{...} separateness is one of the basic features of life. If we are not surrounded by a bodily coating, we must die. Man exists only when he is isolated from the environment. The skull is our cosmonaut's helmet. We have to be stuck in it, because otherwise we will be lost. Death releases and unites. Although the penetration into nature may seem tempting, it also means the end of our fragile identity.
The essence of life is marked by separateness, as highlighted in Nabokov's "Pnin." This separateness is vital for existence; without our bodily limitations, such as the skull which serves as a protective barrier, we would fail to survive. Human identity relies on this isolation from the environment, providing us the necessary boundaries to navigate life.
While the allure of connecting deeply with nature exists, it poses a significant risk to our fragile sense of self. Engaging too closely with the world can lead to a loss of individuality, making death the only occasion for true unity with nature. According to Nabokov, our separateness is both a protective measure and a defining characteristic of human life.
