Vladimir Nabokov

NABOKV-L post 0003581, Wed, 13 Jan 1999 14:36:08 -0800

Subject
Lolita: setter vs collie (fwd)
Date
Body
John Rea <jarea@uky.campus.mci.net> poses an amusing question.
What fun!

I think Donald Barton Johnson <chtodel@humanitas.ucsb.edu>
is on the right track when he muses that
"the collie is VN's covert tribute to Hollywood's "Lassie""

Well, perhaps "tribute" is too strong a word...

With the dog changed to a collie the "Where's the Lassie?"
question at the Enchanted Hunters gains an additional level
(and an additional edge) while adding some levels of play.

"Where's the Lassie?"
- Direct: Where's the little girl?
- Implied: Where's the dog that enabled you to have
Lolita by causing Charlotte's death?
- Play #1: Collie = "Lassie"
- Play #2: A Hollywood character is mentioned by a
character in a Hollywood movie.

I think something is going on!


Brian