Emily Sawan

English 111
April 9, 2015
Close Reading Response 1
It Could Happen to You
Vladimir Nabokov is an author of international literary merit. Known most
prominently for his work Lolita, he wrote numerous other lesser-known novels, such as
The True Life of Sebastian Knight. The book follows a narrator, Sebastians brother, as he
tries to piece Sebastians life together after an untimely death. Interestingly, Sebastian
Knight mirrors Nabokovs own upbringing and experiences in an eerily similar fashion,
while Sebastians brother simultaneously realizes the similarities between the two of
them. In the fourth chapter of The True Life of Sebastian Knight, the narrator is pondering
his brother, and realizes how alike they both were in action and thought processes. His
reflection has a tone of realization and understanding, as if a new light has been cast on
the events in Sebastians life. This tone is due to the syntax and diction used within the
sentence, and helps to further flesh out the characters.
Nabokov uses some interesting syntax in his sentence, including a semicolon, and
a phrase with single quotation marks and dashes between all the words. The semicolon
helps to separate the two thoughts within the sentence, while at the same time linking
them into one cohesive idea. The phrase itself is unique, as it clearly states its purpose
with a multitude of simple words, rather than a different phrase that is more complex. By
spelling out the feeling using dashes and quotation marks, Nabokov makes the narrator
seem like a real person going through real thought processes, struggling to find the right

words to match with his thoughts. As the reader, we see this action in motion based on the
phrasing, and come to understand more about the narrator and what makes him tick. It is
peculiar that the word dj vu is not used. Instead, Nabokov makes a point to spell out
his idea by writing about the 'it-has-happened-before-feeling', which allows the reader
to see the narrators thought processes happening in real time, literally inside his head.
The other diction included in the sentence, such as daresay, common rhythm,
curious, seizes, and bends of his life, characterize the narrator as proper, thoughtful,
and again lend to the reflective tone of the section (Nabokov).
Overall, this quotation is important because it reflects the similar experiences and
understandings all three people have in common. It indicates a brotherly understanding
and love, and perhaps subconsciously echoes Nabokovs own thoughts and desires. The
section is effective in fulfilling this purpose as it is a clear indication of how the narrator
feels, which can then be extrapolated to the larger sense of the novel and Nabokovs life
in general.

*The online version I have does not include page numbers, and is instead just
lines of the script down a singular page. I know my citations are incorrect, and that they
would normally be formatted as (Nabokov, #). *