why is it good or bad to become personally involved with a work of literature?

Question

answers dont exactly have to pertain to the Nabokov essay I talk about below. its just there so if anyone knows about it they know where my question comes from.
Kind of long but thanks for any help or opinions.

In Good Readers and Good Writers, Vladimir Nabokov says that he doesn't want readers to personally identify themselves in any way with a work of literature because it robs the author his creation. But at the same time he says that "Since the master artist used his imagination in creating his book, it is natural and fair that the consumer of the book should use his imagination too". I'm not sure of this difference between personal imagination/involvement and the "impersonal imagination and artistic delight" he'd rather a reader use.

Answer 1

That's like saying why is it good or bad to be involved with a child that is not yours. I'm an author and I am personally involved in all the books I write. Because I like to know what point of view all of my characters are coming from. The, good, bad, or the crazy. But when it comes to other people's writing. I tend to not get involved when I'm reading the words page by page. I don't not do this for any reason. It's just that I don't personally connect with the characters. But sometimes I may ask myself what would I do in their situation.

Answer 2

i don't know if i can cover your question but from personal experience, i wrote a novel about someone i barely knew and when the editor ok the publication , he popped up in my life and killed every creativity for about 2 years. i became personally involved with my own work of fiction.
so Nabokov was a genius, at least in my case i was a writer but also a reader of my own work involved with her own creation. it killed the whole damn thing!!!!

Answer 3

We personally identify ourselves with fictional characters when we are children. It helps to develop our imagination. Once we mature, however, we stop identifying with others and start identifying with ourselves. This is normal emotional development. If you are an adult, and you find yourself identifying with or getting involved with fictional characters, there is something missing in your life, and you should look for help with that.

Now, by no means, should you not have any emotional reaction to a work of fiction. Shock, pity, etc are normal. (Show me the person who didn't cry when Spock died! That doesn't mean that you are identifying with Kirk!).

Answer 4

I agree with Mr.Nabokov - however if ever there was a book people seem to find themselves emotionally attracted it is his Lolita. He may not have wanted people to become personally involved with his work, but in the case of Lolita, it is hard not to be. That was his dilemma. His writing is just so compelling and so full of the breath of life that it is not possible to not feel some kind of sympathy for Humbert Humbert - despite the fact we all know he is a pathetic pedophile. That was the genius of Nabokov. He was just too damn good.
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