Individualism in John Fowles’ Novel the Collector, as Demonstrated by the Character Miranda
Kahan |1
Individualism in John Fowles’ novel The Collector, as demonstrated by the character Miranda
The following project on the novel of John Fowles (1926-2005) came about for several reasons, not the least of which is my personal regard for his work. Fowles explores relationships: Between men and women, between authors and characters, between writers and readers, between individual citizens and national character. In his life and work he insisted on individualism as the starting point for exploring those relationships1. In the 20th century, individualism – a philosophical outlook that recognizes the uniqueness of a human life and interests of an individual as the highest values – has evolved from a theoretical concept to a certain standard of a behavior and social practice. Individualism, however, does not deny person’s belonging to various social communities and classes: Even though individuality is given at the moment of birth, yet it develops in a process of playing different social roles and affirming personal values and perspectives. The core theme in The Collector (1963) is a class struggle; a war between two different social classes is presented in the novel as a conflict between two individuals. By exploring the distinction between them, and by examining relationships between two protagonists, Fowles seeks the answers to the questions delivered by his epoch – the epoch of Postmodernism: Can an individual affect and change the world to comply with his personal images and values? Can an individual survive in a disturbed and broken post-war world in contemporary life? The Collector – a modern novel touching upon contemporary matters – simultaneously opens up new discussions and continues the conversation started by Shakespeare; while re-introducing the readers to Shakespearian characters and raising the issues that once have already been raised, Fowles examines the new status of culture and art in class-torn Britain in 1950s. Purposely, on the one
Individualism in John Fowles’ novel The Collector, as demonstrated by the character Miranda
The following project on the novel of John Fowles (1926-2005) came about for several reasons, not the least of which is my personal regard for his work. Fowles explores relationships: Between men and women, between authors and characters, between writers and readers, between individual citizens and national character. In his life and work he insisted on individualism as the starting point for exploring those relationships1. In the 20th century, individualism – a philosophical outlook that recognizes the uniqueness of a human life and interests of an individual as the highest values – has evolved from a theoretical concept to a certain standard of a behavior and social practice. Individualism, however, does not deny person’s belonging to various social communities and classes: Even though individuality is given at the moment of birth, yet it develops in a process of playing different social roles and affirming personal values and perspectives. The core theme in The Collector (1963) is a class struggle; a war between two different social classes is presented in the novel as a conflict between two individuals. By exploring the distinction between them, and by examining relationships between two protagonists, Fowles seeks the answers to the questions delivered by his epoch – the epoch of Postmodernism: Can an individual affect and change the world to comply with his personal images and values? Can an individual survive in a disturbed and broken post-war world in contemporary life? The Collector – a modern novel touching upon contemporary matters – simultaneously opens up new discussions and continues the conversation started by Shakespeare; while re-introducing the readers to Shakespearian characters and raising the issues that once have already been raised, Fowles examines the new status of culture and art in class-torn Britain in 1950s. Purposely, on the one
Bibliography: 1. John Fowles. The Collector. Boston, New York, London: Back Bay Books, 1997 2. William Shakespeare. The Tempest: An authoritative text sources and contexts criticism; rewritings and appropriations. New York, London: W. W. Norton and Company, 2004 3. Douglas Lanier. Shakespeare and Modern Popular Culture. Oxford University Press, 2002 4. Shakespeare’s Late Plays. Edited by Richard C. Tobias and Paul G. Zoldbrod. Ohio University Press: Athens, 1974 5. Christopher Pye. The Vanishing: Shakespeare, the Subject, and Early Modern Culture. Duke University Press: Durham and London, 2000 6. Marjorie Garber. Shakespeare and Modern Culture. Pantheon Books, NY, 2008 7. Thomas C. Foster. Understanding John Fowles. University of South Carolina Press, 1994 8. Barry N. Olshen. John Fowles. Frederick Ungar Publishing Co.: NY, 1978 9. Katherine Tarbox. The Art of John Fowles. The University of Georgia Press: Athens and London, 1988 10. Peter Conradi. John Fowles. Methuen: London and New York, 1982 11. Robert Longbaum. The Tempest and Tragicomic Vision. The Modern Spirit. Oxford University Press: NY, 1970 12. Roy Newquist, ‘John Fowles’, Counterpoint. Rand McNally: Chicago, Ill., 1964, pp. 217-225 13. Fredric Jameson. Postmodernism, or The Cultural Logistic of Late Capitalism. Duke University press, 2003