ＤＵ ＫＥ

ＵＮＩＶＥＲＳＩＴＹ
ＰＲＥＳＳ

Ｐｎｉｎ＇ｓ Ｈｉｓｔｏｒｙ
Pnin's History
Author(s):
Ａｕｔｈｏｒ（ｓ）： Charles
Ｃｈａｒｌｅｓ Nicol
Ｎｉｃｏｌ
Ｓｏｕｒｃｅ：NOVEL:
Source: ＮＯＶＥＬ：ＡA Ｆｏｒｕｍ
Forum ｏｎ
on Ｆｉｃｔｉｏｎ，Ｓｐｒｉｎｇ，１９７１，Ｖｏｌ．４，Ｎｏ．３（Ｓｐｒｉｎｇ，１９７１），
Fiction , Spring, 1971, Vol. 4, No. 3 (Spring, 1971), ｐｐ．１９７－
pp. 197-
２０８
208
Ｐｕｂｌｉｓｈｅｄ by:
Published ｂｙ： Duke
Ｄｕｋｅ Ｕｎｉｖｅｒｓｉｔｙ
University Ｐｒｅｓｓ
Press

Stable
Ｓｔａｂｌｅ URL: https://www.jstor.org/stable/1345117
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NOVEL: AＦｏｒｕｍ
ForumｏｎonＦｉｃｔｉｏｎ
Fiction

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 Ｐｎｉｎ＇ｓ
Pnin's Ｈｉｓｔｏｒｙ
History

ＣＨＡＲＬＥＳ
CHARLES ＮＩＣＯＬ
NICOL

“Ｔｈｅ
"Theｈｉｓｔｏｒｙ ｏｆ ｍａｎofｉｓman
history ｔｈｅ ｈｉｓｔｏｒｙ
is theｏｆ ｐａｉｎ！”—Ｔｉｍｏｆｅｙ
history Ｐｎｉｎ
of pain!"-Timofey Pnin
Ｐｎｉｎ，
Pnin,ｏｎｅone
ｏｆ Ｖｌａｄｉｍｉｒ Ｎａｂｏｋｏｖ＇ｓ
of Vladimir ｍｏｓｔ ａｐｐｒｏａｃｈａｂｌｅ
Nabokov's ｎｏｖｅｌｓ， ｍａｙ ｂｅ novels,
most approachable ｒｅａｄ ｅｎｊｏｙ－
may be read
ａｂｌｙ
ablyｏｎ on
ａｎ ｅｌｅｍｅｎｔａｒｙ ｌｅｖｅｌ ｆｏｒlevel
an elementary ｉｔｓ ＂ｈｕｍａｎ ｉｎｔｅｒｅｓｔ＂－ｔｈｏｓｅ
for its ｑｕｏｔａｔｉｏｎ ｍａｒｋｓ，
"human interest"-those quotatio
ａｎｄ ｔｈａｔ ｓｎｅｅｒ， ｂｅｌｏｎｇ ｔｏ Ｎａｂｏｋｏｖ ｈｉｍｓｅｌｆ． Ｃｏｎｓｅｑｕｅｎｔｌｙ， ｓｏｍｅ ｃｒｉｔｉｃｓ ｈａｖｅ
and that sneer, belong to Nabokov himself. Consequently, some crit
ｐｒａｉｓｅｄ
praisedＰｎｉｎPnin
ｏｕｔ ｏｆout
ａｌｌ of
ｐｒｏｐｏｒｔｉｏｎ， ａｎｄ Ｎａｂｏｋｏｖ＇ｓ
all proportion, andｂｅｓｔNabokov's
ｃｒｉｔｉｃｓ ｈａｖｅbest
ｔｅｎｄｅｄ ｔｏ
critics have t
ｏｖｅｒ－ｒｅａｃｔ
over-reactａｎｄ ｓｌｉｇｈｔ ｔｈｉｓ ｄｅｌｉｇｈｔｆｕｌ
and slight ｎｏｖｅｌ． Ａ ｂｏｏｋ
this delightful ｔｈａｔ A
novel. ｃａｎbook
ｂｅ ｅｎｊｏｙｅｄ
thatｂｙcan
ｓｉｍｐｌｅ
be enjoyed b
ｐｅｏｐｌｅ
peopleｉｓ ｎｏｔ ｎｅｃｅｓｓａｒｉｌｙ
is not ａ ｓｉｍｐｌｅaｂｏｏｋ，
necessarily ａｎｄ Ｐｎｉｎ
simple book,ｉｓ ａｓandｃｏｍｐｌｉｃａｔｅｄ
Pnin is ａｓ
asａ complicated
ｐｅｔ ｓｎａｋｅ． as a pe
Ｔｉｍｏｆｅｙ
TimofeyＰｎｉｎ， Pnin,
ａ ｐａｔｈｅｔｉｃａｌｌｙ ｃｏｍｉｃ Ｒｕｓｓｉａｎ
a pathetically éｍｉｇｒé，
comic ｔｅａｃｈｅｓ
Russian ｈｉｓ ｎａｔｉｖｅ
emigre, ｌａｎｇｕａｇｅhis
teaches native l
ａｔatＷａｉｎｄｅｌｌ
WaindellＣｏｌｌｅｇｅ， ｓｏｍｅｗｈｅｒｅ
College, ｉｎ Ｎｅｗ Ｅｎｇｌａｎｄ．
somewhere in New ＨｉｓEngland.
ｉｎｅｆｆｅｃｔｕａｌHisＥｎｇｌｉｓｈ ｍａｋｅｓ English
ineffectual
ｈｉｍ
himｔｈｅthe
ｂｕｔｔ butt
ｏｆ ｃｏｕｎｔｌｅｓｓ ｊｏｋｅｓ； ａｍｉｄ
of countless ｔｈｉｓ amid
jokes; ａｌｉｅｎ ｃｏｒｎ
thisＰｎｉｎ ｗａｎｄｅｒｓ
alien cornｗｉｔｈ
Pninａｐｐａｒｅｎｔ
wanders with
ｃｈｅｅｒ，
cheer,ｂｕｔbut
ｃａｎｎｏｔ ａｌｗａｙｓalways
cannot ａｖｏｉｄ ｈｅａｒｉｎｇ ｔｈｅ ｍｏｃｋｅｒｙ
avoid hearing ｏｆ mockery
the ｈｉｓ ｎｕｍｅｒｏｕｓofｍｉｍｉｃｓ ｏｎ
his numerous mi
ｃａｍｐｕｓ．
campus. Ｆａｒ ｆｒｏｍ
Far ａfrom
ｃｌｉｃｈéa ｃｌｏｗｎ，
clicheＰｎｉｎ ｉｓ ｉｎｅｓｃａｐａｂｌｙ
clown, Pnin is ｃｏｍｉｃ ｂｅｃａｕｓｅ ｈｅcomic
inescapably ｉｓ ａ ｐｅｎ－
because he i
ｇｕｉｎ
guin ｏｕｔout
ｏｆ of
ｗａｔｅｒ， ａ ｍａｎaｗｈｏ
water, manｈａｄwho
ｔｈｅ ｗｏｒｌｄ
had theｐｕｌｌｅｄ ｏｕｔ ｆｒｏｍ
world ｕｎｄｅｒout
pulled ｈｉｍ． Ａｍｏｎｇunder him
from
ｆｅｌｌｏｗ
fellowＲｕｓｓｉａｎ éｍｉｇｒｅｓemigres
Russian ａ ｈｉｇｈｌｙ aｉｎｔｅｌｌｉｇｅｎｔ， ａｒｔｉｃｕｌａｔｅ， ｐｏｌｉｔｅ，
highly intelligent, ｓｃｈｏｌａｒｌｙ polite,
articulate, ｓｔｕｄｅｎｔ ｏｆscholarly st
ｔｈｅ
theｓｏｃｉａｌ
socialｓｃｉｅｎｃｅｓ， ａｍｏｎｇamong
sciences, Ａｍｅｒｉｃａｎｓ ｈｅ ａｐｐｅａｒｓ ａｎ
Americans heｉｎｃｏｈｅｒｅｎｔ
appears ｆｏｏｌ， ｕｎｓｃｈｏｏｌｅｄ fool, un
an incoherent
ｉｎinｔｈｅthe
ｓｉｍｐｌｅｓｔ ｏｆ ｔｈｅof
simplest ｍｏｒｅｓ
theｏｆmores
＂ｕｎｐｒｅｄｉｃｔａｂｌｅ Ａｍｅｒｉｃａ．” Ａｓ ａ ｗｈｏｌｅ，
of "unpredictable Ｐｎｉｎ＇ｓ As
America." ｌｉｆｅ a whole, P
ｍａｙ
mayｂｅ ｔｒａｇｉｃ， ｂｕｔ ｉｎbut
be tragic, ｉｔｓ ｖｉｓｉｂｌｅ
in its ｆｒａｇｍｅｎｔｓ ｉｔ ｉｓ ｅｉｔｈｅｒ ｃｏｍｉｃ
visible fragments it isｏｒeither
ｐａｔｈｅｔｉｃ． Ｎａｂｏｋｏｖ
comic or pathetic.
ｔｈｏｒｏｕｇｈｌｙ
thoroughly ｅｘｐｌｏｉｔｓ ｔｈｅｓｅ ｄｕａｌ
exploits ｐｏｓｓｉｂｉｌｉｔｉｅｓ，
these ｃｏｎｔｉｎｕａｌｌｙ ｓｈｉｆｔｉｎｇ
dual possibilities, continuallyｈｉｓ ｆｏｃｕｓ ａｎｄ
shifting his foc
ｏｕｒ
ourａｌｌｅｇｉａｎｃｅ．
allegiance.
Ｗｈｉｌｅ
Whileｔｈｅ the
ｖｉｅｗｓviews
ｏｆ ＰｎｉｎofａｒｅPnin
ａｍｂｉｖａｌｅｎｔ， ｔｈｅｙ ａｒｅ ｒａｒｅｌｙ
are ambivalent, theyａｍｂｉｇｕｏｕｓ； ｔｈｅ ｄｉｓ－
are rarely ambiguous; t
ｔｉｎｃｔｉｏｎ
tinctionｉｓ ｂｅｔｗｅｅｎ Ｐｎｉｎ ｆｏｏｌｅｄ
is between Pnin ａｎｄ Ｐｎｉｎ ｈｕｒｔ．
fooled Ｉｎ ｔｈｅ hurt.
and Pnin ｆｉｒｓｔ ｃｈａｐｔｅｒ
In theｗｅfirst
ｗｉｔｎｅｓｓ
chapter we
Ｐｎｉｎ＇ｓ ｃｏｍｉｃ ｍｉｓａｄｖｅｎｔｕｒｅｓ ｗｉｔｈ Ａｍｅｒｉｃａｎ ｔｒａｉｎｓ， ｂｕｓｓｅｓ， ａｎｄ
Pnin's comic misadventures with American trains, busses, and ｗｏｍｅｎ＇ｓ ｃｌｕｂｓ， ａｓ women's
ｗｅｌｌ
wellａｓ as
ｈｉｓhis
ｐａｔｈｅｔｉｃ ｈｅａｒｔ heart
pathetic ａｔｔａｃｋ． attack.
Ｔｈｅ ｓｅｃｏｎｄThe
ｃｈａｐｔｅｒ ｉｎｃｌｕｄｅｓ
second ｈｉｓ ｈｉｌａｒｉｏｕｓ
chapter ｅｎ－ his
includes hilario
ｃｏｕｎｔｅｒｓ
counters ｗｉｔｈwith
ａ ｗａｓｈｉｎｇ ｍａｃｈｉｎｅ ａｎｄ
a washing ａ ｈｅａｒｔ－ｂｒｅａｋｉｎｇ
machine ｖｉｓｉｔ ｆｒｏｍ ｈｉｓ ｃｒｕｅｌ，
and a heart-breaking visit from h
ｔｈｏｕｇｈｔｌｅｓｓ， ｅｘｐｌｏｉｔａｔｉｖｅ ｅｘ－ｗｉｆｅ． Ｔｈｅ ｑｕｉｅｔ ｔｈｉｒｄ
thoughtless, exploitative ex-wife. The quiet third ｃｈａｐｔｅｒ ｒｅｃｏｒｄｓ chapter
ｈｉｓ ｃｏｍｉｃ ｂａｔ－
records his c
ｔｌｅｓ
tlesｗｉｔｈ ｔｈｅ ｃｏｌｌｅｇｅ
with ｌｉｂｒａｒｙ library
the college ａｓ ｗｅｌｌ ａｓas
ｔｈｅwell
ｌｏｓｓ as
ｏｆ ｈｉｓ
theｐｌｅａｓａｎｔ
loss of ｒｏｏｍ ａｎｄpleasant
his ｈｉｓ ｆａｉｌｕｒｅroom and h
ｔｏtoｒｅｃｏｇｎｉｚｅ ｈｉｓ ｏｗｎ
recognize his ｂｉｒｔｈｄａｙ． Ｔｈｅ ｆｏｕｒｔｈThe
own birthday. ｃｈａｐｔｅｒ ｂｅｇｉｎｓchapter
fourth ａ ｒｉｓｉｎｇ begins
ｍｏｖｅｍｅｎｔaｉｎrising mov
Ｐｎｉｎ＇ｓ
Pnin's fortunes: he meets his ex-wife's son Victor to their Ｔｈｅ
ｆｏｒｔｕｎｅｓ： ｈｅ ｍｅｅｔｓ ｈｉｓ ｅｘ－ｗｉｆｅ＇ｓ ｓｏｎ Ｖｉｃｔｏｒ ｔｏ ｔｈｅｉｒ ｍｕｔｕａｌ ｄｅｌｉｇｈｔ． mutual delig
ｃｏｍｅｄｙ
comedyｏｆ ｔｈｉｓof ｃｈａｐｔｅｒ ｉｎｖｏｌｖｅｓ Ｐｎｉｎ＇ｓ—ｏｒ
this chapter involves Ａｍｅｒｉｃａ＇ｓ—ｃｏｎｆｕｓｉｏｎ ｂｅｔｗｅｅｎ ｆｏｏｔ－
Pnin's-or America's-confusion betw
ｂａｌｌ
ballａｎｄ
andｓｏｃｃｅｒ， ｔｈｅ ｖａｇａｒｉｅｓ
soccer, ｏｆ Ｊａｃｋ Ｌｏｎｄｏｎ＇ｓ
the vagaries of Jackｌｉｔｅｒａｒｙ ｒｅｐｕｔａｔｉｏｎ，
London's literary ａｎｄ reputation,
Ｖｉｃｔｏｒ＇ｓ and
ｈｅｉｇｈｔ；
height;ａ ｃｏｍｉｃ ｆａｌｌ ｇｉｖｅｓ
a comic fall Ｐｎｉｎ
givesａ ｌａｔｅｒ，
Pnin ｐａｔｈｅｔｉｃ
a later,ｂａｃｋａｃｈｅ．
patheticＴｈｅbackache.
ｆｆｔｈ ｃｈａｐｔｅｒ，The Ｐｎｉｎfifth chapt
ｗｉｔｈ
withｆｅｌｌｏｗ éｍｉｇｒéｓ，
fellow ｓｈｏｗｓ shows
emigres, ｈｉｍ ａｔ ｈｉｓ
himｂｅｓｔ：
at ｔｈｅ
hisｃｏｍｅｄｙ
best:ｉｎｖｏｌｖｅｓ
the comedyｎｏｔ ｊｕｓｔinvolves
Ｐｎｉｎ not ju
ｌｏｓｔ
lostｉｎinｔｈｅthe
Ｃａｔｓｋｉｌｌｓ， ｂｕｔ ａｌｓｏ
Catskills, butＰｎｉｎ ｍａｒｖｅｌｌｏｕｓｌｙ
also ｔａｌｅｎｔｅｄ ａｔ ｃｒｏｑｕｅｔ；
Pnin marvellously talentedｔｈｅ ｐａｔｈｏｓ ｉｓ
at croquet; the p
Ｐｎｉｎ＇ｓ
Pnin'sｒｅｍｅｍｂｒａｎｃｅ
remembrance ｏｆ ａ ｃｈｉｌｄｈｏｏｄ ｓｗｅｅｔｈｅａｒｔ ｗｈｏ
of a childhood ｄｉｅｄ ｉｎ ａ Ｎａｚｉ
sweetheart whoｃｏｎｃｅｎｔｒａｔｉｏｎ
died in a Nazi conce
ｃａｍｐ．
camp.ＴｈｅTheｓｉｘｔｈsixth
ｃｈａｐｔｅｒ ｂｅｇｉｎｓ ａbegins
chapter ｃｏｒｒｅｓｐｏｎｄｉｎｇ ｆａｌｌｉｎｇ ｍｏｖｅｍｅｎｔ．
a corresponding fallingＴｈｅ movement.
ｃｏｍｅｄｙ The
ｉｓisａｇａｉｎ
again on Pnin's side, the triumph of his little party. The ｕｓ
ｏｎ Ｐｎｉｎ＇ｓ ｓｉｄｅ， ｔｈｅ ｔｒｉｕｍｐｈ ｏｆ ｈｉｓ ｌｉｔｔｌｅ ｐａｒｔｙ． Ｔｈｅ ｅｍｏｔｉｏｎ ｃａｔｃｈｅｓ emotion cat
ｒａｔｈｅｒ
ratherｏｆｆ－ｇｕａｒｄ， ｆｏｒ ｊｕｓｔfor
off-guard, ａｓ Ｐｎｉｎ
just ｉｓ
asｆｅｅｌｉｎｇ
Pnin is ｍｏｓｔfeeling
ａｔ ｈｏｍｅ most
ｉｎ ｈｉｓ at
ｎｅｗ home
ｈｏｕｓｅ ａｎｄ
in ｉｎ
his new hou

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１９８
198 ＮＯＶＥＬ｜ＳＰＲＩＮＧ
NOVEL SPRING１９７１
1971

Ｗａｉｎｄｅｌｌ
WaindellＣｏｌｌｅｇｅ， ｈｅ ｉｓ he
College, ｉｎｆｏｒｍｅｄ ｔｈａｔ ｈｅ ｉｓthat
is informed ａｂｏｕｔhe
ｔｏ is
ｌｏｓｅ ｈｉｓ ｊｏｂ．
about Ｔｈｅ ｓｅｖｅｎｔｈ
to lose his job. The sev
ｃｈａｐｔｅｒ
chapterｄｅｔａｉｌｓ ｈｏｗ Ｐｎｉｎ
details how ｆｉｒｓｔ
Pninｍｅｔ first
ｈｉｓ ｃｈｅａｐｌｙ
met ｐｏｅｔｉｃ ａｎｄ ｉｎｔｅｌｌｅｃｔｕａｌ
his cheaply poetic ｅｘ－ｗｉｆｅ Ｌｉｚａ，
and intellectual ex-w
ａｎｄ
andｈｏｗhow
ｎｏｗ， now,
ｏｎ ｈｉｓonｂｉｒｔｈｄａｙ， Ｐｎｉｎ ｌｅａｖｅｓPnin
his birthday, Ｗａｉｎｄｅｌｌ Ｃｏｌｌｅｇｅ
leaves ｗｉｔｈ ｎｏCollege
Waindell ｐａｒｔｉｃｕｌａｒ
with no par
ｄｅｓｔｉｎｙ
destinyｉｎ in
ｍｉｎｄmind
ａｎｄ ｎｏand
ｎｅｗ no
ｊｏｂ new
ｉｎ ｓｉｇｈｔ
job （ｉｎ Ｐａｌｅ Ｆｉｒｅ
in sight (in ｗｅ ｆｉｎｄFire
Pale ｔｈａｔwe
Ｐｎｉｎfind
ｄｉｄ that Pnin
ｅｖｅｎｔｕａｌｌｙ
eventually ｆｉｎｄ find
ａ ｂｅｔｔｅｒ ｊｏｂ）． Ｉｎ job).
a better ｔｈｉｓ ｌａｓｔ ｃｈａｐｔｅｒlast
In this ｗｈａｔchapter
ｈｕｍｏｒ ｔｈｅｒｅ ｉｓ， ｉｓhumor
what ｄｅｌｉｂｅｒ－there is, is
ａｔｅｌｙ ｆｌａｔ．
ately flat.
Ｔｈａｔ
Thatｆｏｕｒ
fourｏｆ
of ｉｔｓ ｓｅｖｅｎ chapters
its seven ｃｈａｐｔｅｒｓappeared
ａｐｐｅａｒｅｄfirst
ｆｉｒｓｔas separate
ａｓ ｓｅｐａｒａｔｅ ｓｔｏｒｉｅｓ
stories in TheｉｎNew
Ｔｈｅ Ｎｅｗ
Ｙｏｒｋｅｒ ｔｅｎｄｓ ｔｏ ｒｅｉｎｆｏｒｃｅ ｔｈｅ ｉｍｐｒｅｓｓｉｏｎ ｔｈａｔ ｔｈｉｓ ｓｈｏｒｔ ｎｏｖｅｌ ｉｓ ｍａｒｖｅｌｌｏｕｓｌｙ
Yorker tends to reinforce the impression that this short novel is marvellously
ｒｅａｌｉｚｅｄ ｔｈｒｏｕｇｈｏｕｔ，but
realized throughout, ｂｕｔfails
ｆａｉｌｓ ｔｏ ｐｒｏｇｒｅｓｓ；
to progress; ｔｈｏｕｇｈ
though ｈｉｓ ｃｉｒｃｕｍｓｔａｎｃｅｓ
his circumstances have ｈａｖｅ
ｃｈａｎｇｅｄ，
changed, Ｐｎｉｎ
Pnin ａｔ ｔｈｅ end
at the ｅｎｄofｏｆthe
ｔｈｅnovel
ｎｏｖｅｌmay
ｍａｙseem
ｓｅｅｍmuch
ｍｕｃｈthe
ｔｈｅsame
ｓａｍｅasａｓat ａｔ
its ｉｔｓ ｂｅｇｉｎ－
begin-
ｎｉｎｇ． Ｌｏｓｔ：his
ning. Lost: ｈｉｓposition
ｐｏｓｉｔｉｏｎ ａｔ Ｗａｉｎｄｅｌｌ．
at Waindell. Ｇａｉｎｅｄ：
Gained: ｆｒｉｅｎｄｓｈｉｐ
friendship ｗｉｔｈ Ｖｉｃｔｏｒ
with Victor and the ａｎｄcom-
ｔｈｅ ｃｏｍ－
ｐｌｅｔｉｏｎ
pletion ｏｆ an
of ａｎ extensive
ｅｘｔｅｎｓｉｖｅpiece
ｐｉｅｃｅ
of ｏｆ ｒｅｓｅａｒｃｈ．
research. But Ｂｕｔ ｂｅｃａｕｓｅ
because ｏｆ ｔｈｅｓｅ
of these ｔｗｏ（ｃｌｏｓｅｌｙ
two (closely
ｒｅｌａｔｅｄ）
related) ｇａｉｎｓ，Pnin's
gains, Ｐｎｉｎ＇ｓcharacter
ｃｈａｒａｃｔｅｒdoes
ｄｏｅｓindeed
ｉｎｄｅｅｄchange.
ｃｈａｎｇｅ． ＡｆｔｅｒLiza's
After Ｌｉｚａ＇ｓ
visitｖｉｓｉｔ ｉｎ second
in the ｔｈｅ ｓｅｃｏｎｄ
ｃｈａｐｔｅｒ，
chapter, ｔｈｅ ｕｔｔｅｒ loneliness
the utter ｌｏｎｅｌｉｎｅｓｓofｏｆPnin
Ｐｎｉｎcomes
ｃｏｍｅｓhome
ｈｏｍｅtoｔｏhim
ｈｉｍand
ａｎｄheｈｅyields
ｙｉｅｌｄｓto ｔｏ
his ｈｉｓ ｇｒｉｅｆ：
grief:
“"'I Ｔhaf
ｈａｆnofing,'
ｎｏｆｉｎｇ，wailed
ｗａｉｌｅｄPnin
Ｐｎｉｎbetween
ｂｅｔｗｅｅｎloud,
ｌｏｕｄ，dampｄａｍｐsniffs,
ｓｎｉｆｆｓ，'I haf
＇Ｉ ｈａｆ ｎｏｆｉｎｇ
nofing ｌｅｆｔ，
left, ｎｏｆｉｎｇ，
nofing,
ｎｏｆｉｎｇ！＇＂
nofing !' "ＩｎIn ｃｏｎｔｒａｓｔ， ａｔthe
contrast, at ｔｈｅend
ｅｎｄofｏｆtheｔｈｅsixth
ｓｉｘｔｈ ｃｈａｐｔｅｒ
chapter ｗｈｅｎ
when he ｈｅ ａｇａｉｎ
again ｓｅｅｍｓ
seems ｔｏ ｈａｖｅ
to have
ｎｏｔｈｉｎｇ
nothingｌｅｆｔ， ｎｅｉｔｈｅｒ job,
left, neither ｊｏｂ，house,
ｈｏｕｓｅ，norｎｏｒpunch-bowl,
ｐｕｎｃｈ－ｂｏｗｌ，＂ｂｒａｃｉｎｇ ｈｉｍｓｅｌｆ＂he ｈｅ
"bracing himself" ｓｔｏｉｃａｌｌｙ
stoically
ｃｏｎｔｉｎｕｅｓ
continues ｗａｓｈｉｎｇ
washing ｄｉｓｈｅｓ． Ｐｎｉｎ＇ｓprogress,
dishes. Pnin's ｐｒｏｇｒｅｓｓ，theｔｈｅgains
ｇａｉｎｓ ｗｈｉｃｈ
which ｂｒｉｎｇｓ
brings ａｂｏｕｔ
about thisｔｈｉｓ
ｃｈａｒａｃｔｅｒ
character ｃｈａｎｇｅ， ａｒｅthe
change, are ｔｈｅsubject
ｓｕｂｊｅｃｔof ｏｆ
thisｔｈｉｓ ｐａｐｅｒ．
paper.

Ｍａｎｙ
ManyｏｆofＮａｂｏｋｏｖ＇ｓ ｎｏｖｅｌｓ
Nabokov's ｈａｖｅ
novels ｍｅｎmen
have ｏｆ ｌｅｔｔｅｒｓ ａｓ asｔｈｅｉｒ
of letters theirｓｕｂｊｅｃｔｓ，
subjects,ｆｉｃｔｉｏｎａｌ
fictional
ａｕｔｈｏｒｓ
authorsｗｈｏｓｅ
whoseｐｒｏｊｅｃｔｅｄ ｗｒｉｔｉｎｇｓ
projected ｒｅｖｅａｌ
writings ｓｏｍｅｔｈｉｎｇ
reveal ａｂｏｕｔabout
something ｔｈｅｍｓｅｌｖｅｓ． Ｎａｔｕｒａｌｌｙ，
themselves. Naturally,
ｔｈｅｓｅ
theseｗｏｒｋｓ
worksｏｆｔｅｎ ａｌｓｏ
often alsoｉｎｆｏｒｍ ｕｓ us
inform ｏｆ of
Ｎａｂｏｋｏｖ＇ｓ ｏｗｎ own
Nabokov's ｉｎｔｅｎｔｉｏｎｓ； Ｔｈｅ Ｒｅａｌ
intentions; Ｌｉｆｅ Life
The Real ｏｆ of
Ｓｅｂａｓｔｉａｎ Ｋｎｉｇｈｔ ｍｉｒｒｏｒｓ ｔｈｅ ｎｏｖｅｌｓ ｓｕｐｐｏｓｅｄｌｙ ｗｒｉｔｔｅｎ ｂｙ ｉｔｓ ｔｉｔｌｅ ｆｉｇｕｒｅ，
Sebastian Knight mirrors the novels supposedly written by its title figure, andａｎｄ
Ｈｕｍｂｅｒｔ＇ｓ
Humbert'sｗｒｉｔｉｎｇｓ
writingsｏｎonｐｓｙｃｈｏｌｏｇｙ， Ｐｒｏｕｓｔ，
psychology, Proust,ａｎｄ ｍｅｍｏｒｙ
and ｐｒｏｖｉｄｅ
memory ｉｎｓｉｇｈｔｓ
provide ｉｎｔｏinto
insights
Ｌｏｌｉｔａ． Ｉｎ like
Lolita. In ｌｉｋｅ manner,
ｍａｎｎｅｒ， ｔｈｅ
theｒｅｓｅａｒｃｈ
researchｏｆofｍｏｄｅｓｔ
modestａｎｄand
ｓｃｈｏｌａｒｌｙ Ｔｉｍｏｆｅｙ
scholarly ＰｎｉｎPnin
Timofey ｐｒｏ－ pro-
ｖｉｄｅｓ ａｎｏｔｈｅｒ ｄｉｍｅｎｓｉｏｎ ｆｏｒ ｏｕｒ ｖｉｅｗ ｏｆ Ｐｎｉｎ．
vides another dimension for our view of Pnin.
Ｔｈｅ
Theｃｏｎｔｅｎｔ ｏｆ of
content Ｐｎｉｎ＇ｓ ｒｅｓｅａｒｃｈ
Pnin's ｉｓ ａisｂｉｔ
research ｈａｒｄhard
a bit ｔｏ ｅｓｔａｂｌｉｓｈ， ｈｏｗｅｖｅｒ，
to establish, ｓｉｎｃｅsince
however, ｉｔ ｉｓit is
ｏｎｌｙ
onlyｍｅｎｔｉｏｎｅｄ ｔｗｉｃｅ，
mentioned ｆｉｒｓｔ
twice, ｉｎ inｔｈｅtheｔｈｉｒｄ
first ｃｈａｐｔｅｒ：
third chapter:

ＨｅHeｃｏｎｔｅｍｐｌａｔｅｄ
contemplatedｗｒｉｔｉｎｇ ａ Ｐｅｔｉｔｅ
writing Ｈｉｓｔｏｉｒｅ
a Petite ｏｆ Ｒｕｓｓｉａｎ
Histoire ｃｕｌｔｕｒｅ，
of Russian ｉｎ ｗｈｉｃｈ
culture, ａ ｃｈｏｉｃｅ
in which a choice
ｏｆof Ｒｕｓｓｉａｎ
RussianＣｕｒｉｏｓｉｔｉｅｓ， Ｃｕｓｔｏｍｓ， Ｌｉｔｅｒａｒｙ
Curiosities, Customs, Literary Ａｎｅｃｄｏｔｅｓ，
Anecdotes,ａｎｄ
andｓｏsoｆｏｒｔｈ
forthｗｏｕｌｄ
wouldｂｅbe
ｐｒｅｓｅｎｔｅｄ
presentedｉｎinｓｕｃｈ
suchａ aｗａｙ
wayａｓ asｔｏtoｒｅｆｌｅｃｔ
reflectｉｎinｍｉｎｉａｔｕｒｅ ｌａ laＧｒａｎｄｅ
miniature Ｈｉｓｔｏｉｒｅ—Ｍａｊｏｒ
Grande Histoire-Major
Ｃｏｎｃａｔｅｎａｔｉｏｎｓ
Concatenationsｏｆ of
Ｅｖｅｎｔｓ． Ｈｅ He
Events. ｗａｓ was
ｓｔｉｌｌstill
ａｔ at
ｔｈｅthe
ｂｌｉｓｓｆｕｌ ｓｔａｔｅ
blissful ｏｆ ofｃｏｌｌｅｃｔｉｎｇ
state ｈｉｓhis
collecting
ｍａｔｅｒｉａｌ； ａｎｄ ｍａｎｙ ｇｏｏｄ ｙｏｕｎｇ ｐｅｏｐｌｅ ｃｏｎｓｉｄｅｒｅｄ ｉｔ ａ ｔｒｅａｔ ａｎｄ
material; and many good young people considered it a treat and an honor ａｎ ｈｏｎｏｒ ｔｏ to
ｓｅｅ
see Ｐｎｉｎ
Pninｐｕｌｌ
pull ｏｕｔ
out ａa ｃａｔａｌｏｇｕｅ
catalogue ｄｒａｗｅｒ
drawerｆｒｏｍ
from ｔｈｅtheｃｏｍｐｒｅｈｅｎｓｉｖｅ
comprehensiveｂｏｓｏｍbosom
ｏｆ ａ of
ｃａｒｄa card
ｃａｂｉｎｅｔ ａｎｄ ｔａｋｅ ｉｔ， ｌｉｋｅ ａ ｂｉｇ ｎｕｔ， ｔｏ ａ ｓｅｃｌｕｄｅｄ ｃｏｒｎｅｒ ａｎｄ ｔｈｅｒｅ ｍａｋｅ ａ ｑｕｉｅｔ
cabinet and take it, like a big nut, to a secluded corner and there make a quiet
ｍｅｎｔａｌ
mentalｍｅａｌ ｏｆ of
meal ｉｔ，it,ｎｏｗnow
ｍｏｖｉｎｇ ｈｉｓ ｌｉｐｓ
moving ｉｎ ｓｏｕｎｄｌｅｓｓ
his lips ｃｏｍｍｅｎｔ，
in soundless ｃｒｉｔｉｃａｌ，
comment, ｓａｔｉｓｆｉｅｄ，
critical, satisfied,
ｐｅｒｐｌｅｘｅｄ，
perplexed, ａｎｄ
and ｎｏｗ
nowｌｉｆｔｉｎｇ
lifting ｈｉｓ ｒｕｄｉｍｅｎｔａｒｙ ｅｙｅｂｒｏｗｓ
his rudimentary eyebrowsａｎｄ
andｆｏｒｇｅｔｔｉｎｇ
forgettingｔｈｅｍ
them
ｔｈｅｒｅ，
there,ｌｅｆｔ
left ｈｉｇｈ
highｕｐｏｎ
uponｈｉｓhisｓｐａｃｉｏｕｓ
spaciousｂｒｏｏ ｗｈｅｒｅ
brow ｔｈｅｙthey
where ｒｅｍａｉｎｅｄ ｌｏｎｇ ａｆｔｅｒ
remained long ａｌｌ ｔｒａｃｅ
after all trace
ｏｆofｄｉｓｐｌｅａｓｕｒｅ
displeasureｏｒorｄｏｕｂｔ
doubtｈａｄhad
ｇｏｎｅ．
gone.
Ｎｏｔｅ
Noteｆｏｒ ｌａｔｅｒ
for ｒｅｆｅｒｅｎｃｅ
later ｔｈｅ the
reference ｓｉｍｉｌｅ ｏｆ ｔｈｅ
simile ｃａｒｄ card
of the ｃａｔａｌｏｇｕｅ， ＂ｌｉｋｅ"like
catalogue, ａ ｂｉｇa ｎｕｔ，＂ ａｎｄ ｉｔｓ
big nut," and its
ｆｕｒｔｈｅｒ
furtherｄｅｖｅｌｏｐｍｅｎｔ ｗｈｅｒｅ
development ＰｎｉｎPnin
where ｂｅｃｏｍｅｓ， ｍｅｔａｐｈｏｒｉｃａｌｌｙ，
becomes, ａ ｓｑｕｉｒｒｅｌ．
metaphorically, Ｉｎ ｔｈｅ
a squirrel. In ｎｅｘｔ
the next

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 ＣＨＡＲＬＥＳ
CHARLESＮＩＣＯＬ｜ＰＮＩＮ＇ｓ ＨＩＳＴＯＲＹ
NICOL PNIN'S HISTORY １９９
199

ｐａｒａｇｒａｐｈ
paragraphｗｅ ｆｉｎｄ Ｐｎｉｎ ｃｏｎｓｕｌｔｉｎｇ
we find ａ＂ｖｏｌｕｍｉｎｏｕｓ
Pnin consulting ｗｏｒｋ，． ｏｎ Ｒｕｓｓｉａｎ
a "voluminous ｍｙｔｈｓ，＂
work... on Russian m
ｂｕｔ
butｗｅ we
ｆｉｎｄfind
ｏｕｔ ｎｏoutｍｏｒｅnoａｂｏｕｔ
moreｔｈａｔabout
ｒｅｓｅａｒｃｈ ｕｎｔｉｌ
that ｔｈｅ ｓｉｘｔｈuntil
research ｃｈａｐｔｅｒ，
the ｓｅｖｅｒａｌ ｙｅａｒｓ
sixth chapter, severa
ｌａｔｅｒ，
later,ｗｈｅｎ ｗｅ ａｒｅweｔｏｌｄ
when areｔｈａｔ ｔｈｅ that
told ｐｒｏｊｅｃｔ
theｉｓ project
ｐｒａｃｔｉｃａｌｌｙ
is ｆｉｎｉｓｈｅｄ：
practically finished:
Ｉｎｄｅｘ
Indexｃａｒｄｓ ｗｅｒｅwere
cards ｇｒａｄｕａｌｌｙ ｌｏａｄｉｎｇ loading
gradually ａ ｓｈｏｅ ｂｏｒa ｏｉｔｈ
shoeｔｈｅｉｒ
box ｃｏｍｐａｃｔ ｗｅｉｇｈｔ．compact
with their Ｔｈｅ weigh
ｃｏｌｌａｔｉｏｎ ｏｆ ｔｗｏ ｌｅｇｅｎｄｓ； ａ ｐｒｅｃｉｏｕｓ ｄｅｔａｉｌ ｉｎ ｍａｎｎｅｒｓ ｏｒ ｄｒｅｓｓ；
collation of two legends; a precious detail in manners or dress; a refａ ｒｅｆｅｒｅｎｃｅ
ｃｈｅｃｋｅｄ
checkedａｎｄ and
ｆｏｕｎｄfound
ｔｏ ｂｅ ｆａｌｓｉｆｉｅｄ ｂｙ ｉｎｃｏｍｐｅｔｅｎｃｅ，
to be falsified ｃａｒｅｌｅｓｓｎｅｓｓ， ｏｒ
by incompetence, ｆｒａｕｄ； ｔｈｅ or fraud
carelessness,
ｓｐｉｎｅ
spineｔｈｒｌｌ ｏｆ ａof
thrill ｆｅｌｉｃｉｔｏｕｓ ｇｕｅｓｓ； guess;
a felicitous ａｎｄ ａｌｌ and
ｔｈｅ ｉｎｎｕｍｅｒａｂｌｅ ｔｒｉｕｍｐｈｓ ｏｆ ｂｅｚｋｏｒ－
all the innumerable triumphs of b
ｉｓｔｎｉｙ（ｄｉｓｉｎｔｅｒｅｓｔｅｄ， ｄｅｏｏｔｅｄ）
istniy (disinterested, ｓｃｈｏｌａｒｓｈｉｐ—ｔｈｉｓ
devoted) ｈａｄ ｃｏｒｒｕｐｔｅｄ
scholarship-this hadＰｎｉｎ， ｔｈｉｓ ｈａｄPnin, this
corrupted
ｍａｄｅ
madeｏｆ of
ｈｉｍ him
ａ ｈａｐｐｙ， ｆｏｏｔｎｏｔｅ－ｄｒｕｇｇｅｄ
a happy, ｍａｎｉａｃ ｏｈｏmaniac
footnote-drugged ｄｉｓｔｕｒｂｓwho
ｔｈｅ ｂｏｏｋ ｍｉｔｅｓ the book
disturbs
ｉｎinａ aｄｕｌｌ ｖｏｌｕｍｅ，
dull ａ ｆｏｏｔaｔｈｉｃｋ，
volume, foot ｔｏ ｆｉｎｄ ｉｎtoｉｔfind
thick, ａ ｒｅｆｅｒｅｎｃｅ
in it ｔｏ ａｎ ｅｖｅｎ ｄｕｌｌｅｒtoｏｎｅ．
a reference an even duller o
Ａｎｄ
Andｔｈｉｓthis
ｉｓ ａｌｌ． ＴｗｏTwo
is all. ｍｅｎｔｉｏｎｓ， ｓｅｐａｒａｔｅｄseparated
mentions, ｂｙ ａｌｍｏｓｔ ｈａｌｆ ｔｈｅ ｎｏｖｅｌ．
by almost Ｔｈｅｒｅ
half theａｒｅnovel.
ｎｏ There a
ｏｔｈｅｒ
other ｒｅｆｅｒｅｎｃｅｓ ｔｏ Ｐｎｉｎ＇ｓ
references to ｒｅｓｅａｒｃｈ， ａｎｄ ｔｈｅ ｔｒａｉｌ
Pnin's research, andｏｆ the
ｈｉｓ ｌｉｔｔｌｅ ｈｉｓｔｏｒｙ
trail of his ｇｒｏｗｓ
littleｃｏｌｄ．
history grow
Ａｎｄ
And ｙｅｔ—ｗｅ
yet-weａｌｌ all
ｋｎｏｗknow
ｔｈａｔ ｗｈｅｎ
thatａ when
ｍａｎ ｉｓ aｗｒａｐｐｅｄ
man is ｕｐ wrapped
ｉｎ ｈｉｓ ｓｔｕｄｉｅｓ，
up inｓｏｍｅ
his ｏｆ
studies, som
ｔｈａｔ
thatｗｒａｐｐｉｎｇ ｕｎｗｉｎｄｓ
wrapping ｗｈｅｒｅｖｅｒ
unwinds ｈｅ ｇｏｅｓ． he
wherever Ａｔ ｈｉｓ ｏｗｎAtｐａｒｔｙ，
goes. ｏｖｅｒ－ｗｏｕｎｄ
his own party,Ｐｎｉｎ
over-wound
ｓｕｄｄｅｎｌｙ
suddenly ｅｘｐｌｏｄｅｓ ｉｎｔｏ ｓｕｓｐｉｃｉｏｕｓｌｙ
explodes ｄｅｔａｉｌｅｄ， detailed,
into suspiciously ｖｅｒｙ ｐｅｄａｎｔｉｃ
veryｆｏｏｔｎｏｔｅｓ ａｂｏｕｔfootnotes
pedantic ｔｈｅ abou
Ｃｉｎｄｅｒｅｌｌａ
Cinderella Ｆａｉｒｙ－ｔａｌｅ：
fairy-tale:
…Ｐｒｏｆｅｓｓｏｒ
. .. ProfessorＰｎｉｎ ｒｅｍａｒｋｅｄ ．．． ｔｈａｔ Ｃｅｎｄｒｉｌｌｏｎ＇ｓ
Pnin remarked. ｓｈｏｅｓ ｗｅｒｅ ｎｏｔshoes
. . that Cendrillon's ｍａｄｅ were
ｏｆ ｇｌａｓｓ
not made of
ｂｕｔbutｏｆ of
Ｒｕｓｓｉａｎ ｓｑｕｉｒｒｅｌ ｆｕｒ—ｖａｉｒ， ｉｎ Ｆｒｅｎｃｈ． Ｉｔ ｗａｓ， ｈｅ ｓａｉｄ， ａｎ
Russian squirrel fur-vair, in French. It was, he said,ｏｂｖｉｏｕｓ ｃａｓｅ an
ｏｆ obvious c
ｔｈｅ
theｓｕｒｖｉｏａｌ ｏｆ ｔｈｅ
survival of ｆｉｔｔｅｓｔ ａｍｏｎｇ among
the fittest ｗｏｒｄｓ， ｖｅｒｒｅ ｂｅｉｎｇverre
words, ｍｏｒｅ ｅｖｏｃａｔｉｖｅ ｔｈａｎ ｖａｉｒ
being more evocative
than
ｗｈｉｃｈ，
which,ｈｅ ｓｕｂｍｉｔｔｅｄ， ｃａｍｅ ｎｏｔ
he submitted, ｆｒｏｍnot
came ｖａｒｉｕｓ，
fromｖａｒｉｅｇａｔｅｄ， ｂｕｔ ｆｒｏｍ ｖｅｖｅｒｉｔｓａ，
varius, variegated, but from
veve
Ｓｌａｖｉｃ ｆｏｒ ａ ｃｅｒｔａｉｎ ｂｅａｕｔｉｆｕｌ， ｐａｌｅ， ｗｉｎｔｅｒ－ｓｑｕｉｒｒｅｌ ｆｕｒ， ｈａｏｉｎｇ ａ ｂｌｕｉｓｈ， ｏｒ ｂｅｔ－
Slavic for a certain beautiful, pale, winter-squirrel fur, having a bluish,
ｔｅｒ ｓａｙ ｓｉｚｉｌｙ， ｃｏｌａｍｂｉｎｅ， ｓｈａｄｅ—ｆｒｏｍ ｃｏｌｕｍｂａ， Ｌａｔｉｎ ｆｏｒ ＂ｐｉｇｅｏｎ，＂ ａｓ ｓｏｍｅ－
ter say sizily, columbine, shade-from columba, Latin for "pigeon," as so
ｂｏｄｙ ｈｅｒｅ ｗｅｌｌ ｋｎｏｗｓ—ｓｏ ｙｏｕ ｓｅｅ， Ｍｒｓ．Ｆｉｒｅ， ｙｏｕ ｗｅｒｅ， ｉｎ ｇｅｎｅｒａｌ， ｃｏｒｒｅｃｔ．
body here well knows-so you see, Mrs. Fire, you were, in general, correc
Ｈｅｒｅ，
Here,ｓｕｄｄｅｎｌｙ
suddenlyａｎｄandｃｌｅａｒｌｙ，
clearly,ｉｓ
is ａｎ
an ｅｘａｍｐｌｅ
exampleｏｆ ofＰｎｉｎ＇ｓ
Pnin's ｒｅｓｅａｒｃｈ
research ｏｎon ｈｉｓ
his Ｐｅｔｉｔｅ
Petite
Ｈｉｓｔｏｉｒｅ， ａｎ ｅｘａｍｐｌｅ ｔｈａｔ ｃｏｒｒｅｓｐｏｎｄｓ ｐｅｒｆｅｃｔｌｙ ｔｏ Ｎａｂｏｋｏｖ＇ｓ ｓｅｃｏｎｄ ｍｅｎｔｔｏｎ
Histoire, an example that corresponds perfectly to Nabokov's second mention ｏｆ of
ｔｈａｔ
thatｒｅｓｅａｒｃｈ（ｓｅｅ ａｂｏｖｅ），
research (see ｆｏｒ for
above), ｉｔ ｉｎｃｌｕｄｅｓ ｎｏｔ not
it includes ｏｎｌｙ only
＂ｔｈｅ "the
ｃｏｌｌａｔｉｏｎ ｏｆ ｔｗｏofｌｅｇｅｎｄｓ＂
collation two legends"
ａｎｄ＂ａ ｐｒｅｃｉｏｕｓ
and "a ｄｅｔａｉｌ
precious ｉｎ inｍａｎｎｅｒｓ
detail ｏｒ ｄｒｅｓｓ，＂
manners ｂｕｔ ｅｖｅｎ，
or dress," ｍｏｓｔ most
but even, ｃｏｍｐａｃｔｌｙ， ｔｈｏｓｅ those
compactly,
ｉｎｄｅｘ ｃａｒｄｓ ＂ｌｏａｄｉｎｇ ａ ｓｈｏｅ ｂｏｘ＂！
index cards "loading a shoe box"!

ＳｏSoＰｎｉｎ
Pninｈａｓ ｄｉｓｃｏｖｅｒｅｄ
has ｈｏｗhow
discovered Ｃｉｎｄｅｒｅｌｌａ＇ｓ ｓｈｏｅｓshoes
Cinderella's ｃｈａｎｇｅｄ ｆｒｏｍ ｓｑｕｉｒｒｅｌ
changed ｔｏ ｇｌａｓｓ．
from squirrel to glass.
ＩｎInｈｉｓ
hisｐｒｏｊｅｃｔｅｄ
projectedｂｏｏｋ，
book, ｔｈｉｓ ｌｉｔｔｌｅ
this littleｄｉｓｃｏｖｅｒｙ
discovery ｗｉｌｌwill
ｐｒｏｖｉｄｅ ａ ｍｏｄｅｌ
provide ｆｏｒ ｓｏｍｅ
a model ｍａｊｏｒ major
for some
ｔｒｅｎｄ
trend ｉｎinＲｕｓｓｉａｎ
Russianｈｉｓｔｏｒｙ；
history;ｈｏｗｅｖｅｒ，
however, ｉｔ ａｌｓｏ ｉｌｌｕｓｔｒａｔｅｓ
it also ａ Ｍａｊｏｒ
illustrates Ｃｏｎｃａｔｅｎａｔｉｏｎ
a Major ｏｆ of
Concatenation
Ｅｖｅｎｔｓ
Eventsｉｎinｔｈｅ Ｌｉｆｅ
the ｏｆofＴｉｍｏｆｅｙ
Life Ｐｎｉｎ：Pnin:
Timofey ｓｑｕｉｒｒｅｌ ｔｏ ｇｌａｓｓ．
squirrel to glass.
Ｆｏｒ
Forｔｈｅｒｅ
thereｃａｎ ｂｅbeｎｏnoｄｏｕｂｔ
can ｔｈａｔthat
doubt ＰｎｉｎPnin
ｉｓ ａｓｓｏｃｉａｔｅｄ ｗｉｔｈwith
is associated ｓｑｕｉｒｒｅｌｓ ｔｈｒｏｕｇｈｏｕｔ
squirrels throughout
ｔｈｅ
theｎｏｖｅｌ．
novel.ＩｎInｔｈｅ ｆｒｓｔfirst
the ｃｈａｐｔｅｒ Ｐｎｉｎ Pnin
chapter ｓｕｆｆｅｒｓ ａ ｈｅａｒｔa heart
suffers ａｔｔａｃｋ attack
ｔｈａｔ ｒｅｃａｌｌｓ ａ ｃｈｉｌｄｈｏｏｄ
that recalls a childhood
ｄｅｌｉｒｉｕｍ；
delirium;ｔｈｅｎ ｉｎ in
then ｈｉｓhis
ｆｅｖｅｒ ｈｅ ｈａｄ
fever ｆｅｌｔfelt
he had ｔｈａｔthat
ａ ｓｑｕｉｒｒｅｌ ｄｒａｗｎdrawn
a squirrel ｏｎ ａ ｓｃｒｅｅｎ ｂｙ ｈｉｓ by
on a screen his
ｂｅｄ
bedｈｅｌｄ
heldｔｈｅ ａｎｓｗｅｒ
the ｔｏ ｔｈｅ
answer ｗｏｒｌｄ＇ｓ
to the ｒｉｄｄｌｅ．
world's ＴｈａｔThat
riddle. ｒｅｍｅｍｂｅｒｅｄ ｐｉｃｔｕｒｅpicture
remembered ｏｖｅｒｌａｐｓoverlaps
Ｐｎｉｎ＇ｓ
Pnin'sｃｏｎｆｕｓｅｄ
confusedｐｅｒｃｅｐｔｉｏｎ ｏｆ ｈｉｓ
perception ｐｒｅｓｅｎｔ
of his ｓｕｒｒｏｕｎｄｉｎｇｓ，
present ａ ｐａｒｋa park
surroundings, ｗｈｅｒｅ where
ａ ｇｒａｙ a gray
ｓｑｕｉｒｒｅｌ
squirrelｓｉｔｓ
sits ｉｎ
in ｆｒｏｎｔ
frontｏｆofｈｉｍ， ｅｍｂｌｅｍａｔｉｃａｌｌｙ
him, ｈｏｌｄｉｎｇ
emblematically ａ ｐｅａｃｈa peach
holding ｓｔｏｎｅ． stone.
Ｉｎ ｔｈｅ Inｓｅｃｏｎｄ
the second
ｃｈａｐｔｅｒ，
chapter,ｉｎinａ aｓｅｃｏｎｄ
secondｐａｒｋ， ＰｎｉｎPnin
park, ｇｉｖｅｓ ａ ｔｈｉｒｄ
gives ｓｑｕｉｒｒｅｌ
a third ｗａｔｅｒwater
squirrel ｆｒｏｍ from
ａ ｄｒｉｎｋｉｎｇ
a drinking
ｆｏｕｎｔａｉｎ，
fountain,ｔｈｉｎｋｉｎｇ“ｓｈｅ ｈａｓ ｆｅｖｅｒ，
thinking "she ｐｅｒｈａｐｓ．”
has fever, Ｉｎ ｔｈｅInｔｈｉｒｄ
perhaps." ｃｈａｐｔｅｒ，
the third ａ ｓｑｕｉｒｒｅｌ
chapter, a squirrel

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２００
200 ＮＯＶＥＬ｜ＳＰＲＩＮＧ
NOVEL SPRING１９７Ｉ
1971

ｃｒｏｓｓｅｓ
crossesｔｈｅthe
ｓｎｏｗ snow
ｉｎ ｆｒｏｎｔinｏｆfront
ｔｈｅ ｃｏｌｌｅｇｅ ｌｉｂｒａｒｙ，
of the ａｎｄ ｌａｔｅｒ
college Ｐｎｉｎ ｉｓ
library, andｄｉｒｅｃｔｌｙ
later ｃｏｍ－
Pnin is direct
ｐａｒｅｄ
paredｔｏ ａtoｓｑｕｉｒｒｅｌ （ｉｎ ｔｈｅ(in
a squirrel ｅｘｔｅｎｄｅｄ ｄｅｓｃｒｉｐｔｉｏｎ，description,
the extended ａｌｒｅａｄｙ ｑｕｏｔｅｄ，already
ｏｆ Ｐｎｉｎ ｉｎｖｅｓｔｉ－
quoted, of Pnin
ｇａｔｉｎｇ
gatingａ ｃａｔａｌｏｇｕｅ ｄｒａｗｅｒ）．
a catalogue Ｔｈｅ ｆｏｕｒｔｈ，
drawer). The ｃｅｎｔｒａｌ
fourth,ｃｈａｐｔｅｒ ｉｓ ａｓchapter
central ｍｕｃｈ ａｂｏｕｔ
is ｙｏｕｎｇ
as much about
Ｖｉｃｔｏｒ
Victor ＷｉｎｄWind
ａｓ ｉｔasｉｓ itａｂｏｕｔ Ｔｉｍｏｆｅｙ．Timofey.
is about Ａｎｄ ｗｈｅｎ Ｐｎｉｎ
Andｂｅｇｉｎｓ
whenｗｒｉｔｉｎｇ
Pnin ｔｏ Ｖｉｃｔｏｒ，writing
begins ｈｅ to Vic
ｆｏｌｌｏｗｓ
follows ｈｉｓ his
ｆｉｒｓｔfirst
ｌｅｔｔｅｒletter
ｗｉｔｈ ＂ａwith
ｐｉｃｔｕｒｅ"a ｐｏｓｔｃａｒｄ
pictureｒｅｐｒｅｓｅｎｔｉｎｇ
postcard ｔｈｅ Ｇｒａｙ Ｓｑｕｉｒｒｅｌ．＂the Gray Sq
representing
ＩｔItｉｓ，
is,ｉｎinａ a
ｓｅｎｓｅ ｔｈａｔthat
sense Ｐｎｉｎ ｈｉｍｓｅｌｆ ｄｏｅｓ ｎｏｔ ｕｎｄｅｒｓｔａｎｄ，
Pnin himself does notＰｎｉｎ＇ｓ ｃａｌｌｉｎｇ ｃａｒｄ．
understand, （Ｔｈｅ
Pnin's calling ca
Ｇｒａｙ
GrayＳｑｕｉｒｒｅｌ， Ｓｃｉｕｒｕｓ
Squirrel, ｃａｒｏｌｉｎｅｎｓｉｓ，
Sciurus ｉｓ ｔｈｅ ｕｎｉｑｕｅｌｙ
carolinensis, is the Ａｍｅｒｉｃａｎ
uniquely ｓｑｕｉｒｒｅｌ． Ｍｉｇｈｔ squirrel. M
American
Ｐｎｉｎ＇ｓ
Pnin'sｓｑｕｉｒｒｅｌｓ， ｏｒ Ｐｎｉｎ
squirrels, ｈｉｍｓｅｌｆ，
or Pnin ｂｅｌｏｎｇ ｔｏbelong
himself, ａ ｓｐｅｃｉａｌtoＮａｂｏｋｏｖｉａｎ
a specialｓｕｂ－ｖａｒｉｅｔｙ，
Nabokovian sub-var
Ａｍｅｒｉｃａｎ－Ｒｕｓｓｉａｎ，
American-Russian,Ｃａｒｏｌｉｎａ Ｓｌａｖｓｋｙ—ｔｈｅ
Carolina ｎａｍｅ ｏｆ ａ name
Slavsky-the ｍｉｎｏｒ ｃｈａｒａｃｔｅｒ
of a minorｉｎ Ｐｎｉｎ？）
character in P
“Ｖｉｃｔｏｒ，”
"Victor,"ｗｅwe ａｒｅ are
ｔｏｌｄ，told,
＂ｗａｓ ｇｌａｄ
"was ｔｏ glad
ｌｅａｒｎ to
ｔｈａｔlearn
＇ｓｑｕｉｒｒｅｌ＇
thatｃａｍｅ ｆｒｏｍ ａ Ｇｒｅｅｋ
'squirrel' cameｗｏｒｄfrom a Gre
ｗｈｉｃｈ ｍｅａｎｔ ＇ｓｈａｄｏｗ－ｔａｉｌ．＇＂ Ｗｅ ｓｈａｌｌ ｒｅｔｕｒｎ ｌａｔｅｒ， ｆｒｓｔ ｔｏ Ｖｉｃｔｏｒ， ｔｈｅｎ
which meant 'shadow-tail.' " We shall return later, first to Victor, then to ｔｏ ｓｈａｄｏｗ－
ｔａｉｌ．
tail. Ｔｈｅ
Theｆｆｔｈ ｃｈａｐｔｅｒ
fifth ｂｅｇｉｎｓ begins
chapter ｗｉｔｈ Ｐｎｉｎwith
ｓｏｍｅｗｈｅｒｅ
Pninｉｎsomewhere
Ｎｅｗ Ｅｎｇｌａｎｄ， in
ｌｏｓｔ； ａｆｔｅｒEngland, los
New
ａ aｈｕｎｔｅｒ
hunterｆｉｒｅｓfires
ａｔ ａ ｓｑｕｉｒｒｅｌ ａｎｄ ｍｉｓｓｅｓ，
at a squirrel and Ｐｎｉｎ ｆｉｎｄｓ Pnin
misses, ｈｉｓ ｒｏａｄ． Ｔｈｅ his
finds ｓｉｘｔｈroad.
ｃｈａｐｔｅｒ
The sixth ch
ｃｏｎｔａｉｎｓ
containsｔｈｅthe
ｈｉｓｔｏｒｙ ｏｆ Ｃｉｎｄｅｒｅｌｌａ＇ｓ
history ｓｈｏｅｓ， ｗｈｉｃｈ
of Cinderella's ｗｅ ｈａｖｅ
shoes, whichａｌｒｅａｄｙ ｍｅｎｔｉｏｎｅｄ；
we have already menti
Ｐｎｉｎ ｄｅｍｏｎｓｔｒａｔｅｓ ｔｈａｔ ｔｈｅｙ ｗｅｒｅ ｏｒｉｇｉｎａｌｌｙ ｍａｄｅ ｆｒｏｍ Ｒｕｓｓｉａｎ
Pnin demonstrates that they were originally made from Russian ｓｑｕｉｒｒｅｌ ｆｕｒ． squirr
Ｔｈｅ
Theｓｅｖｅｎｔｈ， ｌａｓｔ ｃｈａｐｔｅｒ
seventh, ｃｏｎｔａｉｎｓcontains
last chapter ｔｈｅ ｎａｒｒａｔｏｒ＇ｓ ｇｌｉｍｐｓｅ ｏｆ ｙｏｕｎｇ
the narrator's Ｐｎｉｎ＇ｓ of
glimpse Ｒｕｓ－young Pnin
ｓｉａｎ
sianｓｃｈｏｏｌｒｏｏｍ， ｗｈｅｒｅ where
schoolroom, ａ ｓｔｕｆｆｅｄa stuffed
ｓｑｕｉｒｒｅｌ ｓｔａｎｄｓ ａｍｏｎｇstands
squirrel ｔｈｅ ｔｏｙｓamong
ａｎｄ ｂｏｏｋｓ．
the toys and boo
Ｖｉｃｔｏｒ，
Victor,Ｌｉｚａ＇ｓ ｓｏｎ son
Liza's ｂｙ Ｅｒｉｃ
byＷｉｎｄ ｗｈｉｌｅ
Eric ｓｈｅ ｗａｓ
Wind ｓｔｉｌｌshe
while Ｍｒｓ．was
Ｐｎｉｎ，still
ｉｓ ａｓｓｏｃｉａｔｅｄ ｗｉｔｈ is associat
Mrs. Pnin,
ｇｌａｓｓ，
glass,ｆｏｒfor
ｈｅ ｉｓ，
heｔｈｅｍａｔｉｃａｌｌｙ， ｔｈｅ ｌａｔｅｒ the
is, thematically, ｖｅｒｓｉｏｎ ｏｆ Ｃｉｎｄｅｒｅｌｌａ＇ｓ
later version of ｓｌｉｐｐｅｒ． Ｇｌａｓｓ ｃａｎ slipper. G
Cinderella's
ｒｅｆｅｃｔ ａｎｄ and
reflect ｒｅｆｒａｃｔ ｅｖｅｎｔｓ， events,
refract ａｓ ｗｅｌｌ ａｓasｓｈａｄｏｗ
well ｔｈｅｍ， ａｎｄ ａｌｌ them,
as shadow ｏｆ Ｖｉｃｔｏｒ＇ｓ
andｐａｉｎｔｉｎｇ
all of Victor's p
ａｎｄ
andｄｒａｗｉｎｇ ｉｓ ｃｏｎｃｅｒｎｅｄ
drawing ｗｉｔｈ ｏｐｔｉｃａｌ
is concerned with ｅｆｆｅｃｔｓ； ｆｏｒeffects;
optical ｉｎｓｔａｎｃｅ， for
ｈｅ ｓｐｅｎｄｓ ｍｕｃｈ ｔｉｍｅ
instance, he spends mu
ｏｂｓｅｒｖｉｎｇ
observingｔｈｅ ａｐｐｅａｒａｎｃｅ ｏｆ ｖａｒｉｏｕｓofｏｂｊｅｃｔｓ
the appearance ｔｈｒｏｕｇｈ
various ｔｈｅ ｄｉｓｔｏｒｔｉｏｎ
objects throughｏｆthe
ａ ｇｌａｓｓ ｏｆ
distortion of a
ｗａｔｅｒ．
water.Ｏｎｅ One
ｏｆ ｈｉｓofａｎｃｅｓｔｏｒｓ ｗａｓ ＂ａ ｓｔａｉｎｅｄ－ｇｌａｓｓ
his ancestors ａｒｔｉｓｔ ｉｎ Ｌｉｌｂｅｃｋ．＂
was "a stained-glass Ｖｉｃｔｏｒ，
artist in ａｔ Ｓｔ．
Liibeck." Victor
Ｂａｒｔ＇ｓ，
Bart's,ｌｅａｒｎｓ ｆｒｏｍfrom
learns Ｌａｋｅ， ｈｉｓ ａｒｔ ｔｅａｃｈｅｒ，
Lake, his art ｔｈａｔ
teacher, that

ｔｈｅtheｏｒｄｅｒ ｏｆ ｔｈｅofｓｏｌａｒ
order the ｓｐｅｃｔｒｕｍ ｉｓ ｎｏｔ ａ ｃｌｏｓｅｄ
solar spectrum ｃｉｒｃｌｅ
is not ｂｕｔ ａ ｓｐｉｒａｌ
a closed ｏｆ but
circle ｔｉｎｔｓaｆｒｏｍ
spiral of tint
ｃａｄｍｉｕｍ
cadmium ｒｅｄ ａｎｄ
redｏｒａｎｇｅｓ ｔｈｒｏｕｇｈ ａ through
and oranges ｓｔｒｏｎｔｉａｎ ｙｅｌｌｏｗ ａｎｄ ａ ｐａｌｅyellow
a strontian ｐａｒａｄｉｓａｌ
and a pale p
ｇｒｅｅｎ
greenｔｏ ｃｏｂａｌｔ ｂｌｕｅｓ blues
to cobalt ａｎｄ ｖｉｏｌｅｔｓ， ａｔ ｗｈｉｃｈ at
and violets, ｐｏｉｎｔ ｔｈｅ ｓｅｑｕｅｎｃｅ
which point ｄｏｅｓ
the ｎｏｔ ｇｒａｄｅ
sequence
does not
ｎｔｏ ｒｅｄ ａｇａｉｎ ｂｕｔ ｐａｓｓｅｓ ｉｎｔｏ ａｎｏｔｈｅｒ ｓｐｉｒａｌ， ｗｈｉｃｈ ｓｔａｒｔｓ ｗｉｔｈ ａ ｋｉｎｄ ｏｆ ｌａｖｅｎ－
into red again but passes into another spiral, which starts with a kind o
ｄｅｒ
derｇｒａｙ ａｎｄ and
gray ｇｏｅｓ goes
ｏｎ ｔｏ on
Ｃｉｎｄｅｒｅｌｌａ ｓｈａｄｅｓ ｔｒａｎｓｃｅｎｄｉｎｇ
to Cinderella ｈｕｍａｎ ｐｅｒｃｅｐｔｉｏｎ．
shades transcending human percepti
Ｐｎｉｎ
Pninａｐｐｒｏａｃｈｅｓ
approachesｔｈｅ
theＣｉｎｄｅｒｅｌｌａ
Cinderella ｔａｌｅ ｔｈｒｏｕｇｈ ｈｉｓｔｏｒｙ
tale through historyａｎｄ
andｌｅｇｅｎｄｓ；
legends; Ｖｉｃｔｏｒ
Victor ａｐ－
ap-
ｐｒｏａｃｈｅｓ
proachesｔｈｅ
theｓａｍｅ
sameｍａｔｅｒｉａｌ ｔｈｒｏｕｇｈ
material ａｒｔ，art,ａｎｄand
through ｅｖｅｎｔｕａｌｌｙ ｓｅｎｄｓ
eventually ＰｎｉｎPnin
sends ａ ｂｅａｕｔｉｆｕｌ
a beautiful
ｐｕｎｃｈ－ｂｏｗｌ
punch-bowlｏｆ of
ａｑｕａｍａｒｉｎｅ ｇｌａｓｓ．
aquamarine ＯｎｅOne
glass. ｏｆ Ｐｎｉｎ＇ｓ ｇｕｅｓｔｓ，
of Pnin's ａｄｍｉｒｉｎｇ
guests, ｔｈｉｓthis
admiring ｇｉｆｔ，gift,
ａｌｓｏalso
ｕｓｅｓ
usesｔｈｅ
theＣｉｎｄｅｒｅｌｌａ
Cinderellaｄｅｓｃｒｉｐｔｉｏｎ：“ｗｈｅｎ
description: "when ｓｈｅshe
ｗａｓwas
ａ ｃｈｉｌｄ， ｓｈｅ she
a child, ｉｍａｇｉｎｅｄ Ｃｉｎｄｅｒｅｌｌａ＇ｓ
imagined Cinderella's
ｇｌａｓｓ
glass ｓｈｏｅｓ
shoes ｔｏ
to ｂｅ
beｅｘａｃｔｌｙ
exactlyｏｆofｔｈａｔ
thatｇｒｅｅｎｉｓｈ
greenishｂｌｕｅ ｔｉｎｔ．＂
blue tint."Ｔｈｅｓｅ
Theseｗｏｒｄｓ ｐｒｏｍｐｔ
words Ｐｎｉｎ＇ｓPnin's
prompt
ｄｉｓｃｕｓｓｉｏｎ
discussionｏｆofＣｉｎｄｅｒｅｌｌａ＇ｓ
Cinderella'sｓｈｏｅｓ．
shoes.Ｓｑｕｉｒｒｅｌ，
Squirrel,ｇｌａｓｓ，
glass,ｗｅweｈａｖｅ
haveｃｏｍｅ ｆｕｌｌfull
come ｃｉｎｃｌｅ ａｇａｉｎ．
circle again.

ＩｔIt ｓｈｏｕｌｄ
shouldｂｅbeｍａｄｅ
madeｃｌｅａｒ ａｔatｔｈｉｓ
clear thisｐｏｉｎｔ ｔｈａｔ
point ｓｑｕｉｒｒｅｌｓ
that ａｒｅareｎｏｔnot
squirrels ｓｙｍｂｏｌｓ ｆｏｒ for
symbols Ｐｎｉｎ，Pnin,
ｓｈｏｒｔｈａｎｄ
shorthandｔｏtoｒｅｐｒｅｓｅｎｔ
representｈｉｍ， ｏｒ or
him, ｒｅｄｕｃｔｉｏｎｓ ｏｆ of
reductions ｈｉｍ， ｂｕｔbut
him, ｏｎｌｙonly
ｔｈｅｍｅｓ ａｓｓｏｃｉａｔｅｄ
themes associated
ｗｉｔｈ
withｈｉｍ．
him.Ｎａｂｏｋｏｖ＇ｓ
Nabokov'sｍｅｔｈｏｄ
methodｏｆ of
ａｓｓｏｃｉａｔｉｏｎａｌ
associational ｃｒｏｓｓ－ｒｅｆｅｒｅｎｃｅｓ，＂ｎｏｔ
cross-references, "not ｔｅｘｔ
text ｂｕｔ
but
ｔｅｘｔｕｒｅ，＂
texture,"ｉｓisｕｎｉｑｕｅｌｙ
uniquelyｎｏｎ－ｒｅｄｕｃｔｉｖｅ， ｎｏｎ－ｌｅｖｅｌｌｉｎｇ．
non-reductive, Ｉｆ ｏｎｅ If
non-levelling. ｔｈｉｎｇ
oneｃａｎ ｂｅ ｒｅｄｕｃｅｄ
thing can be reduced
ｔｏtoａｎｏｔｈｅｒ，
another,ｔｈｅｎ ｔｈｅ the
then ｆｒｓｔfirst
ｉｔｅｍ ｈａｓ
itemｎｏhas
ｉｎｄｅｐｅｎｄｅｎｔ ｖａｌｕｅ； ｉｆ value;
no independent ｏｎｅ ｔｈｉｎｇ ｓｔａｎｄｓ
if one ｆｏｒ stands for
thing
ａｎｏｔｈｅｒ，
another,ｔｈｅｎ ｔｈｅ the
then ｓｙｓｔｅｍ ｉｓ ｉｔｓｅｌｆ
system ｕｎｎｅｃｅｓｓａｒｙ．
is itself Ｎａｂｏｋｏｖ Nabokov
unnecessary. ｃｌｅａｒｌｙ ｏｂｊｅｃｔｓ ｔｏ objects
clearly ａｌｌ ｒｅ－ to all re-

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 ＣＨＡＲＬＥＳ
CHARLESＮ１ＣＯＬ！ ＩＰＮｉＮ＇ｓ Ｈ１ＳＴＯＲＹHISTORY 201
NICOLIPNIN'S ２０１

ｄｕｃｔｉｖｅ
ductiveｓｙｓｔｅｍｓ， ｐａｒｔｉｃｕｌａｒｌｙ particularly
systems, Ｆｒｅｕｄｉａｎ ａｎｄ Ｍａｒｘｉａｎ，Freudian
ｔｈａｔ ｔｒｅａｔ ａｒｔand
ａｓ ｓｏｕｒｃｅ
Marxian, t
ｍａｔｅｒｉａｌ
materialｆｏｒ ｉｄｅａｓ，
for ｄｅｎｙｉｎｇ ｃｒｅａｔｉｏｎ
ideas, ｉｔｓ ｅｓｓｅｎｔｉａｌ
denying ｄｉｇｎｉｔｙ．
creation its essential dignity.
Ｎａｂｏｋｏｖ
Nabokovｉｎｖｅｓｔｉｇａｔｅｓ ｅｖｅｎｔｓ ｎｏｔ ｉｎ ｔｈｅｉｒ
investigates ｒｅｄｕｃｔｉｏｎ
events not ｔｏ ａinｈｉｄｄｅｎ ｓｉｍｐｌｉｃｉｔｙ，
their ｂｕｔ
reduction to a
ｉｎinｔｈｅｉｒ ｈｉｄｄｅｎ ｃｏｍｐｌｅｘｉｔｙ． Ｄｒｕｎｋ ｏｎ Ｐｎｉｎ＇ｓ ｐｕｎｃｈ， ｏｎｅ
their hidden complexity. Drunk on Pnin's punch, one ｏｆ ｔｈｅ ｇｕｅｓｔｓ ａｔ Ｐｎｉｎ＇ｓ
ｐａｒｔｙ
partyａｓｋｓ ｉｔasks
ｔｈｉｓ ｗａｙ：＂Ｂｕｔ
it this ｄｏｎ＇ｔ ｙｏｕ ｔｈｉｎｋ—ｈａｗ—ｔｈａｔ
way: "But don't ｗｈａｔyou
ｈｅ ｉｓ think-haw-th
ｔｒｙｉｎｇ ｔｏ
ｄｏ—ｈａｗ—ｐｒａｃｔｉｃａｌｌｙ
do-haw-practicallyｉｎ ａｌｌ ｈｉｓ ｎｏｖｅｌｓ－ｈａｗ—ｉｓ－ｈａｗ—ｔｏ ｅｘｐｒｅｓｓ ｔｈｅ ｆａｎｔａｓｔｉｃ
in all his novels-haw-is-haw-to e
ｒｅｃｕｒｒｅｎｃｅ ｏｆ ｃｅｒｔａｉｎof
recurrence ｓｉｔｕａｔｉｏｎｓ？＂Ｔｈｉｓ ｃａｌｌｓ ｔｏ ｍｉｎｄ Ｎａｂｏｋｏｖ＇ｓ
certain situations?" Thisｄｉｓｃｕｓｓｉｏｎ
calls （ｉｎ
to mind
ｈｉｓ
hisａｕｔｏｂｉｏｇｒａｐｈｙ） ｏｆ ｈｉｓ ｔｗｏ ｍｅｍｏｒｉｅｓ
autobiography) of hisｐｆ two
Ｇｅｎｅｒａｌmemories
Ｋｕｒｏｐａｔｋｉｎ， ａｎｄof
ｈｏｗGeneral
ｔｈｅｓｅ Kur
ｍｅｍｏｒｉｅｓ
memoriesａｒｅ ｂｏｔｈ are
ａｓｓｏｃｉａｔｅｄ
both ｗｉｔｈassociated
ｓｕｌｆｕｒ ｍａｔｃｈｅｓ．with
＂Ｗｈａｔ sulfur
ｐｌｅａｓｅｓ ｍｅ，＂matches.
Ｎａｂｏｋｏｖ "Wh
ｗｒｏｔｅ，“ｉｓ
wrote,ｔｈｅ"is ｅｖｏｌｕｔｉｏｎ ｏｆ ｔｈｅ ｍａｔｃｈ ｔｈｅｍｅ”—ａｎｄ
the evolution of the ｔｈｅｎ ｃｏｍｅｓ ｏｎｅ
match ｏｆ ｔｈｅ ｏｒｇａ－
theme"-and then
ｎｉｚｉｎｇ ｐｒｉｎｃｉｐｌｅｓ
nizing ｏｆ ｈｉｓ ａｒｔ：＂Ｔｈｅ
principles of hisｆｏｌｌｏｗｉｎｇ
art:ｏｆ"The
ｓｕｃｈ ｔｈｅｍａｔｉｃ ｄｅｓｉｇｎｓ ｔｈｒｏｕｇｈ
following of such them
ｏｎｅ＇ｓ
one'sｌｉｆｅ life
ｓｈｏｕｌｄ should
ｂｅ， Ｉ ｔｈｉｎｋ，be,
ｔｈｅ ｔｒｕｅ ｐｕｒｐｏｓｅ ｏｆthe
I think, ａｕｔｏｂｉｏｇｒａｐｈｙ．＂１
true purpose
autobiog Ｆｏｌｌｏｗｉｎｇ ｓｕｃｈ
of
ｄｅｓｉｇｎｓ
designsｉｓ ａｌｓｏisｆｏｒalso
Ｎａｂｏｋｏｖfor
ａ ｒａｔｉｏｎａｌｅ
Nabokov ｏｆ ｆｉｃｔｉｏｎ， ａｎｄ ｔｈｅ ｒｅｌａｔｉｏｎｓｈｉｐ
a rationale
and the ｏｆ Ｔｉｍｏｆｅｙ
of fiction,
ａｎｄ Ｖｉｃｔｏｒ ｍａｙ ｂｅ ｏｂｌｉｑｕｅｌｙ ｄｅｓｃｒｉｂｅｄ ａｓ ｔｈｅ ｅｖｏｌｕｔｉｏｎ ｏｆ ｔｈｅ Ｃｉｎｄｅｒｅｌｌａ＇ｓ ｓｌｉｐ－
and Victor may be obliquely described as the evolution o
ｐｅｒ ｔｈｅｍｅ．
per theme.
ＷｅWeｍａｙmayｎｏｔｅ
noteｉｎin ｐａｓｓｉｎｇ ｔｈａｔtheｔｈｅCinderella
passing that Ｃｉｎｄｅｒｅｌｌａ ｍｏｔｉｆ
motif ａｐｐａｒｅｎｔｌｙ
apparently ｆａｓｃｉｎａｔｅｓ
fascinates Na- Ｎａ－
ｂｏｋｏｖ，
bokov, ｆｏｒ
for Ｃｉｎｄｅｒｅｌｌａ ｓｔｏｒｉｅｓareａｒｅ
Cinderella stories ｈｉｄｄｅｎ
hidden in atｉｎleast
ａｔ ｌｅａｓｔ ｔｗｏ novels.
two other ｏｔｈｅｒ ｎｏｖｅｌｓ．
In Bend Ｉｎ Ｂｅｎｄ
Ｓｉｎｉｓｔｅｒ， Ｍａｒｉｅｔｔｅ， ｔｈｅ ａｍｏｒａｌ ｇｉｒｌ ｗｈｏ ｓｐｉｅｓ ｏｎ Ｋｒｕｇ， ｋｅｅｐｓ ｈｏｕｓｅ
Sinister, Mariette, the amoral girl who spies on Krug, keeps house for him, ｆｏｒ and
ｈｉｍ， ａｎｄ
ｎｅａｒｌｙ
nearly ｂｅｃｏｍｅｓ
becomes ｈｉｓ ｍｉｓｔｒｅｓｓ，is ｉｓ
his mistress, theｔｈｅ ｙｏｕｎｇｅｓｔ
youngest ｏｆ three
of the ｔｈｅ ｔｈｒｅｅ Ｂａｃｈｏｆｅｎ
Bachofen ｓｉｓｔｅｒｓ．
sisters. A Ａ
ｙｏｕｎｇ
youngｐｏｌｉｃｅｍａｎ ｏｎｃｅ calls
policeman once ｃａｌｌｓherｈｅｒ
by ｂｙ ＂ａ ｓｅｃｒｅｔ
"a secret ｄｉｍｉｎｕｔｉｖｅ
diminutive which ｗｈｉｃｈ ｎｏｎｅ ｋｎｅｗ，
none knew, which ｗｈｉｃｈ
ｈｅhe ｈａｄ ｓｏｍｅｈｏｗ ｄｉｖｉｎｅｄ．” Ｔｈａｔ ｄｉｍｉｎｕｔｉｙｅ ｉｓ ＂Ｃｉｎ．＂＂ Ｉｎ Ａｄａ ｔｈｅｒｅ ａｒｅ
had somehow divined." That diminutive is "Cin."2 In Ada there are numerousｎｕｍｅｒｏｕｓ
Ｃｉｎｄｅｒｅｌｌａ ｒｅｆｅｒｅｎｃｅｓ：inｉｎtheｔｈｅgarbled
Cinderella references: ｇａｒｂｌｅｄplayｐｌａｙ ｏｆ ｔｈｅ
of the ｓｅｃｏｎｄ
second ｃｈａｐｔｅｒ
chapter ｔｈｅ ｓｅｒｖａｎｔ
the servant girls ｇｉｒｌｓ
ａｒｅ
are ｄｅｓｃｒｉｂｅｄ
described ａｓ “Ｃｉｎｄｅｒｅｌｌａｓ”；
as "Cinderellas"; the ｔｈｅ ｃｕｒｔａｉｎ
curtain fallsｆａｌｌｓ
with ｗｉｔｈ ａｎ ａｃｔｏｒ
an actor ＂ｈｏｌｄｉｎｇ
"holding ｔｈｅ ｇｌａｓｓ
the glass
ｓｌｉｐｐｅｒ．” Ａｎｄthe
slipper." And ｔｈｅservant
ｓｅｒｖａｎｔgirl
ｇｉｒｌ Ｂｌａｎｃｈｅ
Blanche ｉｓ ｔｈｒｏｕｇｈｏｕｔ
is throughout AdaＡｄａ ｄｅｓｃｒｉｂｅｄ
described ａｓ Ｃｉｎｄｅｒｅｌｌａ
as Cinderella
ｏｒor ＂Ｃｅｎｄｒｉｌｌｏｎ．＂ Ｏｎｃｅ"she
"Cendrillon." Once ＂ｓｈｅ ｒｕｓｈｅｄ
rushed ｄｏｗｎ
down theｔｈｅ ｃｏｒｒｉｄｏｒ
corridor ａｎｄ aｌｏｓｔ
and lost ａ ｍｉｎｉｖｅｒ－ｔｒｉｍｍｅｄ
miniver-trimmed
ｓｌｉｐｐｅｒ ｏｎ the
slipper on ｔｈｅ grand
ｇｒａｎｄ staircase,
ｓｔａｉｒｃａｓｅ，likeｌｉｋｅ Ａｓｈｅｔｔｅ
Ashette ｉｎ English
in the ｔｈｅ Ｅｎｇｌｉｓｈ ｖｅｒｓｉｏｎ，＂
version."3 She is,Ｓｈｅ
of ｉｓ， ｏｆ
ｃｏｕｒｓｅ， ａｎｏｔｈｅｒ totally
course, another ｔｏｔａｌｌｙfalse
ｆａｌｓｅ Ｃｉｎｄｅｒｅｌｌａ：
Cinderella: ｓｈｅ ｓｕｆｆｅｒｓ
she suffers fromｆｒｏｍ ｖｅｎｅｒｅａｌ
venereal ｄｉｓｅａｓｅｓ
diseases and ａｎｄ
ｅｖｅｎｔｕａｌｌｙ ｍａｒｒｉｅｓa ａman
eventually marries ｍａｎnamed
ｎａｍｅｄFartukov.
Ｆａｒｔｕｋｏｖ．
ＩｓIs ｔｈｅｒｅ
there ａa Cinderella
Ｃｉｎｄｅｒｅｌｌａstory
ｓｔｏｒｙinｉｎPnin?
Ｐｎｉｎ？IfＩｆso,ｓｏ，it isｉｔnot
ｉｓ aｎｏｔparody
ａ ｐａｒｏｄｙ
as inａｓ ｉｎ Ｂｅｎｄ
Bend Ｓｉｎｉｓｔｅｒ
Sinister
ａｎｄ
andＡｄａ，
Ada,ｂｕｔ
butａa ｔｒａｎｓｆｉｇｕｒａｔｉｏｎ． Ｉｎmost
transfiguration. In ｍｏｓｔ older
ｏｌｄｅｒversions
ｖｅｒｓｉｏｎｓofｏｆtheｔｈｅCinderella
Ｃｉｎｄｅｒｅｌｌａ
tale,ｔａｌｅ，
Ｃｉｎｄｅｒｅｌｌａ
Cinderella isｉｓbefriended
ｂｅｆｒｉｅｎｄｅｄnotｎｏｔbyｂｙa fairy
ａ ｆａｉｒｙ ｇｏｄｍｏｔｈｅｒbutｂｕｔ
godmother by ｂｙ ａ ｈｅｌｐｆｕｌ
a helpful ａｎｉｍａｌ，
animal, whichｗｈｉｃｈ
ｆｒｅｑｕｅｎｔｌｙ
frequently ｈａｓhas ｔｏ ｂｅ killed
to be ｋｉｌｌｅｄfor
ｆｏｒitsｉｔｓmagic
ｍａｇｉｃto ｔｏtakeｔａｋｅ ｅｆｆｅｃｔ．＇
effect.' PninＰｎｉｎ ｉｓ ｉｎｄｅｅｄ
is indeed ｂｅｆｒｉｅｎｄｅｄ
befriended
ｂｙbyａa ｓｅｒｉｅｓ ｏｆ ｕｎｃａｎｎｙ ｓｑｕｉｒｒｅｌｓ ｉｎ ｔｈｅ ｎｏｖｅｌ， ｈｅ ｍａｋｅｓ ｔｈｅ ｎｅｃｅｓｓａｒｙ
series of uncanny squirrels in the novel, he makes the necessary sacrificial ｓａｃｒｉｆｃｉａｌ
ｃｏｎｎｅｃｔｉｏｎ
connection ｉｎ in ｈｉｓ ｒａｔｈｅｒ far-fetched
his rather ｆａｒ－ｆｅｔｃｈｅｄ insistence
ｉｎｓｉｓｔｅｎｃｅthat ｔｈａｔtheｔｈｅfurｆｕｒof ｏｆCinderella's
Ｃｉｎｄｅｒｅｌｌａ＇ｓ ｓｌｉｐｐｅｒｓ
slippers
ｗａｓ
wasｓｑｕｉｒｒｅｌ ｆｕｒ， and
squirrel fur, ａｎｄ heｈｅ possesses
ｐｏｓｓｅｓｓｅｓ"frail-looking,
＂ｆｒａｉｌ－ｌｏｏｋｉｎｇ， ａｌｍｏｓｔ
almost ｆｅｍｉｎｉｎｅ
feminine ｆｅｅｔ．＂
feet." Ｗｅ ａｌｓｏ
We also
ｉｄｅｎｔｉｆｙ ｗｉｔｈ him
identify with ｈｉｍ in
ｉｎ his
ｈｉｓfrequent
ｆｒｅｑｕｅｎｔhumiliations
ｈｕｍｉｌｉａｔｉｏｎｓ ｉｎ same
in the ｔｈｅ ｓａｍｅ ｗａｙidentify
way we ｗｅ ｉｄｅｎｔｉｆｙ
with ｗｉｔｈ
Ｃｉｎｄｅｒｅｌｌａ ｉｎ the
Cinderella in ｔｈｅashes.
ａｓｈｅｓ．ButＢｕｔthisｔｈｉｓ ｓｅｅｍｓ
seems ｉｎａｄｅｑｕａｔｅ
inadequate ｅｖｉｄｅｎｃｅ．
evidence. Ｔｈｉｓ ｂｒｉｎｇｓ
This brings ｕｓ ｔｏ ｔｈｅ
us to the
ｐｏｓｓｉｂｉｌｉｔｙ ｔｈａｔVictor
possibility that Ｖｉｃｔｏｒisｉｓtheｔｈｅ"male
“ｍａｌｅ Ｃｉｎｄｅｒｅｌｌａ．”
Cinderella." Ｔｈｅ famous
The most ｍｏｓｔ Ｆａｍｏｕｓ ｖｅｒｓｉｏｎ
version of Cin-ｏｆ Ｃｉｎ－
ｄｅｒｅｌｌａ，＂Ｃｅｎｄｒｉｌｌｏｎ＂ ｂｙ Perrault,
derella, "Cendrillon" by Ｐｅｒｒａｕｌｔ， isｉｓthe
ｔｈｅversion
ｖｅｒｓｉｏｎthat
ｔｈａｔ Ｐｎｉｎdiscusses
Pnin ｄｉｓｃｕｓｓｅｓ ａｔ party.
at his ｈｉｓ ｐａｒｔｙ．
Ｐｅｒｒａｕｌｔ
Perrault ｉｎｔｒｏｄｕｃｅｓ ｔｈｅ glass
introduces the ｇｌａｓｓslipper
ｓｌｉｐｐｅｒto ｔｏ
theｔｈｅ ｓｔｏｒｙ，
story, and ａｎｄ Ｐｎｉｎ＇ｓ
Pnin's guessｇｕｅｓｓ ｔｈａｔcon-
that he ｈｅ ｃｏｎ－
１1５ｐｅｎｋ， Ｍｅｍｏｒｙ： Ａｎ
Speak, Memory: An Ａｕｔｏｂｉｏｇｒａｐｈｙ
Autobiography Ｒｅｎｌｓｉｔｅｄ （ＮｅｗYork,
Revisited (New Ｙｏｒｋ．1966),
Ｉ９６６）， ｐ． ２７．
p. 27.
2Ｂｅｎｄ
BendＳｉｎｉｓｔｅｒ
Sinister （Ｎｅｗ
(New Ｙｏｒｋ， １９６４），p.ｐ．
York, 1964), １８６．
186.
＇Ａｄｎ
3 Ada（Ｎｅｗ
(NewＹｏｒｋ，
York, １９６９）．
1969), p.Ｐ． １１４．
114.
１4Marian
Ｍａｔｉａｎ Roalfe
Ｒｏａｌｆｅ Cox,
Ｃｏｘ，Cinderella
Ｃｉｎｄｅｒｅｌｌａ （Ｌｏｎｄｏｎ，１８０３）．
(London, ｐａｓｓｉｍ．
1893), passim.

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２０２
202 NOVELＳＰＲＩＮＧ
ＮＯＶＥＬ｜ SPRING１９７１
1971

ｆｕｓｅｄ
fusedｖａｉｒ vair
ａｎｄ ｖｅｒｒｅand
ｉｓ ａｃｃｅｐｔｅｄ
verreｓｃｈｏｌａｒｓｈｉｐ．＂
is acceptedＶｉｃｔｏｒ，scholarship.5
ａｓ ｗｅ ｈａｖｅ ｓａｉｄ， ｉｓVictor,
ａｓｓｏｃｉａｔｅｄ as we ha
ｗｉｔｈ
with ｇｌａｓｓ，glass,
ａｎｄ ｃｏｎｓｅｑｕｅｎｔｌｙ ｗｉｔｈ ｔｈｉｓ ｖｅｒｓｉｏｎ with
and consequently ｏｆ ｔｈｅ ｔａｌｅ．
thisＰｅｒｒａｕｌｔ＇ｓ
version ｖｅｒｓｉｏｎ ａｌｓｏ tale. Per
of the
ｉｎｃｌｕｄｅｓ
includes ｔｈｅ ｆａｉｒｙ
theｇｏｄｍｏｔｈｅｒ， ａｎｄ ｔｏ ｓｏｍｅ ｅｘｔｅｎｔand
fairy godmother, Ｐｎｉｎ ｆｌｌｓ ｔｈｉｓ ｒｏｌｅextent
to some ｆｏｒ Ｖｉｃｔｏｒ—
Pnin fills t
ｈｅheｍａｙmay
ａｌｓｏ ｂｅalso
ｔｈｅ ｆａｉｒｙ－ｔａｌｅ
be the ｐｒｉｎｃｅ， ｓｉｎｃｅ ｉｎprince,
fairy-tale Ｖｉｃｔｏｒ＇ｓ ｄｒｅａｍ
sinceＰｎｉｎ in
ｉｓ ｔｈｅ Ｋｉｎｇ． dream
Victor's
Ｆｕｒｔｈｅｒ，
Further,Ｖｉｃｔｏｒ Victor
ｉｓ ｋｅｐｔ ａｔ is
Ｓｔ．kept
Ｂａｒｔ＇ｓ at
ｆｏｒ St.
ａ ｄａｙBart's
ｏｆ ｈｉｓ ｖａｃａｔｉｏｎ
for aａｓday
ｐｕｎｉｓｈｍｅｎｔ
of hisｆｏｒ vacation
ｓｍｏｋｉｎｇ；
smoking;ｔｅｌｌｔａｌｅtelltale
ａｓｈｅｓ ｈａｄ ashes
ｂｅｅｎ ｆｏｕｎｄ
hadｉｎ ｔｈｅ
beenａｔｔｉｃ， ａｎｄ ａｓｈｅｓ
found inａｒｅ
theＣｉｎｄｅｒｅｌｌａ＇ｓ
attic, and ashe
ｔｒａｄｅｍａｒｋ．
trademark. Ｂｕｔ ａｇａｉｎ，Butｉｔ ｉｓagain,
ｄａｎｇｅｒｏｕｓitｔｏisｐｒｅｓｓ ｔｈｅ ｃａｓｅ ｆｏｒ to
dangerous Ｖｉｃｔｏｒ ａｓ Ｃｉｎｄｅｒｅｌｌａ
press the case for V
ｔｏｏtoo
ｆａｒ，far.
Ｉｔ ｉｓ It
ｃｌｅａｒis ｔｈａｔ ｗｅ ｄｏthat
clear ｎｏｔ ｈａｖｅ
we ａｎ do
ｅｓｐｅｃｉａｌｌｙ ｓｔｒｏｎｇ ｃａｓｅ
not have an ｆｏｒ ｅｉｔｈｅｒ Ｐｎｉｎ ｏｒstrong cas
especially
Ｖｉｃｔｏｒ
Victor ａｓ Ｃｉｎｄｅｒｅｌｌａ； ｗｈａｔ ｗｅ ｄｏ what
as Cinderella; ｈａｖｅ ｉｓ weａ ｓｕｂｓｔａｎｔｉａｌ
do have ｃｏｍｐａｒｉｓｏｎ ｏｆ ｅａｒｌｙ ａｎｄ compar
is a substantial
ｌａｔｅ
lateａｒｔｉｆａｃｔｓ ｏｆ ｔｈｅ Ｃｉｎｄｅｒｅｌｌａ
artifacts of the ｔａｌｅ， ｗｉｔｈ ｔｈｅ ｒｅｐｒｅｓｅｎｔａｔｉｖｅｓ
Cinderella tale, withｏｆthe
ｔｈｅ ｔｗｏ ｖｅｒｓｉｏｎｓ
representatives
ｔｒａｄｉｎｇ
tradingｅｍｂｌｅｍｓ； Ｐｎｉｎ ｓｅｎｄｓ Pnin
emblems: Ｖｉｃｔｏｒ ａsends
ｃａｒｄ ｗｉｔｈ ａ ｓｑｕｉｒｒｅｌ
Victor ｏｎ ｉｔ， with
a card ｗｈｉｌｅ Ｖｉｃｔｏｒ
a squirrel on
ｓｅｎｄｓ
sendsＰｎｉｎ Pnin
ａ ｇｌａｓｓ aｐｕｎｃｈ－ｂｏｗｌ ｏｆ ＂Ｃｉｎｄｅｒｅｌｌａ＂ ｃｏｌｏｒ．
glass punch-bowl Ｗｅ ｄｏ ｎｏｔ ｈａｖｅ ｔｈｅcolor.
of "Cinderella" ｅｖｏｌｕ－ We do n
ｔｉｏｎ
tionｏｆ ａof
ｓｔｏｒｙ， ｂｕｔ ｔｈｅ ｅｖｏｌｕｔｉｏｎ
a story, but the ｏｆ ａevolution
ｔｈｅｍｅ ｉｎ ｔｈａｔ of
ｓｔｏｒｙ．
a theme in that story.

Ｔｈｅ
Theｃａｒｄcard
ｔｈａｔ Ｐｎｉｎ
thatｓｅｎｄｓPnin
Ｖｉｃｔｏｒ，sends
ｃａｒｅｆｕｌｌｙ ｃｈｏｓｅｎ ｆｒｏｍ＂ａｎ
Victor, ｅｄｕｃａｔｉｏｎａｌ
carefully ｓｅｒｉｅｓ from
chosen "an
ｄｅｐｉｃｔｉｎｇ
depicting Ｏｕｒ
Our Ｍａｍｍａｌｓ
Mammals ａｎｄand
Ｂｉｒｄｓ，＂
Birds,"ｔｅｌｌｓ ｕｓ that
tells us ｔｈａｔ＂ｓｑｕｉｒｒｅｌ＂ ｃｏｍｅｓ from
"squirrel" comes ｆｒｏｍ ｔｈｅ
the
Ｇｒｅｅｋ
Greek for "shadow-tail." The Greek for shadow is skia. We know from Pale Ｆｉｒｅ
ｆｏｒ ＂ｓｈａｄｏｗ－ｔａｉｌ．＂ Ｔｈｅ Ｇｒｅｅｋ ｆｏｒ ｓｈａｄｏｗ ｉｓ ｓｋｉａ．Ｗｅ ｋｎｏｗ ｆｒｏｍ Ｐａｌｅ Fire
ｔｈｅ
theｉｍｐｏｒｔａｎｃｅ
importanceｔｏ to
Ｎａｂｏｋｏｖ ｏｆ Ｓｈａｄｅ
Nabokov ａｎｄ Ｓｈａｄｏｗ；
of Shade ｉｔ ｉｓ itｔｈｅｒｅｆｏｒｅ
and Shadow; ｆｉｔｔｉｎｇ
is therefore ｔｈａｔ，that,
fitting
ｊｕｓｔ
justａｓ
as ｔｈｉｓ
this ｃａｒｄ
cardｈｅｌｐｓ
helpsｂｅｇｉｎ ｔｈｅthe
begin ｒｅｌａｔｉｏｎｓｈｉｐ ｏｆ Ｖｉｃｔｏｒ
relationship ａｎｄ Ｐｎｉｎ，
of Victor ｔｈｉｓ ｗｏｒｄ
and Pnin, thisａｓword
ａ as a
＂ｔｈｅｍａｔｉｃ
"thematicｄｅｓｉｇｎ＂ ｈｅｌｐｓ
design" ｄｅｍｏｎｓｔｒａｔｅ
helps ｔｈｅｉｒtheir
demonstrate ｄｅｅｐ ｎａｔｕｒａｌ ａｆｆｉｎｉｔｙ．
deep natural Ｉｎ ｔｈｅ In
affinity. ｖｅｒｙtheｆｉｒｓｔ
very first
ｓｅｃｔｉｏｎ
sectionｏｆofｔｈｅ
theｆｉｒｓｔ
firstｃｈａｐｔｅｒ，
chapter,ｗｅwe
ａｒｅare
ｔｏｌｄ ｔｈａｔ
told ＰｎｉｎPnin
that ｃａｎ can
“ｓｈａｄｏｗｇｒａｐｈ ｗｉｔｈ with
"shadowgraph ｈｉｓ his
ｋｎｕｃｋｌｅｓ
knucklesａ aｒａｂｂｉｔ （ｃｏｍｐｌｅｔｅ
rabbit ｗｉｔｈ
(complete ｂｌｉｎｋｉｎｇ
with ｅｙｅ）．＂
blinking Ｈｅｒｅ，＂ｓｈａｄｏｗｇｒａｐｈ＂
eye)." ｈａｓ ａ ｐｅｒ－
Here, "shadowgraph" has a per-
ｆｅｃｔｌｙ
fectlyｃｌｅａｒ
clearｍｅａｎｉｎｇ．
meaning.Ｃｏｍｐａｒｅ ｔｈｅ the
Compare ｓａｍｅsame
ｗｏｒｄ，word,
ａｔ ａ ｄｉｆｆｅｒｅｎｔ ｓｔａｇｅ ｉｎ
at a different ｉｔｓinｅｔｙｍｏ－
stage its etymo-
ｌｏｇｉｃａｌ
logicalｈｉｓｔｏｒｙ，
history,ａｐｐｌｉｅｄ ｔｏ to
applied Ｖｉｃｔｏｒ：
Victor:

ＨｅHeｓｔｕｄｉｅｄ ｈｉｓhisｍｅｄｉｕｍｓ
studied ｗｉｔｈ with
mediums ｔｈｅ ｃａｒｅ
the ａｎｄ
careｐａｔｉｅｎｃｅ ｏｆ ａｎ ｉｎｓａｔｉａｂｌｅ
and patience ｃｈｉｌｄ—ｏｎｅ
of an insatiable child-one
ｏｆofｔｈｏｓｅ
thoseｐａｉｎｔｅｒ＇ｓ ａｐｐｒｅｎｔｉｃｅｓ
painter's （ｉｔ (it
apprentices ｉｓ is
ｎｏｗnow
ＬａｋｅLake
ｗｈｏ ｉｓ
whoｄｒｅａｍｉｒｇ！）， ｌａｄｓ ｗｉｔｈ
is dreaming!), lads with
ｂｏｂｂｅｄ
bobbedｈａｉｒ
hairａｎｄ
andｂｒｉｇｈｔ ｅｙｅｓ
bright ｗｈｏwho
eyes ｗｏｕｌｄ ｓｐｅｎｄspend
would ｙｅａｒｓyears
ｇｒｉｎｄｉｎｇ ｃｏｌｏｒｓcolors
grinding ｉｎ ｔｈｅ
in the
ｗｏｒｋｓｈｏｐ
workshopｏｆ of
ｓｏｍｅsome
ｇｒｅａｔgreat
Ｉｔａｌｉａｎ ｓｋｉｎｇｒａｐｈｅｒ，
Italian ｉｎ ａ inｗｏｒｌｄ
skiagrapher, ｏｆ ａｍｂｅｒ
a world ａｎｄ ｐａｒａｄｉｓａｌ
of amber and paradisal
ｇｌａｚｅｓ．
glazes.
Ｈｅｒｅ，
Here, ｗｉｔｈ ＂ｓｈａｄｏｗ＂moved
with "shadow" ｍｏｖｅｄ back
ｂａｃｋinto
ｉｎｔｏGreek,
Ｇｒｅｅｋ， Ｎａｂｏｋｏｖ
Nabokov ｓｅｅｍｓ
seems to beｔｏreferring
ｂｅ ｒｅｆｅｒｒｉｎｇ
to ｔｏ
ｓｏｍｅ
someｈｉｇｈｌｙ
highlyｔｅｃｈｎｉｃａｌ ａｒｔｉｓｔｉｃprocess.
technical artistic ｐｒｏｃｅｓｓ．
But Ｂｕｔ ｔｈｅｒｅ
there ｉｓ ａｐｐａｒｅｎｔｌｙ
is apparently no such ｎｏterm
ｓｕｃｈasｔｅｒｍ ａｓ
“ｓｋｉａｇｒａｐｈｅｒ”
"skiagrapher" inｉｎthe
ｔｈｅhistory
ｈｉｓｔｏｒｙof ｏｆart-although
ａｒｔ－ａｌｔｈｏｕｇｈ Ｖｉｃｔｏｒ
Victor ｉｓ ｉｎｄｅｅｄ
is indeed ｖｉｓｉｔｉｎｇ
visiting Italy Ｉｔａｌｙ
with ｗｉｔｈ
ｈｉｓ
his ｍｏｔｈｅｒ
mother ａｔ ｔｈｅ end
at the ｅｎｄ of
ｏｆ the
ｔｈｅnovel.
ｎｏｖｅｌ．It Ｉｔ ｉｓ， ｒａｔｈｅｒ，
is, rather, ａｎ ｅａｒｌｙ
an early ｔｅｒｍa Roentgen
term for ｆｏｒ ａ Ｒｏｅｎｔｇｅｎ
ｐｈｏｔｏｇｒａｐｈｅｒ；
photographer; ｔｈａｔ
that ｉｓ，
is, a ａskiagrapher
ｓｋｉａｇｒａｐｈｅｒis ｉｓ
an ａｎ Ｘ－ｒａｙ
X-ray ｔｅｃｈｎｉｄｉａｎ．
technician. （＂Ｐｎｉｎ
("Pnin said, ｓａｉｄ， ｌａｕｇｈｉｎｇ，
laughing,
ｔｈａｔ
that ｅｖｅｒｙ ｔｉｍｅ he
every time ｈｅ was
ｗａｓX-rayed,
Ｘ－ｒａｙｅｄ，doctors
ｄｏｃｔｏｒｓ ｖａｉｎｌｙ
vainly triedｔｒｉｅｄ ｔｏ ｐｕｚｚｌｅ
to puzzle ｏｕｔthey
out what ｗｈａｔ ｔｈｅｙ
ｔｅｒｍｅｄ
termed＇ａ ｓｈａｄｏｗ behind
'a shadow ｂｅｈｉｎｄ the
ｔｈｅheart.'
ｈｅａｒｔ＇＂） Ｂｕｔ
") But ｗｈｉｌｅ
while ｔｈｅｒｅ
there has ｈａｓ
beenｂｅｅｎ ｎｏ ｓｕｃｈ
no such term ｔｅｒｍ
in ｉｎ
ａｒｔ， Ｎａｂｏｋｏｖ ｄｅｍｏｎｓｔｒａｔｅｓ
art, Nabokov ｔｈａｔ there
demonstrates that ｔｈｅｒｅeasily
ｅａｓｉｌｙ ｃｏｕｌｄ
could ｂｅ．skiagrapher
be. A Ａ ｓｋｉａｇｒａｐｈｅｒ
mightｍｉｇｈｔ ｐｒｏｊｅｃｔ
project
ｓｈａｄｏｗｓ，
shadows, ｏｒ ｓｋｅｔｃｈshadows,
or sketch ｓｈａｄｏｗｓ，orｏｒdraw
ｄｒａｗsilhouettes.
ｓｉｌｈｏｕｅｔｔｅｓ．
Pnin, Ｐｎｉｎ， ａｓ ｗｅseen,
as we have ｈａｖｅdoes
ｓｅｅｎ， ｄｏｅｓ
ｔｈｅ
the ｆｉｒｓｔ． Ｖｉｃｔｏｒdoes
first. Victor ｄｏｅｓtheｔｈｅ ｓｅｃｏｎｄ；
second:

ＨｅHeｎｅｏｅｒ
never ｗｅｎｔ
went ｔｈｒｏｕｇｈ
through ｔｈａｔ ｉｎｉｔｉａｌstage
that initial ｓｔａｇｅ ｏｆ ｇｒａｐｈｉｃ
of graphic ａｃｔｉｖｉｔｙ
activity when ｗｈｅｎ ｉｎｆａｎｔｓ
infants draw ｄｒａｗ
Ｋｏｐｆｆüｓｓｌｅｒｓ （ｆａｄｐｏｌｅpeople),
Kopffiisslers (tadpole ｐｅｏｐｌｅ）， ｏｒ ｈｕｍｐｔｙ
or humpty ｄｕｍｐｔｉｅｓ
dumpties ｗｉｔｈ
with Ｌ－ｌｉｋｅ
L-like legs, ｌｅｇｓ， ａｎｄ ａｒｍｓ
and arms
Ｂ Ｓｒｉｈ Ｔｈｏｍｐｒｏｎ， Ｔｈｅ Ｆｏｌｈｔａｌｅ ｆＮｅｗ Ｙｏｒｋ， １９４６）， ｐ． Ｉ２０．
5 Stith Thompson, The Folktale (New York, 1946), p. 127.

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 CHARLESＮＩＣＯＬ｜ＰＮ［Ｎ＇５
ＣＨＡＲＬＥＳ NICOLIPNIN'S ＨＩＳＴＯＲＹ
HISTORY ２０３
2.03

ｅｎｄｉｎｇ
endingｉｎ
in ｒａｋｅ
rake ｐｒｏｎｇｓ；
prongs; ｉｎ ｆａｃｔ， heｈｅavoided
in fact, ａｖｏｉｄｅｄthe
ｔｈｅhuman
ｈｕｍａｎ form
ｆｏｒｍ ａｌｔｏｇｅｔｈｅｒ ａｎｄ when
altogether and ｗｈｅｎ
ｐｒｅｓｓｅｄ
pressed ｂｙ
by Ｐａｐａ（Ｄｒ．
Papa (Dr. Ｅｒｉｃ Ｗｉｎｄ） to
Eric Wind) ｔｏ draw
ｄｒａｗ Mama
Ｍａｍａ（Ｄｒ．
(Dr.Ｌｉｚａ
Liza Ｗｉｎｄ）， ｒｅｓｐｏｎｄｅｄ
Wind), responded
ｗｉｔｈ
withａ aｌｏｖｅｌｙ
lovely ｕｎｄｕｌａｔｉｏｎ， ｗｈｉｃｈ ｈｅ
undulation, which he ｓａｉｄ ｗａｓ her
said was ｈｅｒ shadow
ｓｈａｄｏｗ ｏｎ
on ｔｈｅ
the ｎｅｗ
new ｒｅｆｒｉｇｅｒ－
refriger-
ａｔｏｒ．．．． Ａｎｄ at
ator.... And ａｔ six,
ｓｉｘ，Victor
Ｖｉｃｔｏｒalready
ａｌｒｅａｄｙdistinguished
ｄｉｓｔｉｎｇｕｉｓｈｅｄwhat
ｗｈａｔ so
ｓｏ many
ｍａｎｙ ａｄｕｌｔｓ
adults ｎｅｖｅｒ
never
ｌｅａｍ
learnｔｏtoｓｅｅ—ｔｈｅ
see-the ｃｏｌｏｒｓ
colors ofｏｆ shadows,
ｓｈａｄｏｗｓ， the
ｔｈｅ difference
ｄｉｆｆｅｒｅｎｃｅ in
ｉｎ tint
ｔｉｎｔ between
ｂｅｔｗｅｅｎ the
ｔｈｅ shadow
ｓｈａｄｏｗ
ｏｆofａｎanｏｒａｎｇｅ
orangeａｎｄ
andｔｈａｔ
thatｏｆ
ofａa ｐｌｕｍ
plumｏｒorｏｆofａｎanａｖｏｃａｄｏ
avocadoｐｅａｒ．
pear.
Ｔｈｕｓ
ThusＰｎｉｎ
PninａｎｄandＶｉｃｔｏｒ
Victorａｒｅ
areｂｏｔｈ
bothｐｒａｃｔｉｔｉｏｎｅｒｓ
practitioners ｏｆ of ｔｈｅ
the ａｒｔ ｏｆ skiagraphy.
art of ｓｋｉａｇｒａｐｈｙ． Amusingly,
Ａｍｕｓｉｎｇｌｙ，
ｓｏso ｉｓ Ｎａｂｏｋｏｖ， who
is Nabokov, ｗｈｏ ｃｈｏｏｓｅｓ ｔｈｅ third
chooses the ｔｈｉｒｄand,
ａｎｄ，heｈｅadmits,
ａｄｍｉｔｓ，easiest
ｅａｓｉｅｓｔ ｍｅｔｈｏｄ
method of ｏｆ
ski-ｓｋｉ－
ａｇｒａｐｈｙ
agraphyｔｏtoｅｎｄ
endｈｉｓ
his ｆｉｆｔｈ ｃｈａｐｔｅｒ；
fifth chapter:
ＯｎOnｔｈｅ
theｄｉｓｔａｎｔ
distantｃｒｅｓｔ
crest ｏｆ
of ｔｈｅ
the ｋｎｏｌｌ， ａｔ the
knoll, at ｔｈｅexact
ｅｒａｃｔspot
ｓｐｏｔwhere
ｗｈｅｒｅ Gramineev's
Ｇｒａｍｉｎｅｅｖ＇ｓ easel
ｅａｓｅｌ
ｈａｄ
hadｓｔｏｏｄ
stood ａa ｆｅｗ
few ｈｏｕｒｓ
hours ｂｅｆｏｒｅ， ｉｗｏ dark
before, two ｄａｒｋ figures
ｆｉｇｕｒｅｓinｉｎprofile
ｐｒｏｆｌｅwere
ｗｅｒｅsilhouetted
ｓｉｌｈｏｗｅｔｔｅｄ
ａｇａｉｎｓｔ
against ｔｈｅ
the ｅｍｂｅｒ－ｒｅｄ
ember-redｓｋｙ．
sky. Ｔｈｅｙ
Theyｓｔｏｏｄ
stood ｔｈｅｒｅ
there ｃｌｏｓｅｌｙ， ｆａｃｉｎｇ each
closely, facing ｅａｃｈother.
ｏｔｈｅｒ．One
Ｏｎｅ
ｃｏｕｌｄ
could ｎｏｔ
not ｍａｋｅ
makeｏｕｔ
out ｆｒｏｍ
fromｔｈｅ
theｒｏａｄ
road ｗｈｅｔｈｅｒ
whetherｉｔit ｗａｓ
was ｔｈｅ
the Ｐｏｒｏｓｈｉｎ ｇｉｒｌ and
Poroshin girl ａｎｄ her
ｈｅｒ
ｂｅａｕ，
beau, ｏｒ
or Ｎｉｎａ Ｂｏｌｏｔｏｖ and
Nina Bolotov ａｎｄ young
ｙｏｕｎｇ Poroshin,
Ｐｏｒｏｓｈｉｎ，orｏｒmerely
ｍｅｒｅｌｙanａｎemblematic
ｅｍｂｌｅｍａｔｉｃcouple
ｃｏｕｐｌｅ
ｐｌａｃｅｄ ｗｉｔｈ ｅａｓｙ ａｒｔ ｏｎ ｔｈｅ ｌａｓｔ ｐａｇｅ ｏｆ Ｐｎｉｎ＇ｓ ｆａｄｉｎｇ ｄａｙ．
placed with easy art on the last page of Pnin's fading day.
ＯｆOfｃｏｕｒｓｅ
course Ｎａｂｏｋｏｖ
Nabokovｉｓ is ａa far
ｆａｒ better
ｂｅｔｔｅｒshadowgrapher
ｓｈａｄｏｗｇｒａｐｈｅｒ when
ｗｈｅｎ ｈｅ ｓｏ chooses.
he so ｃｈｏｏｓｅｓ．Indeed,
Ｉｎｄｅｅｄ，
ｔｈｅ
theｒｅｆｅｒｅｎｃｅｓ
referencesｔｏtoｓｈａｄｏｗｓ
shadowsｉｎinａｌｌ
all ｔｈｅ
the ｎｏｖｅｌｓ
novels ｃｏｎｔｉｎｕａｌｌｙ
continually ｒｅｉｎｆｏｒｃｅ
reinforce ｏｕｒ
our ｉｍｐｒｅｓｓｉｏｎ
impression
ｔｈａｔ
thatＮａｂｏｋｏｖ
Nabokovｉｓisｉｎ
inｔｏｔａｌ
total ｃｏｎｔｒｏｌ， ｔｈａｔ his
control, that ｈｉｓcharacters
ｃｈａｒａｃｔｅｒｓare
ａｒｅonly
ｏｎｌｙshades,
ｓｈａｄｅｓ，shadows,
ｓｈａｄｏｗｓ，
ｆｇｍｅｎｔｓ ｏｆofｔｈｅtheｉｍａｇｉｎａｔｉｏｎ
figments imaginationｏｆ
of＂ａｎ
"an ａｎｔｈｒｏｐｏｍｏｒｐｈｉｃ
anthropomorphicｄｅｉｔｙ
deity ｉｍｐｅｒｓｏｎａｔｅｄ
impersonated ｂｙ
by ｍｅ，＂＊
me,"6
ｗｉｔｈ
withｎｏ
noｉｎｄｅｐｅｎｄｅｎｔ
independentｌｉｆｅ
life ｏｆ
of ｔｈｅｉｒ ｏｗｎ． They
their own. Ｔｈｅｙ are
ａｒｅ but
ｂｕｔ Nabokov's
Ｎａｂｏｋｏｖ＇ｓ shadows
ｓｈａｄｏｗｓ on
ｏｎ the
ｔｈｅ
ｐａｇｅ，
page, ａｎｄ
andｔｈｅｉｒ
their ｅｘｉｓｔｅｎｃｅ
existence ｈａｓ
has ｎｏ
no ｒｅａｌｉｔｙ ａｐａｒｔ from
reality apart ｆｒｏｍ ｔｈｅ
the ｗｈｉｍｓ
whimsｏｆofｔｈｅｉｒ
theirｃｒｅａｔｏｒ．
creator.

ＩｎInｔｈｅ
the ｕｎｄｅｒｃｕｒｒｅｎｔｓ
undercurrentsｏｆofｔｈｉｓ
thisｎｏｖｅｌ，
novel, Ｐｎｉｎ
Pnin ａｎｄ
and ｙｏｕｎｇ
youngＶｉｃｔｏｒ
Victorａｒｅ
areｒｅｌａｔｅｄ
related ｂｙ
by ｔｈｅ
the
Ｃｉｎｄｅｒｅｌｌａ
Cinderella ｓｔｏｒｙ ａｎｄ by
story and ｂｙ shadowgraphy.
ｓｈａｄｏｗｇｒａｐｈｙ， Ｗｈａｔ
Whatｔｈａｔ
thatｒｅｌａｔｉｏｎｓｈｉｐ ａｐｐｒｏｘｉｍａｔｅｓ isｉｓ
relationship approximates
ｏｂｖｉｏｕｓ ｅｖｅｎ ｏｎ ｔｈｅ ｎｏｖｅｌ＇ｓ ｓｕｒｆａｃｅ： ｆａｔｈｅｒ ａｎｄ ｓａｎ． Ｔｈｅ ｔｈｅｍａｔｉｃ ｄｅｓｉｇｎｓrunｒｕｎ
obvious even on the novel's surface: father and son. The thematic designs
ｉｎin ｈａｒｍｏｎｙ
harmony ｗｉｔｈ ｔｈｅtheｆｏｗflow
with ｏｆ of
ｔｈｅthe
ｎｏｖｅｌ．
novel.Ｐｎｉｎ＇ｓ
Pnin'sｔｒｉｕｍｐｈ
triumphｉｓisｔｈａｔ
that ｅｖｅｎｔｕａｌｌｙ ｈｅ and
eventually he ａｎｄ
Ｖｉｃｔｏｒ ｑｕａｌｉｆｙ ａｓ ｆａｔｈｅｒ ａｎｄ ｓｏｎ ｕｎｄｅｒ ｅｖｅｒｙ ｔｅｓｔ ｂｕｔ ｆｅｓｈ ｉｔｓｅｌｆ，
Victor qualify as father and son under every test but flesh itself.
Ａｐｐｒｏａｃｈｅｄ
Approachedｄｉｒｅｃｔｙ， ｔｈｅthe
directly, ｒｅｌａｔｉｏｎｓｈｉｐ ｉｓ isａ aｔｅａｓｏｎａｂｌｅ
relationship reasonableｏｎｅ．
one.Ｌｉｚａ，
Liza, Ｖｉｃｔｏｒ＇ｓ ｍｏｔｈｅｒ，
Victor's mother,
ｗａｓ
wasａｔat ｔｈｅ
the ｔｉｍｅ
timeｏｆ
of ｈｅｒ
her ｐｒｅｇｎａｎｃｙ
pregnancyＰｎｉｎ＇ｓ
Pnin'sｗｉｆｅ．（Ｏｎｅ
wife. (Oneａｎａｌｙｓｉｓ
analysis ｏｆ
of Ｐｎｉｎ
Pnin ｉｎｃｏｒｒｅｃｔｌｙ
incorrectly
ｓｔａｔｅｓ
states ｔｈａｔ ｗｈｅｎ ｓｈｅ
that when she ｍａｒｒｉｅｄ
marriedＰｎｉｎ，
Pnin,Ｌｉｚａ
Liza ｗａｓ
was ａｌｒｅａｄｙ
already ｐｒｅｇｎａｎｔ．＇
pregnant.7 Ｓｉｎｃｅ ｓｈｅ married
Since she ｍａｒｒｉｅｄ
Ｐｎｉｎ
Pninｏｎ
onｔｈｅ
theｒｅｂｏｕｎｄ
reboundｆｒｏｍ
fromｈｅｒher
ａｆｆａｔｒ
affairｗｉｔｈ
withｔｈｅ
theｎａｒｒａｔｏｒ，
narrator,ａｎｄ
andｓｉｎｃｅ
since ｔｈｅ
the ｎａｒｒａｔｏｒ
narrator
ｓｅｅｍｓ
seemsｔｏtoｂｅ
beＮａｂｏｋｏｖ
Nabokovｈｉｍｓｅｌｆ，
himself,ｔｈｉｓ
thisｗｏｕｌｄ
wouldｉｎｄｅｅｄ
indeedｂｅbeａ aｆａｓｃｉｎａｔｉｎｇ
fascinating ｓｉｔｕａｔｉｏｎ． Ｔｈｅ
situation. The
ｃｈｒｏｎｏｌｏｇｙ
chronologyｉｓ，is, ｈｏｗｅｖｅｒ，
however,ｉｍｐｏｓｓｉｂｌｅ．）Ａｌｔｈｏｕｇｈ
impossible.) AlthoughＬｉｚａ
Liza ｅｖｅｎｔｕａｌｌｙ
eventually ｍａｒｒｉｅｓ
marries Ｅｒｉｃ
Eric
Ｗｉｎｄ，
Wind,Ｖｉｃｔｏｒ＇ｓ
Victor'sａｃｔｕａｌ
actualｆａｔｈｅｒ，
father,ｓｔｉｌｌ ｌａｔｅｒshe
still later ｓｈｅtakes
ｔａｋｅｓfor
ｆｏｒgranted
ｇｒａｎｔｅｄ that
ｔｈａｔ Pnin
Ｐｎｉｎ will
ｗｉｌｌ help
ｈｅｌｐ
ｆｉｎａｎｃｅ
financeｔｈｅ
theｅｄｕｃａｔｉｏｎ
educationｏｆ
of ａa ｂｏｙ
boy ｈｅ
he ｉｓ
is ｎｏｔ
not ｒｅｌａｔｅｄ ｔｏ and
related to ａｎｄ has
ｈａｓ never
ｎｅｖｅｒ met,
ｍｅｔ， simply
ｓｉｍｐｌｙ ｂｅ－
be-
ｃａｕｓｅ
cause ｔｈｅ
the ｒｅｌａｔｉｏｎｓｈｉｐｓ ｏｆ Victor
relationships of Ｖｉｃｔｏｒ and
ａｎｄ Pnin
Ｐｎｉｎ toｔｏ Liza
Ｌｉｚａmake
ｍａｋｅ them
ｔｈｅｍ ｆａｔｈｅｒ ａｎｄ ｓｏｎ
father and ｂｙ
son by
ｅｘｔｒａｐｏｌａｔｉｏｎ． Ａｎｄ ｗｈｅｎ
extrapolation. And whenＬｉｚａ，
Liza, Ｔｉｍｏｆｅｙ，
Timofey, ａｎｄ
and Ｅｒｉｃ
Eric ａｌｌ ｃａｍｅ toｔｏ America
all came Ａｍｅｒｉｃａ on
ｏｎ the
ｔｈｅ same
ｓａｍｅ
ｏｃｅａｎ
oceanｌｉｎｅｒ，
liner, Ｌｉｚａ ａｎｄ Eric
Liza and Ｅｒｉｃ both
ｂｏｔｈ seemed
ｓｅｅｍｅｄ ｍｏｒｅ
moreｔｈａｎ
thanｗｉｌｌｉｎｇ
willing ｔｏ
to ｉｎｄｌｕｄｅ
include Ｐｎｉｎ
Pnin ｉｎ
in ｔｈｅｉｒ
their
ｐａｒｅｎｔｈｏｏｄ．
parenthood. When Eric referred to "our child," Nabokov tells us, "the ＇ｏｕｒ
Ｗｈｅｎ Ｅｒｉｃ ｒｅｆｅｒｒｅｄ ｔｏ “ｏｕｒ ｃｈｉｌｄ，” Ｎａｂｏｋｏｖ ｔｅｌｌｓ ｕｓ，＂ｔｈｅ 'our'
ｓｏｕｎｄｅｄ
soundedｔｒｉ－ｐｅｒｓｏｎａｌ．” Ｇｉｖｅｎ Pnin's
tri-personal." Given Ｐｎｉｎ＇ｓ wide
ｗｉｄｅ sympathies,
ｓｙｍｐａｔｈｉｅｓ， ｈｉｓ
his ｉｎｎｏｃｅｎｃｅ
innocence ａｎｄ
andｏｐｅｎ－
open-
ｎｅｓｓ，
ness, ｈｉｓ
his ｐｌａｎｓ ａｔ the
plans at ｔｈｅ end
ｅｎｄ of
ｏｆ his
ｈｉｓ European
Ｅｕｒｏｐｅａｎ ｃａｒｅｅｒ ｔｏ raise
career to ｒａｉｓｅthen-unborn
ｔｈｅｎ－ｕｎｂｏｒｎ Ｖｉｃｔｏｒ
Victor ａｓ
as
ｓGＢｅｎｄ
BendＳｉｎｌｓｔｅｒ，
Sinister,ｐ，
p. ｘｖｉｉｉ
xviii.

？Ｐａｇｒ ５ｔｅｇｎｅｒ． Ｅｓｃａｐｅ Ｉｎｔｏ Ａｅｓｔｈｅｔｉｃｓ： Ｔｈｅ Ａｒｔ ｏｆ Ｖ ｆｆａ

ｐ．９３．
５．
7 Page Stegner, Escape Into Aesthetics: The Art of Vladimir Nabokov (New York, 1966), p. 93.

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２０４
204 ＮＯＶＥＬＩＳＰＲＩＮＧ
NOVEL SPRING１９７１
1971

ｈｉｓ
hisｏｗｎ，own,
ａｎｄ ｈｉｓand
ｓｔｉｌｌhis
ｆｉｒｍ still
ａｔｔａｃｈｍｅｎｔ
firmｔｏ Ｌｉｚａ， Ｐｎｉｎ＇ｓ ａｃｃｅｐｔａｎｃｅ
attachment ｏｆ ＶｉｃｔｏｒPnin's
to Liza, ａｓ ａ accept
ｓ０ｎ
sonｉｓ ｅｆｆｏｒｔｌｅｓｓｌｙ ｂｅｌｉｅｖａｂｌｅ．
is effortlessly believable.
Ｔｈｅ ｐｒｏｂｌｅｍ ｉｓ Ｖｉｃｔｏｒ ｈｉｍｓｅｌｆ． Ｖｉｃｔｏｒ ｉｓ ａ ｖｅｒｙ ｔａｌｅｎｔｅｄ ｙｏｕｔｈ， ｐｏｓｓｉｂｌｙ ａ ｇｅ－
The problem is Victor himself. Victor is a very talented yo
ｎｉｕｓ； ｌｉｋｅ Ｐｎｉｎ ｈｅ ｉｓ ａ ｌｏｎｅｒ； ｂｅｆｏｒｅ ｈｅ ｍｅｅｔｓ Ｐｎｉｎ Ｎａｂｏｋｏｖ ｃｏｎｆｉｄｅｓ ａｂｏｕｔ ｈｉｍ，“Ｉ
nius; like Pnin he is a loner; before he meets Pnin Nabokov co
ｄｏ ｎｏｔ ｔｈｉｎｋ ｈｅ ｌｏｖｅｄ ａｎｙｂｏｄｙ．＂ Ｙｅｔ， ａｌｍｏｓｔ ｐｕｒｅｌｙ ｔｈｒｏｕｇｈ ｉｎｄｉｒｅｃｔｉｏｎ， Ｎａ－
do not think he loved anybody." Yet, almost purely through
ｂｏｋｏｖ ｈａｓ ｃｏｎｖｉｎｃｅｄ ｕｓ ｂｙ ｔｈｅ ｅｎｄ ｏｆ ｔｈｅ ｎｏｖｅｌ ｔｈａｔ Ｖｉｃｔｏｒ， ｉｎ ｓｐｉｔｅ ｏｆ ｈｉｓ＂ａｍｉ－
bokov has convinced us by the end of the novel that Victor, i
ｃａｂｌｅ ａｌｏｏｆｎｅｓｓ，” ｔｈｉｎｋｓ ｏｆ Ｐｎｉｎ ａｓ ｈｉｓ ｐｒｏｐｅｒ ｆａｔｈｅｒ． Ｔｈｉｓ ｉｎｖｏｌｖｅｓ ａ ｃａｒｅｆｕｌ
cable aloofness," thinks of Pnin as his proper father. This in
ｐｒｅｄｉｓｐｏｓｉｎｇ ｏｆ Ｖｉｃｔｏｒ＇ｓ ｆａｎｔａｓｉｅｓ， ｔａｓｔｅｓ， ａｎｄ ｏｐｉｎｉｏｎｓ．
predisposing of Victor's fantasies, tastes, and opinions.
Ｖｉｃｔｏｒ＇ｓ
Victor's ｒｅｌａｔｉｏｎｓｈｉｐｓ ｗｉｔｈ Ｅｒｉｃ ａｎｄwith
relationships Ｌｉｚａ ａｒｅEric
ｈａｒｄｌｙand
ｓａｔｉｓｆａｃｔｏｒｙ：“Ｂｏｔｈ
Liza are hardly ｐａｒｅｎｔｓ， satisfact
ｉｎ ｔｈｅｉｒ ｃａｐａｃｉｔｙ ｏｆ ｐｓｙｃｈｏ－ｔｈｅｒａｐｉｓｔｓ， ｄｉｄ ｔｈｅｉｒ ｂｅｓｔ ｔｏ ｉｍｐｅｒｓｏｎａｔｅ Ｌａｉｕｓ ａｎｄ
in their capacity of psycho-therapists, did their best to imp
Ｊｏｃａｓｔａ，
Jocasta, ｂｕｔ ｔｈｅ butｂｏｙ theｐｒｏｖｅｄboy ｔｏ ｂｅproved
ａ ｖｅｒｙ ｍｅｄｉｏｃｒｅ
to be ｌｉｔｔｌｅ
a veryＯｅｄｉｐｕｓ．＂ Ｃｏｎｓｉｄｅｒｉｎｇlittle Oed
mediocre
Ｎａｂｏｋｏｖ＇ｓ ｗｅｌｌ－ｋｎｏｗｎ ａｔｒｉｔｕｄｅ ｔｏｗａｒｄ Ｆｒｅｕｄ， ｔｈｉｓ ｓｔａｔｅｍｅｎｔ ｉｓ ｈａｒｄｌｙ ｓｕｒｐｒｉｓｉｎｇ．
Nabokov's well-known attitude toward Freud, this statement
Ｗｈａｔ ｉｓ ｓｕｒｐｒｉｓｉｎｇ ｉｓ ｔｈａｔ Ａｎｄｒｅｗ Ｆｉｅｌｄ， ｐｅｒｈａｐｓ ｏｕｒ ｆｏｒｅｍｏｓｔ Ｎａｂｏｋｏｖ ｅｘｐｅｒｔ，
What is surprising is that Andrew Field, perhaps our forem
ｈａｓ ｉｎ ｈｉｓ ｓｔｕｄｙ ｏｆ Ｎａｂｏｋｏｖ ｃｏｍｅ ｃｌｏｓｅ ｔｏ ｒｅｐｒｏｄｕｃｉｎｇ ｔｈｉｓ ＂ｍｏｄｉｓｈ ｔｒｉａｎｇｌｅ ｏｆ
has in his study of Nabokov come close to reproducing this
Ｆｒｅｕｄｉａｎ ｒｏｍａｎｃｅ，” Ｖｉｃｔｏｒ ｈａｓ ａ ｒｅｃｕｒｒｉｎｇ ｆａｎｔａｓｙ ａｂｏｕｔ ＂ｔｈｅ Ｋｉｎｇ， ｈｉｓ ｆａｔｈｅｒ．＂
Freudian romance." Victor has a recurring fantasy about "th
Ｂｅｃａｕｓｅ ｉｎ ｔｈｅｓｅ ｄｒｅａｍｓ ｔｈｅ ｍａｎ ｗｈｏ ｈａｓ ｍａｒｒｉｅｄ Ｌｉｚａ ｒｅｓｅｍｂｌｅｓ Ｖｉｃｔｏｒ ＂ａｓ ｔｈａｔ
Because in these dreams the man who has married Liza resembles Victor "as that
ｕｎｄｅｒｆｏｒｍｅｒ
underformer ｉｍａｇｉｎｅｄ
imaginedｈｅ ｗｏｕｌｄ ｌｏｏｋ ａｔ
he would lookｆｏｒｔｙ ｈｉｍｓｅｌｆ，＂
at forty Ｆｉｅｌｄ Field
himself," ａｓｓｕｍｅｓassumes
ｔｈａｔ Ｖｉｃｔｏｒ
that Victor
ｗｉｓｈｅｓ ｔｏ ｅｌｅｖａｔｅ ｈｉｍｓｅｌｆ ｔｏ ｔｈｅ ｒｏｌｅ ｏｆ ＂ｔｈｅ Ｋｉｎｇ， ｈｉｓ ｍｏｒｅ ｐｌａｕｓｉｂｌｅ ｆａｔｈｅｒ．＂
wishes to elevate himself to the role of "the King, his more plausible father."8
Ｂｕｔ ｔｈｉｓ ｗｏｕｌｄ ｍｅａｎ ｔｈａｔ Ｖｉｃｔｏｒ ｗｉｓｈｅｓ ｔｏ ｒｅｐｌａｃｅ ｈｉｓ ｆａｔｈｅｒ ｉｎ ｈｉｓ ｍｏｔｈｅｒ＇ｓ
But this would mean that Victor wishes to replace his father in his mother's
ａｆｆｅｃｔｉｏｎ，
affection,ａｎｄ andｈａｓhas
ｉｎ inｈｉｓhisｉｍａｇｉｎａｔｉｏｎ
imagination ｄｅｓｔｒｏｙｅｄ ｈｉｓ ｆａｔｈｅｒ
destroyed （Ｅｒｉｃ (Eric
his father ｉｓ ｎｏｎ－ｅｘｉｓｔｅｎｔ
is non-existent
ｉｎinｔｈｅ ｄｒｅａｍ） ｉｎ ｏｒｄｅｒ ｔｏ ｍａｒｒｙ ｈｉｓ ｍｏｔｈｅｒ （ｔｈｅ
the dream) in order to marry his mother (the photograph of ｐｈｏｔｏｇｒａｐｈ ｏｆ ｔｈｅ Ｋｉｎｇ＇ｓ ｗｉｆｅ wife
the King's
ｉｓis ｃｌｅａｒｌｙ ｏｆ Ｌｉｚａ—ｂｕｔ ｓｈｅ ｉｓ ｄｅａｄ ａｌｓｏ）． Ｓｉｎｃｅ Ｆｉｅｌｄ ｆａｉｌｅｄ ｔｏ
clearly of Liza-but she is dead also). Since Field failed to comment on these ｃｏｍｍｅｎｔ ｏｎ ｔｈｅｓｅ
Ｏｅｄｉｐａｌ ｉｍｐｌｉｃａｔｉｏｎｓ， ｐｅｒｈａｐｓ ｈｅ ｄｉｄ ｎｏｔ ｒｅａｌｉｚｅ ｔｈｅ ｃｏｎｓｅｑｕｅｎｃｅｓ ｏｆ ｈｉｓ ｒｅａｄｉｎｇ
Oedipal implications, perhaps he did not realize the consequences of his reading
ｏｆ Ｖｉｃｔｏｒ＇ｓ ｆａｎｔａｓｙ．
of Victor's fantasy.
Ｖｉｃｔｏｒ＇ｓ
Victor'sｄｒｅａｍ
dream ｉｓ isｎｏｔ， ａｓ as
not, Ｆｉｅｌｄ ａｐｐａｒｅｎｔｌｙ
Field apparently ｒｅａｄｓreads
ｉｔ， ａit,ｂｏｙ＇ｓ ｆａｎｔａｓｙ
a boy's ａｂｏｕｔabout
fantasy ｂｅｉｎｇ being
ｋｉｎｇ，
king,ｂｕｔbutａ ｍｏｒｅ
a moreｓｉｇｎｉｆｉｃａｎｔ
significant Ｆａｎｔａｓｙ ｏｎ ｔｈｅonｓｕｂｊｅｃｔ
fantasy ｏｆ ａｎ of
the subject ｉｄｅａｌ
an ｆａｔｈｅｒ． Ｌｏｇｉｃ ｗｏｕｌｄ
ideal father. Logic would
ｄｉｃｔａｔｅ
dictateｔｏ toＶｉｃｔｏｒ
Victorｔｈａｔthatｈｉｓ hisｆａｔｈｅｒ
father ｓｈｏｕｌｄ
shouldｒｅｓｅｍｂｌｅ
resemble ｈｉｍｓｅｌｆ． ＷｈｉｌｅWhile
himself. ＂ｔｈｅ "the
ｒｅｓｉｄｕｅ ｏｆ of
residue
ｖａｒｌｏｕｓ
variousｆａｍｉｌｙ
familyａｌｌｕｓｉｏｎｓ ｏｆofｌｏｎｇ
allusions ｓｔａｎｄｉｎｇ
long ｔｏ ｔｈｅ
standing Ｈｉｇｈｔflight
to the ｏｆ Ｒｕｓｓｉａｎ ｉｎｔｅｌｌｅｃｔｕａｌｓ
of Russian intellectuals
ｆｒｏｍ
fromＬｅｎｉｎ＇ｓ ｒｅｇｉｍｅ”
Lenin's regime"ｈａｓhasｉｔｓitsｐｌａｃｅ
placeｉｎinｔｈｅ
theｄｒｅａｍ，
dream,ｔｈｅtheｏｔｈｅｒ＂ｏｂｖｉｏｕｓ ｓｏｕｒｃｅｓ＂
other "obvious sources"
ｉｎｃｌｕｄｅ
include“ａｎ
"an Ｉｔａｌｉａｎ ｆｌｍ， ｍａｄｅ
Italian film, made ｉｎinＢｅｒｌｉｎ ｆｏｒfor
Berlin Ａｍｅｒｉｃａｎ
Americanｃｏｎｓｕｍｐｔｉｏｎ，”＂ａｎ
consumption,"ａｎｏｎｙ－
"an anony-
ｍｏｕｓ
mousＫａｆｋａｅｓｑｕｅ ｓｔｏｒｙ，＂
Kafkaesque ａｎｄ and
story," Ｔｈｅ Ｓｃａｒｌｅｔ Ｐｉｍｐｅｒｎｅｌ，
The Scarlet Ｃｕｒｉｏｕｓｌｙ，
Pimpernel. ＮａｂｏｋｏｖNabokov
Curiously, ｆａｉｌｓ fails
ｔｏtoｍｅｎｔｉｏｎ
mentionｈｅｒｅhere
ｔｈｅthe
Ｓｈａｋｅｓｐｅａｒｅａｎ ｓｏｕｒｃｅｓ
Shakespearean ｆｏｒ ｔｈｅ
sources forｋｉｎｇ
the ｐａｃｉｎｇ “ａ ｂｅａｃｈ
king pacing ｏｎ ｔｈｅon the
"a beach
Ｂｏｈｅｍｉａｎ
BohemianＳｅａ，Sea,
ａｔ at
Ｔｅｍｐｅｓｔ Ｐｏｉｎｔ．”
Tempest Ｐｒｏｓｐｅｒｏ
Point." ｉｎ Ｔｈｅ
Prospero in Ｔｅｍｐｅｓｔ ｉｓ ａｎ ｅｘｉｌｅｄ
The Tempest ｄｕｋｅ，
is an exiled duke,
ｗｈｉｌｅ
whileｔｈｅtheｇｅｏｇｒａｐｈｉｃａｌｌｙ
geographicallyａｂｓｕｒｄ ＳｅａSea
absurd ｏｆ of
Ｂｏｈｅｍｉａ ｉｓ ｆｏｕｎｄ
Bohemia ｉｎ Ｗｉｎｔｅｒ＇ｓ
is found Ｔａｌｅ， Tale,
in Winter's ｗｈｏｓｅwhose
ｐｌｏｔ ｄｅａｌｓ ｉｎ ｐａｒｔ ｗｉｔｈ ａ ｐｒｉｎｃｅｓｓ ｅｘｉｌｅｄ ｆｒｏｍ ｂｉｒｔｈ ａｎｄ ｈｅｒ ｅｖｅｎｔｕａｌ ｒｅｕｎｉｏｎ
plot deals in part with a princess exiled from birth and her eventual reunion ｗｉｔｈ with
ｈｅｒ
herｆａｔｈｅｒ
fatherｔｈｅtheｋｉｎｇ． Ａｔ At
king. ａｎｙ any
ｒａｔｅ，rate,
ｉｆ ｗｅif ｆｏｌｌｏｗ Ｖｉｃｔｏｒ＇ｓ
we follow ｄｒｅａｍdream
Victor's ｔｏ ｔｈａｔto“ｃｒｕｃｉａｌ
that "crucial
Ｈｌｉｇｈｔ
flight ｅｐｉｓｏｄｅ
episode ｗｈｅｎ
whenｔｈｅtheＫｉｎｇ
Kingａｌｏｎｅ
alone．．．
. . ｐａｃｅｄ
. pacedａ aｂｅａｃｈ
beachｏｎon
ｔｈｅtheＢｏｈｅｍｉａｎ
Bohemian Ｓｅａ，＂
Sea,"
ｗｅweｆｉｎｄ
findｉｔitｍｅｒｇｉｎｇ
mergingｗｉｔｈwith
Ｐｎｉｎ＇ｓ ｄｒｅａｍ
Pnin's ｔｈａｔ that
dream ｅｎｄｓ ends
ｔｈｅ ｃｈａｐｔｅｒ． Ｐｎｉｎ＇ｓPnin's
the chapter. ｄｒｅａｍdream
ａｐ－ ap-
ｐａｒｅｎｔｌｙ
parentlyｏｃｃｕｒｓ ｏｎ on
occurs ｔｈｅ the
ｃｏａｓｔcoast
ｏｆ ｔｈａｔ ｓａｍｅ same
of that ＂ｈｏｐｅｌｅｓｓ ｓｅａ，＂ ｓｏ
"hopeless ｉｔ so
sea," ｉｓ it
ｎｏ isｗｏｎｄｅｒ ｔｈａｔ
no wonder that
ｈｉｓ
hisｆｒｉｅｎｄ
friendｈａｓ
hasｇｏｎｅ
goneｈｏｍｅ
homeｔｏ to
ｇｅｔget
ａ ｍａｐ． （Ｔｈｉｓ
a map. ｔｈｅｍｅ
(This ｏｆ ｔｈｅ
theme ｉｍｐｏｓｓｉｂｌｅ
of the ｖｏｙａｇｅ
impossible voyage
ｏｃｃｕｒｓ
occursａｌｓｏ
alsoｉｎinｔｈｅ
theｍｉｄｄｌｅ
middleｏｆ of
ｔｈｅthe
ｃｈａｐｔｅｒ ｉｎ ｔｈｅ
chapter ｌｅｇｅｎｄａｒｙ
in the Ｈｏａｔ ｔｒｉｐ
legendary floatｏｆtrip
Ｓａｉｎｔ
of Ｂａｒ－
Saint Bar-
ｔｈｏｌｏｍｅｗ＇ｓ
tholomew'sｃａｓｋｅｔ ｆｒｏｍfrom
casket ｔｈｅ ｌａｎｄｌｏｃｋｅｄ ＣａｓｐｉａｎCaspian
the landlocked Ｓｅａ ｔｏ Sea
ｔｈｅ to
ｃｏａｓｔ
theｏｆcoast
Ｓｉｃｉｌｙ．） Ｐｎｉｎ， Pnin,
of Sicily.)
ｗｈｏ
whoｈａｓhasｅｓｃａｐｅｄ ｆｒｏｍfrom
escaped ａ ｐａｌａｃｅ ｉｎ ｈｉｓ
a palace ｏｗｎ own
in his ｄｒｅａｍ， ｍｕｓｔ ａｌｓｏ
dream, mustｂｅalso
ｔｈｅbeｋｉｎｇ，
the ｔｈｅ
king, the
＊8Ａｎｄｒｅｗ Ｆｉｅｌｄ， Ｎａｂｏｋｏｖ： Ｈｉｔ Ｌｉｆｅ ｉｎ Ａｒｔ （Ｂｏｓｔｏｎ， １９６７）． ｐ． Ｉ？８．
Andrew Field, Nabokov: His Life in Art (Boston, 1967), p. 138.

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 CHARLESＮＩＣＯＬ｜ＰＮＩＮ＇Ｓ
ＣＨＡＲＬＥＳ NICOLIPNIN'S HISTORY
ＨＩＳＴＯＲＹ ２０５
205

“ｍｏｒｅ
"moreｐｌａｕｓｉｂｌｅ
plausibleｆａｔｈｅｒ，”
father," ｉｎ
in Ｖｉｃｔｏｒ＇ｓ
Victor's ｄｒｅａｍ，
dream,ｆｏｒ ｔｈｅtheｄｒｅａｍ
for ｈａｓ ｉｎｓｉｓｔｅｎｔｌｙ
dream ｒｅｃｕｒｒｅｄ
has insistently recurred
ｔｏtoＶｉｃｔｏｒ
Victorｅｖｅｒ
everｓｉｎｃｅ
sinceＬｉｚａ，
Liza,ｈｅｒ
herｍａｒｒｉａｇｅ
marriageｔｏ toＥｒｉｃEricｂｒｅａｋｉｎｇ ｕｐ， up,
breaking ｆｉｒｓｔfirst
ｉｎｆｏｒｍｅｄ
informedｈｉｍhim
［Ｖｉｃｔｏｒ］ ｔｈａｔthat
[Victor] ｓｈｅshe
ｈａｄ had
ｂｅｅｎbeen
Ｍｒｓ，Mrs.
Ｐｎｉｎ Pnin
ｂｅｆｏｒｅbefore
ｓｈｅ ｌｅｆｔ
she Ｅｕｒｏｐｅ． Ｓｈｅ She
left Europe.
ｔｏｌｄ
told ｈｉｍ
himｔｈａｔ
thatｔｈｉｓ
thisｆｏｒｍｅｒ
formerｈｕｓｂａｎｄ ｏｆ ｈｅｒｓ
husband ｈａｄ had
of hers ｍｉｇｒａｔｅｄ ｔｏ Ａｍｅｒｉｃａ
migrated ｆｏｏ—ｔｈａｔ
to America too-that
ｉｎinｆａｃｔ
factｈｅheｗｏｕｌｄ
wouldｓｏｏｎ ｓｅｅsee
soon Ｖｉｃｔｏｒ； ａｎｄand
Victor; ｓｉｎｃｅ ｅｖｅｒｙｔｈｉｎｇ
since Ｌｉｚａ Liza
everything ａｌｌｕｄｅｄ ｔｏ ．．toｉｎ－
alluded .. . in-
ｖａｒｉａｂｌｙ
variablyｔｏｏｋ
tookｏｎonａ aｖｅｎｅｅｒ
veneerｏｆofｍｙｓｔｅｒｙ
mysteryａｎｄand
ｇｌａｍｏｕｒ， ｔｈｅ the
glamour, ｆｉｇｕｒｅ ｏｆ ｔｈｅ
figure ｇｒｅａｔgreat
of the
Ｔｉｍｏｆｅｙ
TimofeyＰｎｉｎ．．．ａｃｑｕｉｒｅｄ ｉｎ Ｖｉｃｔｏｒ＇ｓ
Pnin . . . acquired ｈｏｓｐｉｔａｂｌｅ
in Victor's ｍｉｎｄ mind
hospitable ａ ｃｕｒｉｏｕｓ ｃｈａｒｍ，charm,
a curious ａ ｆａｍｉｌｙ
a family
ｒｅｓｅｍｂｌａｎｃｅ
resemblanceｔｏtoｔｈｏｓｅ
thoseＢｕｌｇａｒｉａｎ
Bulgarianｋｉｎｇｓ ｏｒorＭｅｄｉｔｅｒｒａｎｅａｎ
kings ｐｒｉｎｃｅｓ
Mediterranean ｗｈｏwho
princes ｕｓｅｄused
ｔｏ to
ｂｅbeｗｏｒｌｄ－ｆａｍｏｕｓ
world-famousｅｒｐｅｒｔｓ ｉｎ ｂｕｔｔｅｒｆｌｉｅｓ
experts ｏｒ ｓｅａ
in butterflies ｓｈｅｌｌｓ．
or sea shells.
Ｔｈｕｓ，
Thus,ｅｖｅｎ ｂｅｆｏｒｅ
even ｍｅｅｔｉｎｇ
before ｈｉｍ，him,
meeting Ｖｉｃｔｏｒ＇ｓ ｃｈｏｉｃｅ
Victor's ｆｏｒ ｆａｔｈｅｒ（ａｎｄ
choice for fatherｋｉｎｇ）
(and ｉｓ ａ ｔｅｎｔａ－
king) is a tenta-
ｔｉｖｅ
tive Ｐｎｉｎ．
Pnin.
Ｔｈｅｉｒ
Theirｆｉｒｓｔ
firstｍｅｅｔｉｎｇ，
meeting,ｉｎinｃｈａｐｔｅｒ ｆｏｕｒ，
chapter ｉｓ is＂ｅｘｔｒｅｍｅｌｙ
four, ｓａｔｉｓｆａｃｔｏｒｙ．＂
"extremely Ｂｅｃａｕｓｅ
satisfactory." ｏｆ of
Because
ｔｈｉｓ
thisｍｅｅｔｉｎｇ，
meeting,ｔｈｅ
theｃｈａｐｔｅｒ ｈａｓhas
chapter ｔｈｅthe
ｕｎｄｅｒｌｙｉｎｇ
underlyingｔｈｅｍｅ ｏｆ ｔｈｅofｃｒｏｓｓ，
theme ｏｒ ｉｎｔｅｒｓｅｃｔｉｏｎ
the cross, or intersection
ａｔatｒｉｇｈｔ
rightａｎｇｌｅｓ
angles（ｔｈｅ
(theｉｎｔｅｒｓｅｃｔｉｏｎ
intersectionｏｎonａ aｍａｐmap
ｉｎ in
ｔｈｅthe
ｆｉｒｓｔ ｐａｒｔ，
first Ｊｕｎｇ＇ｓ
part, ｍａｎｄａｌａ
Jung's ｉｎ ｔｈｅin the
mandala
ｔｈｉｒｄ，
third,ａ aＣｅｌｔｉｃ
Celticｃｒｏｓｓ
crossｏｆofｓｔｏｎｅ
stoneｉｎinｔｈｅ ｆｏｕｒｔｈ）．
the Ｂｅｃａｕｓｅ
fourth). ＰｎｉｎPnin
Because ｉｓ Ｖｉｃｔｏｒ＇ｓ ＂ｗａｔｅｒ
is Victor's "water
ｆａｔｈｅｒ＂－ａｎ
father"-an ｉｎｓｉｓｔｅｎｔ
insistentｒｅｆｅｒｅｎｃｅ
referenceｉｎ ｔｈｅ
in the ｎｏｖｅｌ—ｉｔ ｒａｉｎｓ
novel-it ｔｈｒｏｕｇｈｏｕｔ
rains ｔｈｉｓ this
throughout ｃｈａｐｔｅｒ，
chapter,
ｅｖｅｎ
evenｉｎinｄｒｅａｍｓ．
dreams.Ａｎｄ ｏｆ of
And ｃｏｕｒｓｅ， ｉｔ itｉｓ isａ aｔｒｅｍｅｎｄｏｕｓ
course, tremendous ｆｏｒｍａｌ ａｎｄ and
formal ｐｓｙｃｈｏｌｏｇｉｃａｌ ｒｅｉｎ－rein-
psychological
ｆｏｒｃｅｍｅｎｔ
forcementｔｈａｔ ａｔatｔｈｅtheｅｎｄendｏｆofｔｈｅtheｃｈａｐｔｅｒ
that Ｐｎｉｎ
chapter ｐｉｃｋｓ
Pnin ｕｐupｔｈｅtheｄｒｅａｍ
picks ｗｈｅｒｅ
dream Ｖｉｃｔｏｒ
where Victor
ｌｅｆｔ
leftｏｆｆ
offａｔatｔｈｅ
theｂｅｇｉｎｎｉｎｇ
beginningｏｆ of
ｔｈｅthe
ｃｈａｐｔｅｒ． ＷｉｔｈWith
chapter. ｔｈｉｓ this
ｄｅｖｉｃｅ， ｔｈｅ the
device, ｃｅｎｔｒａｌ ｃｈａｐｔｅｒ
central ｏｆ of
chapter
ｔｈｅ
theｎｏｖｅｌ
novelｃｉｒｃｌｅｓ
circlesｂａｃｋ
backｏｎonｉｔｓｅｌｆ，
itself, ｔｈｅ
theｓａｍｅ
sameｗａｙ ｔｈｅthe
way ｅｎｔｉｒｅ ｎｏｖｅｌ
entire ｃｉｒｄｌｅｓ
novel ｂａｃｋ
circles ｗｈｅｎwhen
back
ｌａｃｋ
lackＣｏｃｋｅｒｅｌｌ＇ｓ
Cockerell's ｓｔｏｒｙ＂ｏｆ
story "ofＰｎｉｎ
Pninｒｉｓｉｎｇ
risingｔｏtoａｄｄｒｅｓｓ
addressｔｈｅ
theＣｒｅｍｏｎａ
CremonaＷｏｍｅｎ＇ｓ Ｃｌｕｂ Club
Women's
ａｎｄ
andｄｉｓｃｏｖｅｒｉｎｇ
discoveringｈｅhe
ｈａｄhadｂｒｏｕｇｈｔ ｔｈｅ the
brought ｗｒｏｎｇ ｌｅｃｔｕｒｅ，＂
wrong ｔｈｅ ｌａｓｔ
lecture," ｗｏｒｄｓwords
the last ｏｆ ｔｈｅ
of ｂｏｏｋ，
the book,
ｒｅｍｉｎｄｓ
remindsｕｓ usｏｆ，of,ａｎｄand
ｂｒｉｎｇｓ ｕｓ us
brings ｂａｃｋback
ｔｏ， to,
ｔｈｅthe
ｆｉｒｓｔ ｃｈａｐｔｅｒ，
first ｗｈｅｒｅ
chapter, Ｐｎｉｎ Pnin
where ｐｒｅｐａｒｅｓ ｔｏ to
prepares
ｄｅｌｉｖｅｒ
deliverｔｈａｔ
thatｌｅｃｔｕｒｅ．
lecture.
Ｔｈｅｒｅ
Thereｉｓisｐｌｅｎｔｙ
plentyｏｆofｒｏｏｍ
roomｆｏｒ for
ＰｎｉｎPnin
ｉｎ Ｖｉｃｔｏｒ＇ｓ ｌｉｆｅ，life,
in Victor's ｆｏｒ for
ｈｉｓ his
ａｔｔｉｔｕｄｅ ｔｏｗａｒｄ
attitude ｈｉｓ his
toward
ｉｎｄｉｆｆｅｒｅｎｔ， ＂ｒｅａｌ＂ ｐａｒｅｎｔｓ ｉｓ ｑｕｉｔｅ ｃｌｅａｒ． Ｅｒｉｃ，＂ａ ｃｒａｎｋｙ ｒｅｆｕｇｅｅ ｄｏｃｔｏｒ，
indifferent, "real" parents is quite clear. Eric, "a cranky refugee doctor, whom ｗｈｏｍ
ｔｈｅ
theｌａｄ
lad ｈａｄ
had ｎｅｖｅｒ
neverｍｕｃｈ
much ｌｉｋｅｄ
likedａｎｄ
andｈａｄ
hadｎｏｔnotｓｅｅｎ
seenｎｏｗnowＦｏｒfor
ａｌｍｏｓｔ ｔｗｏtwo
almost ｙｅａｒｓ，＂ ｉｓ is
years,"
ｈａｒｄｌｙ ａ ｒｉｖａｌ ｆｏｒ Ｌｉｚａ＇ｓ ａｆｆｅｃｔｉｏｎｓ， ｓｉｎｃｅ ｈｅ ｎｏｗ ｌｉｖｅｓ ｉｎ Ｓｏｕｔｈ Ａｍｅｒｉｃａ
hardly a rival for Liza's affections, since he now lives in South America and Liza ａｎｄ Ｌｉｚａ
ｉｓis ａｂｏｕｔ
aboutｔｏ
to ｍａｒｒｙ
marryｆｏｒfor
ａ ｔｈｉｒｄ ｔｉｍｅ．
a third ＡｎｄAnd
time. ｔｈｅ the
ｎａｒｒａｔｏｒ ｅｘｐｒｅｓｓｌｙ
narrator ｒｅｊｅｃｔｓ
expressly ｔｈｅ ｐｏｓｓｉ－
rejects the possi-
ｂｉｌｉｔｙ
bility ｔｈａｔ
thatＶｉｃｔｏｒ
Victorｉｓisｊｅａｌｏｕｓ
jealousａｂｏｕｔ
aboutｈｉｓ
hisｍｏｔｈｅｒ＇ｓ
mother'sｌｏｖｅ： ＂Ｉｎ"In
love: ｈｉｓhisａｔｔｉｔｕｄｅ ｔｏｗａｒｄ
attitude ｈｉｓ his
toward
ｍｏｔｈｅｒ，
mother,ｐａｓｓｉｏｎａｔｅ
passionateｃｈｉｌｄｈｏｏｄ ａｆｆｅｃｔｉｏｎ
childhood ｈａｄhadｌｏｎｇ
affection ｓｉｎｃｅ
long ｂｅｅｎ
since ｒｅｐｌａｃｅｄ
been ｂｙ by
replaced ｔｅｎｄｅｒ
tender
ｃｏｎｄｅｓｃｅｎｓｉｏｎ．”
condescension." Ｖｉｃｔｏｒ
Victor ｈａｓ
has ｎｏ
noＯｅｄｉｐｕｓ
Oedipusｃｏｍｐｌｅｘ，
complex.
Ｂｕｔ
Butｔｈｉｓ
thisｃｏｎｄｅｓｃｅｎｓｉｏｎ
condescensionａｐｐａｒｅｎｔｌｙ ｄｏｅｓ
apparently ｎｏｔnotｅｘｔｅｎｄ
does ｔｏ to
extend Ｌｉｚａ＇ｓ
Liza'sａｐｐｅａｒａｎｃｅ，
appearance,ｆｏｒ
for
ｔｈｅ
theｄｅｓｋ
deskｐｈｏｔｏｇｒａｐｈ ｉｎ in
photograph Ｖｉｃｔｏｒ＇ｓ ｄｒｅａｍ
Victor's ｉｎｄｉｃａｔｅｓ
dream ｔｈａｔthat
indicates ｈｅ ａｎｄ ｈｉｓ his
he and ｍｏｔｈｅｒ ｓｈａｒｅshare
mother ｔｈｅ the
ｓａｍｅ
sameｏｐｉｎｉｏｎ ｏｆ ofｈｅｒher
opinion ｂｅａｕｔｙ ａｎｄ and
beauty ｏｆ ｈｅｒ ｓｔｙｌｅ，
of her ＂ｔｈｏｓｅ
style, ｇｒｅａｔgreat
"those ｂｌｕｅ blue
ｅｙｅｓ，eyes,
ｔｈａｔ that
ｃａｒｍｉｎｅ
carmine
ｍｏｕｔｈ
mouth（ｉｔ(itｗａｓ ａ ｃｏｌｏｒｅｄ
was ｐｈｏｔｏ，
a colored ｎｏｔnot
photo, ｆｉｔfit
ｆｏｒfor
ａ ｋｉｎｇ， ｂｕｔbut
a king, ｎｏ no
ｍａｔｔｅｒ｝．＂ Ｃｏｍｐａｒｅ
matter)." ｔｈｅ the
Compare
ｅｍｐｈａｓｉｓ
emphasis ｉｎinａ aｐｏｅｍ
poemｔｈａｔthat
ＬｉｚａLiza
ｗｒｏｔｅ ｉｎ Ｐａｒｉｓ：“Ｎｏ
wrote ｊｅｗｅｌｓ，
in Paris: "No ｓａｖｅsave
jewels, ｍｙ ｅｙｅｓ， ｄｏ Ｉ do
my eyes, ｏｗｎ，I own,
ｂｕｔ Ｉ ｈａｖｅ ａ ｒｏｓｅ ｗｈｉｃｈ ｉｓ ｅｖｅｎ ｓｏｆｔｅｒ ｔｈａｎ ｍｙ ｒｏｓｅ ｌｉｐｓ．＂ Ｄｉｓｍｉｓｓｉｎｇ ｔｈｏｓｅ
but I have a rose which is even softer than my rose lips." Dismissing those jewel ｊｅｗｅｌ
ｅｙｅｓ
eyesｂｕｔ
butｋｅｅｐｉｎｇ
keeping ｉｎ in
ｍｉｎｄ
mindｂｏｔｈboth
ｐａｉｒｓpairs
ｏｆ ｒｏｓｅ ｌｉｐｓ，lips,
of rose ｗｅ we
ｍａｙ may
Ｆｕｒｔｈｅｒ ｎｏｔｅ ｔｈａｔ
further noteＬｉｚａ＇ｓ
that Liza's
ｅａｔｌｙ
earlyｃｏｌｌｅｃｔｉｏｎ
collectionｏｆofＲｕｓｓｉａｎ
Russianｐｏｅｍｓ ｉｓ ｅｎｔｉｔｌｅｄ
poems ＤｒｙDry
is entitled Ｌｉｐｓ，Lips,
ａｎｄ and
ｔｈａｔ that
ｓｈｅ ｉｎｓｃｒｉｂｅｓ
she inscribes
ｔｈｅｍ
themｔｏ toｔｈｅthe
ｎａｒｒａｔｏｒ ｉｎ “ｄａｒｋ－ｒｅｄ
narrator ｉｎｋ．”
in "dark-red Ｗｉｔｈ
ink." ｔｈｉｓthis
With ｅｍｐｈａｓｉｓ ｉｎ ｍｉｎｄ，
emphasis ｗｅ ｒｅａｌｉｚｅ
in mind, we realize
ｔｈａｔ
thatＶｉｃｔｏｒ＇ｓ
Victor'sｏｗｎ
ownｐｏｅｍ ｉｓ ｎｏｔ
poem ｊｕｓｔjust
is not ａｂｏｕｔ ｄａ da
about Ｖｉｎｃｄｉ＇ｓ
Vinci'sｐａｉｎｔｉｎｇ，ｂｕｔ ａｂｏｕｔ
painting, but ｈｉｓ his
about ｍｏｔｈｅｒ
mother
（Ｌｉｚａ
(Liza ｏｆ
ofｃｏｕｒｓｅ
courseｅｑｕａｌｓ
equalsＬｉｓａ；
Lisa; ｉｎｄｅｅｄ，
indeed,Ｐｎｉｎ＇ｓ
Pnin'sｐｒｏｐｏｓａｌ
proposalｏｆof
ｍａｒｒｉａｇｅ ａｄｄｒｅｓｓｅｓ
marriage ｈｅｒ
addresses her
ａｓas“Ｌｉｓｅ”）：
"Lise"):

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２０６
206 ＮＯＶＥＬ｜ＳＰＲＩＮＧ
NOVEL SPRING１９７１
1971

Ｌｅｏｎａｒｄｏ！
Leonardo! Ｓｔｒａｎｇｅ ｄｉｓｅａｓｅｓ
Strange diseases
ｓｆｒｉｋｅ
strike ａｔ ｍａｄｄｅｒｓ ｍｉｘｅｄ
at madders mixedｗｉｔｈ
withｌｅａｄ：
lead:
ｎｕｒ－ｐａｌｅ
nun-paleｎｏｗ
nowａｒｅ
areＭｏｎａ
MonaＬｉｓａ＇ｓ
Lisa's
ｌｉｐｓ
lips ｔｈａｔ
that ｙｏｕ
youｈａｄ
hadｍａｄｅ
madeｓｏ soｒｅｄ．
red.

Ａｎｄ
Andｎｏｗnow
ｔｈａｔ， ｉｎ inＶｉｃｔｏｒ＇ｓ
that, ｐｏｅｍ，
Victor's ｔｈｉｓthis
poem, ｃｏｎｔｒａｓｔ ｏｆ of
contrast ｎｕｎ－ｌｉｋｅ ａｐｐｅａｒａｎｃｅ
nun-like ａｎｄ and
appearance ｌｎｒｉｄlurid
ｒｅａｌｉｔｙ
reality ｈａｓ
hasｂｅｅｎ
beenａｄｄｅｄ
addedｔｏtoｔｈｅtheｍｉｘ， ｎｏｔｉｃｅ
mix, ｔｈａｔthat
notice ｔｈｅthe
ｓａｍｅsame
ｐａｔｔｅｒｎ ｃｏｍｅｓcomes
pattern ｕｐ ｉｎ up
Ｌｉｚａ＇ｓ
in Liza's
ｏｗｎ
ownｐｏｅｍ， ｔｈｅthe
poem, ｏｎｅone
ｓｈｅ she
ｒｅｃｉｔｅｓ ｔｏ to
recites ＰｎｉｎPnin
ａｔ Ｗａｉｎｄｅｌｌ：
at Waindell:

ＩI ｈａｖｅ
haveｐｕｔ
putｏｎonａ aｄａｒｋ
darkｄｒｅｓｓ
dress
Ａｎｄ
Andａｍam
ｍｏｒｅ ｍｏｄｅｓｔ
more ｔｈａｎ
modest ａ ｎｕｎ；
than a nun;
ＡｎAnｉｖｏｒｙ
ivoryｃｒｕｃｉｆｉｘ
crucifix
ＩｓIs ｏｖｅｒ
over ｍｙ
myｃｏｌｄ
coldｂｅｄ，
bed.
Ｂｕｔ
Butｔｈｅ
theｌｉｇｈｔｓ
lightsｏｆofｆａｂｕｌｏｕｓ
fabulousｏｒｇｉｅｓ
orgies
Ｂｕｒｎ
Burnｔｈｒｏｕｇｈ
throughｍｙ my
ｏｂｌｉｎｉｏｎ，
oblivion,
Ａｎｄ
And I whisper theｎａｍｅ
Ｉ ｗｈｉｓｐｅｒ ｔｈｅ nameＧｅｏｒｇｅ—
George-
Ｙｏｕｒ
Yourｇｏｌｄｅｎ
goldenｎａｍｅ！
name!
Ｃｌｅａｒｌｙ，
Clearly,Ｖｉｃｔｏｒ
Victorｕｎｄｅｒｓｔａｎｄｓ
understands ｈｉｓhisｍｏｔｈｅｒ＇ｓ ｃｈａｒａｃｔｅｒ．
mother's Ｉｎｃｉｄｅｎｔａｌｌｙ，
character. Incidentally,ｔｈｅ ｕｌｔｉｍａｔｅ
the ultimate
ｊｏｋｅ
jokeｉｎ
in ｔｈｉｓ
this ｐａｒｔｉｃｕｌａｒ
particular ｔｈｅｍａｔｉｃ
thematicｃｏｍｐｌｅｘ
complexｔｈｒｅａｔｅｎｓ ｔｏ ｂｅ
threatens to ａbeｐｒｉｖａｔｅ ｏｎｅone
a private ｆｏｒ for
Ｒｕｓ－Rus-
ｓｉａｎｓ， ｆｏｒ Ｌｉｚａ＇ｓ ｐｏｅｍｓ ａｒｅ ｄｅｓｃｒｉｂｅｄ ａｓ ｂｅｉｎｇ ｕｎｏｒｉｇｉｎａｌ ｉｎ ａ ｓｐｅｃｉａｌ ｗａｙ，＂ｔｈｅ
sians, for Liza's poems are described as being unoriginal in a special way, "the
ｋｉｎｄ
kindｏｆofｓｔｕｆｆ
stuffｔｈａｔ
thatｅｍｉｇｒｅ
emigreｒｈｙｍｓｔｅｒｅｔｔｅｓ ｗｒｏｔｅ
rhymsterettes ａｆｔｅｒafter
wrote Ａｋｍａｔｏｖａ．＂ ＴｗｉｃｅTwice
Akmatova." ｉｎ Ｐｎｉｎ
in Pnin
Ｌｉｚａ＇ｓ ｐｏｅｍｓ ａｒｅ
Liza's poems ｄｅｓｃｒｉｂｅｄ as
are described ａｓ weak
ｗｅａｋ imitations
ｉｍｉｔａｔｉｏｎｓ of
ｏｆ Anna
Ａｎｎａ Ａｋｈｍａｔｏｖａ，
Akhmatova, ａｎｄandＡｋｈｍａ－
Akhma-
ｔｏｖａ
tova ｗａｓ
was ｈｅｒｓｅｌｆ
herself ｎｏｔｏｒｉｏｕｓｌｙ
notoriously ｄｅｎｏｕｎｃｅｄ
denounced ｂｙ
byＺｈｄａｎｏｖ（Ｓｔａｌｉｎ＇ｓ
Zhdanov (Stalin'sｓｕｂ－ｄｉｃｔａｔｏｒ
sub-dictator ｉｎ
in
ｍａｔｔｅｒｓ
mattersｏｆ of
ｃｕｌｔｕｒｅ） ｉｎ in
culture) １９４６ ａｓ as
1946 ＂ａ "a
ｍｉｘｔｕｒｅ ｏｆ ｎｕｎ
mixture of ａｎｄ
nunｈａｒｌｏｔ．”” Ｎａｂｏｋｏｖ＇ｓ
and harlot."9 ｊｏｋｅ joke
Nabokov's ｉｓ is
ｔｈａｔ
thatｔｈｉｓ
thisｐａｒｏｄｙ
parodyｏｆofｃｒｉｔｉｃｉｓｍ ｄｏｅｓ
criticism ａｐｐｌｙ
does ｐｅｒｆｅｃｔｌｙ
apply ｔｏ ｔｈｅ
perfectly ｐｏｅｔｒｙ
to the ｏｆ Ｌｉｚａ，
poetry ｈｅｒｓｅｌｆ
of Liza, herself
ａaｐａｒｏｄｙ
parodyｏｆ ofａ ｐｏｅｔｅｓｓ．
a poetess.
ＩｎInｔｈｅｓｅ
theseｆａｍｉｌｙ
familyｒｅｌａｔｉｏｎｓｈｉｐｓ，
relationships,Ｐｎｉｎ ｃａｎcan
Pnin ｂｅ be
ｐｒｏｆｉｔａｂｌｙ ｃｏｍｐａｒｅｄ
profitably ｔｏ Ｊｏｙｃｅ＇ｓ
compared to Joyce's
Ｕｌｙｓｓｅｓ，
Ulysses, ｏｎｅ
one ｏｆ
of ｔｈｅ
the ｆｅｗ
fewｔｗｅｎｔｉｅｔｈ－ｃｅｎｔｕｒｙ
twentieth-centuryｗｏｒｋｓ ｆｏｒfor
works ｗｈｉｃｈ Ｎａｂｏｋｏｖ
which ｈａｓ ｕｎｒｅ－
Nabokov has unre-
ｓｔｒａｉｎｅｄ
strainedａｄｍｉｒａｔｉｏｎ—ａ
admiration-a ｃｏｍｐａｒｉｓｏｎ
comparisonｏｎｅ one
ｃｒｉｔｉｃ ｈａｓ has
critic ａｌｒｅａｄｙ
alreadyｐｏｉｎｔｅｄ ｏｕｔ．１０out.10
pointed Ｌｉｚａ， Liza,
ｌｉｋｅ like
Ｍｏｌｌｙ
MollyＢｌｏｏｍ，
Bloom,ｉｓ isａｎanｕｎｆａｉｔｈｆｕｌ Ｐｅｎｅｌｏｐｅ
unfaithful Penelopeｔｏ toｈｅｒher
Ｏｄｙｓｓｅｕｓ，
Odysseus, ｗｈｉｌｅ ＰｎｉｎPnin
while ｉｓ ｔｈｅ＂ｔｒｕｅ＂
is the "true"
Ｆａｔｈｅｒ
fatherｏｆofＶｉｃｔｏｒ，
Victor,ａｓasＢｌｏｏｍ
BloomｉｓisｏｆofＳｔｅｐｈｅｎ．
Stephen. Ｖｉｃｔｏｒ
Victorｉｓ isａｌｓｏ
alsoｍｏｒｅ
more ａｕｔｏｂｉｏｇｒａｐｈｉｃａｌ
autobiographical
ｔｈａｎ
thanｈｅheｆｉｒｓｔ
first ａｐｐｅａｒｓ（ｅｘｔｅｎｄｉｎｇ
appears (extendingｔｈｅ theｃｏｍｐａｒｉｓｏｎ
comparison ｗｉｔｈ Ｊｏｙｃｅ＇ｓ
with Ｓｔｅｐｈｅｎ），
Joyce's Stephen),ｓｉｎｃｅ
since
Ｎａｂｏｋｏｖ ｗａｓ ａｌｍｏｓｔ ｂｙ ｍｉｓｔａｋｅ ｃｈｒｉｓｔｅｎｅｄ Ｖｉｃｔｏｒ ｛ａｃｃｏｒｄｉｎｇ ｔｏ ｔｈｅ
Nabokov was almost by mistake christened Victor (according to the autobiog- ａｕｔｏｂｉｏｇ－
ｒａｐｈｙ，
raphy,ａｔatｌｅａｓｔ），
least), ａｎｄ
andｗａｓ
wasｅｘｐｅｃｔｅｄ ｔｏ to
expected ｂｅｃｏｍｅ
becomeｎｏｔ not
ａ ｗｒｉｔｅｒ ｂｕｔ ａbut
a writer ｐａｉｎｔｅｒ．！ Ｖｉｃｔｏｒ，
a painter." Victor,
ｔｈｅｎ，
then, ｅｍｂｏｄｉｅｓ
embodiesｔｗｏ
twoａｌｔｅｒｎａｔｉｖｅ
alternativeｐａｔｈｓ，
paths,ｏｒ＂ｔｉｍｅ－ｆｏｒｋｓ，＂
or "time-forks," ｉｎinＮａｂｏｋｏｖ＇ｓ
Nabokov'sｌｉｆｅ．
life.Ａｌ－
Al-
ｔｈｏｕｇｈ ｈｅ ｉｎｓｉｓｔｓ ｔｈａｔ ｔｈｅ ｂｉｏｇｒａｐｈｙ ｏｆ ｔｈｅ ａｒｔｉｓｔ ｉｓ ｕｌｔｉｍａｔｅｌｙ ｉｒｒｅｌｅｖａｎｔ ｔｏ ｆｕｌ－
though he insists that the biography of the artist is ultimately irrelevant to ful-
ｈｌｌｅｄ
filledａｒｔ，
art,ｏｎｅ
oneｓｕｓｐｅｃｔｓ
suspectsｔｈａｔ
thatＮａｂｏｋｏｖ
Nabokov ｈａｓhas
ａ ｃｏｎｔｒｏｌ ｏｖｅｒover
a control ｈｉｓ his
ｂｉｏｇｒａｐｈｙ ｔｈａｔ that
biography ｒｉｖａｌｓrivals
ｈｉｓ
his ｃｏｎｔｒｏｌ
controlｏｖｅｒ
overｈｉｓ
hisｆｉｃｔｉｏｎ，
fiction,ａｎｄ
andｔｈａｔ
thatｔｈｅｓｅ ｌｉｔｔｌｅ
these littleｒｅｆｅｒｅｎｃｅｓ
referencesｗｅｒｅ ｎｏｔnot
were ｉｎｔｅｎｄｅｄ ｔｏ to
intended
ｇｏgoｆｏｒｅｖｅｒ
foreverｕｎｎｏｔｉｃｅｄ．
unnoticed.

０ 9Ａｌｅｖａｎｄｅｒ
AlexanderＷｅｒｔｈ，
Werth, ＂ＡＬｈｍａｌｏｖａ：Ｔｒａｇｉｃ ＱｕｔｅｎQueen
"Akhmatova: Tragic Ａｎｎｕ，＂ ＬｏｎｄｏｎLondon
Anna," Ｍａｇａｚｉｎｅ， ＶＩ （Ｄｅｃｅｍｂｅｒ
Magazine, １０４６）， 1966),
VI (December ｓｓ． 88.
１０10Ａｍｂｒａｓｅ
AmbroseＧｏｒｄｏｎ．
Gordon, Ｊｒ．，＂Ｔｈｅ Ｄｏｕｂｌｅ
Jr., "The Ｆｎｉｎ，＂
Double Pnin,"ｉｎinＮａｂｏｋｏｂ：
Nabokov:Ｔｈｅ
TheＭｅｎ
Manａｎｄ
andＨｉｓ
HisＷｏｒｋ，
Work,ｅｄ．
ed.Ｌ．Ｓ．
L. S.Ｄｅｍｂｏ
Dembo［Ｍｚｄｉｇｏｎ，
(Madison,
Ｗｉｓｃｏｎｓｉｎ，
Wisconsin,１９６２）， ＰＰ．１４４－１５６．
1967), pp. 144-156.

１１15５ｐｅａｋ，
Speak, Ｍｅｍｏｒｙ：
Memory:Ａｎ
AnＡｕｔｏｂｉｏｇｒａｐｈｙ
AutobiographyＲｅｏｉｓｔｅｄ，
Revisted,ｐ．２ｔ；
p. 21; Ｅｌｅｌｄ，ｐ．３０．
Field, p. 30.

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 ＣＨＡＲＬＥＳ
CHARLESＮＩＣＯＬ
NICOLＰＮＩＮ＇ｓ ＨＩＳＴＯＲＹ
PNIN'S HISTORY ２０７
207

“Ｉｔ
"It ｉｓ
is ｆｏｒ
forｔｈｅthe ｓａｋｅ ｏｆ ｔｈｅ
sake ｐａｇｅｓpages
of the ａｂｏｕｔ Ｄａｖｉｄ
aboutａｎｄ ｈｉｓ ｆａｔｈｅｒ
David ｔｈａｔ father
and his ｔｈｅ ｂｏｏｋthat
ｗａｓ the book
ｗｒｉｔｔｅｎ
written ａｎｄandｓｈｏｕｌｄ ｂｅ ｒｅａｄ，＂
should ＮａｂｏｋｏｖNabokov
be read," ｗｒｏｔｅ ｉｎ ａwrote
ｐｒｅｆａｃｅinｔｏ aＢｅｎｄ Ｓｉｎｉｓｔｅｒ，２
preface ａｎｄ Sinister,'
to Bend
ｔｈｅ
theｆａｔｈｅｒ－ｓｏｎ
father-son ｒｅｌａｔｉｏｎｓｈｉｐ ｉｓ ａｌｓｏ isｉｍｐｏｒｔａｎｔ
relationship ｉｎ Ｐｎｉｎ．Ｉｆ ｔｈａｔ
also important ｒｅｌａｔｉｏｎｓｈｉｐ
in Pnin. If thatｈａｓrelationship
ｂｅｅｎ has
ｏｖｅｒ－ｅｍｐｈａｓｉｚｅｄ
over-emphasized ｉｎ ｔｈｉｓ
in ｐａｐｅｒ， ｉｔ ｉｓ ｂｅｃａｕｓｅ
this paper, ｔｈｅ ｔｈｅｍａｔｉｃ
it is because the ｓｔｒａｎｄｓ
thematicｉｎｖｅｓｔｉｇａｔｅｄ
strands investiga
ｈｅｒｅ
here ａｌｌallｌｅｄled
ｂａｃｋback
ｔｏ Ｐｎｉｎ＇ｓ ＂ｆａｍｉｌｙ．＂
to Pnin's Ｔｈｅ ｒｅｌａｔｉｏｎｓｈｉｐ
"family." ｔｏ Ｖｉｃｔｏｒ ｉｓ ｎｏｔ
The relationship to Ｐｎｉｎ＇ｓ
Victor is not P
ｗｈｏｌｅ
wholeｈｉｓｔｏｒｙ， ｂｕｔ ｉｔbut
history, ｉｓ ａitｍａｊｏｒ
is a ｆａｃｔｏｒ
majorｉｎfactor
Ｐｎｉｎ＇ｓ in
ｐｒｏｇｒｅｓｓ．
Pnin'sＨｏｐｅｆｕｌｌｙ
progress.ｔｈｅ Hopefully
ｒｅａｄｅｒ the re
ｉｓisｂｙbyｎｏｗnow
ｃｏｎｖｉｎｃｅｄ ｔｈａｔ ｔｈｅ
convinced ｂｏｏｋthe
that ｉｓ ａｎ ｉｎｔｒｉｃａｔｅ
book is an ｗｅｂｂｉｎｇ ｏｆ ｃｒｏｓｓ－ｒｅｆｅｒｅｎｃｅｓ，
intricate ａ
webbing of cross-referenc
ｆｕｌｌｙ
fullyｒｅａｌｉｚｅｄ ｎｏｖｅｌnovel
realized ｒａｔｈｅｒrather
ｔｈａｎ ａ ｓｅｒｉｅｓ
than ｏｆ ｃａｓｕａｌｌｙofｃｏｎｎｅｃｔｅｄ
a series ｓｋｅｔｃｈｅｓ．
casually connected sketches.

Ｔｈｅｒｅ
Thereｉｓ is
ｍｏｒｅmore
ｔｏ Ｐｎｉｎ． Ｈｉｓ ｆｕｌｌHis
to Pnin. ｃｈａｒａｃｔｅｒ ｄｅｖｅｌｏｐｍｅｎｔdevelopment
full character ｌｉｅｓ ｉｎ ｈｉｓ ｒｅｊｅｃｔｉｏｎ
lies inｏｆhis rejectio
Ｎａｂｏｋｏｖ—ｏｒ，
Nabokov-or,ｐｕｒｉｓｔｓ ｗｉｌｌ ｉｎｓｉｓｔ，
purists ｏｆ Ｎａｂｏｋｏｖ＇ｓ
will insist, ｐｅｒｓｏｎａ． Ｓｅｖｅｒａｌ
of Nabokov's ｃｏｍｍｅｎｔａｔｏｒｓ
persona. Several comment
ｈａｖｅ，
have,ｒｉｇｈｔｌｙ，
rightly,ｂｅｅｎbeen
ｉｎｔｒｉｇｕｅｄ ｗｉｔｈ ｔｈｅ
intrigued ｐａｒｔｉｃｕｌａｒｌｙ
with ｗｏｂｂｌｙ ｌｉｎｅｓ
the particularly ｂｅｔｗｅｅｎlines
wobbly ｔｈｅ between t
ａｕｔｈｏｒ，
author, the narrator, and ultimately the character in the novel ｂｅ
ｔｈｅ ｎａｒｒａｔｏｒ， ａｎｄ ｕｌｔｉｍａｔｅｌｙ ｔｈｅ ｃｈａｒａｃｔｅｒ ｉｎ ｔｈｅ ｎｏｖｅｌ ｗｈｏ ｓｅｅｍｓ ｔｏ who seems t
Ｎａｂｏｋｏｖ．
Nabokov.ＴｈａｔThat
ｉｓ ｐｒｅｃｉｓｅｌｙ ｔｈｅ ｐｏｉｎｔ：
is precisely the Ｐｎｉｎ ｒｅｊｅｃｔｓ
point: Pninｔｈｅｍ ａｌｌ． Ｔｈｉｓ
rejects themｄｅｖｉｌｉｓｈ ｃｏｍ－ devilish co
all. This
ｐｏｓｉｔｅ
positeｐｅｒｓｏｎａｌｉｔｙ Ｉ ｓｈａｌｌI shall
personality ｓｉｍｐｌｙsimply
ｃａｌｌ Ｎａｂｏｋｏｖ．
call Nabokov.
Ｎａｂｏｋｏｖ，
Nabokov,ａｕｔｈｏｒ ａｎｄ ｎａｒｒａｔｏｒ，
author ｌｅａｄｓ Ｐｎｉｎ
and narrator, ｔｈｒｏｕｇｈ
leads Pninｉｎｎｕｍｅｒａｂｌｅ
through ａｇｏｎｉｅｓ ｏｆ
innumerable agoni
ｆｅｖｅｒ，
fever,ｓｅｉｚｕｒｅ， ＂ｐａｉｎ
seizure, ａｎｄ ｐａｎｉｃ＂
"pain ｉｎ ｔｈｅ ｆｉｒｓｔ
and panic" in theｃｈａｐｔｅｒ；
first ｉｎ ｔｈｅ ｓｅｃｏｎｄ
chapter; in ｈｅ
theｄｒｅｄｇｅｓ
second he dred
ｕｐupＬｉｚａ ａｎｄand
Liza ｒｅｄｕｃｅｓ Ｐｎｉｎ ｔｏ
reduces ｈｉｓ to
Pnin ｎａｄｉｒ．
his Ｉｎ ｔｈｅ ｔｈｉｒｄ
nadir. ｃｈａｐｔｅｒ，
In the thirdＮａｂｏｋｏｖ ｔｈｅ ｎａｒｒａｔｏｒ
chapter, Nabokov the nar
ｗａｒｎｓ
warnsｔｈｅthe
＂ｃａｒｅｌｅｓｓ ｒｅａｄｅｒ＂
"careless ｔｈａｔ ｉｔthat
reader" ｉｓ Ｐｎｉｎ＇ｓ
it is ｂｉｒｔｈｄａｙ， ｂｕｔ ｎｏ ｏｎｅ but
Pnin's birthday, ｗａｒｎｓnoＰｎｉｎ．
one warns Pn
“Ａｎｄ
"And ｗｈｅｒｅ ｗｉｌｌ will
where ｆａｔｅ fate
ｓｅｎｄ ｍｅ？”
send Ｐｎｉｎ
me?"ｗｏｎｄｅｒｓ， ｆｏｌｌｏｗｉｎｇ ｔｈｅfollowing
Pnin wonders, ｔｈｏｕｇｈｔ ｏｆ the
ｔｈｅ thought o
Ｐｕｓｈｋｉｎ
Pushkinｐｏｅｍpoem
ｈｅ ｈａｓhe
ｊｕｓｔ ｔａｕｇｈｔ
has just ｉｎ ｃｌａｓｓ； in
taught ｈｅ ｆａｉｌｓ
class;ｔｏhe
ｆｉｎｄ ｏｕｔ．toＨｅfind
fails ｉｓ ｕｎｋｎｏｗｉｎｇｌｙ
out. He is unknow
ｐｒｅｐａｒｉｎｇ
preparingｆｏｒ for
ａ Ｐｕｓｈｋｉｎｉａｎ ＂ｆｕｔｕｒｅ ａｎｎｉｖｅｒｓａｒｙ，＂
a Pushkinian ｔｈｅ ｂｉｒｔｈｄａｙ ｓｅｖｅｒａｌ
"future anniversary," ｙｅａｒｓ ｌａｔｅｒ
the birthday several years
ｗｈｅｎ
whenｈｅ ｗｉｌｌ ｌｅａｖｅleave
he will Ｗａｉｎｄｅｌｌ Ｃｏｌｌｅｇｅ．College.
Waindell Ｐｎｉｎ ｈａｓ Pnin
ｎｏｗ ｂｅｇｕｎ
has ｈｉｓ
nowｒｅｓｅａｒｃｈ
begunｏｎhisｔｈｅ research o
Ｐｅｔｉｔｅ Ｈｉｓｔｏｉｒｅ ｉｎ ｅａｒｎｅｓｔ， ｓｔｏｒｉｎｇ ｕｐ ｆｒａｇｍｅｎｔｓ ａｇａｉｎｓｔ ｈｉｓ ｒｕｉｎ．Ｉｎ ｔｈｅ ｆｏｕｒｔｈ
Petite Histoire in earnest, storing up fragments against his ruin. In the fo
ｃｈａｐｔｅｒ，
chapter, ＰｎｉｎPnin
ａｆｆｉｒｍｓ ｔｈｅ ｎｅｗthe
affirms ｐａｔｔｅｒｎ
new ｏｆ ｈｉｓ ｌｉｆｅofｔｈｒｏｕｇｈ
pattern ｍｅｅｔｉｎｇ
his life ａｎｄ ｃｈｅｒｉｓｈｉｎｇ
through meeting and cher
Ｖｉｃｔｏｒ． Ｔｈｅ ｆｉｆｔｈ ｃｈａｐｔｅｒ ｐｒｏｖｉｄｅｓ Ｐｎｉｎ ｗｉｔｈ ａ ｂｒｅａｔｈｉｎｇ
Victor. The fifth chapter provides Pnin with a breathing ｓｐａｃｅ， ｔｈｅ ｓｅｍｂｌａｎｃｅ
space, the sembl
ｏｆofａ aｆｕｌｌ ｌｉｆｅ，
full ｖｉｓｉｔｉｎｇ
life, Ｒｕｓｓｉａｎ
visiting ｆｒｉｅｎｄｓ，
Russian ｔａｌｋｉｎｇ talking
friends, ａｂｏｕｔ Ｖｉｃｔｏｒ， ｓｈｏｗｉｎｇ
about ｈｉｓ ｍｅｎｔａｌ
Victor, showing his me
ａｎｄ
andｐｈｙｓｉｃａｌ ｐｒｏｗｅｓｓ．
physical Ｂｕｔ Ｎａｂｏｋｏｖ
prowess. ｉｓ ｍｅｎｔｉｏｎｅｄ
But Nabokov ｄｕｒｉｎｇ ａ ｃｏｎｖｅｒｓａｔｉｏｎ，
is mentioned during a ａｎｄ ｕｎ－
conversation, an
ｆｏｒｔｕｎａｔｅ，
fortunate,ｎｏｔ－ｑｕｉｔｅ－ｓｏ－ｉｎｎｏｃｅｎｔ Ｐｎｉｎ ｓａｙｓ，
not-quite-so-innocent Pnin＂Ｉ says,
ｈａｖｅ ａｌｗａｙｓ ｈａｄ always
"I have ｔｈｅ ｉｍｐｒｅｓｓｉｏｎ
had the impress
ｔｈａｔ
thatｈｉｓhis
ｅｎｔｏｍｏｌｏｇｙ ｗａｓ ｍｅｒｅｌｙ
entomology wasａ merely
ｐｏｓｅ．”“Ｏｈa pose."
ｎｏ，” ｒｅｐｌｉｅｓ Ｐｎｉｎ＇ｓreplies
"Oh no," ｂｅｓｔ ｆｒｉｅｎｄ
Pnin's best fr
Ｃｈａｔｅａｕ， ｃｏｎｔｉｎｕｉｎｇ ｒａｔｈｅｒ ｏｍｉｎｏｕｓｌｙ，＂Ｙｏｕ ｗｉｌｌ ｌｏｓｅ ｉｔ ｓｏｍｅ ｄａｙ，＂
Chateau, continuing rather ominously, "You will lose it some day,"ｒｅｆｅｒｒｉｎｇ ｔｏ referri
＂ｔｈｅ
"theＧｒｅｅｋ Ｃａｔｈｏｌｉｃ
Greek ｃｒｏｓｓ cross
Catholic ｏｎ ａ ｇｏｌｄｅｎ
on a ｃｈａｉｎｌｅｔ＂ ｔｈａｔ Ｐｎｉｎ ｈａｓ
golden chainlet" ｔｅｍｐｏｒａｒｉｌｙ
that Pnin has ｔａｋｅｎ
temporarily
ｏｆｆ．
off.Ｗｈｅｔｈｅｒ
Whetherｏｒ ｎｏｔorｗｅnot
ｔａｋｅweｔｈｉｓ ａｓ ａthis
take ｔｈｒｅａｔ
as ｆｒｏｍ ａｎ ｉｎｓｕｌｔｅｄ
a threat from ａｕｔｈｏｒ， ｔｈｅ ｎｅｘｔ，
an insulted author, the n
ｓｉｘｔｈ
sixth chapter includes another attempt to reduce Timofey Ｈｅｒｍａｎ
ｃｈａｐｔｅｒ ｉｎｃｌｕｄｅｓ ａｎｏｔｈｅｒ ａｔｔｅｍｐｔ ｔｏ ｒｅｄｕｃｅ Ｔｉｍｏｆｅｙ ｔｏ ｎｏｔｈｉｎｇ． to nothing. Her
Ｈａｇｅｎ
Hagenｔｅｌｌｓ ｖｕｌｎｅｒａｂｌｅ
tells Ｐｎｉｎ ｔｈａｔ
vulnerable Pninｈｅthat
ｗｉｌｌ he
ａｌｍｏｓｔ
willｃｅｒｔａｉｎｌｙ ｂｅ ｆｉｒｅｄ ｗｈｅｎ
almost certainly beａfired
ｎｅｗ when a n
ｃｈａｉｒｍａｎ ｔａｋｅｓ ｏｖｅｒ． Ｗｈｅｎ Ｈａｇｅｎ ｒｅｖｅａｌｓ ｔｈａｔ Ｎａｂｏｋｏｖ ｗｉｌｌ
chairman takes over. When Hagen reveals that Nabokov will be ｂｅ ａ ｌｅｃｔｕｒｅｒ ｉｎ ｔｈｅa lecturer i
Ｅｎｇｌｉｓｈ Ｄｅｐａｒｔｍｅｎｔ ａｎｄ ａ ｐｏｔｅｎｔｉａｌ ｅｍｐｌｏｙｅｒ， Ｐｎｉｎ ｉｎｓｉｓｔｓ， ＂Ｉ ｗｉｌｌ
English Department and a potential employer, Pnin insists, "I will never w ｎｅｖｅｒ ｗｏｒｋ
ｕｎｄｅｒ
underｈｉｍ．” Ｐｏｓｓｉｂｌｙ
him." ｂｅｃａｕｓｅbecause
Possibly Ｐｎｉｎ ｈａｓ Pnin
ｒｅｊｅｃｔｅｄ
hasｔｈｅ ａｕｔｈｏｒ＇ｓ the
rejected ｃｏｎｃｉｌｉａｔｏｒｙ
author'sｇｅｓｔｕｒｅ，
conciliatory ge
ａ aｆｕｒｔｈｅｒ
furtherｄｉｓａｓｔｅｒ ｎｏｗ ｏｃｃｕｒｓ：
disaster ｑｕｉｅｔｌｙ quietly
now occurs: ｗａｓｈｉｎｇ ｄｉｓｈｅｓ，
washingＰｎｉｎdishes,
ｄｒｏｐｓ ａPnin
ｎｕｔｅｒａｃｋｅｒ
drops a nutcra
ｉｎｔｏ
intoｔｈｅ ｗａｔｅｒ，“ｗｈｅｒｅ
the ａｎ ｅｘｃｒｕｃｉａｔｉｎｇ
water, "where ｃｒａｃｋ ｏｆ ｂｒｏｋｅｎ
an excruciating crackｇｌａｓｓ ｆｏｌｌｏｗｅｄglass
of broken ｕｐｏｎ ｔｈｅ
followed upo
ｐｌｕｎｇｅ．”
plunge."Ｔｈｅ“ｍｅｌｏｄｉｏｕｓ＂ ｐｕｎｃｈ－ｂｏｗｌ，
The "melodious" Ｐｎｉｎ＇ｓ ｍｏｓｔPnin's
punch-bowl, ｐｒｅｃｉｏｕｓmost
ｐｏｓｓｅｓｓｉｏｎ， ｈｉｓ
precious possession
１２12Ｂｅｎｄ Ｓｉｎｉｓｔｅｒ， ｐ． ｘｉｖ．
Bend Sinister, p. xiv.

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２０８
208 ＮＯＶＥＬ｜ＳＰＲＩＮＧ
NOVEL SPRING１９７１
1971

Ｃｉｎｄｅｒｅｌｌａ
Cinderellaｌｉｎｋlink
ｔｏ Ｖｉｃｔｏｒ， ｓｅｅｍｓ ｔｏseems
to Victor, ｈａｖｅ ｂｅｅｎ ｂｒｏｋｅｎ．been
to have Ｎａｂｏｋｏｖ ｈａｓ ｓｌｉｐｐｅｄ
broken. ｔｒｅ－
Nabokov has slipp
ｍｅｎｄｏｕｓ
mendousｉｍｐｏｒｔａｎｃｅ ｉｎｔｏ ｔｈａｔinto
importance ａｑｕａｍａｒｉｎｅ ｐｕｎｃｈ－ｂｏｗｌ， ｉｎｖｉｓｉｂｌｅ
that aquamarine ｉｎ ａ ｓｉｎｋinvisible
punch-bowl, ｆｕｌｌ in a si
ｏｆofｗａｔｅｒ． Ａｎｄ And
water. Ｐｎｉｎ ｒｉｓｅｓ
Pninｍａｇｎｉｆｉｃｅｎｔｌｙ ｔｏ ｔｈｅ ｏｃｃａｓｉｏｎ．
rises magnificently to Ｉｎ
theＴｈｅoccasion.
Ｒｅａｌ Ｌｉｆｅ ｏｆIn Ｓｅ－
The Real Lif
ｂａｓｔｉａｎ
bastianＫｎｉｇｈｔ， ｏｎｌｙ ａｆｔｅｒ
Knight, onlyｍｅｒｇｉｎｇ
afterｔｈｅ ｅｘｐｅｒｉｅｎｃｅthe
merging ｏｆ ｔｗｏ ｌｉｖｅｓ ｉｓ ｔｈｅofｎａｒｒａｔｏｒ
experience ａｂｌｅ is the nar
two lives
ｔｏtoｓｐｅｃｕｌａｔｅ ｏｎ ｔｈｅ
speculate onｐｏｓｓｉｂｉｌｉｔｙ ｏｆ Ｎａｂｏｋｏｖ＇ｓ
the possibility ｅｘｉｓｔｅｎｃｅ． Ｉｎ existence.
of Nabokov's Ｂｅｎｄ ＳｉｎｉｓｔｅｒInＮａｂｏｋｏｖ
Bend Sinister
ｃｏｎｆｒｏｎｔｓ
confrontsｔｈｅ the
ｈｅｒｏ hero
ｏｎ ａ ＂ｂｅａｍ
on aｏｆ"beam
ｐａｌｅ ｌｉｇｈｔ＂ ａｎｄ light"
of pale ｄｒｉｖｅｓ ｈｉｍ
andｍａｄ． Ｓｔｕｐｅｎｄｏｕｓ
drives him mad. Stup
Ｐｎｉｎ，
Pnin,ｓｔａｎｄｉｎｇ ｏｎｃｅ ａｇａｉｎ
standing once ｉｎ ｔｈｅ ｗｒｅｃｋａｇｅ
again in the ｏｆ ｈｉｓ ｌｉｆｅ， ｃｏｎｆｒｏｎｔｓ
wreckage ｆａｔｅ，confronts
of his life, ｃｈａｎｃｅ， fate,
Ｎａｂｏｋｏｖ ｗｉｔｈ ａｌｌ ｔｈｅ ｅｎｅｒｇｙ ｉｎ ｈｉｓ ｚｉｇ－ｚａｇ ｓｏｕｌ， ａｎｄ ｄｒａｇｓ ｈｉｓ ｐｕｎｃｈ－ｂｏｗｌ
Nabokov with all the energy in his zig-zag soul, and drags his punch-b ｂａｃｋ
ｆｒｏｍ
fromＨａｄｅｓ：
Hades:

Ｐｎｉｎ
Pninｈｕｒｌｅｄ
hurledｔｈｅ
theｔｏｗｅｌ ｉｎｔｏ
towel intoａ aｃｏｒｎｅｒ
cornerａｎｄ，
and,ｔｕｎｉｎｇ ａｗａｙ，
turning ｓｔｏｏｄ
away, ｆｏｒ for
stood ａ ｍｏｍｅｎｔ
a moment
ｓｔａｒｉｎｇ
staringａｔatｔｈｅ
theｂｌａｃｋｎｅｓｓ ｂｅｙｏｎｄ
blackness ｔｈｅ the
beyond ｔｈｒｅｓｈｏｌｄ ｏｆ ｔｈｅofｏｐｅｎ
threshold the ｂａｃｋ
openｄｏｏｒ，
backＡdoor.
ｑｕｉｅｔ，A quiet,
ｌａｃｙ－ｗｉｎｇｅｄ
lacy-wingedｌｉｔｔｌｅ
little ｇｒｅｅｎ
green ｉｎｓｅｃｔ
insect ［ａｎ ｅｍｂｌｅｍ ｏｆofｅｎｔｏｍｏｌｏｇｉｓｔ
[an emblem entomologist Ｎａｂｏｋｏｖ，
Nabokov,ｔｈｉｓthis
ｂｕｇ
bugｉｓisｔｈｅ
theｓｉｇｎａｔｕｒｅ，
signature,ｔｈｅthe
ｅｖｉｄｅｎｃｅ ｏｆ Ｎａｂｏｋｏｖ＇ｓ
evidence ｐｒｅｓｅｎｃｅ
of Nabokov's ｉｎ ｔｈｅ inｓｃｅｎｅ］
presence ｃｉｒｃｌｅｄcircled
the scene]
ｉｎinｔｈｅ
theｇｌａｒｅ
glareｏｆofａ aｓｔｒｏｎｇ
strongｎａｋｅｄ ｌａｍｐlamp
naked ａｂｏｖｅabove
Ｐｎｉｎ＇ｓ ｇｌｏｓｓｙ
Pnin's ｂａｌｄ bald
glossy ｈｅａｄ．head.
Ｈｅ ｌｏｏｋｅｄ
He looked
ｖｅｒｙ
veryａｌｄ，
old,ｗｉｔｈ
withｈｉｓhisｔｏｏｔｈｌｅｓｓ
toothlessｍｏｕｔｈ ｈａｌｆhalf
mouth ｏｐｅｎopen
ａｎｄ and
ａ ｆｉｌｍ ｏｆ ｔｅａｒｓ
a film ｄｉｍｍｉｎｇ
of tears ｈｉｓ his
dimming
ｂｌａｎｋ，ｕｎｂｌｉｎｋｉｎｇ ｅｙｅｓ
blank, unblinking eyes.
Ｐｎｉｎ
Pninｓｅｅｍｓ
seems ｄｅａｄ ｈｉｍｓｅｌｆ
dead himselfｏｎ on
ｈｉｓ his
ｒｅｔｕｒｎ ｆｒｏｍfrom
return ｔｈｉｓ this
＂ｄｕｒａｔｉｏｎ，＂ ｔｈｉｓ this
"duration," ｌｏｎｇ long
ｍｏｍｅｎｔmoment
ｗｈｅｒｅ
where ｗｅweｆｅｅｌ ｔｉｍｅ
feel ｉｎ in
time ｏｕｒour
ｂｏｎｅｓ， ｂｕｔ but
bones, ａｔ ｔｈｉｓ ｃｒｕｃｉａｌ
at this ｍｏｍｅｎｔ
crucial ｏｆ ｔｉｍｅ
moment of ｓｕｓｐｅｎｓｉｏｎ
time suspension
ｔｏto ｗｈｉｃｈ
whichｔｈｅtheｎｏｖｅｌ
novelｈａｓ
hasｌｅｄ，
led,ｈｅ
heｈａｓ
hasｃｏｎｆｒｏｎｔｅｄ
confronted Ｎａｂｏｋｏｖ
Nabokovａｎｄ and
ｗｏｎ：ｈｉｓ
won:ｐｕｎｃｈ－ｂｏｗｌ
his punch-bowl
ｉｓis ｉｎｔａｃｔ．
intact.
ＩｎInｔｈｅ
theｌａｓｔ
lastｃｈａｐｔｅｒ
chapterＮａｂｏｋｏｖ
Nabokovｅｍｅｒｇｅｓ ｆｒｏｍ ｈｉｓ
emerges fromｄｅｎ，hisｓｔｒｉｋｉｎｇ ｉｎ ａｌｌ ｄｉｒｅｃｔｉｏｎｓ，
den, striking in all directions,
ａｎｄ ｔａｋｅｓ ｏｎ ｔｈｅ ｄｅｆｉｎｉｔｅ ｓｈａｐｅ ｏｆ ａ ｃｈａｒａｃｔｅｒ． Ｈｅ ｖｉｓｉｔｓ ａ ｄｉｒｅｃｔ
and takes on the definite shape of a character. He visits a direct ｈｉｔ ｏｎhitＰｎｉｎ＇ｓ
on Pnin's
ｐａｓｔ
pastｂｙbyｔｅｌｌｉｎｇ
tellingｕｓus
ｔｈａｔ ｉｔ itｗａｓwas
that ｈｉｓhis
ｏｗｎown
ａｆｆａｉｒ ｗｉｔｈ with
affair Ｌｉｚａ ｔｈａｔ
Liza ｐｒｅｃｉｐｉｔａｔｅｄ ｈｅｒ ｉｎｔｏ
that precipitated her into
ｍａｒｒｉａｇｅ
marriageｗｉｔｈ Ｐｎｉｎ．
with Ｗｅ We
Pnin. ｈｅａｒhear
ＰｎｉｎPnin
ｃａｌｌcall
Ｎａｂｏｋｏｖ ＂ａ ｄｒｅａｄｆｕｌ
Nabokov ｉｎｖｅｎｔｏ：＂—ｔｏ
"a dreadful ｈｉｓ
inventor"-to his
ｆａｃｅ． Ｗｅ ｆｉｎｄ Ｐｎｉｎ ａｎｄ Ｎａｂｏｋｏｖ ｃｈｅｅｒｆｕｌｌｙ ｒｉｄｉｎｇ ａ Ｎｅｗ Ｙｏｒｋ ｂｕｓ ｔｏｇｅｔｈｅｒ． Ｉｔ
face. We find Pnin and Nabokov cheerfully riding a New York bus together. It
ｉｓis ｃｌｅａｒ
clear ｔｈａｔ
that Ｎａｂｏｋｏｖ
Nabokov ａｎｄandＰｎｉｎPnin
ｈａｖｅhave
ａｍｂｉｖａｌｅｎｔ ｆｅｅｌｉｎｇｓ
ambivalent ｔｏｗａｒｄtoward
feelings ｅａｃｈ ｏｔｈｅｒ， ｂｕｔ but
each other,
Ｎａｂｏｋｏｖ， ａｓ ａｕｔｈｏｒ ａｓ ｗｅｌｌ ａｓ ｎａｒｒａｔｏｒ ａｎｄ ｃｈａｒａｃｔｅｒ， ｉｓ ｕｌｔｉｍａｔｅｌｙ ａｌｗａｙｓ ｉｎ
Nabokov, as author as well as narrator and character, is ultimately always in
ｃｏｎｔｒｏｌ；
control;ｗｅweａｒｅareｐｅｒｈａｐｓ
perhaps ａｎｎｏｙｅｄ ｂｙ ｈｉｓ
annoyed byｔｏｎｅ ｏｆ ｓｙｍｐａｔｈｅｔｉｃ
his tone ｓｕｐｅｒｉｏｒｉｔｙ，
of sympathetic ａｓ ｗｅｌｌ as well
superiority,
ａｓ ｍｏｖｅｄ ｂｙ ｈｉｓ ｄｉｓａｐｐｏｉｎｔｍｅｎｔ ａｔ ｎｏｔ ｇａｉｎｉｎｇ Ｐｎｉｎ＇ｓ ｃｏｎｆｉｄｅｎｃｅ． Ｉｔ ｉｓ ｈｅｒｅ ｔｈａｔ
as moved by his disappointment at not gaining Pnin's confidence. It is here that
ｗｅ ｂｅｇｉｎ ｔｏ ｓｕｓｐｅｃｔ ｏｕｒ ａｕｔｈｏｒ＇ｓ ａｔｔｉｔｕｄｅ ｔｏｗａｒｄ ｈｉｓ ｕｎｆｏｒｔｕｎａｔｅ ｃｈａｒａｃｔｅｒ， ａｎｄ
we begin to suspect our author's attitude toward his unfortunate character, and
ｔｈａｔ
thatｓｕｓｐｉｃｉｏｎ
suspicionＨｏｗｓ
flowsｂａｃｋｗａｒｄｓ
backwards ｔｏ ｃｏｌｏｒ ｏｕｒ ｉｍｐｒｅｓｓｉｏｎ
to color ｏｆ ｔｈｅofｅｎｔｉｒｅ
our impression ｎｏｖｅｌ． novel.
the entire Ｉｔ It
ｉｓis ａa ｒｅｍａｒｋａｂｌｅ ｔｅｃｈｎｉｃａｌ ｆｅａｔ． Ｔｈｅｎ Ｎａｂｏｋｏｖ ｖｉｓｉｔｓ ｔｈｅ ｃａｍｐｕｓ ｆｏｒ
remarkable technical feat. Then Nabokov visits the campus for a lecture andａ ｌｅｃｔｕｒｅ ａｎｄ
ａa ｐｅｒｓｏｎａｌ
personalｃｏｎｆｒｏｎｔａｔｉｏｎ
confrontation ｗｉｔｈwith
ｈｉｓ his
ｖｉｃｔｉｍ．Ｂｕｔ
victim.ＰｎｉｎBut ｆｌｅｅｓ， ｅｓｃａｐｉｎｇ
Pnin flees, ｏｎ ｈｉｓ on
escaping ｂｉｒｔｈｄａｙ
his birthday
ｗｈｉｌｅ Ｎａｂｏｋｏｖ ｉｓ ｂｕｓｙ ｗｉｔｈ ａ ｄｅｃｏｙ， Ｊａｃｋ Ｃｏｃｋｅｒｅｌｌ， ｔｈｅ
while Nabokov is busy with a decoy, Jack Cockerell, the false Pnin who ｆａｌｓｅ Ｐｎｉｎ ｗｈｏ ＂ｈａｄ "had
ａｃｑｕｉｒｅｄ ａｎ ｕｎｍｉｓｔａｋａｂｌｅ ｒｅｓｅｍｂｌａｎｃｅ ｔｏ ｔｈｅ ｍａｎ ｈｅ ｈａｄ ｎｏｗ ｂｅｅｎ ｍｉｍｉｃｋｉｎｇ
acquired an unmistakable resemblance to the man he had now been mimicking
ｆｏｒ ａｌｍｏｓｔ ｔｅｎ ｙｅａｒｓ．” Ｓｕｒｇｉｎｇ ｕｐ ｔｈｅ ｈｉｌｌ， Ｐｎｉｎ ｉｓ ＂ｆｒｅｅ ａｔ ｌａｓｔ＂—ｆｒｅｅ ｏｆ ｈｉｓ
for almost ten years." Surging up the hill, Pnin is "free at last"-free of his
ａｕｔｈｏｒ．
author.Ｂｕｔ Ｎａｂｏｋｏｖ
But Nabokovｗｉｌｌ will
ｎｅｉｔｈｅｒ ｒｅｔｉｒｅretire
neither ｈｉｓ ｐｕｐｐｅｔ ｔｏ ｈｉｓ to
his puppet ｂｏｘ，
hisｎｏｒ ｌｅｔnor
box, ｈｉｍ let
ｇｏ， him
ａ go, a
ｒｅａｌ ｌｉｖｅ ｂｏｙ， ｏｎ ｈｉｓ ｅａｒｎｅｄ ｅｓｃａｐｅ． Ｐｎｉｎ ｗｉｌｌ ｒｅ－ａｐｐｅａｒ ｂｒｉｅｆｌｙ ｉｎ Ｐａｌｅ
real live boy, on his earned escape. Pnin will re-appear briefly in Pale Fire, care-Ｆｉｒｅ， ｃａｒｅ－
ｆｕｌｌｙ
fullyｔｒｉｍｍｅｄ
trimmedｂａｃｋback
ｔｏ ｃｏｍｉｃ Ｒｕｓｓｉａｎ，
to comic ＂ｆａｎｔａｓｔｉｃ
Russian, ｐｅｄａｎｔ，＂
"fantastic ｓｔｏｃｋ stock
pedant," ｆｇｕｒｅ figure
ｔｒａｐｐｅｄtrapped
ｉｎ in
ａｎanｅｎｏｒｍｏｕｓ ｂｕｒｌｅｓｑｕｅ．
enormous burlesque.

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