Exploring the Attributes of Opposing Characters in John Fowles’s the Collector

Abstract

“The Collector” has ignited an abundant searches and researches and has enlightened the literary critics to unfathomed it from different view point. Keeping a birds eye on the turns and twists generated by the predicament and enlivened by the characters, “The Collector” with its unique characterization, paints in Toto the psycho dynamics of the minds steering the plot of the fiction. The duo characters; Clegg and Miranda, besides being independent individuals, carved out a fine niche to critically analyse the gender, sexuality and body in all their rainbow colors. Product of the different classes and distinct background, Fredrick and Miranda have been featured to be the mouthpiece of the time succumbing to their destined slots of social hierarchy. The paper titled” Exploring the attributes of opposing characters” in John Fowles “The Collector. It intends to highlight what “few” are and the “many” are not. While Fredrick Clegg is an outcast, lonely frozen and neurotic character whose attraction for Miranda changes to obsession. An amateur Photographer and an Entomologist ends up becoming human collector and lastly a psycho killer. With his butterfly collection, chloroform pad and lastly to a Psycho killer. With his butterfly collection, chloroform pad he very well illustrates “The Collector Mentality’. On the contrary, the Protagonist Miranda Grey, a 20 year old student is the emblem of creativity and vitality. She had the privilege growing up in the middle class. Of the two she is the repository of superior wisdom. Miranda when held captive in the cellar by Clegg becomes more patient, resistant and develop[s a broader outlook on life. We see an evolution in her life. But on the part of Clegg there is not an iota of self introspection. We see an insane evolution in his character that from a Collector to a kidnapper and lastly to a killer. He is body cocooned in his own self and perceptions. Although Miranda is captive physically she is emotionally boundless contrary to Clegg who is physically free but emotionally boundless contrary to Clegg who is physically free but emotionally captive in his own ideas.