Dreams Quote by Vladimir Nabokov
““It was then that I sprang my surprise. Oh, what a dreamy pet! She walked up to the open suitcase as if stalking it from afar, at a kind of slow-motion walk, peering at that distant treasure box on the luggage support. (Was there something wrong, I wondered, with those great gray eyes of hers, or were we both plunged in the same enchanted mist?) She stepped up to it, lifting her rather high-heeled feet rather high, and bending her beautiful boy-knees while she walked through dilating space with the lentor of one walking under water or in a flight dream.””
About This Quote
Source Novel: Ada, or Ardor: A Family Chronicle, Vladimir Nabokov, 1969
A vivid, surreal description of a dreamlike encounter with a mysterious, ethereal pet, emphasizing perception and enchantment.
In simple terms: A strange, dreamy pet appears in a surreal, slow‑motion scene.
Key Takeaway
Notice how perception can turn ordinary moments into magical ones.
Themes
perception
dreams
surrealism
beauty
mystery
Mood
wonderful
melancholic
introspective
Type
literary
descriptive
poetic
When to use this quote
- artistic inspiration
- creative writing
- visual storytelling
- mindful observation
Key Concepts
subjectivity
transcendence
visual metaphor
Questions to Reflect On
- How does altered perception change reality?
- What does the pet symbolize?
A Different Perspective
The imagery may obscure practical meaning, leaving readers confused.
![“[She] was a remarkable looking woman. Remarkable in that she wasn’t what most people would call beautiful. But she oozed a raw femaleness that I was certain made most women uncomfortable and sent men walking into walls. And when she smiled. Well. That was magic.” quote by Beth Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/f4c/beth-hoffman-5200_beauty_she-was-a-remarkable-looking-woman-remar_802196.jpg)
![“...under no circumstances would he [Humbert Humbert] have interfered with the innocence of a child, if there was the least risk of a row.” quote by Vladimir Nabokov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/0f0/vladimir-nabokov-198_children_under-no-circumstances-would-he-humbert_16228.jpg)
