NABOKV-L post 0011935, Mon, 19 Sep 2005 19:22:38 -0700

----- Forwarded message from chaiselongue@earthlink.net -----
Date: Mon, 19 Sep 2005 17:13:41 -0800
From: Carolyn Kunin <chaiselongue@earthlink.net>
Reply-To: Carolyn Kunin <chaiselongue@earthlink.net>
Subject: ck responds to as in the form of a dialogue
To: Vladimir Nabokov Forum

Dear Alexey,

Here is my response to you in the form of a dialogue (your words in blue,
mine in green):(EDNOTE. Alas the colors did not survive transmission but the
voices seem clear enough to me.)

There are no "real" people in ADA, or in any other book by Nabokov, with the
exception, perhaps, of "Speak, Memory"/Drugie Berega.

I disagree with you. There are no real people, of course, but when you have
a narrator or narrators who are delusional, then the author has created a
minimum of two "realities" within the novel - - one more delusional than the
other. I am only suggesting that there is some simple story behind the whole
enormous facade of Van;s memoirs. Remember that those memoirs only
partially coincide with Nabokov's novel (I assume that the family tree and
the statement about the Orangers are outside of Van's memoirs, and the "To
Vera" of course).


"The Life of Chernyshevsky" of "The Gift" (the novel that you, Carolyn,
stubbornly refuse to read

I have never stubbornly refused to read anything. But I refuse to read
anything on someone else's timetable - - something quite different.
Nabokov is of great interest to me, but I do have other work and interests
to pursue.


I know that you don't accept my theory, but you can't deny that it is
logical, fits the facts and explains nearly everything in the novel

I can and do. What I cannot do is take the time to absorb your theory and
devote more time to refuting to it. Life is finite. At least mine is. Of the
biblical years allotted I have only fourteen left!


even Prince Ivan Tyomnosiniy, a fabulous ancestor of Van and Ada mentioned
at the beginning of the Family Chronicle, is more "real" than "Mr. and Ms.
Ronald Oranger"

Even in a novel, the "living" are usually more "real" than the "dead."


Please, Alexey, remember how I stated my idea: "I would venture to guess
that the only "real" people in Ada are "Violet" and "Oranger". And maybe
only one of them."


That's all I am doing - - venturing a guess - - expressing an intuition, a
hunch - - nothing more. I do not claim to prove it, I do not stake my life
on it, or even a hundred dollars.

Please lighten up, Alexey, life is too short, even yours.

tvoya dobrozhelatel'nitsa,
Carolyn

----- End forwarded message -----