Vladimir Nabokov

NABOKV-L post 0026731, Wed, 23 Dec 2015 18:56:52 +0000

Subject
Re: QUERY: Lolita: [C]harlotte's "maroon slacks,
yellow silk blouse"
Date
Body
It might be simple formal symmetry (beginning=end). Or the same clothes are parentheses to her life (that is, her life with HH). And let us always recall that HH is a not-quite reliable narrator, who has a habit of imposing his own patternings on the females he encounters.

Eric Hyman
Professor of English
Department of English
Butler 133
Fayetteville State University
1200 Murchison Road
Fayetteville, NC 28301-4252
(910) 672-1901
ehyman@uncfsu.edu

From: Vladimir Nabokov Forum [mailto:NABOKV-L@LISTSERV.UCSB.EDU] On Behalf Of Sadie Powers
Sent: Tuesday, December 22, 2015 9:28 PM
To: NABOKV-L@LISTSERV.UCSB.EDU
Subject: Re: [NABOKV-L] QUERY: Lolita: harlotte's "maroon slacks, yellow silk blouse"

My take on the maroon pants is it being a pun, as Humbert has basically marooned Charlotte below the waist in a loveless marriage.


On Dec 22, 2015, at 9:09 PM, "NABOKV-L, English" <nabokv-l@HOLYCROSS.EDU<mailto:nabokv-l@HOLYCROSS.EDU>> wrote:
My first response is that those colors are a garish combination, suggesting again Charlotte's vulgarity.

SES

.

​Didier Machu: “...I have a query regarding Lolita. On that fateful day when Charlotte is killed, .Humbert remarks that she is wearing "the yellow blouse and maroon slacks she had on when [he] first met her." Indeed "maroon slacks, yellow silk blouse" appear to him in that order when she comes down the stairs to greet her lodger-to-be. Why is she dressed identically on the first and last days of their shared life? Why is she made to wear those particular colors? I have been considering several explanations (none of which quite satisfies me) and would like to hear you all on the matter. Thanks.”


--
Susan Elizabeth Sweeney
Co-Editor, NABOKV-L

Google Search <http://www.google.com/advanced_search?q=site:listserv.ucsb.edu&hl=en%0A>
the archive<http://www.google.com/advanced_search?q=site:listserv.ucsb.edu&hl=en%0A>

Contact<mailto:nabokv-l@utk.edu,nabokv-l@holycross.edu>
the Editors<mailto:nabokv-l@utk.edu,nabokv-l@holycross.edu>

NOJ<http://www.nabokovonline.com>

Zembla<http://www.libraries.psu.edu/nabokov/zembla.htm>

Nabokv-L <http://web.utk.edu/%7Esblackwe/EDNote.htm>
Policies<http://web.utk.edu/%7Esblackwe/EDNote.htm>

Subscription options<http://listserv.ucsb.edu/lsv-cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=NABOKV-L>

AdaOnline<http://www.ada.auckland.ac.nz/>

NSJ Ada Annotations<http://vnjapan.org/main/ada/index.html>

L-Soft Search the archive<https://listserv.ucsb.edu/lsv-cgi-bin/wa?A0=NABOKV-L>

VN Bibliography Blog<http://vnbiblio.com/>

All private editorial communications are read by both co-editors.
Google Search <http://www.google.com/advanced_search?q=site:listserv.ucsb.edu&hl=en%0A>
the archive<http://www.google.com/advanced_search?q=site:listserv.ucsb.edu&hl=en%0A>

Contact<mailto:nabokv-l@utk.edu,nabokv-l@holycross.edu>
the Editors<mailto:nabokv-l@utk.edu,nabokv-l@holycross.edu>

NOJ<http://www.nabokovonline.com>

Zembla<http://www.libraries.psu.edu/nabokov/zembla.htm>

Nabokv-L <http://web.utk.edu/%7Esblackwe/EDNote.htm>
Policies<http://web.utk.edu/%7Esblackwe/EDNote.htm>

Subscription options<http://listserv.ucsb.edu/lsv-cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=NABOKV-L>

AdaOnline<http://www.ada.auckland.ac.nz/>

NSJ Ada Annotations<http://vnjapan.org/main/ada/index.html>

L-Soft Search the archive<https://listserv.ucsb.edu/lsv-cgi-bin/wa?A0=NABOKV-L>

VN Bibliography Blog<http://vnbiblio.com/>

All private editorial communications are read by both co-editors.

Search archive with Google:
http://www.google.com/advanced_search?q=site:listserv.ucsb.edu&HL=en

Contact the Editors: mailto:nabokv-l@utk.edu,nabokv-l@holycross.edu
Zembla: http://www.libraries.psu.edu/nabokov/zembla.htm
Nabokv-L policies: http://web.utk.edu/~sblackwe/EDNote.htm
Nabokov Online Journal:" http://www.nabokovonline.com
AdaOnline: "http://www.ada.auckland.ac.nz/
The Nabokov Society of Japan's Annotations to Ada: http://vnjapan.org/main/ada/index.html
The VN Bibliography Blog: http://vnbiblio.com/
Search the archive with L-Soft: https://listserv.ucsb.edu/lsv-cgi-bin/wa?A0=NABOKV-L

Manage subscription options :http://listserv.ucsb.edu/lsv-cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=NABOKV-L
Attachment