Vladimir Nabokov

NABOKV-L post 0000063, Wed, 11 Aug 1993 13:23:56 -0700

Subject
MARY (fwd)
Date
Body
---------- Text of forwarded message ----------
Date: Wed, 11 Aug 1993 11:03:50 -0700 (PDT)
From: Galya Diment <galya@u.washington.edu>
To: vladimir nabokov <nabokv-l%ucsbvm.BITNET@uwavm.u.washington.edu>
Subject: MARY

Since we are discussing MARY, I would like to mention two other
interpretations of the novel which are somewhat surprising and definitely
worthy of reflection. One occurs in Leona Toker's NABOKOV: THE MYSTERY OF
LITERARY STRUCTURES, where she suggests that it is highly possible that
the picture Ganin sees in Alferov's room is not Mashenka at all (p. 43).
The other can be found in Julian Connolly's new book NABOKOV"S EARLY
FICTION where Ganin's dozing off at the very end of the novel becomes
quite significant: "Although the final chapter has depicted Ganin
awakening to life, the last sentence of the novel portrays him falling
asleep again, perhaps to return to a state in which dreams and fantasies
hold more charm than the external world" (also p. 43, actually).

Galya Diment