Pale Fire Lesson Plan

What does the existence (or nonexistence) of Zembla tell us about Kinbote's mental state?

At this juncture in the novel, our estimation of Kinbote's sanity depends upon whether we think Zembla is an actual place (within the fictional world). Of course, there is no country called Zembla on our real-world map, but that doesn't mean that there isn't a Zembla within the novel Pale Fire.

However, if Kinbote has invented Zembla, he is not merely dishonest: he is delusional and perhaps a bit dangerous. As the novel progresses, Kinbote gives us more information about his personal history. And it shouldn't take the reader too long to catch on to Kinbote's heavy-handed hints...