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Subject: Re: [NABOKV-L] [NABOKOV-L] [TOUGHT] TOoL: Asparagus, aspirins and Proust - synesthesia through mnemonic feats
Date: Fri, 15 Jan 2010 00:31:43 -0800
From: naiman@BERKELEY.EDU
To: Vladimir Nabokov Forum <NABOKV-L@LISTSERV.UCSB.EDU>
References: <9B44DFB53A094235BC30189D8AD48FE5@jansyuww9tl3no> <SNT104-W1180FC4E6EBC71FA1F03ED46A0@phx.gbl>


Not entirely. That "girly asparagus" is TT's equivalent to Despair's
hermaphroditic "phallic tulips". The masculinity, in other words, is
attenuated, which seems to have been an important part of VN's take on
Proust. There is also a certain posterior, homoerotic charge in the
example in PF (appropriate given the novel) -- mASterpiece, fairy tale,
ASparagus dream, unconnected with any possible people in any historical
France (un-con-nected, i.e. no women involved), sexual travestissement,
coloSSAl fARCE (maybe we should even hear CUL-ossal).
There is even a bit of posteriority in the example from ADA -- "Proust's
After-effect"
Eric Naiman

Alexander Dolinin, I believe, writes about the importance of "aspirin" in
KQKn -- my recollection is he hears Sirin there. And perhaps one can
even hear Sirin's breathing.
Eric Naiman


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> Sorry, Jansy. But obviously phallic. Fran Assa
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> Date: Thu, 14 Jan 2010 12:25:42 -0200
> From: jansy@AETERN.US
> Subject: [NABOKV-L] [NABOKOV-L] [TOUGHT] TOoL: Asparagus, aspirins and
> Proust - synesthesia through mnemonic feats
> To: NABOKV-L@LISTSERV.UCSB.EDU
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> In TOoL there is a quick reference to "asparagus" when Flora's mother has
> to go out herself to get "aspirins" because the maid had bought asparagus
> in their stead. . . . .
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