NPPF: Keith's Shocking Theory

[The Great Quail]

Jasper writes,

> Andrew Field thought Zembla was a "homosexual fantasy" for Kinbote (whatever
> that is exactly),

I can see that, certainly. One thing that strikes me about Zembla is how
open and acceptable homosexuality is, particularly among the ruling classes.
There is almost an expectation that young Zemblan men will dally with one
another, not to mention page boys and the like. This is especially powerful
given the time the book was written and takes place -- America in the 1950s.

It's actually one of the aspects of Kinbote's story that humanizes him for
me. Even though he treats women contemptuously, there's something moving in
his need to create a land where his own sexuality is normal. Though I
certainly feel that Nabokov treats K's sexual proclivities with a certain
degree of mockery, the pathos is still there, under the surface.

--Quail