Speak, Memory--Ch. 6

"I confess I do not believe in time. I like to fold my magic carpet, after use, in such a way as to superimpose one part of the pattern upon another. Let visitors trip." --Vladimir Nabokov, page 139

It's obvious in reading Speak, Memory that Nabokov is mostly concerned with presenting his life story as it is dictated to him by memory, not necessarily chronology. Which I think is a pretty effective way of presenting a life. This chapter about butterfly hunting proceeds accordingly, although there is some chronology at parts. I like the way he jumps from moment to moment, finding connections in his experiences that might not otherwise be obvious. I don't know if I necessarily agree with the sentiment "Let visitors trip," however, especially in regards to writing. I think that there is something to be said for keeping specificity in a piece and not overexplaining, but there's no reason to confuse the reader. There are ways to clarify situations without telling too much. There are parts of Speak, Memory that I will have to read over and over again to make any sense of. It's good to make the reader think, yes, but not be overwhelmed. I would let my visitors stumble, maybe, but not trip.