Comments on: 35 – A Slice of Life http://www.mantex.co.uk/2009/09/26/a-slice-of-life/ Writng, arts, media, books, and software Mon, 30 Jan 2012 14:42:53 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: mantexhttp://www.mantex.co.uk/2009/09/26/a-slice-of-life/#comment-290 mantex Sat, 27 Mar 2010 13:28:37 +0000 http://www.mantex.co.uk/2009/09/26/35-a-slice-of-life/#comment-290 Her diction is unconvincing because a woman of this kind would not have the sort of voabulary at her disposal that Nabokov gives her - not the gift for metaphors and poetic turns of phrase. You put up a spirited defense for her - and I admit that my judgements are coloured by the fact that Nabokov very rarely makes women (apart from whispy love objects) sympathetic characters in his work. We might have to just agree to disagree on this particular story Tom. But thanks for the response. Her diction is unconvincing because a woman of this kind would not have the sort of voabulary at her disposal that Nabokov gives her – not the gift for metaphors and poetic turns of phrase.

You put up a spirited defense for her – and I admit that my judgements are coloured by the fact that Nabokov very rarely makes women (apart from whispy love objects) sympathetic characters in his work.

We might have to just agree to disagree on this particular story Tom.

But thanks for the response.

]]> By: Tom Settlehttp://www.mantex.co.uk/2009/09/26/a-slice-of-life/#comment-184 Tom Settle Wed, 24 Mar 2010 11:10:43 +0000 http://www.mantex.co.uk/2009/09/26/35-a-slice-of-life/#comment-184 But I don't understand what makes the diction unconvincing. Because she has been in failed relationships? To me she seems really perceptive, her comment about people who don't read being interested in dictionaries could be spoken by any of Nabokov's other (male!) narrators, and I didn't feel like this jarred with her character. Surely it's things like this that make her character? I agree she is sad, but she is way less pathetic and more dignified than Pavel, despite the fact that she just gets buffeted around by everyone in the story. I know we only get her account, but it seems safe to assume that she doesn't try and shoot people who've maligned her. She tells US her relationships have all been failures, and that she no longer desires Pavel. I don't think that Nabokov is saying 'look what she finds attractive, isn't she silly'. Is Pavel not repellent because she is describing him when her feelings for him have cooled? But I don’t understand what makes the diction unconvincing. Because she has been in failed relationships? To me she seems really perceptive, her comment about people who don’t read being interested in dictionaries could be spoken by any of Nabokov’s other (male!) narrators, and I didn’t feel like this jarred with her character. Surely it’s things like this that make her character? I agree she is sad, but she is way less pathetic and more dignified than Pavel, despite the fact that she just gets buffeted around by everyone in the story. I know we only get her account, but it seems safe to assume that she doesn’t try and shoot people who’ve maligned her. She tells US her relationships have all been failures, and that she no longer desires Pavel. I don’t think that Nabokov is saying ‘look what she finds attractive, isn’t she silly’. Is Pavel not repellent because she is describing him when her feelings for him have cooled?

]]> By: mantexhttp://www.mantex.co.uk/2009/09/26/a-slice-of-life/#comment-164 mantex Tue, 23 Mar 2010 14:29:12 +0000 http://www.mantex.co.uk/2009/09/26/35-a-slice-of-life/#comment-164 Well Tom, you will see that in my analysis of the story I deal with the issue of her diction as something which does not seem altogether convincing. She is also enamoured of a thug, has lots of failed relationships behind her, and the things she finds attractive in Pavel are clearly chosen by Nabokov to be repellent details. But maybe my use of the term stupid is a little harsh. She is a sad and pathetic character. Well Tom, you will see that in my analysis of the story I deal with the issue of her diction as something which does not seem altogether convincing.

She is also enamoured of a thug, has lots of failed relationships behind her, and the things she finds attractive in Pavel are clearly chosen by Nabokov to be repellent details.

But maybe my use of the term stupid is a little harsh. She is a sad and pathetic character.

]]> By: Tom Settlehttp://www.mantex.co.uk/2009/09/26/a-slice-of-life/#comment-162 Tom Settle Tue, 23 Mar 2010 13:52:13 +0000 http://www.mantex.co.uk/2009/09/26/35-a-slice-of-life/#comment-162 Why do you assume the female narrator is stupid? Her diction suggests otherwise, as do the books in her room, as does pretty much everything else in the story. She used to be 'enamoured with a brute', but she now has the self-consciousness you say she lacks and seems kinda repulsed by him. Maybe she is just KIND, and sees other people as human beings, and Pavel as someone who is in PAIN, like herself. I think your reading is pretty darned lopsided. Why do you assume the female narrator is stupid? Her diction suggests otherwise, as do the books in her room, as does pretty much everything else in the story. She used to be ‘enamoured with a brute’, but she now has the self-consciousness you say she lacks and seems kinda repulsed by him. Maybe she is just KIND, and sees other people as human beings, and Pavel as someone who is in PAIN, like herself. I think your reading is pretty darned lopsided.

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