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Fw: Fw: Fw: more thoughts on the creepy 'Wingstroke'
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----- Original Message -----
From: "Brian Howell" <pakmshlter@yahoo.com>
To: "Vladimir Nabokov Forum" <NABOKV-L@LISTSERV.UCSB.EDU>
> ---------------- Message requiring your approval (199
lines) ------------------
> Dane Gill's finding of the Wingstroke/Transparent
> Things correspondence makes me think of my earlier
> query. There is a Luzhin in the story 'A Matter of
> Chance'. Is that Luzhin connected with the Luzhin of
> The Defence? But I'd love to know how the angel/skis
> trope comes through in Transparent Things.
>
> Brian
>
>
> --- "D. Barton Johnson" <chtodel@cox.net> wrote:
> > EDNOTE. An interesting thought from Dane Gill who
> > catches the links between
> > "Wingstroke" and TRANSPARENT THINGS written 50 years
> > later. No less than
> > Simon Karlinsky greeted TT with an article noting
> > its links with "The Return
> > of Chorb", another very early tale of VN.
> >
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: "Dane Gill" <pennyparkerpark@hotmail.com>
> > >
> > > ---------------- Message requiring your approval
> > (103
> > lines) ------------------
> > > I am unable to read/write or understand Russian
> > and therefore I cannot
> > > comment on the original as suggested by Johnson,
> > but I can make one
> > comment
> > > that may be of interest to somebody.
> > > This week I've been rereading Transparent Things
> > and couldn't help notice
> > > its distant kinship with Wingstroke, what with the
> > sking and quasi angel
> > > narrators and death themes.
> > > Dane
> > >
> > >
> > > >From: "D. Barton Johnson" <chtodel@cox.net>
> > > >Reply-To: Vladimir Nabokov Forum
> > <NABOKV-L@LISTSERV.UCSB.EDU>
> > > >To: NABOKV-L@LISTSERV.UCSB.EDU
> > > >Subject: Fw: more thoughts on the creepy
> > 'Wingstroke'
> > > >Date: Sun, 11 Jan 2004 14:14:22 -0800
> > > >
> > > >EDNOTE. Brian Howell has caught a number of very
> > typical Nabokovian
> > > >stylistic elements in "Wingstroke." It would be
> > interesting if someone
> > took
> > > >a look at the Russian original especially in re
> > the glinting and sliding
> > > >terms.
> > > >
> > > >----- Original Message -----
> > > >From: "Brian Howell" <pakmshlter@yahoo.com>
> > > > >
> > > > > ----------------- Message requiring your
> > approval (73
> > > >lines) ------------------
> > > > > Some more thoughts on Nabokov's Wingstroke
> > (1924):
> > > > >
> > > > > I think it was Dane who mentioned the
> > creepiness of
> > > > > Wingstroke, so I gave the story another read
> > and I
> > > > > want to write down my thoughts before I forget
> > them,
> > > > > though I haven't read such a startling story
> > as this
> > > > > in a while. This is all very provisional, but
> > here
> > > > > goes.
> > > > >
> > > > > On a closer reading of Wingstroke, what stands
> > out to
> > > > > me are the theme of suicide, the numerous
> > references
> > > > > to it, and the symmetry of both Kern's wife's
> > suicide
> > > > > and his own intended one (which may be the
> > coda to the
> > > > > story, though we do not actually witness him
> > carry it
> > > > > out, as Monfiori is so eager to do). Then
> > there is the
> > > > > crashing and presumably the death of the
> > angel, its
> > > > > twisted wings, rhymed with the death of Isabel
> > in her
> > > > > skiing accident.
> > > > >
> > > > > The other obvious ever-present factor is the
> > numerous
> > > > > references to glinting and sparkling. Many of
> > these
> > > > > words are repeated (I am not sure if that is
> > so in the
> > > > > Russian or whether - no pun intended - it
> > reflects
> > > > > Nabokov's immaturity at this time), though
> > there are
> > > > > plenty of synonyms. I won't give all the
> > examples, but
> > > > > even Isabel is referred to as Kern's 'latest
> > bright
> > > > > scrap'. There is also a lot of foreshadowing
> > as in the
> > > > > mention of Kern's chest and ribs of light on
> > the
> > > > > ceiling of his hotel room from early on in.
> > > > >
> > > > > My favourite passage - the appearance of the
> > angel in
> > > > > Isabel's room apart - is where Kern is trying
> > to fall
> > > > > asleep and seems to experience something like
> > > > > hypnagogic visions: 'When his eyes closed
> > again,
> > > > > silent sparks started to glide [another word
> > that is
> > > > > used a lot in the story] in front of him, then
> > > > > infinitely unwinding transparent spirals.
> > Isabel's
> > > > > snowy eyes and fiery mouth flashed past, then
> > came
> > > > > sparks and spirals again.'
> > > > >
> > > > > There are two very creepy aspects, of course.
> > The
> > > > > scene with the angel is quite stunning and
> > it's like
> > > > > nothing I've read in N so far. I could not
> > help
> > > > > thinking of the monster in Lars van Trier's
> > The
> > > > > Kingdom or the monster in the jar in The
> > Asphyx, a
> > > > > very scary horror film form the early
> > seventies with
> > > > > Christopher Lee.
> > > > >
> > > > > Then we get Isabel actually saying that see
> > saw the
> > > > > angel in the air as she was skiing the
> > previous
> > > > > evening and that he came to her in the night.
> > > > >
> > > > > Monfiori's 'caprine' eyes might imply that he
> > is the
> > > > > devil; the fact that he encourages Kern to
> > commit
> > > > > suicide and is eager to witness him go through
> > with
> > > > > it. We also have references to the hotel that
> > 'blazed'
> > > > > in the mountains and 'scalding' snow.
> > > > >
> > > > > But there are also too many gorgeous images
> > throughout
> > > > > the story to list.
> > > > >
> > > > > Hope this is of interest.
> > > > >
> > > > > Brian
> > > > >
> > > > > =====
> > > > >
> > http://www.elasticpress.com/sound_of_white_ants.htm
> > > > >
> > http://www.tobypress.com/books/dance_geometry.htm
> > > > >
> > > > > __________________________________
> > > > > Do you Yahoo!?
> > > > > New Yahoo! Photos - easier uploading and
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> > >
> > >
> >
> _________________________________________________________________
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> > >
>
> =====
> http://www.elasticpress.com/sound_of_white_ants.htm
> http://www.tobypress.com/books/dance_geometry.htm
>
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From: "Brian Howell" <pakmshlter@yahoo.com>
To: "Vladimir Nabokov Forum" <NABOKV-L@LISTSERV.UCSB.EDU>
> ---------------- Message requiring your approval (199
lines) ------------------
> Dane Gill's finding of the Wingstroke/Transparent
> Things correspondence makes me think of my earlier
> query. There is a Luzhin in the story 'A Matter of
> Chance'. Is that Luzhin connected with the Luzhin of
> The Defence? But I'd love to know how the angel/skis
> trope comes through in Transparent Things.
>
> Brian
>
>
> --- "D. Barton Johnson" <chtodel@cox.net> wrote:
> > EDNOTE. An interesting thought from Dane Gill who
> > catches the links between
> > "Wingstroke" and TRANSPARENT THINGS written 50 years
> > later. No less than
> > Simon Karlinsky greeted TT with an article noting
> > its links with "The Return
> > of Chorb", another very early tale of VN.
> >
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: "Dane Gill" <pennyparkerpark@hotmail.com>
> > >
> > > ---------------- Message requiring your approval
> > (103
> > lines) ------------------
> > > I am unable to read/write or understand Russian
> > and therefore I cannot
> > > comment on the original as suggested by Johnson,
> > but I can make one
> > comment
> > > that may be of interest to somebody.
> > > This week I've been rereading Transparent Things
> > and couldn't help notice
> > > its distant kinship with Wingstroke, what with the
> > sking and quasi angel
> > > narrators and death themes.
> > > Dane
> > >
> > >
> > > >From: "D. Barton Johnson" <chtodel@cox.net>
> > > >Reply-To: Vladimir Nabokov Forum
> > <NABOKV-L@LISTSERV.UCSB.EDU>
> > > >To: NABOKV-L@LISTSERV.UCSB.EDU
> > > >Subject: Fw: more thoughts on the creepy
> > 'Wingstroke'
> > > >Date: Sun, 11 Jan 2004 14:14:22 -0800
> > > >
> > > >EDNOTE. Brian Howell has caught a number of very
> > typical Nabokovian
> > > >stylistic elements in "Wingstroke." It would be
> > interesting if someone
> > took
> > > >a look at the Russian original especially in re
> > the glinting and sliding
> > > >terms.
> > > >
> > > >----- Original Message -----
> > > >From: "Brian Howell" <pakmshlter@yahoo.com>
> > > > >
> > > > > ----------------- Message requiring your
> > approval (73
> > > >lines) ------------------
> > > > > Some more thoughts on Nabokov's Wingstroke
> > (1924):
> > > > >
> > > > > I think it was Dane who mentioned the
> > creepiness of
> > > > > Wingstroke, so I gave the story another read
> > and I
> > > > > want to write down my thoughts before I forget
> > them,
> > > > > though I haven't read such a startling story
> > as this
> > > > > in a while. This is all very provisional, but
> > here
> > > > > goes.
> > > > >
> > > > > On a closer reading of Wingstroke, what stands
> > out to
> > > > > me are the theme of suicide, the numerous
> > references
> > > > > to it, and the symmetry of both Kern's wife's
> > suicide
> > > > > and his own intended one (which may be the
> > coda to the
> > > > > story, though we do not actually witness him
> > carry it
> > > > > out, as Monfiori is so eager to do). Then
> > there is the
> > > > > crashing and presumably the death of the
> > angel, its
> > > > > twisted wings, rhymed with the death of Isabel
> > in her
> > > > > skiing accident.
> > > > >
> > > > > The other obvious ever-present factor is the
> > numerous
> > > > > references to glinting and sparkling. Many of
> > these
> > > > > words are repeated (I am not sure if that is
> > so in the
> > > > > Russian or whether - no pun intended - it
> > reflects
> > > > > Nabokov's immaturity at this time), though
> > there are
> > > > > plenty of synonyms. I won't give all the
> > examples, but
> > > > > even Isabel is referred to as Kern's 'latest
> > bright
> > > > > scrap'. There is also a lot of foreshadowing
> > as in the
> > > > > mention of Kern's chest and ribs of light on
> > the
> > > > > ceiling of his hotel room from early on in.
> > > > >
> > > > > My favourite passage - the appearance of the
> > angel in
> > > > > Isabel's room apart - is where Kern is trying
> > to fall
> > > > > asleep and seems to experience something like
> > > > > hypnagogic visions: 'When his eyes closed
> > again,
> > > > > silent sparks started to glide [another word
> > that is
> > > > > used a lot in the story] in front of him, then
> > > > > infinitely unwinding transparent spirals.
> > Isabel's
> > > > > snowy eyes and fiery mouth flashed past, then
> > came
> > > > > sparks and spirals again.'
> > > > >
> > > > > There are two very creepy aspects, of course.
> > The
> > > > > scene with the angel is quite stunning and
> > it's like
> > > > > nothing I've read in N so far. I could not
> > help
> > > > > thinking of the monster in Lars van Trier's
> > The
> > > > > Kingdom or the monster in the jar in The
> > Asphyx, a
> > > > > very scary horror film form the early
> > seventies with
> > > > > Christopher Lee.
> > > > >
> > > > > Then we get Isabel actually saying that see
> > saw the
> > > > > angel in the air as she was skiing the
> > previous
> > > > > evening and that he came to her in the night.
> > > > >
> > > > > Monfiori's 'caprine' eyes might imply that he
> > is the
> > > > > devil; the fact that he encourages Kern to
> > commit
> > > > > suicide and is eager to witness him go through
> > with
> > > > > it. We also have references to the hotel that
> > 'blazed'
> > > > > in the mountains and 'scalding' snow.
> > > > >
> > > > > But there are also too many gorgeous images
> > throughout
> > > > > the story to list.
> > > > >
> > > > > Hope this is of interest.
> > > > >
> > > > > Brian
> > > > >
> > > > > =====
> > > > >
> > http://www.elasticpress.com/sound_of_white_ants.htm
> > > > >
> > http://www.tobypress.com/books/dance_geometry.htm
> > > > >
> > > > > __________________________________
> > > > > Do you Yahoo!?
> > > > > New Yahoo! Photos - easier uploading and
> > sharing.
> > > > > http://photos.yahoo.com/
> > >
> > >
> >
> _________________________________________________________________
> > > MSN 8 with e-mail virus protection service: 2
> > months FREE*
> > >
> >
>
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> > >
>
> =====
> http://www.elasticpress.com/sound_of_white_ants.htm
> http://www.tobypress.com/books/dance_geometry.htm
>
> __________________________________
> Do you Yahoo!?
> New Yahoo! Photos - easier uploading and sharing.
> http://photos.yahoo.com/