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Example research essay topic: Theme Of This Story Important To Remember - 1,105 words

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... he meanings of words throughout the story. Many allusions and references are made in chapter two of the story that has to do with names of people, for example, Dr. Rosetta Stone, one of the most destructive psychiatrists of the day (Nabokov 44).

Other examples include the Clements, Robert Treble, and Charles Macbeth. The name of the couple, Clements, is an allusion to the word clemency because, in the story, they are very generous people by nature. Robert Treble, whose last name alludes to the treble clef in musical language, is involved with the music department of the school. Because of his compositions, Charles Macbeth, who is one of Pnin's students, has a striking similarity to Shakespeare's Macbeth character. Because of Nabokov's style, it is safe to say that there is a specific audience of readers that he is trying to address. Stonehill states that in a self-conscious novel Readers who dont get the jokes nonetheless sense that theyve missed something; they are thus excluded from the implied audience of the novel (7).

Another characteristic that is stated by Stonehill has to do will style While there is no single style of self-consciousness, all self-conscious novels are stylistically ostentatious (21). In Nabokov's novel, his individual descriptive style, which is explained by Stonehill, is another aspect involved with a self-conscious novel. The next category that is addressed is the characterization in a self-conscious novel. One characteristic under this category that Pnin possesses is the dehumanization of character. The narrator of Pnin's story is not so forward with his condescending attitude towards Pnin, however, as the story progresses, in descriptions, the harsh under-tone definitely intensifies.

It is also very important to remember that the point of view of the narrator. The narrator is a man who acted very immorally with Pnin's wife, while being one of Pnin's friends. In addition, the narrator was his replacement professor when he got fired. The narrators view of Pnin obviously loses more and more respect as the story progresses, which is probably what is feeding his negative view of Pnin. Nevertheless, it is a quality that a self-conscious novel possesses, regardless of the cause.

An example of the second characteristic presents itself when Pnin says, very rudely after he finds out that his wife had committed an unfaithful act with his friend, the narrator, Now, dont believe a word he says, Georgia Aramovich. He makes up everything. He once invented that we were schoolmates in repeatedly Russia and cribbed at examinations. He is a dreadful inventor (Nabokov 185).

This helps the reader understand the possibility of the narrator being an illegitimate source of information for the story. This characteristic supports Stonehill's idea The inclusion of self-directed literary criticism in these novels reminds that he or she is reading the novel, but it does much more besides. By means of such criticism, the self-conscious novel challenges the assumptions upon which itself is based (10). In essence, it is important to remember the point of view from which the story is being told, because it may or may not be a legitimate source. The central theme of this story is essentially in repetition of ones past as Stonehill puts it. Before trying to understand the theme of Pnin's story, it is very important to realize his character and his life situations, because they lead to the theme of repetition.

The definition of repetition that applies to the theme of this story isnt necessarily the reoccurrence of similar events; it is the reoccurrence of bad experiences. Pnin is the joke of the college and is constantly ridiculed. He is very obvious about his habits and has strange characteristics; he is sarcastic with a weird Russian accent. From the beginning of the story to the end he is an outsider and doesnt mind being different and alone. Pnin has an old world type of charm and tries to fit in as much as he can, but he never does.

Some may say that he is different because he is a Russian immigrant, however, he is even different than most Russian immigrants, and he was referred to as a cracked ping-pong ball. Pnin's life situation is very unfortunate, the reader sees that his relationship with his ex-wife is really strange; she had an affair and was very flirtatious by nature. She was impregnated by another man and fools Pnin into believing that she would get back with him, but instead, she goes to America with Pnin and ends up leaving him for the father of her child. Next in the series of unfortunate events, Pnin's ex-wife fools him, once again, into believing that her sons father doesnt care about him and asks Pnin for money; he loves her so much that he sends it to her.

His love life isnt his only problem either; he has trouble with his jobs also. He gets laid off from his teaching position that he needed for his survival, and he wasnt very liked by his colleagues. Next, the narrator, who is supposed to be his friend, sleeps with his wife and ends up replacing him in the college he was working in. And although Pnin ended up with his love, because he was so sweet in the letter he wrote her, he had to endure so much pain.

The last sentence of the story reveals that Pnin brought the wrong speech for his lecture. This small synopsis of Pnin's life just shows that he has reoccurring bad luck and nothing ever goes well for him, not on the first try anyway. By the end of the story the reader can just see that Pnin is a good hearted man that was dealt a terrible hand in life. This reoccurrence of unfortunate and painful experiences is what leads to the central theme of the story, which is essentially, repetition of ones past.

These concepts and characteristics help justify Nabokov's Pnin as a self-conscious novel. Although they are essential devices in creating as a self-conscious novel, it is very important to understand Stonehill's one central idea these features, along with the others to be added to the list, are not criteria that a novel must meet in order to be deemed self-conscious, but are rather resources at the disposal of the self-conscious novelist, to be adopted or discarded as the novelist sees fit (20). So, self-conscious or not, it is the novelists decision which aspects and characteristics he wants to include in his story. Bibliography 1. Nabokov, New York: Random House, Inc. , 1957. 7 - 191. 2. Stonehill, Brian.

Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania P, n. d. 1 - 31.


Free research essays on topics related to: central theme, theme of this story, point of view, important to remember, story progresses

Research essay sample on Theme Of This Story Important To Remember

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