And speaking of this wonderful machine: [840] I’m puzzled…
![“And speaking of this wonderful machine: [840] I’m puzzled by the difference between Two methods of composing: A , the kind Which goes on solely in the poet’s mind, A testing of performing words, while he Is soaping a third time one leg, and B , The other kind, much more decorous, when He’s in his…” quote by Vladimir Nabokov](https://sms4smile.com/q/i/46a/vladimir-nabokov-198_composing_and-speaking-of-this-wonderful-machine-8_2914520.jpg)
““And speaking of this wonderful machine: [840] I’m puzzled by the difference between Two methods of composing: A , the kind Which goes on solely in the poet’s mind, A testing of performing words, while he Is soaping a third time one leg, and B , The other kind, much more decorous, when He’s in his study writing with a pen. In method B the hand supports the thought, The abstract battle is concretely fought. The pen stops in mid-air, then swoops to bar [850] A canceled sunset or restore a star, And thus it physically guides the phrase Toward faint daylight through the inky maze. But method A is agony! The brain Is soon enclosed in a steel cap of pain. A muse in overalls directs the drill Which grinds and which no effort of the will Can interrupt, while the automaton Is taking off what he has just put on Or walking briskly to the corner store [860] To buy the paper he has read before.””
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
Two creative methods differ: one relies on mental imagination, the other on physical writing to shape thoughts.
In simple terms: Writing can aid or hinder creativity.
Key Takeaway
Choose the method that best serves your work.
Themes
creativity
process
writing
Mood
analytical
creative
Type
literary
philosophical
When to use this quote
- authoring a novel
- poetry composition
- academic drafting
- brainstorming sessions
Key Concepts
cognitive science
artistic technique
Questions to Reflect On
- Which method fuels your ideas?
- Do you switch between them?
A Different Perspective
Method A may cause mental strain; Method B can be limiting.