Dear Carolyn,
 
Thanks for reminding me of life's brevity. I promise that, henceforth, I won't waste my time on trying to persuade you of anything (especially as my effort would be wasted on you). I shall only point out the mistake you are making. You are right: the dedication "to Vera" is outside "Van's memoirs," but the family tree and the statement about the Orangers are part of the novel, that is, are "fiction." And fictional characters can not be "real," no matter whether they are alive or dead.  
By the way, it is interesting to note that, since the Orangers survive Van, Van's dream continues even after his death.
 
I know that you wish me well and appreciate it. I shall always be grateful to you for helping me to translate my earlier essays into English.
I hope you still have a long life before you and will reach the age that significantly surpasses the biblical one.
 
cordially,
Alexey         
----- Original Message -----
From: Donald B. Johnson
To: NABOKV-L@LISTSERV.UCSB.EDU
Sent: Tuesday, September 20, 2005 6:22 AM
Subject: Fwd: Ms Kunin responds to Mr Sklyarenko re ADA



----- Forwarded message from chaiselongue@earthlink.net -----
    Date: Mon, 19 Sep 2005 17:13:41 -0800
    From: Carolyn Kunin <chaiselongue@earthlink.net>
Reply-To: Carolyn Kunin <chaiselongue@earthlink.net>
 Subject: ck responds to as in the form of a dialogue
      To: Vladimir Nabokov Forum

Dear Alexey,

Here is my response to you in the form of a dialogue (your words in blue,
mine in green):(EDNOTE. Alas the colors did not survive transmission but the
voices seem clear enough to me.)

There are no "real" people in ADA, or in any other book by Nabokov, with the
exception, perhaps, of "Speak, Memory"/Drugie Berega.

I disagree with you. There are no real people, of course, but when you have
a narrator or narrators who are delusional, then the author has created a
minimum of two "realities" within the novel - - one more delusional than the
other. I am only suggesting that there is some simple story behind the whole
enormous facade of  Van;s memoirs. Remember that those memoirs only
partially coincide with Nabokov's novel (I assume that the family tree and
the statement about the Orangers are outside of Van's memoirs, and the "To
Vera" of course).


"The Life of Chernyshevsky" of "The Gift" (the novel that you, Carolyn,
stubbornly refuse to read

I have never stubbornly refused to read anything. But I refuse to read
anything on someone else's timetable - - something  quite different.
Nabokov is of great interest to me, but I do have other work and interests
to pursue.


I know that you don't accept my theory, but you can't deny that it is
logical, fits the facts and explains nearly everything in the novel

I can and do. What I cannot do is take the time to absorb your theory and
devote more time to refuting to it. Life is finite. At least mine is. Of the
biblical years allotted I have only fourteen left!


even Prince Ivan Tyomnosiniy, a fabulous ancestor of Van and Ada mentioned
at the beginning of the Family Chronicle, is more "real" than "Mr. and Ms.
Ronald Oranger"

Even in a novel, the "living" are usually more "real" than the "dead."


Please, Alexey, remember how I stated my idea:  "I would venture to guess
that the only "real" people in  Ada are "Violet" and "Oranger". And maybe
only one of them."


That's all I am doing - -  venturing a guess - -  expressing an intuition, a
hunch - - nothing more.  I do not claim to prove it, I do not stake my life
on it, or even a hundred dollars.

Please lighten up, Alexey, life is too short, even yours.

tvoya dobrozhelatel'nitsa,
Carolyn

----- End forwarded message -----

Dear Alexey,

Here is my response to you in the form of a dialogue (your words in blue, mine in green):

There are no "real" people in ADA, or in any other book by Nabokov, with the exception, perhaps, of "Speak, Memory"/Drugie Berega.

I disagree with you. There are no real people, of course, but when you have a narrator or narrators who are delusional, then the author has created a minimum of two "realities" within the novel - - one more delusional than the other. I am only suggesting that there is some simple story behind the whole enormous facade of  Van;s memoirs. Remember that those memoirs only partially coincide with Nabokov's novel (I assume that the family tree and the statement about the Orangers are outside of Van's memoirs, and the "To Vera" of course).


"The Life of Chernyshevsky" of "The Gift" (the novel that you, Carolyn, stubbornly refuse to read

I have never stubbornly refused to read anything. But I refuse to read anything on someone else's timetable - - something  quite different.  Nabokov is of great interest to me, but I do have other work and interests to pursue.


I know that you don't accept my theory, but you can't deny that it is logical, fits the facts and explains nearly everything in the novel

I can and do. What I cannot do is take the time to absorb your theory and devote more time to refuting to it. Life is finite. At least mine is. Of the biblical years allotted I have only fourteen left!


even Prince Ivan Tyomnosiniy, a fabulous ancestor of Van and Ada mentioned at the beginning of the Family Chronicle, is more "real" than "Mr. and Ms. Ronald Oranger"

Even in a novel, the "living" are usually more "real" than the "dead."


Please, Alexey, remember how I stated my idea:  "I would venture to guess that the only "real" people in  Ada are "Violet" and "Oranger". And maybe only one of them."


That's all I am doing - - venturing a guess - -  expressing an intuition, a hunch - - nothing more.  I do not claim to prove it, I do not stake my life on it, or even a hundred dollars.  

Please lighten up, Alexey, life is too short, even yours.

tvoya dobrozhelatel'nitsa,
Carolyn