Wednesday, September 17, 2008

Short Story: Natasha by Vladimir Nabokov



Natasha by Vladimir Nabokov is another short story I read online on The New Yorker for Short Story September being conducted by CB James.

Exiled from Russia, Natasha lives with he father Khrenov, who is very old and sick. He had lost his two sons and Natasha is the only one who has survived. Their neighbour Baron Wolfe, is attracted to Natasha and wished to be with her.

It has some elements of imagination and magical vision in it. And I felt that all the three characters lie to each other. Natasha says her father is getting well and goes out to spend a day with Wolfe. And Wolfe in turn lies about his travels to Afria and India. Natasha in turn tells him about her strange visions where she feels light and almost flying. It shows the power of imagination which can take us into journeys from our minds. The imaginations of all three is kind of concrete here. I liked the ending.....

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