PDF Preview. Save Cite Email this content Share link with colleague or librarian You can email a link to this page to a colleague or librarian:. Your current browser may not support copying via this button. Literature and Cultural Studies. Social Sciences. Gender Studies.
Table of Contents. Sign in to annotate. Delete Cancel Save. Cancel Save. View Expanded. View Table. View Full Size. Corporate Social Responsibility. Mission Statement. Corporate Governance. Stay Updated. Rights and Permissions. Email Newsletter Sign-up Page. Imprints and Trademarks. Offices Worldwide. Conference and Book Fairs. With the novel being set out in this way, the reader gets an insight into the mind of each individual character; we can see everything through their eyes and know their thoughts and feelings.
Boarding-schools were as they are today not used frequently by the working-class as they were costly to attend and only the wealthy could afford to send their children to them unless the parents had saved up to send their children to boarding-school, but this would still be beyond the means of most working-class people.
Miranda lives in Hampstead — an affluent London suburb — with her parents. Being brought up by relatives other than his biological parents could make Frederick feel different to other people who had been brought up in the more traditional nuclear family. The first part of the book — because it is narrated by Frederick — uses a straightforward vocabulary to reflect his personality and status; there are no fancy words and phrases, unlike the second part which is narrated by Miranda in a diary format.
This genre-crossing device further emphasises the differences in their backgrounds when we get the same events narrated through their own particular voices, commenting on the same incident. We also have a similar comparison with the clothes that Frederick has bought Miranda. Like Mrs Joe and Pip. Frederick displayed his lack of knowledge by choosing the one that looked the most realistic.
Miranda, although an art student, also gets her views on art from a friend of hers — George Paston that she calls G. P is a hippie for all practical purposes. I knew such people when I was in grad school… and despised them.
He is the anti-Frederick in every way from appearance to emotion. Miranda herself was a bit eyeball-rolling-inducing for me as she admits to having no personal life experience in any of the area's she harps on and is more impressionable than the average twenty year old. Some of the points made were a bit to subtle to truly impact, others prematurely developed, but what I loved was the presentation of the idea gave the reader something to think about. Miranda is never once physically or sexually abused, which only heightens her fear of an impending act.
What she never understands, and keeps her in a justifiable state of terror, is the true extent of Frederick's obsession. Just having her is enough, he doesn't need to 'do' anything. All three characters we only know of G. Through Miranda's journal but he is central to the story are unified by their conceit and arrogance, and blinded by what they would call intelligence. I'd be afraid to read a book with more, and stronger superiority complexes than the cast of The Collector.
One could argue that there is some deus ex machina in the beginning--which in itself is a break from the normal use of a poor device. Caliban manages to come into substantial financial security and see his family safe to Australia so he just happens to live alone in great wealth the rest of his life. Yes, it could have been chance, and that is the way it is presented, but it felt a bit too convenient to me. And despite all the sympathy any reader could muster for Miranda, it was a bit tedious to listen to a twenty year old ramble about what is and isn't art.
Especially so as it becomes clear that she has no opinions of her own, rather she is swayed by most anyone with influence in her life. Finally, I don't know how convinced I was by any of Fowles arguments of the arts and humanity. My perceived flaws are infinitesimal and easily out weighted by the novels strong points: three phenomenal characters and one extraordinary circumstance.
Take note that I didn't say I liked all the characters--in point of fact, I didn't like any of them--but I don't want that to take away from the skill with which they are crafted or the execution of their presentation in developing a story. My initial perceived shallowness of Miranda's character may in fact only be the most convincing and solid aspect of Fowles' writing: he perfectly captured a fleet-minded, impressionable, twenty year old women.
And to think that this is a debut work. Talk about making an impact with a first publication… I don't do horror fiction or anything of that nature and that is not what The Collector is. But it should scare you. It's plot is too vivid, and it's criminal all too real. It's not commercial and it's not a 'cozy' page turner. It is, however, thrilling and it will keep you reading. Posted by Chad Hull at Sunday, January 10, Newer Post Older Post Home. Subscribe to: Post Comments Atom.
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