Author: Vladimir Nabokov
Title: "Clear Items"
Number of pages: 125
"works of human hands, as well as works of nature, themselves idle, but constantly used by the nonchalant time "
Nabokov likes to mess with it, oh he likes. Nifty reader enters the game that every time it appears clear winner. First discreetly introduces world that he created, from the first sentence making clear that it will not easily and not everything will be clear and obvious. Then he grabs the word, spread it into small pieces, juggling, insidiously transforms, turns, turns it upside down to finally leave the poor reader with an empty board. Before you know it, and lost again;) But I must admit that this is the best loser what can happen. Not just because they lose to the champion of the word, but because you lost it confirms the belief that you have just finished reading a book that was worth every piece precipitated.
"Transparent Objects" is the penultimate novel by Vladimir Nabokov, published in 1972. Presented in its history seems to be relatively simple. At the very beginning we know the main character throughout the show, whose name and last name, of course, can not be accidental. Hugo Persona, so called because the "our persona," comes the fourth time to a mountain resort in Switzerland. It is not difficult to imagine that they had brought him here old memories, the past, he slowly, step by step know. Leitmotif - transparent objects - takes us to the second level of the whole novel.
"When we are focusing on any material object, no matter where located, the very act of attention can lead us to an involuntary collapse in the history of that object. Novices have to learn to glide across the surface of matter, if want the matter lasted exactly at the moment. Oh, the things transparent, through which the past shines! "
Probably each of us even wondered for a moment on some object, on his story, how many people and time was needed to create it, bring to life. Transparent objects are those through which we can see their history. The narrator of the novel, which to the end remains a mystery, looking at the pencil takes the reader on a journey to the past, to the place where it was graphite, the forest of origin fitting a wooden pencil. Subjected to a kind of X-rays is also the life of our hero, Hugh. His first arrival in Switzerland with his father, working in a publishing house, met the love of the train.
narrator, as usually happens in Nabokov's novels, plays with the forms of communication, gives voice to persons from the vicinity of Hugo, interjects his comments until the end of concealing his identity. Lovers of Nabokov's prose will find the book also references to his previous novels. Topic of forbidden love, so well known for Lolita, a bit dyskretniejszej form also appears in "items transparent. " However, it is a side plot, does not refer to Hugo, and Mr. R., with which it operates, Hugh. Many would also have to say Freud himself, because sleep problems that plague Hugh since childhood, also back in his adult life. One way to cope with insomnia during childhood was imagining playing tennis, this vision of Hugh soothed and guarantee him a deep sleep. Unfortunately, problems returned, and with them the strange dreams that have contributed to the great tragedy of our hero. Tragedy, which meant that he arrived in Switzerland for the fourth time, last.
Multicoats Nabokov's novel makes a lot of things escapes during the first reading. Turns out to be very helpful to members of Leszek Engelking, contained on the end. This overloading of symbols, motifs and themes that stirred in this relatively short novel by Nabokov, surpassed all my possible interpretations. Every sentence appears to be important, any change in the narrator, inclusion, each, every note. It is also difficult to find a clear answer to the question what really is this book? A hidden desires, passing time, of life and death, the transparency of our existence? Wonder can be no end, putting in his head a number of possible solutions and settings. But hey, playing with Nabokov never be easy;)
Quotes: Vladimir Nabokov, Transparent objects , ed. Muza 2011
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