Re: Hello all
Camille Scaysbrook (verona_beach@geocities.com)
Fri, 14 May 1999 12:56:49 +1000
Jim Rovira wrote:
> >I'd say they were both first person narrative accounts designed to
> >explain the mental state of the "author" (meaning Humbert in the case of
> >Lolita and Holden in the case of Catcher). Since Humbert is a more
> >educated and mature character than Holden (how old was Humbert? 30s?
> >40s? And was a scholar of sorts?) so his narrative is tighter, more
> >organized, etc., as you observed, while Holden is still pretty young, a
> >bit scatterbrained, and is writing about what he feels like writing
about
> >because he feels like writing it :)
Well, yes, but that's hardly a stylistic concern, it's more a structural
one. And, as you say, the voices and testimonies of Holden and Humbert -
and also
Salinger and Nabokov - are as different as a sixteen year old schoolboy and
an educated middle aged (he's supposed to be around 50) continental
professor and pedophile could be expected to be. But the main difference is
the intentions of the authors through their characters. Of course, both
want to put voice to two people who have been through extraordinary
circumstances - but that is about it. Salinger just wants to tell us a
story. Nabokov wants to Tell us a Story (:
Camille
verona_beach@geocities.com
@ THE ARTS HOLE http://www.geocities.com/Hollywood/Theater/6442
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