Subject
Lance -- puzzle solution
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[I think that Andrey Vakkhrulin's post presenting his solution to the calendar in "Lance" was accessible to everyone, but just in case I am reprinting it below. Meanwhile, here's the first note of congratulation. -- SES]
Excellent,
I'm convinced.
__________________________________
Mr. Udith Dematagoda.
- PhD Candidate
School of Critical Studies & SMLC
University of Glasgow
****
I was puzzled by the choice of years - 2145 AD and 200 AA in Lance - and suddenly yesterday it dawned on me that the logic could be as follows:
1. It's the two alternative names for one and the same year in the future
2. Given that, 2145 AD is quite clear, but 200 AA presents a difficulty. If it's one year we then can guess what is year 1 AA is like: 2145 - 200 = 1945! The new epoch seems to start at that year, according to VN.
3. What is so important of this year for VN? Obviously, end of WW 2 (Ameica coming to the forefront). But also VN getting Ameican citizenship.
4. So AA may mean Anno America - particularly as the narrator in the story is so close to Nabokov himself.
5. Another interpretation may be Anno Atomus - when the nuclear bomb was first tried. The text, incidentally, features later the phrase 'comics and atomics'.
What do you think?
Andrey
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Excellent,
I'm convinced.
__________________________________
Mr. Udith Dematagoda.
- PhD Candidate
School of Critical Studies & SMLC
University of Glasgow
****
I was puzzled by the choice of years - 2145 AD and 200 AA in Lance - and suddenly yesterday it dawned on me that the logic could be as follows:
1. It's the two alternative names for one and the same year in the future
2. Given that, 2145 AD is quite clear, but 200 AA presents a difficulty. If it's one year we then can guess what is year 1 AA is like: 2145 - 200 = 1945! The new epoch seems to start at that year, according to VN.
3. What is so important of this year for VN? Obviously, end of WW 2 (Ameica coming to the forefront). But also VN getting Ameican citizenship.
4. So AA may mean Anno America - particularly as the narrator in the story is so close to Nabokov himself.
5. Another interpretation may be Anno Atomus - when the nuclear bomb was first tried. The text, incidentally, features later the phrase 'comics and atomics'.
What do you think?
Andrey
Search archive with Google:
http://www.google.com/advanced_search?q=site:listserv.ucsb.edu&HL=en
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/