Subject
Re: A Few Questions (fwd)
Date
Body
---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Fri, 27 Jan 1995 11:02:00 -0800 (PST)
From: Sunny Otake <sunnyo@u.washington.edu>
To: Vladimir Nabokov Forum <NABOKV-L@UCSBVM.ucsb.edu>
Cc: Multiple recipients of list NABOKV-L <NABOKV-L@UCSBVM.ucsb.edu>
Subject: Re: A Few Questions (fwd)
Dustin-
Your observation about so many of Nabokov's female characters
poses a fascinating question, but I wonder about your inclusion of Ada in
that list.Are you quite sure that Ada is a terrible, completely selfish
character? Is the pain of Van Veen's situation caused by her or by the
fact that he cannot be with her because society and Demon disapprove?
What does the attitude of the author seem to be toward Ada? Is she
depicted favorably or unfavorably, and to what degree? Isn't she also
described as the perfect match, the ideal wife for Van? Could Van be
said to be romanticizing, and quite possibly exaggerating his pain a
little bit at times? Do the two of them, Van and Ada, derive more
pain from each other or pleasure? If you compare the way Ada is depicted
by the author with the way Margot or Marthe are depicted, there is a
difference in tone which may be significant.
Sorry for carrying on for so long about this. It's a topic which
Iv'e been considering for a while also, though from a somewhat different
point of view!;> Thanks to everyone for humoring my ramblings.
Sunny Otake
Ph.D. Student
University of Washington
sunnyo@u.wasington.edu
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Date: Fri, 27 Jan 1995 11:02:00 -0800 (PST)
From: Sunny Otake <sunnyo@u.washington.edu>
To: Vladimir Nabokov Forum <NABOKV-L@UCSBVM.ucsb.edu>
Cc: Multiple recipients of list NABOKV-L <NABOKV-L@UCSBVM.ucsb.edu>
Subject: Re: A Few Questions (fwd)
Dustin-
Your observation about so many of Nabokov's female characters
poses a fascinating question, but I wonder about your inclusion of Ada in
that list.Are you quite sure that Ada is a terrible, completely selfish
character? Is the pain of Van Veen's situation caused by her or by the
fact that he cannot be with her because society and Demon disapprove?
What does the attitude of the author seem to be toward Ada? Is she
depicted favorably or unfavorably, and to what degree? Isn't she also
described as the perfect match, the ideal wife for Van? Could Van be
said to be romanticizing, and quite possibly exaggerating his pain a
little bit at times? Do the two of them, Van and Ada, derive more
pain from each other or pleasure? If you compare the way Ada is depicted
by the author with the way Margot or Marthe are depicted, there is a
difference in tone which may be significant.
Sorry for carrying on for so long about this. It's a topic which
Iv'e been considering for a while also, though from a somewhat different
point of view!;> Thanks to everyone for humoring my ramblings.
Sunny Otake
Ph.D. Student
University of Washington
sunnyo@u.wasington.edu
-