Vladimir Nabokov

NABOKV-L post 0016273, Mon, 28 Apr 2008 15:04:30 -0400

Subject
Re: [NABOKOV - LIST] : signs and symbols, chapter three and four
Date
Body
On Mon, Apr 28, 2008 at 10:25 AM, jansymello <jansy@aetern.us> wrote:

>
> *Paragraph Four*:
> I'm doubtful about relating the unfledged bird to the sick boy.
>



The bird sans wings relates to the interrupted suicide attempt that was to
be by flying. And yes, the helplessness of the, probably immigrant, father
and his and his son's images in one another. (The suicide attempt referred
to in par. 6:

6th paragraph: "a masterpiece of inventiveness" is VN's goal in literature.
Flying? Or should we suspect "the doctor's words"?
"masterpiece of inventiveness" is overdetermined and here in part sarcastic
or snide, for the boy and his father are unfledged. Another patient was
envious of what he interpreted as the boy's invention of a way to fly, so
destroyed it.

Barrie Karp

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