Nabokov:
Ch. 4 "My English Education":
In the fourth chapter of Nabokov's book, he discusses his upbringing and the English governess who took care of him when he was a small child. The particular qualities of Britain seemed to all have been within this one governess and it instilled in Nabokov and his other family members a form of Anglophilia. They came to appreciate other British things either because she introduced it to them or because, being British, they reminded the family of the governess which then gave it a positive connotation. There are British articles all over the house and a decidedly British influence on the children, so much so that Vladimir learned English before Russian.
Ch. 5 "Mademoiselle O":
Following the departure of the British governess, the Nabokov children had a French nanny who they called "Mademoiselle." She looked after them for several years and this exposure to French culture...
Unlike the British nanny, the French one does not seem particularly warm or loving, but her voice which the two boys are obsessed with makes up for these deficits.
Ch. 6 "Butterflies":
This chapter talks about the author's interests in butterflies and how he came to start collecting them. Throughout his life, Nabokov had lepidoptery as his favorite pastime and means of relaxing. Part of the reason he enjoys his hobby so much is that it gives him time to be alone and to think.
Simic:
1) The narrator and a group of others go to a building which might be an abandoned factory or an abandoned prison.
2) No one can see their
reflection in a rock but beyond the obvious it might mean that no one sees his or her true self.
3) An artifact washes up on shore. It happens to be a doll's head but might be anything which had once meant the world to an innocent young person who has either lost it or thrown it away after it lost its significance.
4) The character Margaret is writing a recipe, but there is
symbolism in…
