This unsettling narrative is permeated by an indescribable sense of foreboding that never subsides as the story unfolds. There is a palpable sense that something is about to occur, something terrible and shocking, and in the face of this impending danger, one feels an urge to act, to do anything at all, which is repeatedly thwarted. Nothing is done; and so the narrative carries us toward the events, as if defying our desire to avoid them, even though we are, at the same time, eager to know them and put an end to the apprehension once and for all. It is an interesting construction; the author’s style fades into the background before the scenes he describes. Above all, it is a book that leaves no one indifferent and that, perhaps, holds an important lesson.
Category: Notes
The Art of Maintaining Good Relationships…
Starting them is not so; but the art of maintaining good relationships is extremely difficult. In truth, although there are obviously different levels, it takes almost nothing for them to develop. A little goodwill, a little courtesy, and they happen. Maintaining them at this healthy level, however, requires wisdom; especially with those that seem most promising, most authentic, and most beneficial. Distance destroys them, and so does closeness. Without balance, vulgarity enters the picture; and then the worst can no longer be avoided. Better to watch them wither away through absence, preserving their memory, than to witness the misery of their deterioration!
The Scandal Is, Above All, Sad
The scandal is, above all, sad. And far more distressing than the events that sparked it is the widespread misery it tends to lay bare. It spreads, spilling beyond its own boundaries; it stirs up and brings to the surface the most despicable aspects of human nature, from repugnant slander to that shameful schadenfreude. Anyone who observes this phenomenon ends up convinced he is living among swine. The frenzied gossip, the presumptuous tone, the demonic pleasure in accusing: all of this provokes a feeling of utter revulsion.
When Nabokov Talks About His Butterflies…
When Nabokov talks about his butterflies, they become interesting even to those who despise them. This is because Nabokov, in addition to being a masterful writer, when he talks about butterflies, he talks about something that captivates him; he speaks enthusiastically, causing at least some of this great enthusiasm to radiate to the reader. With this example, it becomes easy to see that literature makes possible unlikely, unexpected, even impossible readings, provided the author is authentic and deals with subjects that truly interest him—acting as a host who, in an act of good faith, shows the visitor what he considers to be his most valuable possession. Perhaps the most evident effect of a great writer is precisely this: he stimulates, even if by force, the reader’s interest.