paulataua 's review for:

Signs and Symbols by Vladimir Nabokov

4.0

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An elderly couple go to visit their son in the sanitarium. The son is suffering from a psychosis that compels him to find meaning or signs in all objects and natural events. When they arrive, they are turned away because the son has just attempted suicide and they go home. Any further summary would give away too much, but the author juxtaposes the son’s psychotic obsession with signs and connections in his world and his parents apparent unawareness of possible signs on their journey there and back. Things come or seemingly come to a resolution when they are at home. I love the way Nabokov manages to paint such a vivid picture of the elderly couple using very few words, and I appreciate the way the story come to a close in such a way that the reader is left to provide the meaning. A very short but extremely interesting story.