Subject
Ms Kunin's reply to Mr Langridge
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Date
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----- Original Message -----
From: "Carolyn Kunin" <chaiselongue@earthlink.net>
To: "Vladimir Nabokov Forum" <NABOKV-L@listserv.ucsb.edu>
Sent: Saturday, September 07, 2002 7:16 AM
Subject: reply to Mr Langridge
> This message was originally submitted by chaiselongue@EARTHLINK.NET to
the
> NABOKV-L list at LISTSERV.UCSB.EDU. If you simply forward it back to the
list,
> using a mail command that generates "Resent-" fields (ask your local
user
> support or consult the documentation of your mail program if in doubt), it
will
> be distributed and the explanations you are now reading will be
removed
> automatically. If on the other hand you edit the contributions you receive
into
> a digest, you will have to remove this paragraph manually. Finally, you
should
> be able to contact the author of this message by using the normal
"reply"
> function of your mail program.
>
> ----------------- Message requiring your approval (52
lines) ------------------
> Dear Mr Langridge,
>
> I'm afraid I did get ahead of myself in that posting. Allow me to retake.
I
> have not arrived at The Big Solution, I am only hoping to be on first
base.
>
> I must apologize again for using the word "instinctual" when what I meant
to
> say was "intuitive." You can not solve a puzzle by analyzing it. You have
to
> intuit the answer and then look for proof.
>
> I too worked out of a supposition that Nabokov would not be so cruel as to
> make the solution to his riddle inaccessable to any but scholars and
> specialists. In fact, it occurred to me that the presence of the TV in the
> poem was intself a clue:
>
> My theory is that Nabokov intended for the puzzle to be solvable by any
one
> whose only literary knowledge came through that box and what would have
been
> available to its audience around the time Pale Fire was written.
>
> I do not suppose that the allusions in Pale Fire point to the solution. On
> the contrary, most of them are red herrings (or herrings in red caps). "A
> trap for reviewers" was one of Mary McCarthy's correct guesses (or did she
> get it from the horse's mouth?).
>
> I think Nabokov is playing an elaborate game of treasure hunt. He throws
you
> clues that you are supposed to follow to see where they lead. The reader's
> knowledge of popular culture is enough to point him in the right
direction,
> but then he has to confirm his guess by (gosh!) reading the book whose
film
> he has seen on his TV. Pale Fire is an educational toy.
>
> What is the relationship of Kinbote and Shade (Lit 101). What evidence is
> there?
>
> 1) They share the same birthday, but are not the same age
> 2) Charles Kinbote may be related to Caroline Lukin
> 3) Francis Xavier
> 4) intrusion of Shade's voice on the first page (Canto two, your favorite)
> 5) intrusion of Kinbote's voice in the poem (that lad with his pure
tongue)
>
> My TV viewer in 1962 knows something about multiple personality. He has at
> least heard of Jekyll and Hyde and The Three Faces of Eve and may have
seen
> the films. If he then follows up on his guess and reads the Stevenson
story
> he finds confirmation that he has come to the right place, ditto Three
Faces
> of Eve.
>
> My TV viewer has also seen The Picture of Dorian Gray (Angela Lansbury
plays
> an important role). Perhaps it's time to read that, too.
>
> I only wish to suggest that Pale Fire is a game. Nabokov pitches, we bat.
I
> repeat my question: am I on first, or have I struck out?
>
> Carolyn Kunin
>
>
From: "Carolyn Kunin" <chaiselongue@earthlink.net>
To: "Vladimir Nabokov Forum" <NABOKV-L@listserv.ucsb.edu>
Sent: Saturday, September 07, 2002 7:16 AM
Subject: reply to Mr Langridge
> This message was originally submitted by chaiselongue@EARTHLINK.NET to
the
> NABOKV-L list at LISTSERV.UCSB.EDU. If you simply forward it back to the
list,
> using a mail command that generates "Resent-" fields (ask your local
user
> support or consult the documentation of your mail program if in doubt), it
will
> be distributed and the explanations you are now reading will be
removed
> automatically. If on the other hand you edit the contributions you receive
into
> a digest, you will have to remove this paragraph manually. Finally, you
should
> be able to contact the author of this message by using the normal
"reply"
> function of your mail program.
>
> ----------------- Message requiring your approval (52
lines) ------------------
> Dear Mr Langridge,
>
> I'm afraid I did get ahead of myself in that posting. Allow me to retake.
I
> have not arrived at The Big Solution, I am only hoping to be on first
base.
>
> I must apologize again for using the word "instinctual" when what I meant
to
> say was "intuitive." You can not solve a puzzle by analyzing it. You have
to
> intuit the answer and then look for proof.
>
> I too worked out of a supposition that Nabokov would not be so cruel as to
> make the solution to his riddle inaccessable to any but scholars and
> specialists. In fact, it occurred to me that the presence of the TV in the
> poem was intself a clue:
>
> My theory is that Nabokov intended for the puzzle to be solvable by any
one
> whose only literary knowledge came through that box and what would have
been
> available to its audience around the time Pale Fire was written.
>
> I do not suppose that the allusions in Pale Fire point to the solution. On
> the contrary, most of them are red herrings (or herrings in red caps). "A
> trap for reviewers" was one of Mary McCarthy's correct guesses (or did she
> get it from the horse's mouth?).
>
> I think Nabokov is playing an elaborate game of treasure hunt. He throws
you
> clues that you are supposed to follow to see where they lead. The reader's
> knowledge of popular culture is enough to point him in the right
direction,
> but then he has to confirm his guess by (gosh!) reading the book whose
film
> he has seen on his TV. Pale Fire is an educational toy.
>
> What is the relationship of Kinbote and Shade (Lit 101). What evidence is
> there?
>
> 1) They share the same birthday, but are not the same age
> 2) Charles Kinbote may be related to Caroline Lukin
> 3) Francis Xavier
> 4) intrusion of Shade's voice on the first page (Canto two, your favorite)
> 5) intrusion of Kinbote's voice in the poem (that lad with his pure
tongue)
>
> My TV viewer in 1962 knows something about multiple personality. He has at
> least heard of Jekyll and Hyde and The Three Faces of Eve and may have
seen
> the films. If he then follows up on his guess and reads the Stevenson
story
> he finds confirmation that he has come to the right place, ditto Three
Faces
> of Eve.
>
> My TV viewer has also seen The Picture of Dorian Gray (Angela Lansbury
plays
> an important role). Perhaps it's time to read that, too.
>
> I only wish to suggest that Pale Fire is a game. Nabokov pitches, we bat.
I
> repeat my question: am I on first, or have I struck out?
>
> Carolyn Kunin
>
>