There are two kinds of visual memory: one when you skillfully recreate an image in the laboratory of your mind, with your eyes open {and then I see Annabel in such general terms as: "honey-colored skin," "thin arms," "brown bobbed hair," "long lashes," "big bright mouth"}; and the other when you instantly evoke, with shut eyes, on the dark innerside of your eyelids, the objective, absolutely optical replica of a beloved face, a little ghost in natural colors {and this is how I see Lolita}.
Nabokov distinguishes between two types of visual memory in his exploration of personal recollection. The first type involves a conscious effort to recreate an image, allowing one to construct a mental picture with vivid details, like the physical attributes of a person. This reflective process requires active engagement, using open eyes to recall and describe features, such as skin tone, hair, and expressions.
The second type of visual memory is more instinctive and emotional. It occurs when a person shuts their eyes and can instantly visualize the face of a loved one, experiencing an authentic and vivid recollection that feels almost like a ghostly apparition. This deeper, more immediate connection to memory evokes the essence of a beloved figure, as Nabokov illustrates with how he perceives Lolita.
