Catholicism. (He
> was
> > > replaced in Whitehall by the Protestant William III of Orange and his
> wife
> > > Mary, James' daughter, in the "Glorious Revolution" of 1688.) James
II,
> > his
> > > son James III, and his grandson Charles's long-term campaign to
> recapture
> > > the throne was supported by the so-called Jacobites, whose secret
> > societies
> > > were banned by the monarchy, and who would engrave the bowls and
glasses
> > > they used to toast their "King over the sea" with Jacobite symbols.
The
> > > most common symbol engraved on this "Jacobite glass" is a rose.
> > >
> > > http://www.cosmos-club.org/journals/1999/kaplan.html
> > >
> > > I'm at a loss to find an analog for the fire (unless it's London's
Great
> > > Fire of 1666, which happened during the Restoration and is unconnected
> to
> > > any revolution), but this at least supplies a nexus for the glass,
> Charles
> > > II, and rose patterns.
> > >
> > > p. 146
> > > "all the art of plastic surgery had only resulted in a hideous
> tessellated
> > > texture with parts of pattern and parts of outline seeming to change,
to
> > > fuse or to separate, like fluctuating cheeks and chins in a distortive
> > > mirror"
> > >
> > > The face seems a(nother) parody of _Pale Fire_ itself.
> > >
> > > p. 146
> > > "sat knitting", "on one side of her lay a pair of carpet slippers and
on
> > the
> > > other a ball of red wool"
> > >
> > > Part of the engine of creation motif: the knitting woman the engine of
> the
> > > masquerade (see the opening stanzas of Canto 4).
> > >
> > > p. 147
> > > "I was looking for /shpiks/ [plainclothesmen]"
> > >
> > > Why is this definition bracketed instead of parenthetical like the
rest
> of
> > > them in this section? Compare to bore, grunter, alfear, steinmann,
> > nippern,
> > > all defined in parentheses.
> > >
> > > p. 147
> > > "Let those Russians vanish"
> > >
> > > Awaiting the disappearance of the Russians, who will be replaced by
> > Soviets.
> > >
> > > p. 147
> > > "I trust the reader has enjoyed this note."
> > >
> > > See index under Kinbote: "his trusting the reader enjoyed the note."
> > > Anybody have any thoughts on this?
> > >
> > > Jasper Fidget
> > >
> > > ------------------------------
> > >
> > > ------------------------------
> > >
> > > Date: Sun, 5 Oct 2003 12:57:43 -0400 (EDT)
> > > From: Michael Joseph <mjoseph@rci.rutgers.edu>
> > > Subject: RE: NPPF commentary line 149, p. 143- continued
> > >
> > > To continue and conclude my analysis of this part of the commentary,
I'd
> > > like to touch back to my last, and sort of go on selectively from
there.
> > > Much thanks to Jasper for keeping us on track and for counterpointing
my
> > > riffs with his own notes.
> > >
> > > > The policeman's interrogation: "What's your real name Charlie," is
> > > > reminiscent of the soldier, Bernardo's interrogation "Who's there?"
> the
> > > > first line of Hamlet, which is of course another text that probes
> > > > questions of identity, and, like this the narrative at the bottom of
p
> > 144
> > > > (the nadir of the verso), deals directly with the apparition of a
> king.
> > > >
> > > Kinbote of course is the masquerading Botkin, recalling Hamlet's sol.
> > >
> > > For who would bear the whips and scorns of time,
> > > Th' oppressor's wrong, the proud man's contumely,
> > > The pangs of despis'd love, the law's delay,
> > > The insolence of office, and the spurns
> > > That patient merit of th' unworthy takes,
> > > When he himself might his quietus make
> > > With a bare bodkin?
> > >
> > > Kinbote's suicide, attested by Nabokov and debated by scholars, would
> seem
> > > to evolve from these or like considerations, and Hamlet's synecdoche,
> his
> > > specific concern with time, mirrors Nabokov's.
> > >
> > > Hamlet is also called "The glass of fashion and the mould of form,/Th'
> > > observ'd of all observers-" a description that suggests Nabokov's
> > > investment in "mirrorplay and mirage shimmer," as well as Kinbote,
> through
> > > whom the novel is ultimately focalized. Kinbote's description of
> Charles,
> > > following the text >>cited above<< seems to parody Ophelia's
description
> > > (above) of the young and sartorially splendid prince:
> > >
> > > "The King walked on; the top of his blue pajamas tucked into his
skiing
> > > pants might easily pass for a fancy shirt. There was a pebble in his
> left
> > > shoe ... ." [sidebar: the pebble suggests remorse; is it Shade's?]
> > >
> > > That Charles's motley appearance arouses no suspicion or curiosity
among
> > > the promenaders at Blawick testifies to Kinbote's own sociopathy.
> Despite
> > > his jewler-like descriptions of scenery, he cannot see people
correctly,
> > > beginning with himself. He cannot see the foolish figure he cuts. We
> can
> > > invert Hamlet's description of Laertes, "his semblable is his mirror,"
> and
> > > see Kinbote's own bizarre aspect within his mirror projections.
> > >
> > > Robert Silhol says of Hamlet in "Hamlet and his Other" in A Hyperlink
> > > Journal for Psychological Study of the Arts,"
> > >
> > > "Perhaps it's only normal, after all, that this insistence on
> resemblance
> > > should follow on a question about identity. After, "Who's there?", a
> > > possible echo of "Who am I?," which would be more precise only if it
> were
> > > conscious, the idea, the wish, to look in a mirror seems perfectly
> > > natural."
> > >
> > >
(http://www.clas.ufl.edu/ipsa/journal/articles/psyart1999/silhol01.htm)
> > >
> > >
> > > Extrapolating from Silhol, one could suggest that, while Shade is
> > > tormented by mutability, and Kinbote by identity, both find solace in
> > > mirrors, by which both are betrayed. Kinbote's doublegangers oppress
> him,
> > > Charles's misogyny and oafishness make him ridiculous, disgusting,
while
> > > Shade's mirrorplay engenders reflections, meanings, he never meant.
> > >
> > > For each, Odon-as-The-Newspaper-Reader's mosaic mutilation seems an
apt
> > > metaphor: Both poem and identity are shattered into various
incompatible
> > > parts. That he is clearly a comment on the theme of identity or
> reflection
> > > is suggested in the comment that "an explosion at the Glass Works"
> caused
> > > his apparent disfigurement: he is the result of catastrophic
mirrorplay,
> > > apparently. His plight, his phantom-of-the-opera-like repulsiveness
> > > suggests a kind of warning against mirrors.
> > >
> > > The second (more reflective) description of Odon seems to comment upon
> > > _Pale Fire_ as Jasper Fidgets has observed already, as well as the
> > > phenomenology of reading _Pale Fire._ (The "observer of observers" is
> also
> > > the reader.)
> > >
> > > "... a hideous tessellated texture with parts of pattern and parts of
> > > outline seeming to change, to fuse or to separate, like fluctuating
> cheeks
> > > and chins in a distortive mirror." (146)
> > >
> > > We cannot once and for all fix "Pale Fire" as this "distortive mirror"
> > > however because, like other reflections, it is merely a semblance, a
> > > disguise. The newspaper reader is Odon (i.e., the text encompasses the
> > > reader, and presses him or her into its phantasmagoria.) As a mere
> > > reflector, the King's man, just as the King is Kinbote's man, Odon
> cannot
> > > stabilize the text, establish its identity, or reflect it in an
> essential
> > > way. He can merely participate in its mirrorplay on the level of
> texture,
> > > or participate in poststructuralist "freeplay." In other words,
whether
> > > one perceives the tesselated pattern as a truer reflection of being
than
> > > the clownishly garbed King, neither carries a greater ontological
> weight,
> > > because one cannot settle meaning in any ultimate sense on either
> > > reflection. All reflections are temporal.
> > >
> > >
> > > Michael
> > >
> > > ------------------------------
> > >
> > > Date: Sun, 5 Oct 2003 21:26:22 -0400 (EDT)
> > > From: Michael Joseph <mjoseph@rci.rutgers.edu>
> > > Subject: RE: NPPF commentary line 149, p. 143- continued
> > >
> > > P.S. Just to make the connection between Nabokov and Pynchon, in the
> > > context of _Pale Fire's_ interrogation of identity, note in _V_
chapter
> > > five: "Abruptly Pig swung his head toward Rachel, opened his eyes and
> > > said, "What do you think of Sartre's thesis that we are all
> impersonating
> > > an identity?" Thanks.
> > >
> > > ------------------------------
> > >
> > > Date: Sun, 5 Oct 2003 19:41:31 -0700
> > > From: bekah <bekah0176@sbcglobal.net>
> > > Subject: RE: NPPF commentary line 149, p. 143- continued
> > >
> > > At 9:26 PM -0400 10/5/03, Michael Joseph wrote:
> > > >P.S. Just to make the connection between Nabokov and Pynchon, in the
> > > >context of _Pale Fire's_
> > >
> > >
> > > Actually, I have a note in my book at line 149, page 144, where Mr.
> > > Kinbote describes "Mt. Glitterntin." To me it sounded like putting a
> > > name together in the manner of "Frenesi," which I pronounce "free 'n
> > > easy" but without too hard of a long "e" sound.
> > > So hear we have either "Glitterin' tin" or 'Glitter 'n tin."
> > >
> > > Bekah
> > >
> > > ------------------------------
> > >
> > > Date: Sun, 5 Oct 2003 23:04:30 -0400 (EDT)
> > > From: Michael Joseph <mjoseph@rci.rutgers.edu>
> > > Subject: RE: NPPF commentary line 149, p. 143- continued
> > >
> > > Bekah, I appreciate your response, but I'm confused. How are you
> > > connecting your reading of Glittertin with my note about Kinbote's
> > > interrogation of identity and Pynchon's reference in V to Sartre's
> notion
> > > of the construction of identity?
> > >
> > > Michael
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > On Sun, 5 Oct 2003, bekah wrote:
> > >
> > > > At 9:26 PM -0400 10/5/03, Michael Joseph wrote:
> > > > >P.S. Just to make the connection between Nabokov and Pynchon, in
the
> > > > >context of _Pale Fire's_
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > Actually, I have a note in my book at line 149, page 144, where Mr.
> > > > Kinbote describes "Mt. Glitterntin." To me it sounded like putting a
> > > > name together in the manner of "Frenesi," which I pronounce "free 'n
> > > > easy" but without too hard of a long "e" sound.
> > > > So hear we have either "Glitterin' tin" or 'Glitter 'n tin."
> > > >
> > > > Bekah
> > > >
> > > >
> > >
> > > ------------------------------
> > >
> > > Date: Sun, 5 Oct 2003 20:44:36 -0700
> > > From: "Keith McMullen" <keithsz@concentric.net>
> > > Subject: Re: NPPF commentary line 149, p. 143- continued
> > >
> > > >>>Bekah, I appreciate your response, but I'm confused. How are you
> > > connecting your reading of Glittertin with my note about Kinbote's
> > > interrogation of identity and Pynchon's reference in V to Sartre's
> notion
> > > of the construction of identity?<<<
> > >
> > > If you note the portion of your post she left at the beginning of her
> post
> > > you will see that she is making a Pynchon-Nabokov connection of her
own,
> > not
> > > relating to the portion of your post that she snipped.
> > >
> > > On Sun, 5 Oct 2003, bekah wrote:
> > >
> > > > At 9:26 PM -0400 10/5/03, Michael Joseph wrote:
> > > > >P.S. Just to make the connection between Nabokov and Pynchon, in
the
> > > > >context of _Pale Fire's_
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > Actually, I have a note in my book at line 149, page 144, where Mr.
> > > > Kinbote describes "Mt. Glitterntin." To me it sounded like putting a
> > > > name together in the manner of "Frenesi," which I pronounce "free 'n
> > > > easy" but without too hard of a long "e" sound.
> > > > So hear we have either "Glitterin' tin" or 'Glitter 'n tin."
> > > >
> > > > Bekah
> > > >
> > > >
> > >
> > > ------------------------------
> > >
> > > Date: Mon, 6 Oct 2003 00:47:21 -0400 (EDT)
> > > From: Michael Joseph <mjoseph@rci.rutgers.edu>
> > > Subject: NPPF Commentary to line 162: With ihs pure tongue, etc.
> > >
> > > "With his pure tongue her abject thirst to quench."
> > >
> > > Made manifestly uneasy by Shade's conspicuously erotic sexual imagery,
> > > Kinbote diagnoses Shade's strange, stop-time trance as "a mild form of
> > > epilepsy" (147). This seems an incurious pronouncement (implying
perhaps
> > > Nabokov's contempt for positivism), which, nevertheless, hints at the
> > > attack's mysterious nature. Epilepsy has been traditionally associated
> > > with the unknown, e.g. the early Greeks called it "Herakliea nosos,"
the
> > > illness of Hercules (Euripides "Madness of Hercules"), and the Romans
> > > "morbus demoniacus," and "morbus sacer." (And, of course,
Shakespeare's
> > > Julius Caesar has an epileptic seizure in act 1, scene 2--perhaps
> another
> > > in the play's sequence of "signs.") Seemingly normalizing a "sign" of
> > > Shade's abnormalcy, or his election, "epilepsy" actually muffles
> analysis,
> > > a point underscored by the fact that le petit mal bears absolutely no
> > > resemblance to Shade's outward or inward experience.
> > >
> > > Kinbote's second cut at commentary is metaphoric. "[A] derailment of
the
> > > nerves . . . on the same curve of the tracks, every day, for several
> weeks
> > > .. . . " (147). Given Shade's age, he has just turned
11--significantly,
> > > two ones, one doubled--as well as (a rather telling detail) the
> repetition
> > > of the apparently inconsequential derailment, we might construe these
> > > tracks as model train tracks, whose shape is a (lemniscate) figure
> > > eight--one of two conventional circles. Perhaps Kinbote has
momentarily
> > > transformed Shade's toy into a set of model trains?
> > >
> > > In any case, having offered the metaphor of a train as an explanation
of
> > > Shade's neurological incident, the metaphor takes on a life of its
own.
> > > "Who can forget the good-natured faces . . . of . . . railway workers
.
> ..
> > > .. following with their eyes the windows of the great express
> cautiously
> > > gliding by?" (147) Thus, Kinbote lightly abandons the abstruse text in
> two
> > > steps: first by offering the vague image of a train derailing (if not
a
> > > child's train, then a childish illustration), and next by falling into
> the
> > > imaginary world of the metaphor--much as the reader as newspaper
reader
> > > falls into KInbote's imaginary world in the preceding note (by
becoming
> > > Odon, a shape-shifter, an emanation of Charles/Kinbote/Botkin).
Perhaps,
> > > the blatant intrusion of the metaphor into the text (a link between
two
> > > worlds, therefore another implied lemniscate) recovers Odon's grisly
> > > "tesselated" mask, the blatant metaphor for _Pale Fire_ or perhaps the
> > > intrusion of the explicit (if obscure) sexuality of Shade's metaphor.
> > > Kinbote's description of "faces, glossy with sweat, of copper-chested
> > > railway works leaning upon their spades" is suggestive in this regard.
> > >
> > >
> > > Michael
> > >
> > > ------------------------------
> > >
> > > Date: Mon, 6 Oct 2003 00:51:40 -0400 (EDT)
> > > From: Michael Joseph <mjoseph@rci.rutgers.edu>
> > > Subject: Re: NPPF commentary line 149, p. 143- continued
> > >
> > > On Sun, 5 Oct 2003, Keith McMullen wrote:
> > >
> > > > >>>Bekah, I appreciate your response, but I'm confused. How are you
> > > > connecting your reading of Glittertin with my note about Kinbote's
> > > > interrogation of identity and Pynchon's reference in V to Sartre's
> > notion
> > > > of the construction of identity?<<<
> > > >
> > > > If you note the portion of your post she left at the beginning of
her
> > post
> > > > you will see that she is making a Pynchon-Nabokov connection of her
> own,
> > not
> > > > relating to the portion of your post that she snipped.
> > >
> > > Yes, thanks Keith. There was not a relation I noted, but I thought
there
> > > may have been a relation I had not noted.
> > >
> > > Michael
> > >
> > > ------------------------------
> > >
> > > Date: Sun, 5 Oct 2003 22:08:21 -0700
> > > From: bekah <bekah0176@sbcglobal.net>
> > > Subject: Re: NPPF commentary line 149, p. 143- continued
> > >
> > > At 8:44 PM -0700 10/5/03, Keith McMullen wrote:
> > > > >>>Bekah, I appreciate your response, but I'm confused. How are you
> > > >connecting your reading of Glittertin with my note about Kinbote's
> > > >interrogation of identity and Pynchon's reference in V to Sartre's
> notion
> > > >of the construction of identity?<<<
> > > >
> > > >If you note the portion of your post she left at the beginning of her
> > post
> > > >you will see that she is making a Pynchon-Nabokov connection of her
> own,
> > not
> > > >relating to the portion of your post that she snipped.
> > >
> > >
> > > That's exactly what I did. I was just making my own little
> > > observation on how I found a connection. I probably could have
> > > started a new thread so as to keep it less confused but both the name
> > > of the mountain, "Glitterntin," and Pynchon were in your post so
> > > that's where I snipped and added. :)
> > >
> > > Bekah
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > >
> > > >On Sun, 5 Oct 2003, bekah wrote:
> > > >
> > > >> At 9:26 PM -0400 10/5/03, Michael Joseph wrote:
> > > >> >P.S. Just to make the connection between Nabokov and Pynchon, in
> the
> > > >> >context of _Pale Fire's_
> > > >>
> > > >>
> > > >> Actually, I have a note in my book at line 149, page 144, where
Mr.
> > > >> Kinbote describes "Mt. Glitterntin." To me it sounded like putting
a
> > > >> name together in the manner of "Frenesi," which I pronounce "free
'n
> > > >> easy" but without too hard of a long "e" sound.
> > > >> So hear we have either "Glitterin' tin" or 'Glitter 'n tin."
> > > >>
> > > >> Bekah
> > > >>
> > > >>
> > >
> > > ------------------------------
> > >
> > > Date: Mon, 6 Oct 2003 01:16:57 -0400 (EDT)
> > > From: Michael Joseph <mjoseph@rci.rutgers.edu>
> > > Subject: NPPF: Commentary to Line 167, 169
> > >
> > > Line 167
> > >
> > > Number games apart, Kinbote here makes his inattentiveness very
blatant.
> > > His voice drops, he seems to mumble to himself.
> > >
> > > Number games not apart, the reference to line "181" at this juncture
> seems
> > > to recollect that Shade was 11 at the time of his "fall," 11
reappearing
> > > in the line citation separated by an upright infinity sign, or, as we
> have
> > > been referring to it, a lemniscate. The iconic splitting of Shade into
> two
> > > selves corresponds to the idea of a fall from childhood into
adulthood,
> > > which is conventionally precipitated by a discovery that one is going
to
> > > die (though, it has also been argued by John Morgenstern and others,
by
> a
> > > mastery of language and hence a relinquishing of a "pure tongue").
This
> > > fall is complicated by Shade's abject hunger for an afterlife, or for
a
> > > state of being one can argue signified by the infinity sign. Note that
> the
> > > disjunction of selves also corresponds to the division of text here
into
> > > Canto One and Canto Two (= Shade One, Shade Two).
> > >
> > > Line 169 Survival after death
> > >
> > > Again Kinbote defers a response to a later note. The dispersal of
> > > commentary suggests the signature event of Canto One, Shade's
> > > "distribution through space and time." Nabokov seems to reinterpret
> > > Shade's seizure (ironically, his "distribution") as a metaphor for
> > > composition, or to translate Shade's sense of the "sublime" (a
> > > suggestively nineteenth century term referencing Burke, et al.) into a
> > > kind of technique of articulation.
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > Michael
> > >
> > > ------------------------------
> > >
> > > Date: Mon, 6 Oct 2003 01:23:56 -0400 (EDT)
> > > From: Michael Joseph <mjoseph@rci.rutgers.edu>
> > > Subject: Re: NPPF commentary line 149, p. 143- continued
> > >
> > > I see. I was actually more startled than confused. Glitterntin and its
> > > description are evocative of emasculation, whereas Frenesi--either
> frenzy
> > > or free-n-easy--is decidedly not.
> > >
> > >
> > > Michael
> > >
> > >
> > > > At 8:44 PM -0700 10/5/03, Keith McMullen wrote:
> > > > > >>>Bekah, I appreciate your response, but I'm confused. How are
you
> > > > >connecting your reading of Glittertin with my note about Kinbote's
> > > > >interrogation of identity and Pynchon's reference in V to Sartre's
> > notion
> > > > >of the construction of identity?<<<
> > > > >
> > > > >If you note the portion of your post she left at the beginning of
her
> > post
> > > > >you will see that she is making a Pynchon-Nabokov connection of her
> > own, not
> > > > >relating to the portion of your post that she snipped.
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > That's exactly what I did. I was just making my own little
> > > > observation on how I found a connection. I probably could have
> > > > started a new thread so as to keep it less confused but both the
name
> > > > of the mountain, "Glitterntin," and Pynchon were in your post so
> > > > that's where I snipped and added. :)
> > > >
> > > > Bekah
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > >
> > > > >On Sun, 5 Oct 2003, bekah wrote:
> > > > >
> > > > >> At 9:26 PM -0400 10/5/03, Michael Joseph wrote:
> > > > >> >P.S. Just to make the connection between Nabokov and Pynchon,
in
> > the
> > > > >> >context of _Pale Fire's_
> > > > >>
> > > > >>
> > > > >> Actually, I have a note in my book at line 149, page 144, where
> Mr.
> > > > >> Kinbote describes "Mt. Glitterntin." To me it sounded like
putting
> a
> > > > >> name together in the manner of "Frenesi," which I pronounce
"free
> 'n
> > > > >> easy" but without too hard of a long "e" sound.
> > > > >> So hear we have either "Glitterin' tin" or 'Glitter 'n tin."
> > > > >>
> > > > >> Bekah
> > > > >>
> > > > >>
> > > >
> > > >
> > >
> > > ------------------------------
> > >
> > > End of pynchon-l-digest V2 #3588
> > > ********************************
> > >
> >
> >
>
From: "Jansy Berndt de Souza Mello" <jansy@aetern.us>
>
> ---------------- Message requiring your approval (710
lines) ------------------
> Oh, dear... how did psychoanalysis enter the story?
> One must not forget that psychoanalysis is never a solitary activity and
> that it takes at least three to make two.
> Free-associations may become mere ramblings if not motivated by what Freud
> described as "transference".
> Not everyone can be psychoanalysed. Brainwashed, perhaps.
> Jansy
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "D. Barton Johnson" <chtodel@cox.net>
> To: <NABOKV-L@LISTSERV.UCSB.EDU>
> Sent: Monday, October 06, 2003 1:27 PM
> Subject: Fw: pynchon-l-digest V2 #3588 PALE FIRE
>
>
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: "pynchon-l-digest" <owner-pynchon-l-digest@waste.org>
> > To: <pynchon-l-digest@waste.org>
> > Sent: Monday, October 06, 2003 12:00 AM
> > Subject: pynchon-l-digest V2 #3588
> >
> >
> > >
> > > pynchon-l-digest Monday, October 6 2003 Volume 02 : Number
> > 3588
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > Re: NPPF commentary line 149, p. 143- continued
> > > NPPF commentary line 149 -- some notes
> > > A German book about the history of Mittelwerke/Mittelbau Dora
> > > Representing"Hottentots" in Early Modern England
> > > RE: NPPF commentary line 149, p. 143- continued
> > > re: Zhlubb
> > > RE: NPPF commentary line 149, p. 143- continued
> > > RE: NPPF commentary line 149, p. 143- continued
> > > RE: NPPF commentary line 149, p. 143- continued
> > > Re: NPPF commentary line 149, p. 143- continued
> > > NPPF Commentary to line 162: With ihs pure tongue, etc.
> > > Re: NPPF commentary line 149, p. 143- continued
> > > Re: NPPF commentary line 149, p. 143- continued
> > > NPPF: Commentary to Line 167, 169
> > > Re: NPPF commentary line 149, p. 143- continued
> > >
> > > ----------------------------------------------------------------------
> > >
> > > Date: Sun, 5 Oct 2003 08:17:39 -0400 (EDT)
> > > From: Michael Joseph <mjoseph@rci.rutgers.edu>
> > > Subject: Re: NPPF commentary line 149, p. 143- continued
> > >
> > > Please keep me informed of its findings.
> > >
> > > On Fri, 3 Oct 2003, sZ wrote:
> > >
> > > > > >>>Anyone can be pyschoanalized, because psychological realities
are
> > real
> > > > > whether one chooses to recognize them or not. <<<
> > > > >
> > > > > WOW! A discussion of this assertion could get us going for
> > > > > a while.
> > > > >
> > > > well, the night is young
> > > >
> > > > Ok then. Let's begin by using the method proposed by the assertion,
on
> > the
> > > > assertion.
> > > > Do you see where the unconscious is (s)peaking through in the
> assertion
> > > > itself? If you
> > > > do, make note of it, hold it in your mind, and begin writing
> everything
> > that
> > > > flows through
> > > > your consciousness as you think about it. If you do not recognize
it,
> > the
> > > > p-list psycho-
> > > > analytic subgroup will psychoanalyze you off-list.
> > > >
> > > > The metre is running.
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > >
> > > ------------------------------
> > >
> > > Date: Sun, 5 Oct 2003 10:32:34 -0400
> > > From: "Jasper Fidget" <fakename@verizon.net>
> > > Subject: NPPF commentary line 149 -- some notes
> > >
> > > p. 138
> > > "Aros and Grindelwod"
> > >
> > > Both suggest towns in Switzerland: Arosa and Grindelwald (see
Grindelwod
> > > again p. 105).
> > >
> > > p. 138
> > > "Bregberg" "Bregberg Pass" (139)
> > >
> > > Could this imply the German "Burgberg" or Mountain Fortress (e.g.
> Harzburg
> > > or Colditz (from which a number of POWs escaped via tunnels))?
> > >
> > > p. 138, 149
> > > "Gulf of Surprise"
> > >
> > > Charles II escaped England into exile on board the Surprise (later
> renamed
> > > the Royal Escape). Also points back to Dim Gulf (ln 957); see Poe's
"To
> > One
> > > in Paradise":
> > >
> > > A voice from out the Future cries,
> > > "On! on!"-but o'er the Past
> > > (Dim gulf!) my spirit hovering lies
> > > Mute, motionless, aghast!
> > >
> > > If Dim Gulf is the past (Shade's first book), then Gulf of Surprise is
> the
> > > future, so another time parallel.
> > >
> > > p. 139
> > > "Thunder was rumbling in the terrible brown sky."
> > >
> > > This made me think of Washington Irving's "Rip Van Winkle" -- the dog,
> the
> > > farmhouse, the dosing off, the stranger sighted from a distance, and
> some
> > of
> > > the mountain descriptions add to it. Also "the ripple-warped
> reflection"
> > > (p. 143), and "the Rippleson Caves" (p. 145).
> > >
> > > p. 139
> > > "after pushing through the black wall of the forest"
> > >
> > > Reminiscent of the "heavy black drapery" (p. 133) at the entrance to
the
> > > Royal Theater from the secret tunnel.
> > >
> > > p. 139
> > > "His mother was an American from New Wye in New England"
> > >
> > > Sylvia O'Donnell, see p. 247
> > >
> > > p. 140
> > > Griff
> > >
> > > Anglo-Indian abbreviation for Griffin (OED)
> > >
> > > p. 143
> > > "Great fallen crags diversified the wayside."
> > >
> > > See Wordsworth's "The Prelude": "Black drizzling crags that spake by
the
> > > way-side" (Bk 6 ln 631).
> > >
> > > http://www.bartleby.com/145/ww292.html
> > >
> > > p.145
> > > "'War?' queried her consort. 'That must have been the explosion at
the
> > > Glass Works in 1951 -- not war.'"
> > >
> > > Connects back to "Extremists from the famous Glass Factory where the
> > > revolution had flickered first" (p. 120) and "the 1950 Exposition of
> Glass
> > > Animals, when part of it was almost destroyed by fire" (p. 112).
> > >
> > > Three years after his ascension to the throne in 1685, James II
(brother
> > of
> > > Charles II) was forced to repeat his brother's escape routine and flee
> to
> > > France after attempting to convert England to Roman Catholicism. (He
> was
> > > replaced in Whitehall by the Protestant William III of Orange and his
> wife
> > > Mary, James' daughter, in the "Glorious Revolution" of 1688.) James
II,
> > his
> > > son James III, and his grandson Charles's long-term campaign to
> recapture
> > > the throne was supported by the so-called Jacobites, whose secret
> > societies
> > > were banned by the monarchy, and who would engrave the bowls and
glasses
> > > they used to toast their "King over the sea" with Jacobite symbols.
The
> > > most common symbol engraved on this "Jacobite glass" is a rose.
> > >
> > > http://www.cosmos-club.org/journals/1999/kaplan.html
> > >
> > > I'm at a loss to find an analog for the fire (unless it's London's
Great
> > > Fire of 1666, which happened during the Restoration and is unconnected
> to
> > > any revolution), but this at least supplies a nexus for the glass,
> Charles
> > > II, and rose patterns.
> > >
> > > p. 146
> > > "all the art of plastic surgery had only resulted in a hideous
> tessellated
> > > texture with parts of pattern and parts of outline seeming to change,
to
> > > fuse or to separate, like fluctuating cheeks and chins in a distortive
> > > mirror"
> > >
> > > The face seems a(nother) parody of _Pale Fire_ itself.
> > >
> > > p. 146
> > > "sat knitting", "on one side of her lay a pair of carpet slippers and
on
> > the
> > > other a ball of red wool"
> > >
> > > Part of the engine of creation motif: the knitting woman the engine of
> the
> > > masquerade (see the opening stanzas of Canto 4).
> > >
> > > p. 147
> > > "I was looking for /shpiks/ [plainclothesmen]"
> > >
> > > Why is this definition bracketed instead of parenthetical like the
rest
> of
> > > them in this section? Compare to bore, grunter, alfear, steinmann,
> > nippern,
> > > all defined in parentheses.
> > >
> > > p. 147
> > > "Let those Russians vanish"
> > >
> > > Awaiting the disappearance of the Russians, who will be replaced by
> > Soviets.
> > >
> > > p. 147
> > > "I trust the reader has enjoyed this note."
> > >
> > > See index under Kinbote: "his trusting the reader enjoyed the note."
> > > Anybody have any thoughts on this?
> > >
> > > Jasper Fidget
> > >
> > > ------------------------------
> > >
> > > ------------------------------
> > >
> > > Date: Sun, 5 Oct 2003 12:57:43 -0400 (EDT)
> > > From: Michael Joseph <mjoseph@rci.rutgers.edu>
> > > Subject: RE: NPPF commentary line 149, p. 143- continued
> > >
> > > To continue and conclude my analysis of this part of the commentary,
I'd
> > > like to touch back to my last, and sort of go on selectively from
there.
> > > Much thanks to Jasper for keeping us on track and for counterpointing
my
> > > riffs with his own notes.
> > >
> > > > The policeman's interrogation: "What's your real name Charlie," is
> > > > reminiscent of the soldier, Bernardo's interrogation "Who's there?"
> the
> > > > first line of Hamlet, which is of course another text that probes
> > > > questions of identity, and, like this the narrative at the bottom of
p
> > 144
> > > > (the nadir of the verso), deals directly with the apparition of a
> king.
> > > >
> > > Kinbote of course is the masquerading Botkin, recalling Hamlet's sol.
> > >
> > > For who would bear the whips and scorns of time,
> > > Th' oppressor's wrong, the proud man's contumely,
> > > The pangs of despis'd love, the law's delay,
> > > The insolence of office, and the spurns
> > > That patient merit of th' unworthy takes,
> > > When he himself might his quietus make
> > > With a bare bodkin?
> > >
> > > Kinbote's suicide, attested by Nabokov and debated by scholars, would
> seem
> > > to evolve from these or like considerations, and Hamlet's synecdoche,
> his
> > > specific concern with time, mirrors Nabokov's.
> > >
> > > Hamlet is also called "The glass of fashion and the mould of form,/Th'
> > > observ'd of all observers-" a description that suggests Nabokov's
> > > investment in "mirrorplay and mirage shimmer," as well as Kinbote,
> through
> > > whom the novel is ultimately focalized. Kinbote's description of
> Charles,
> > > following the text >>cited above<< seems to parody Ophelia's
description
> > > (above) of the young and sartorially splendid prince:
> > >
> > > "The King walked on; the top of his blue pajamas tucked into his
skiing
> > > pants might easily pass for a fancy shirt. There was a pebble in his
> left
> > > shoe ... ." [sidebar: the pebble suggests remorse; is it Shade's?]
> > >
> > > That Charles's motley appearance arouses no suspicion or curiosity
among
> > > the promenaders at Blawick testifies to Kinbote's own sociopathy.
> Despite
> > > his jewler-like descriptions of scenery, he cannot see people
correctly,
> > > beginning with himself. He cannot see the foolish figure he cuts. We
> can
> > > invert Hamlet's description of Laertes, "his semblable is his mirror,"
> and
> > > see Kinbote's own bizarre aspect within his mirror projections.
> > >
> > > Robert Silhol says of Hamlet in "Hamlet and his Other" in A Hyperlink
> > > Journal for Psychological Study of the Arts,"
> > >
> > > "Perhaps it's only normal, after all, that this insistence on
> resemblance
> > > should follow on a question about identity. After, "Who's there?", a
> > > possible echo of "Who am I?," which would be more precise only if it
> were
> > > conscious, the idea, the wish, to look in a mirror seems perfectly
> > > natural."
> > >
> > >
(http://www.clas.ufl.edu/ipsa/journal/articles/psyart1999/silhol01.htm)
> > >
> > >
> > > Extrapolating from Silhol, one could suggest that, while Shade is
> > > tormented by mutability, and Kinbote by identity, both find solace in
> > > mirrors, by which both are betrayed. Kinbote's doublegangers oppress
> him,
> > > Charles's misogyny and oafishness make him ridiculous, disgusting,
while
> > > Shade's mirrorplay engenders reflections, meanings, he never meant.
> > >
> > > For each, Odon-as-The-Newspaper-Reader's mosaic mutilation seems an
apt
> > > metaphor: Both poem and identity are shattered into various
incompatible
> > > parts. That he is clearly a comment on the theme of identity or
> reflection
> > > is suggested in the comment that "an explosion at the Glass Works"
> caused
> > > his apparent disfigurement: he is the result of catastrophic
mirrorplay,
> > > apparently. His plight, his phantom-of-the-opera-like repulsiveness
> > > suggests a kind of warning against mirrors.
> > >
> > > The second (more reflective) description of Odon seems to comment upon
> > > _Pale Fire_ as Jasper Fidgets has observed already, as well as the
> > > phenomenology of reading _Pale Fire._ (The "observer of observers" is
> also
> > > the reader.)
> > >
> > > "... a hideous tessellated texture with parts of pattern and parts of
> > > outline seeming to change, to fuse or to separate, like fluctuating
> cheeks
> > > and chins in a distortive mirror." (146)
> > >
> > > We cannot once and for all fix "Pale Fire" as this "distortive mirror"
> > > however because, like other reflections, it is merely a semblance, a
> > > disguise. The newspaper reader is Odon (i.e., the text encompasses the
> > > reader, and presses him or her into its phantasmagoria.) As a mere
> > > reflector, the King's man, just as the King is Kinbote's man, Odon
> cannot
> > > stabilize the text, establish its identity, or reflect it in an
> essential
> > > way. He can merely participate in its mirrorplay on the level of
> texture,
> > > or participate in poststructuralist "freeplay." In other words,
whether
> > > one perceives the tesselated pattern as a truer reflection of being
than
> > > the clownishly garbed King, neither carries a greater ontological
> weight,
> > > because one cannot settle meaning in any ultimate sense on either
> > > reflection. All reflections are temporal.
> > >
> > >
> > > Michael
> > >
> > > ------------------------------
> > >
> > > Date: Sun, 5 Oct 2003 21:26:22 -0400 (EDT)
> > > From: Michael Joseph <mjoseph@rci.rutgers.edu>
> > > Subject: RE: NPPF commentary line 149, p. 143- continued
> > >
> > > P.S. Just to make the connection between Nabokov and Pynchon, in the
> > > context of _Pale Fire's_ interrogation of identity, note in _V_
chapter
> > > five: "Abruptly Pig swung his head toward Rachel, opened his eyes and
> > > said, "What do you think of Sartre's thesis that we are all
> impersonating
> > > an identity?" Thanks.
> > >
> > > ------------------------------
> > >
> > > Date: Sun, 5 Oct 2003 19:41:31 -0700
> > > From: bekah <bekah0176@sbcglobal.net>
> > > Subject: RE: NPPF commentary line 149, p. 143- continued
> > >
> > > At 9:26 PM -0400 10/5/03, Michael Joseph wrote:
> > > >P.S. Just to make the connection between Nabokov and Pynchon, in the
> > > >context of _Pale Fire's_
> > >
> > >
> > > Actually, I have a note in my book at line 149, page 144, where Mr.
> > > Kinbote describes "Mt. Glitterntin." To me it sounded like putting a
> > > name together in the manner of "Frenesi," which I pronounce "free 'n
> > > easy" but without too hard of a long "e" sound.
> > > So hear we have either "Glitterin' tin" or 'Glitter 'n tin."
> > >
> > > Bekah
> > >
> > > ------------------------------
> > >
> > > Date: Sun, 5 Oct 2003 23:04:30 -0400 (EDT)
> > > From: Michael Joseph <mjoseph@rci.rutgers.edu>
> > > Subject: RE: NPPF commentary line 149, p. 143- continued
> > >
> > > Bekah, I appreciate your response, but I'm confused. How are you
> > > connecting your reading of Glittertin with my note about Kinbote's
> > > interrogation of identity and Pynchon's reference in V to Sartre's
> notion
> > > of the construction of identity?
> > >
> > > Michael
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > On Sun, 5 Oct 2003, bekah wrote:
> > >
> > > > At 9:26 PM -0400 10/5/03, Michael Joseph wrote:
> > > > >P.S. Just to make the connection between Nabokov and Pynchon, in
the
> > > > >context of _Pale Fire's_
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > Actually, I have a note in my book at line 149, page 144, where Mr.
> > > > Kinbote describes "Mt. Glitterntin." To me it sounded like putting a
> > > > name together in the manner of "Frenesi," which I pronounce "free 'n
> > > > easy" but without too hard of a long "e" sound.
> > > > So hear we have either "Glitterin' tin" or 'Glitter 'n tin."
> > > >
> > > > Bekah
> > > >
> > > >
> > >
> > > ------------------------------
> > >
> > > Date: Sun, 5 Oct 2003 20:44:36 -0700
> > > From: "Keith McMullen" <keithsz@concentric.net>
> > > Subject: Re: NPPF commentary line 149, p. 143- continued
> > >
> > > >>>Bekah, I appreciate your response, but I'm confused. How are you
> > > connecting your reading of Glittertin with my note about Kinbote's
> > > interrogation of identity and Pynchon's reference in V to Sartre's
> notion
> > > of the construction of identity?<<<
> > >
> > > If you note the portion of your post she left at the beginning of her
> post
> > > you will see that she is making a Pynchon-Nabokov connection of her
own,
> > not
> > > relating to the portion of your post that she snipped.
> > >
> > > On Sun, 5 Oct 2003, bekah wrote:
> > >
> > > > At 9:26 PM -0400 10/5/03, Michael Joseph wrote:
> > > > >P.S. Just to make the connection between Nabokov and Pynchon, in
the
> > > > >context of _Pale Fire's_
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > Actually, I have a note in my book at line 149, page 144, where Mr.
> > > > Kinbote describes "Mt. Glitterntin." To me it sounded like putting a
> > > > name together in the manner of "Frenesi," which I pronounce "free 'n
> > > > easy" but without too hard of a long "e" sound.
> > > > So hear we have either "Glitterin' tin" or 'Glitter 'n tin."
> > > >
> > > > Bekah
> > > >
> > > >
> > >
> > > ------------------------------
> > >
> > > Date: Mon, 6 Oct 2003 00:47:21 -0400 (EDT)
> > > From: Michael Joseph <mjoseph@rci.rutgers.edu>
> > > Subject: NPPF Commentary to line 162: With ihs pure tongue, etc.
> > >
> > > "With his pure tongue her abject thirst to quench."
> > >
> > > Made manifestly uneasy by Shade's conspicuously erotic sexual imagery,
> > > Kinbote diagnoses Shade's strange, stop-time trance as "a mild form of
> > > epilepsy" (147). This seems an incurious pronouncement (implying
perhaps
> > > Nabokov's contempt for positivism), which, nevertheless, hints at the
> > > attack's mysterious nature. Epilepsy has been traditionally associated
> > > with the unknown, e.g. the early Greeks called it "Herakliea nosos,"
the
> > > illness of Hercules (Euripides "Madness of Hercules"), and the Romans
> > > "morbus demoniacus," and "morbus sacer." (And, of course,
Shakespeare's
> > > Julius Caesar has an epileptic seizure in act 1, scene 2--perhaps
> another
> > > in the play's sequence of "signs.") Seemingly normalizing a "sign" of
> > > Shade's abnormalcy, or his election, "epilepsy" actually muffles
> analysis,
> > > a point underscored by the fact that le petit mal bears absolutely no
> > > resemblance to Shade's outward or inward experience.
> > >
> > > Kinbote's second cut at commentary is metaphoric. "[A] derailment of
the
> > > nerves . . . on the same curve of the tracks, every day, for several
> weeks
> > > .. . . " (147). Given Shade's age, he has just turned
11--significantly,
> > > two ones, one doubled--as well as (a rather telling detail) the
> repetition
> > > of the apparently inconsequential derailment, we might construe these
> > > tracks as model train tracks, whose shape is a (lemniscate) figure
> > > eight--one of two conventional circles. Perhaps Kinbote has
momentarily
> > > transformed Shade's toy into a set of model trains?
> > >
> > > In any case, having offered the metaphor of a train as an explanation
of
> > > Shade's neurological incident, the metaphor takes on a life of its
own.
> > > "Who can forget the good-natured faces . . . of . . . railway workers
.
> ..
> > > .. following with their eyes the windows of the great express
> cautiously
> > > gliding by?" (147) Thus, Kinbote lightly abandons the abstruse text in
> two
> > > steps: first by offering the vague image of a train derailing (if not
a
> > > child's train, then a childish illustration), and next by falling into
> the
> > > imaginary world of the metaphor--much as the reader as newspaper
reader
> > > falls into KInbote's imaginary world in the preceding note (by
becoming
> > > Odon, a shape-shifter, an emanation of Charles/Kinbote/Botkin).
Perhaps,
> > > the blatant intrusion of the metaphor into the text (a link between
two
> > > worlds, therefore another implied lemniscate) recovers Odon's grisly
> > > "tesselated" mask, the blatant metaphor for _Pale Fire_ or perhaps the
> > > intrusion of the explicit (if obscure) sexuality of Shade's metaphor.
> > > Kinbote's description of "faces, glossy with sweat, of copper-chested
> > > railway works leaning upon their spades" is suggestive in this regard.
> > >
> > >
> > > Michael
> > >
> > > ------------------------------
> > >
> > > Date: Mon, 6 Oct 2003 00:51:40 -0400 (EDT)
> > > From: Michael Joseph <mjoseph@rci.rutgers.edu>
> > > Subject: Re: NPPF commentary line 149, p. 143- continued
> > >
> > > On Sun, 5 Oct 2003, Keith McMullen wrote:
> > >
> > > > >>>Bekah, I appreciate your response, but I'm confused. How are you
> > > > connecting your reading of Glittertin with my note about Kinbote's
> > > > interrogation of identity and Pynchon's reference in V to Sartre's
> > notion
> > > > of the construction of identity?<<<
> > > >
> > > > If you note the portion of your post she left at the beginning of
her
> > post
> > > > you will see that she is making a Pynchon-Nabokov connection of her
> own,
> > not
> > > > relating to the portion of your post that she snipped.
> > >
> > > Yes, thanks Keith. There was not a relation I noted, but I thought
there
> > > may have been a relation I had not noted.
> > >
> > > Michael
> > >
> > > ------------------------------
> > >
> > > Date: Sun, 5 Oct 2003 22:08:21 -0700
> > > From: bekah <bekah0176@sbcglobal.net>
> > > Subject: Re: NPPF commentary line 149, p. 143- continued
> > >
> > > At 8:44 PM -0700 10/5/03, Keith McMullen wrote:
> > > > >>>Bekah, I appreciate your response, but I'm confused. How are you
> > > >connecting your reading of Glittertin with my note about Kinbote's
> > > >interrogation of identity and Pynchon's reference in V to Sartre's
> notion
> > > >of the construction of identity?<<<
> > > >
> > > >If you note the portion of your post she left at the beginning of her
> > post
> > > >you will see that she is making a Pynchon-Nabokov connection of her
> own,
> > not
> > > >relating to the portion of your post that she snipped.
> > >
> > >
> > > That's exactly what I did. I was just making my own little
> > > observation on how I found a connection. I probably could have
> > > started a new thread so as to keep it less confused but both the name
> > > of the mountain, "Glitterntin," and Pynchon were in your post so
> > > that's where I snipped and added. :)
> > >
> > > Bekah
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > >
> > > >On Sun, 5 Oct 2003, bekah wrote:
> > > >
> > > >> At 9:26 PM -0400 10/5/03, Michael Joseph wrote:
> > > >> >P.S. Just to make the connection between Nabokov and Pynchon, in
> the
> > > >> >context of _Pale Fire's_
> > > >>
> > > >>
> > > >> Actually, I have a note in my book at line 149, page 144, where
Mr.
> > > >> Kinbote describes "Mt. Glitterntin." To me it sounded like putting
a
> > > >> name together in the manner of "Frenesi," which I pronounce "free
'n
> > > >> easy" but without too hard of a long "e" sound.
> > > >> So hear we have either "Glitterin' tin" or 'Glitter 'n tin."
> > > >>
> > > >> Bekah
> > > >>
> > > >>
> > >
> > > ------------------------------
> > >
> > > Date: Mon, 6 Oct 2003 01:16:57 -0400 (EDT)
> > > From: Michael Joseph <mjoseph@rci.rutgers.edu>
> > > Subject: NPPF: Commentary to Line 167, 169
> > >
> > > Line 167
> > >
> > > Number games apart, Kinbote here makes his inattentiveness very
blatant.
> > > His voice drops, he seems to mumble to himself.
> > >
> > > Number games not apart, the reference to line "181" at this juncture
> seems
> > > to recollect that Shade was 11 at the time of his "fall," 11
reappearing
> > > in the line citation separated by an upright infinity sign, or, as we
> have
> > > been referring to it, a lemniscate. The iconic splitting of Shade into
> two
> > > selves corresponds to the idea of a fall from childhood into
adulthood,
> > > which is conventionally precipitated by a discovery that one is going
to
> > > die (though, it has also been argued by John Morgenstern and others,
by
> a
> > > mastery of language and hence a relinquishing of a "pure tongue").
This
> > > fall is complicated by Shade's abject hunger for an afterlife, or for
a
> > > state of being one can argue signified by the infinity sign. Note that
> the
> > > disjunction of selves also corresponds to the division of text here
into
> > > Canto One and Canto Two (= Shade One, Shade Two).
> > >
> > > Line 169 Survival after death
> > >
> > > Again Kinbote defers a response to a later note. The dispersal of
> > > commentary suggests the signature event of Canto One, Shade's
> > > "distribution through space and time." Nabokov seems to reinterpret
> > > Shade's seizure (ironically, his "distribution") as a metaphor for
> > > composition, or to translate Shade's sense of the "sublime" (a
> > > suggestively nineteenth century term referencing Burke, et al.) into a
> > > kind of technique of articulation.
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > Michael
> > >
> > > ------------------------------
> > >
> > > Date: Mon, 6 Oct 2003 01:23:56 -0400 (EDT)
> > > From: Michael Joseph <mjoseph@rci.rutgers.edu>
> > > Subject: Re: NPPF commentary line 149, p. 143- continued
> > >
> > > I see. I was actually more startled than confused. Glitterntin and its
> > > description are evocative of emasculation, whereas Frenesi--either
> frenzy
> > > or free-n-easy--is decidedly not.
> > >
> > >
> > > Michael
> > >
> > >
> > > > At 8:44 PM -0700 10/5/03, Keith McMullen wrote:
> > > > > >>>Bekah, I appreciate your response, but I'm confused. How are
you
> > > > >connecting your reading of Glittertin with my note about Kinbote's
> > > > >interrogation of identity and Pynchon's reference in V to Sartre's
> > notion
> > > > >of the construction of identity?<<<
> > > > >
> > > > >If you note the portion of your post she left at the beginning of
her
> > post
> > > > >you will see that she is making a Pynchon-Nabokov connection of her
> > own, not
> > > > >relating to the portion of your post that she snipped.
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > That's exactly what I did. I was just making my own little
> > > > observation on how I found a connection. I probably could have
> > > > started a new thread so as to keep it less confused but both the
name
> > > > of the mountain, "Glitterntin," and Pynchon were in your post so
> > > > that's where I snipped and added. :)
> > > >
> > > > Bekah
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > >
> > > > >On Sun, 5 Oct 2003, bekah wrote:
> > > > >
> > > > >> At 9:26 PM -0400 10/5/03, Michael Joseph wrote:
> > > > >> >P.S. Just to make the connection between Nabokov and Pynchon,
in
> > the
> > > > >> >context of _Pale Fire's_
> > > > >>
> > > > >>
> > > > >> Actually, I have a note in my book at line 149, page 144, where
> Mr.
> > > > >> Kinbote describes "Mt. Glitterntin." To me it sounded like
putting
> a
> > > > >> name together in the manner of "Frenesi," which I pronounce
"free
> 'n
> > > > >> easy" but without too hard of a long "e" sound.
> > > > >> So hear we have either "Glitterin' tin" or 'Glitter 'n tin."
> > > > >>
> > > > >> Bekah
> > > > >>
> > > > >>
> > > >
> > > >
> > >
> > > ------------------------------
> > >
> > > End of pynchon-l-digest V2 #3588
> > > ********************************
> > >
> >
> >
>