Pale Fire

So, here we are, embarking on the second half of our semester on Nabokov. I am still reading Pale Fire, but I wanted to share some first thoughts.

First, I am amazed at how so few words can tell such a complex story. Great poetry always has the power to awe me.

Second, I have been noticing how often Nabokov uses gems and stones in descriptions. Just in Canto One he uses diamonds, jade, emeralds, and opals.

Third, like in all the texts so far, Nabokov uses vivid colors in his language. It is those details that bring his words to life in my imagination so completely and complexly.

More to come over the coming weeks...