E-ISSN 2281-4612
ISSN 2281-3993
Academic Journal of Interdisciplinary Studies
MCSER Publishing, Rome-Italy
Vol 5 No 3 S1
December 2016
342
Independence, Relationships and Transience: A Comparative Study of Truman Capote’s
“Breakfast at Tiffany’s” and Vladimir Nabakov’s “Spring in Fialta”
Zahra Sonia Barghani
Doi:10.5901/ajis.2016.v5n3s1p342
Abstract
Story telling is a concoction of plot, character and themes, among other things. Short stories and novellas employ a limited
numbers of pages to convey their message. Truman Capota’s 1958 novella “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” and Vladimir Nabakov’s
1936 short story “Spring in Fialta” both portray the brevity of life tangled a web of impermanent desires and relationships. The
female characters in both works try to make meaning out of the briefest encounters while determined to remain unchained to
others amidst the perplexity of modern life. This study highlights the delicate similarities between Nina and Holly’s desires of
independence; moreover the idea of transience which is prevalent in both stories is evaluated. This comparative story of two
iconic stories results in an innovative understanding of Capota and Nabakov’s character as well as the concept of transience in
their stories.
Keywords: Comparative Literature, Transience, Breakfast at Tiffany’s, Spring in Fialta, Truman Capota, Vl adimir Nabakov
1. Introduction
It is universally agreed the literature is a means of expression; an expression that transcends time. There exist various
types of narratives which alter time, place and, at times, even the stream of consciousness. Two stories that utilize short
telling in inventive ways are “Spring in Fialta” by Vladimir Nabakov and “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” by Truman Capote. Both
stories portray elusive, female characters in the subjective light of an unreliable narrator. The quick paced stories
illustrate ephemeral meetings, failed dreams and ambit ions of two oblivious young ladies.
This study reveals the similar personalities of Holly and Nina, the protagonists of “Spring in Fialta” and “Breakfast
at Tiffany’s”, respectively. These behavioral and moral similarities will then lead to a deeper understanding of the concept
of transience in both classical texts.
The 1936 short story “Spring in Fialta” written by Vladimir Nabakov recollects the memories of a narrator named
Victor. Victor is looking back on the short, fleeing experiences he has had with a lady named Nina. The encounters are at
times sexual and occasionally platonic. Following a quick pace, Victor reminiscences his meetings with the unattainable
Nina who is described as a woman who “had always either just arrived or was about to leave.” ( Nabakov, 1936). Adding
to the clandestine nature of their relationship, Nina and Victor are both married for most of their meetings. Throughout the
entire story, Nina desires to be unrestrained and elusive. When Victor proclaims his love to her, she looks at him with a
“quick, queer, almost ugly expression” (Nabakov, 1936). Nina, the heroine of carefree nature, dies tragically at the end of
the story, leaving us with the painful realization that “in spite of her long-standing, faithful imitation of them, had turned ou t
to be moral after all.” (Nabakov,1936).
Twenty-two years after Nabakov, an American writer named Truman Capote created a heroine who bares striking
similarities to the aloof Nina. Set in New York “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” uses a first person point of view to reminisce about
nineteen year old Holly Golightly. Holly is an eccentric character; nonconforming to the norms of society she attracts the
attention of all the men she meets. The narrator who Holly names Fred reviews her odd, egocentric actions of stealing
things for pleasure, staying up all night and toying with men. Similar to Nina, Holly acts as an elusive, carefree mistress;
however the story reveals her humble past as a country and child-bride. Holly’s ambiguous and daring behavior gets her
prison and ultimately she flees under bail.
2. Analysis
Nina and Holly are classical literary females who represent an inner battle with time and relationships. Holly is determined
to stay unattainable; it is described that “Every day she'd walk a little further: a mile, come home. Two miles, and come
home. One day she just kept on going” (Capote, 1958). The easygoing, fun loving Holly Golightly is by no means perfect.
She is forgetful, promiscuous and eventually becomes a fugitive. Zachary B. Wunrow writes that “She [ Holly] has
