I think notion of finding key to this or that VN’s work is misleading. Announcements of finding such key remind me of a squeaky lock being fit on this or that key in the collection of the master who never cared for doors or locks, but was  versatile enough to make anything he wanted, keys including. Why anything of value that refuses to be tamed simply must have an explanation? Secondary role of modern liberal arts education, may be?

 

Key to VN’s phrase or hidden reference is a different story, but Carolyn was not talking about it here.

 

- George

 

>I perhaps overstated the case when I said that VN aped RLS's prose. But he certainly does make references to the >strange case in Pale Fire. And I found that among the many red herrings of other literary references, this key turned >in the lock.