Vladimir Nabokov

NABOKV-L post 0008269, Tue, 29 Jul 2003 11:49:58 -0700

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Fw: Is Ada sterile? Is Marina dumb?
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Is Ada sterile? Is Marina dumb?
----- Original Message -----
From: Carolyn Kunin
To: Vladimir Nabokov Forum
Sent: Tuesday, July 29, 2003 12:07 PM
Subject: Is Ada sterile? Is Marina dumb?


Dear Alexey,

Interesting -- Marina certainly isn't acarpous biologically, though her son apparently is.

But Ada -- there's a puzzlement. Is she sterile? There are certainly some hints that she was pregnant at some point, and I have wondered (but haven't gone beyond wondering) whether her relationship with Violet isn't maternal (or more likely grand-motherly). Van of course interprets her affection differently.

Marina claims that she and her brother had a rather conventional relationship, preferring to discuss mundane subjects as compared to the blinding, dazzling anyway, brilliance of Ada & Van's repartee. Perhaps Aqua was the brilliant one in that gemmed relationship. Their brother Ivan was certainly "above average."

On the other hand, there is the evidence of Marina's botanical diary. I might deduce that Marina's dur-nost' might be in the theatrical "dumb blonde" tradition. What color is her hair anyway?

Carolyn
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