Content-Type: message/rfc822 Date: Sat, 04 Oct 2008 10:12:39 -0400 From: "Chase Carnot" To: Subject: THOUGHTS Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/mixed; boundary="=__Part7950DBC7.1__=" --=__Part7950DBC7.1__= Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="=__Part7950DBC7.2__=" --=__Part7950DBC7.2__= Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable I recently finished *Ada, or Ardor* by VN and while some of the book was very interesting, it is part of the downward trend in books I have read by Nabokov. (*Pale Fire *being the best by far.) *Ada* makes numerous references to Russian and Western European literature that I never even heard of. However, the one motif I was able to pick up = on was the Terra/Antiterra doubling. After finishing the book and trying to find ways of understanding it, this is the image that kept returning. I have found that the Terra/Antiterra doubling works similar to the unreliable narrator which is used throughout VN's work. This works = through the form of the novel. *Ada* is essentially the memoir of someone living = on Antiterra. In the course of the narrative we learn more about the = parallel plane of Terra which shares much more in common with our own Earth. = Things still seem quite different there though. My contention is that Terra is = in fact Earth (gasp!) but the method by which Van and others access informatio= n about Terra is a greatly flawed science. Back on Earth we are accessing a document that reports information from Antiterra. The final document = (*Ada*) is just as flawed through a similar method of access and, as it were, translation. Has anyone else noticed this? What do you think? Can anyone illuminate = the text for me in another way? Thanks CM Carnot Search archive with Google: http://www.google.com/advanced_search?q=3Dsite:listserv.ucsb.edu&HL=3Den Contact the Editors: mailto:nabokv-l@utk.edu,nabokv-l@holycross.edu Visit Zembla: http://www.libraries.psu.edu/nabokov/zembla.htm View Nabokv-L policies: http://web.utk.edu/~sblackwe/EDNote.htm Visit "Nabokov Online Journal:" http://www.nabokovonline.com Manage subscription options: http://listserv.ucsb.edu/ Search archive with Google: http://www.google.com/advanced_search?q=3Dsite:listserv.ucsb.edu&HL=3Den Contact the Editors: mailto:nabokv-l@utk.edu,nabokv-l@holycross.edu Visit Zembla: http://www.libraries.psu.edu/nabokov/zembla.htm View Nabokv-L policies: http://web.utk.edu/~sblackwe/EDNote.htm Visit "Nabokov Online Journal:" http://www.nabokovonline.com Manage subscription options: http://listserv.ucsb.edu/ --=__Part7950DBC7.2__= Content-Type: text/html; charset=US-ASCII Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
I recently finished Ada, or Ardor by VN and while = some of the book was very interesting, it is part of the downward trend in = books I have read by Nabokov.  (Pale Fire being the best by = far.)

Ada makes numerous references to Russian and Western European = literature that I never even heard of.  However, the one motif I was = able to pick up on was the Terra/Antiterra doubling.  After finishing = the book and trying to find ways of understanding it, this is the image = that kept returning.

I have found that the Terra/Antiterra doubling works similar to the = unreliable narrator which is used throughout VN's work.  This = works through the form of the novel.  Ada is essentially the = memoir of someone living on Antiterra.  In the course of the = narrative we learn more about the parallel plane of Terra which shares = much more in common with our own Earth.  Things still seem quite = different there though.  My contention is that Terra is in fact Earth = (gasp!) but the method by which Van and others access information about = Terra is a greatly flawed science.  Back on Earth we are accessing a = document that reports information from Antiterra.  The final document = (Ada) is just as flawed through a similar method of access and, as = it were, translation.

Has anyone else noticed this?  What do you think?  Can = anyone illuminate the text for me in another way?

Thanks
CM = Carnot
Search the archive Contact the = Editors Visit "Nabokov = Online Journal"
Vi= sit Zembla View = Nabokv-L Policies Manage subscription = options

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

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.

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