Miranda Grey and Frederick Clegg from The Collector by John Fowles

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Miranda Grey and Frederick Clegg from The Collector by John Fowles

Miranda Grey and Frederick Clegg are the main characters that are

interpreted in the text The Collector, by John Fowles. Both characters

correspond to different classes in society. John Fowles uses the

concept of the implied reader, in which he 'speaks to' a specific

reader in mind in an attempt to have the story interpreted in a

particular way. Fowles expects us to read Miranda as an intelligent,

mentally independent being part of the upper class, but at the same

time, an arrogant "liberal humanist snob" (Radhakrishna Rao,

www.freshlimesoda.com/reviews/thecollector.html). The use and lack of

several literary techniques, point of view, allusion, and Heraclitian

philosophies encourages this intended response I hold towards Miranda.

Fowles' various writing techniques promoted the interpretation that

Clegg is part of the lower class and as a result is a victim of the

mind, unable to expand his thoughts or feelings. It is because of this

that he finds it hard to see between what is morally correct, and what

is not accepted. I found it difficult to respond to his character due

to the fact that the protagonist in most novels is one easy to

identify with, unlike the motives of Frederick Clegg.

Fowles' uses several literary techniques to enhance the proposed

analysis of Clegg. The first insights to Clegg's mental restrictions

are revealed as early as the first page. However, "Instead of

accepting everything that Clegg says at face value we must question

it" (The Collector: Wizard Study Notes pg. 11), and that is exactly

how Fowles intends it. Clegg portrays his information as an informal

account of events, perhaps similar to a description of hi...

... middle of paper ...

...n emotionally, which

encouraged part of my response to be out of compassion. Fowles intends

for us to question both characters and has succeeded in doing so.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

============

Class handouts, The Collector: Wizard Study Notes, 1992, Wizard Book,

Victoria.

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Moon, Brian. 1992, Literary Terms: A Practical Glossary 2nd Edition,

Chalkface Press, Perth.

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"John Fowles': The Collector" 1999, Pegasos, [online] Available:

www.kirjasto.sci.fi/jfowles.html

"The Collector", Fresh Lime Soda Books [online]. Available:

www.freshlimesoda.com/reviews/thecollector.html

Radhakrishna Rao

"The Collector by John Fowles", 2003, Green Man Review, [online]

Available: www.greenmanreview.com/book/book_fowles_collector.html

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