Subject
Sergei Soloviev on arbitrariness in Shadean theory
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Dear participants of the discussion,
first of all, I think it would be useful if in our
discussion we would more clearly distinguish (as
the mathematicians do) the "metatheory" and the
"theory". The "metatheory" in this case being our
reconstruction of the ideas and intentions and sources
of Nabokov, and the "theory" - the analysis of the
PF as if it were a description of real world,
some of the personages were real persons, with
possible (impossible) medical conditions, delusions
etc. Now to the point announced in the "subject" line.
About arbitraryness:
1) (An argument by George Shimanovich and its development.)
- How would you explain familiarity of Kinbote-Shade (the later
husband of
Sybil) with interior of Goldsworth house?
- And how would you explain his INTEREST to this interior,
with portrets of 4 daughters, album with photographs of convicts,
good observation points to spy on his own house? If he is
in fact living himself in this house (another desperate hypothesis
to save the MPD theory), why he is interested in the small
house presented as his own?
2) What exactly was the second "attack" suffered by Shade?
Was it really an attack or just bad circulation in a leg? So, we are
told that the heart attack triggered the emerging of Kinbote. Then
we are told that a) stroke (CK) b) manifestation of "suppressed"
cerebral sclerosis (TDR, a Matthew's student) permitted "Kinbote"
personality
to take control.
Let's be more accurate with medical side. It is difficult
to believe that after a stroke somebody can be quite so
active as to produce the commentary in written or imagined
form. As to the version of Tiffany DeRewel (Matthew's student)...
Let me quote:
"misdiagnosis and lack of treatment(!) led Shade to suppress (!)
the effects of the disease [cerebral sclerosis]" - for most of 50
years?
The cerebral sclerosis is an organic disease, not freudian
"complex", how its effects can be "suppressed" for a long time?
It develops slowly and steadily, not in fits and attacks
(not as slowly as to take 50 years, though). Tiffany, I think,
you should think twice before writing about the disease that
leads to the "disintegration of nerves" (and began at the age of 11)
that it "triggered the surfacing" of Kinbote's personality (at the age
of
61).
3) Anyway, according to the text, at (approximately) the time
of heart attack Kinbote drops to America, not to New Wye.
4) Another criticism of Tiffany's version:
(Quote)
"Unlike Kunin, I do not
believe Shade is hospitalized; rather, I believe that Kinbote's hasty
escape to an isolated cabin in Cedarn, Utana is explained
by the necessity to not be seen. Kinbote needs to escape
because he still physically is Shade. "
If Kinbote physically is Shade, then Cedarn is bad as a hiding place:
Shade and Sybil booked a cabin there, according to the text, and
this prompted Kinbote to do the same.
If Shade has escaped, he surely would be searched for, and Cedarn is
one of possible places to look, known to Sybil. If Shade is dead,
and Kinbote is different person, nobody looks very actively for
him, and the fact that he booked the cabin in Cedarn was known only to
him
and to the managers of the place.
====================================================================
Nabokov found laughable a famous russian poet who wrote "wasps"
instead of "flies". I believe, when we analyse his work, the attention
to all the details is vital.
=======================================================================
Some scattered remarks. In PF it is
told that a) Shade looked very much like Goldsworth and b) that
Gradus first called himself Jack Gray and wanted to kill
the person who wrongly convicted him - it means very probably
Goldsworth. It is a hint that the killer is also a real person
(though not Gradus). b) I'll try to look what family relations
might have the family Botkin in Russia - could it be related
to some russian translators of Shakespeare?
c) a "metatheoretical" remark:
The fact that Nabokov was interested in multiple personality
cases doesn't mean that he would make Shade suffer of this
condition. It is enough on split personality in the PF
to make the whole Shadean theory emerge (and Nabokov might
think that this may happen and even like it) -
but this doesn't mean that this
theory is right.
Best regards,
Sergei Soloviev
--
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Visit Zembla: http://www.libraries.psu.edu/nabokov/zembla.htm
View Nabokv-L policies: http://web.utk.edu/~sblackwe/EDNote.htm
first of all, I think it would be useful if in our
discussion we would more clearly distinguish (as
the mathematicians do) the "metatheory" and the
"theory". The "metatheory" in this case being our
reconstruction of the ideas and intentions and sources
of Nabokov, and the "theory" - the analysis of the
PF as if it were a description of real world,
some of the personages were real persons, with
possible (impossible) medical conditions, delusions
etc. Now to the point announced in the "subject" line.
About arbitraryness:
1) (An argument by George Shimanovich and its development.)
- How would you explain familiarity of Kinbote-Shade (the later
husband of
Sybil) with interior of Goldsworth house?
- And how would you explain his INTEREST to this interior,
with portrets of 4 daughters, album with photographs of convicts,
good observation points to spy on his own house? If he is
in fact living himself in this house (another desperate hypothesis
to save the MPD theory), why he is interested in the small
house presented as his own?
2) What exactly was the second "attack" suffered by Shade?
Was it really an attack or just bad circulation in a leg? So, we are
told that the heart attack triggered the emerging of Kinbote. Then
we are told that a) stroke (CK) b) manifestation of "suppressed"
cerebral sclerosis (TDR, a Matthew's student) permitted "Kinbote"
personality
to take control.
Let's be more accurate with medical side. It is difficult
to believe that after a stroke somebody can be quite so
active as to produce the commentary in written or imagined
form. As to the version of Tiffany DeRewel (Matthew's student)...
Let me quote:
"misdiagnosis and lack of treatment(!) led Shade to suppress (!)
the effects of the disease [cerebral sclerosis]" - for most of 50
years?
The cerebral sclerosis is an organic disease, not freudian
"complex", how its effects can be "suppressed" for a long time?
It develops slowly and steadily, not in fits and attacks
(not as slowly as to take 50 years, though). Tiffany, I think,
you should think twice before writing about the disease that
leads to the "disintegration of nerves" (and began at the age of 11)
that it "triggered the surfacing" of Kinbote's personality (at the age
of
61).
3) Anyway, according to the text, at (approximately) the time
of heart attack Kinbote drops to America, not to New Wye.
4) Another criticism of Tiffany's version:
(Quote)
"Unlike Kunin, I do not
believe Shade is hospitalized; rather, I believe that Kinbote's hasty
escape to an isolated cabin in Cedarn, Utana is explained
by the necessity to not be seen. Kinbote needs to escape
because he still physically is Shade. "
If Kinbote physically is Shade, then Cedarn is bad as a hiding place:
Shade and Sybil booked a cabin there, according to the text, and
this prompted Kinbote to do the same.
If Shade has escaped, he surely would be searched for, and Cedarn is
one of possible places to look, known to Sybil. If Shade is dead,
and Kinbote is different person, nobody looks very actively for
him, and the fact that he booked the cabin in Cedarn was known only to
him
and to the managers of the place.
====================================================================
Nabokov found laughable a famous russian poet who wrote "wasps"
instead of "flies". I believe, when we analyse his work, the attention
to all the details is vital.
=======================================================================
Some scattered remarks. In PF it is
told that a) Shade looked very much like Goldsworth and b) that
Gradus first called himself Jack Gray and wanted to kill
the person who wrongly convicted him - it means very probably
Goldsworth. It is a hint that the killer is also a real person
(though not Gradus). b) I'll try to look what family relations
might have the family Botkin in Russia - could it be related
to some russian translators of Shakespeare?
c) a "metatheoretical" remark:
The fact that Nabokov was interested in multiple personality
cases doesn't mean that he would make Shade suffer of this
condition. It is enough on split personality in the PF
to make the whole Shadean theory emerge (and Nabokov might
think that this may happen and even like it) -
but this doesn't mean that this
theory is right.
Best regards,
Sergei Soloviev
--
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