Carolyn Kunin [to JM's "From your description, "Lili" (with its hints of pedophilia) would make more sense in relation to "Lolita"...Perhaps the hidden connection might lead us to Nabokov himself, and his "puppet show."]Sorry, Jansy. I don't see it. Are you arguing that Nabokov knew this film, or the story? Or are you arguing that Gallico was thinking of Lolita? What is the point? Lots of young girls are abused in lots of ways in lots of literature - - what on earth has it got to do with Nabokov? And since I'm being peevish, let me take this opportunity to make a general complaint.... I find distasteful the tendency on this list to see everything through nabokovian lenses. Shouldn't we also be looking at him in other, larger contexts? The world, dear ones, is bigger than Nabokov, not the other way around.
 
JM: I'm not arguing that Nabokov saw the film, nor that Gallico thought about "Lolita."  I mentioned "Lili" in passing - on my way somewhere else as usual - and it was you who picked the subject up and expanded it, with information about the House of the Seven Dolls and Deutsch's connection to psychoanalysis.
I kind of liked the model (from "Lili") with its many "Worlds in Regression", a kind of "crystogram" which unforlds levels of authorial impersonations, puppets and puppeteers - and I've ordered Deutsch's "Loving Dr.Johnson"  - a book Nabokov certainly hasn't read, to learn more about "dualism" and splitting procedures. 
 
Contrary to you (who favors short stimulating 'unrufflers', so...don't be too modest about "peevishness"), I love to see things through nabokovian lenses. He offers hundreds of them, like found in insect's eyes - and I only hope that mine is not a corresponding insect-brain when I interpret the panorama. 
Search the archive Contact the Editors Visit "Nabokov Online Journal"
Visit Zembla View Nabokv-L Policies Manage subscription options

All private editorial communications, without exception, are read by both co-editors.