Ladies and gentlemen Quote by Vladimir Nabokov
““Being a murderer with a sensational but incomplete and unorthodox memory, I cannot tell you, ladies and gentlemen, the exact day which I first knew with certainty that the red convertible was following us.””
About This Quote
Source Novel: Lolita, 1955
The narrator admits a fragmented, sensational memory, questioning the reliability of his perception of events.
In simple terms: Memory is unreliable and sensational.
Question narrative reliability.
Themes
Mood
Type
When to use this quote
- personal storytelling
- legal testimony
- historical research
- creative writing
Key Concepts
Questions to Reflect On
- How does unreliable memory affect storytelling?
- Can you trust your own recollections?
Sensational memories may distort facts.