Brain Pain discussion

This discussion covers the Foreword and Chapter 1 thru 4, p. 9 – 94


In the Foreword, Nabokov gives his reasons for publishing this revised version of his autobiography. Though an autobiography, Nabokov’s fluid prose reads like fiction. In the first chapter, he shares his memories of understanding who he was, in relation to his parents:

“I had learned numbers and speech more or less simultaneously at a very early date, but the inner knowledge that I was I and that my parents were my parents seems to have been established only later, when it was directly associated with my discovering their age in relation to mine. …when the newly disclosed, fresh and trim formula of my own age, four, was confronted with the parental formulas, thirty-three and twenty-seven, something happened to me. I was given a tremendously invigorating shock. …I became acutely aware that the twenty-seven-year-old being, in soft white and pink, holding my left hand, was my mother, and that the thirty-three-year-old being, in hard white and gold, holding my right hand, was my father. Between them, as they evenly progressed, I strutted, and trotted, and strutted again, from sun fleck to sun fleck, along the middle of a path…”(p. 21 – 22)

I love the way he presents the childish fascination with things like ages, especially your parents.' I remember the thrill of discovery when I discovered my own parents' ages, as well as their first names. For some reason that was exciting.

Jim - I wish I would have read this along with you and the group, but alas, I didn't start participating 'til Ada... I will try to read it despite my long "to -read" list in the hopes of discussing it with you. I'm surprised it didn't garner more discussion... it is surely warranted, considering it's beauty.

Margaret wrote: "I love the way he presents the childish fascination with things like ages, especially your parents.' I remember the thrill of discovery when I discovered my own parents' ages, as well as their firs..."

It's truly fascinating to get that first glimpse at our own history - to realize that we come "from" somewhere and that others were here before us.

@Tia - join in when time permits...

I also like the little touches of dry humour, like how his father was "put through the national ordeal" of being rocked and tossed by the peasants in sign of appreciation.

Margaret - I also enjoy the humor throughout this book. I think this scene quickly shows what his father was like. He was well liked by the common people, he made efforts to commune with them in this case pausing in the middle of dinner to be tossed in the air, and he seems to be good natured and to take things in stride.
Getting back to the humor, I always kind of think of Nabokov as being like Puck from a Midsummer Night's dream. He can work magic (his amazing use of language) but he can't help having his jokes and messing with the mortals.

Tim wrote: " I always kind of think of Nabokov as being like Puck from a Midsummer Night's dream. He can work magic (his amazing use of language) but he can't help having his jokes and messing with the mortals..."

Good characterization of Nabokov!