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Re: Nabokov on Japan, Alice in Lolita
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Dear List,
Thank you so much for the responses!
1. VN on Japan
Did VN make memorable comments on Japanese culture or
literature that you might share? Or a pithy
epigrammatic remark, perhaps? I've always been
fascinated by this passing remark by George Steiner:
Commenting with regard to "technically proficient"
Japanese students of English: "So much that is being
said is correct, so little is right"
---- After Babel (1975).
This remark is so penetratingly accurate in describing
English prose written by Japanese scholars and
professors. I'd expect any comment on Japan by VN to
be just as accurate and quotable.
2. Alice in Lolita
Annotated Lolita (1970) speaks of "several references"
and lists these in addition to "Carroll Carroll":
p.133 "A breeze from wonderland had begun to affect my
thoughts" Part 1, Chapt 29.
p.266 "combing her Alice-in-Wonderland hair" Part 2,
Chapt 27
CQ's hobby being "photography" at the Duk Duk Ranch.
http://thecarrollian.org.uk/issues/issue06/abstract06-03.html
> Title: Through a Looking-Glass Darkly
> --- Lolita: Alice's Precocious Offspring
In this paper, "the books are compared structurally,
linguistically and thematically to reveal their
numerous similarities."
I may not be able to read this possibly-excellent
paper for a few years, but I doubt very much that a
significant thematic similarity exists. I'd be very
grateful for any hints or comments on the significant
similarities.
Henry.Hanada
Search the archive: http://listserv.ucsb.edu/archives/nabokv-l.html
Contact the Editors: mailto:nabokv-l@utk.edu,nabokv-l@holycross.edu
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View Nabokv-L policies: http://web.utk.edu/~sblackwe/EDNote.htm
Thank you so much for the responses!
1. VN on Japan
Did VN make memorable comments on Japanese culture or
literature that you might share? Or a pithy
epigrammatic remark, perhaps? I've always been
fascinated by this passing remark by George Steiner:
Commenting with regard to "technically proficient"
Japanese students of English: "So much that is being
said is correct, so little is right"
---- After Babel (1975).
This remark is so penetratingly accurate in describing
English prose written by Japanese scholars and
professors. I'd expect any comment on Japan by VN to
be just as accurate and quotable.
2. Alice in Lolita
Annotated Lolita (1970) speaks of "several references"
and lists these in addition to "Carroll Carroll":
p.133 "A breeze from wonderland had begun to affect my
thoughts" Part 1, Chapt 29.
p.266 "combing her Alice-in-Wonderland hair" Part 2,
Chapt 27
CQ's hobby being "photography" at the Duk Duk Ranch.
http://thecarrollian.org.uk/issues/issue06/abstract06-03.html
> Title: Through a Looking-Glass Darkly
> --- Lolita: Alice's Precocious Offspring
In this paper, "the books are compared structurally,
linguistically and thematically to reveal their
numerous similarities."
I may not be able to read this possibly-excellent
paper for a few years, but I doubt very much that a
significant thematic similarity exists. I'd be very
grateful for any hints or comments on the significant
similarities.
Henry.Hanada
Search the archive: http://listserv.ucsb.edu/archives/nabokv-l.html
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