Vladimir Nabokov

NABOKV-L post 0001555, Fri, 13 Dec 1996 09:52:17 -0800

Subject
Re: Obsession in LOLITA and Pnin (fwd)
Date
Body
---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Thu, 12 Dec 1996 19:25:24 +0000
From: Roy Johnson <Roy@mantex.demon.co.uk>
To: Vladimir Nabokov Forum <NABOKV-L@UCSBVM.UCSB.EDU>
Subject: Re: Obsession in LOLITA and Pnin

>
>>Dear Dr Roy Johnson,
>>
>>I am planning on analysing the Pnin narrator with regard to the 'unreliable
>>narrator', which I believe Nick Carraway is too.

NC might be unreliable, but at least he is a significant
character in the events which he relates to us. The 'outer'
narrator of PNIN is not.

> I have only looked into Gatsby so far, I am
>>finding it difficult to gather any criticism about Pnin,and so cannot put
>>forward my 'Pnin narrator and obsession' link strongly.

this confirms my fear (on your behalf) that it might not
be a profitable idea to pursue

if i were your supervisor, i would suggest you re-think the
idea, looking for examples of *really* unreliable narrators -
of which there are plenty

--
Roy Johnson