Timofey Pavlovich Pnin

Timofey Pavlovich Pnin is a Russian scholar in his early fifties, who teaches Russian language and literature at Waindell College. Struggling to adapt to the nuances of American culture and the English language, Pnin often appears clumsy and inept. Yet, among fellow Russian émigrés, he reveals himself to be both articulate and erudite when speaking his native tongue. Pnin is a figure of eccentricity, with an obsessive fascination with objects like plastic items, which further alienates him from those around him. Despite his often bewildering demeanor, he is not a typical absentminded professor. Instead, he is hyper-aware of his surroundings and seeks "discreteness"—a sanctuary from his haunting past and present intrusions, especially from the meddling narrator of his story. Pnin's attempts to offer help are genuine, though often misunderstood, and his intuitive nature shines through his struggles with the American idiom. His physical attributes—baldness, a sturdy torso, and spindly legs—add to his distinctive presence. Throughout the narrative, Pnin experiences what appear to be heart attacks, during which he loses his sense of discreteness, feeling as if he's dissolving into his environment and nearing death. He shares a special, albeit complex, bond with Victor Wind, whom he treats as an adopted son. The bond is poignantly depicted through a moment of potential loss involving a delicate crystal bowl, symbolizing the fragile yet resilient connection between Pnin and Victor.

Vladimir Vladimirovich Nabokov

Vladimir Vladimirovich Nabokov, the narrator, serves as the authorial figurehead who intricately weaves himself into Pnin's story. As the narrative progresses, his presence becomes more pronounced, eventually usurping Pnin as the central character. Nabokov portrays himself as a friend to Pnin, but subtly reveals a manipulative side; he had seduced Pnin's former wife, Liza Wind, and interfered in various aspects of Pnin's private life. His ambition to capture and alter images of Pnin within his fiction reflects the morally ambiguous artist, a recurring theme in his own works. Nabokov's intrusion culminates in him taking over Pnin's position at Waindell College, effectively erasing Pnin from the storyline. Despite his arrogance and a dim awareness of his own unscrupulousness, Nabokov grapples with guilt over his manipulation of Pnin's life and story.

Dr. Liza Wind

Dr. Liza Wind, née Bogolepov, is Pnin's former wife, a character mired in moral ambiguity and emotional restlessness. She initially married Pnin to incite jealousy in another man and later bore a child with another during their marriage. Her life is a series of tumultuous romantic escapades, marked by writing subpar poetry and indulging in wild Freudian speculations. Despite appearing undeserving of Pnin's affections, Liza shares a deeper connection with him through their mutual intensity and aimlessness. Her restless quest for romance parallels Pnin's own journey, making her an integral yet confounding part of his life. Her arrival, along with Victor, her son by another man, in Pnin's life at an inopportune yet touching moment, adds complexity to their shared history.

Victor Wind

Victor Wind, fourteen years old and the son of Liza and Eric Wind, emerges as a gifted young painter whose individual creativity starkly contrasts with his parents’ lackadaisical approach to art and psychology. Despite having no blood relation, Victor and Pnin share a connection rooted in mutual disappointment and estrangement from their respective familial environments. Victor’s presence in Pnin's life is both accidental and significant, symbolized by his whimsical gift of a crystal bowl, which represents their unexpectedly enduring bond. His awkwardness and shy grace parallel Pnin’s own struggles, and through their interactions, the novel underscores the theme of artistic genius clashing with the pretenses of modern psychotherapy.

Herman Hagen

As the...