Frances Assa [to JM: Once in a while I've the feeling that Kinbote bears traits inspired in how Nabokov sees critic E.Wilson."] I've been thinking along those lines as well. Kinbote is certainly filling a role that Wilson has, when, for example Fitzgerald died leaving "The Last Tycoon" unfinished, which Wilson completed. It's hard to think of other similarities.
Dear Jansy and Frances,
This idea that VN is poking fun (and it would have been really vicious fun) at Wilson in 1962 (!!) is absurd. They were not only very good friends at the time, but VN owed a great debt to Wilson who had helped him enormously. The idea that he would repay his good friend's kindness and generosity with a portrait resembling Kinbote is grotesque and irreligious.
Carolyn Kunin