Subject
Nabokov and Pedophilia (fwd)
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** VN most definitely means "caressing" here and "abuse" is much too
strong a word. In Russian (DRUGIE BEREGA) the passage reads: "on...
sadilsia na... stul..., bral menia na koleni i so vsiakimi smeshnymi
slovechkami laskal milogo rebenka. I pochemu-to ia byval rad, kogda otets
izdali zval 'Vasia..." (He would sit down on a chair, place me on his
knees, and caress the sweet child using all kinds of funny
words. For some reason I would be always glad when father called him from
afar: 'Vasya...'). "For some reason" is a key here, I believe. The child
is not quite sure how to feel about his uncle's caresses but he is
definitely uncomfortable. In the Russian text also the embarrassment has
nothing to do with the servants watching, although they are present at the
scene. GD**
From: MEDELSTEIN@scuacc.scu.edu
Is it possible (in English and/or for Nabokov, esp. at the time of
writing SPEAK, MEMORY) that "fondle" didn't necessarily mean
"fondle the genitals of"? People "fondle" infants, meaning "caress
lovingly." In our child-molestation (an interesting euphemism) aware
age, the "fondling" of children has come to be another term for
sexual abuse, with the implications that it is the genitals that
are "fondled." (And with recent discussions of alleged Presidential
activities, "fondle" would have this same inevitably sexual connotation.)
But I'm wondering if we now read Nabokov's description as distinctly
suggesting sexual abuse rather than weirdly over-affectionate caressing
(of, say, shoulders or stomach or back of head) by a strange uncle
rather than as child sexual abuse. Marilyn Edelstein, English,
Santa Clara Univ., Santa Clara California
medelstein@scuacc.scu.edu
strong a word. In Russian (DRUGIE BEREGA) the passage reads: "on...
sadilsia na... stul..., bral menia na koleni i so vsiakimi smeshnymi
slovechkami laskal milogo rebenka. I pochemu-to ia byval rad, kogda otets
izdali zval 'Vasia..." (He would sit down on a chair, place me on his
knees, and caress the sweet child using all kinds of funny
words. For some reason I would be always glad when father called him from
afar: 'Vasya...'). "For some reason" is a key here, I believe. The child
is not quite sure how to feel about his uncle's caresses but he is
definitely uncomfortable. In the Russian text also the embarrassment has
nothing to do with the servants watching, although they are present at the
scene. GD**
From: MEDELSTEIN@scuacc.scu.edu
Is it possible (in English and/or for Nabokov, esp. at the time of
writing SPEAK, MEMORY) that "fondle" didn't necessarily mean
"fondle the genitals of"? People "fondle" infants, meaning "caress
lovingly." In our child-molestation (an interesting euphemism) aware
age, the "fondling" of children has come to be another term for
sexual abuse, with the implications that it is the genitals that
are "fondled." (And with recent discussions of alleged Presidential
activities, "fondle" would have this same inevitably sexual connotation.)
But I'm wondering if we now read Nabokov's description as distinctly
suggesting sexual abuse rather than weirdly over-affectionate caressing
(of, say, shoulders or stomach or back of head) by a strange uncle
rather than as child sexual abuse. Marilyn Edelstein, English,
Santa Clara Univ., Santa Clara California
medelstein@scuacc.scu.edu