Vladimir Nabokov

NABOKV-L post 0007552, Fri, 7 Feb 2003 16:29:08 -0800

Subject
Re: VN and debunking the postmodern myth (fwd)
Date
Body
From: Jason Stuart <jts0803odon@yahoo.com>


Hi Andrew--

>Following this discussion, it occurs to me to ask, does the question of
>the non-academic lay reader ever enter the considerations of the scholar
>and the academic?

It's a good question, I certainly think about it. Obviously, after the point I made on jargon, it's hard for me to say that an active and engaged lay readership is possible for a lot of theory. I'm glad to defer to the established instructors, or at least those who publish a lot, to give specifics--I'm sure we'd love to hear how they handle matters of style. I seem to remember one writer--I think it was Frank Lentricchia, but I'm not sure--publicly announcing that he was giving theory up because it could not engage his students, who had different interests as non-specialist readers. I suppose he meant to extend the application of that scholarly intent to all lay readers.

Still, however, we brought up the recent book on Pale Fire, and I can't imagine that could be comprehensible to those who have given the book a cursory or uninterested read. It's an enjoyable book, though, and I do consider myself still a lay reader--my point being that the distinction between the efforts and strategies of academic readers and those of us following along at home (I've never read any VN work for any course) blurs as one applies increased vigor to the act of enjoying a really good read. In that sense, it's all academic--here we get a discussion, somewhere else there's an essay written.

>When academics study theory and create theory, do they feel that their
>work has any application, or receive any attention, in the vastly larger non
>academic reading world?

I hope so. I think quite a bit of it trickles down into everyday use. Ideas of subjectivity, gender, politics, and all that. I agree that much of comes off as hermetic. Consider physics, engineering, statistics, macroeconomics--I'd be lost in the particulars for those professional writers, but I can still launch a model rocket, build a Lego castle, balance my checkbook, etc.

>Finnegans Wake List

You must deal with the question of the "pomo novel" all the time over there. Any talk of VN?

Jason







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