Episode Report Card Jacob Clifton: A+ | Grade It Now! YOU GRADE IT Weak Adults & Corrupt Children
By Jacob Clifton | Season 2 | Episode 18 | Aired on 01.30.2012
About two years ago, Hanna was uncertain about herself and her position in the world. Ashley wanted her to feel good about her looks, so she sent her to a salon in town where the people never leave so they never know when people are wearing disguises inside the hair salon, even if the hair they are cutting is a wig -- ? -- and the person refers to herself by ludicrous names like, "Vivian Darkbloom." One of those salons where they're able to play Lykke Li songs from the future that haven't been written yet.
So it took a while, because Hanna was still nervous back then, but when the strange dark-haired young woman whose ass they were all kissing finally spoke -- "No cream or sugar, I don't like it sweet" -- Hanna recognized her, and bravely spoke her name.
Hanna: "I didn't know you came here. Your hair looks great, I didn't even recognize you."
(Alison pulled off her wig, like a crazy person might do.)
Ali: "Just trying something new, testing the waters. Here's the thing. I'm pretending to be someone else, so play along."
Hanna: "Sure. That makes sense that you would wear a wig to a hair salon and call yourself Vivian Darkbloom. I can buy that, and will happily play along. Except but why?"
Ali: "Because I'm bored. I do it a lot. You should try it some time. I mean, aren't you just sick and tired of being you?"
Hanna: "Yes. It is high time you taught me bulimia."
Ali: "And so I shall."
And how does Hanna explain, as they always must, why she never remembered this ass-pull? "Guess I never told you guys before because I thought it was just typical Ali weirdness." That made me laugh a lot. So then Hanna and Spencer Google "Vivian Darkbloom" to find out where she used the name, because they don't recognize it, and eventually figure out that it's a Nabokov reference: Vivian Darkbloom = Vladimir Nabokov, an anagram.
He did that a lot, because he liked to put himself into all the stories he told, and because he loved doubling characters, putting mirrors up to their faces, letting them fall apart in the in-between space. Humbert Humbert's name is an anagram of itself, and he was himself doubled with Clare Quilty, who was like the Byron to Ezra's Humbert. But Clare worked with a woman, a female twin, that Lolita used to confuse Humbert during their chases, because Vivian and Clare are both names that can go either way.
And every single word in his life, in the texture of the book itself, woven in just like the names are woven into each other, like twins, is trying to warn him that Clare is just behind: My favorite of those is when Lolita's friend Mona writes to her, "Ne manque pas de dire à ton amant, Chimène, comme le lac est beau, car il faut qu'il t'y mène. Lucky beau! Qu'il t'y -- what a tongue twister!" Sometimes it's right there in front of your face. Right there in the mirror.