The Collector
The Novel as a Moral Book
Fowles as a Didactic writer – educates the reader through his work
• He injects philosophical beliefs
• He dictates how people understand and misunderstand each other through his characters
• “ A fool sees not the same tree a wise man sees ” Emphasises differences between Miranda and Clegg
• Educates people on how the world exists beyond our perception
• Emphasizes the notion of human mannerisms and existence
Clegg’s Values and Morals
• “That’s why I never believed in god. I think we are just insects, we live a bit and then die and that’s the lot. There’s no mercy in things. There’s not even a great beyond. There is nothing.” – Clegg’s view on human life and his hopelessness, loneliness and alienation.
• Anti-existentialist- values knowledge, companionship and acceptance.
• Clegg does not understand love because he was never shown it-parents died at early age.
• Non-stereotypical perception of what is right and wrong-immoral.
• His alienation causes him to trap “object of beauty” (Miranda) in order to teach someone on how to love him and make him happy-selfish.
He invites us to Share his personal philosophy on life
• Philosophical beliefs revolve around existentialism resulting in a lot of his work being existential literature particularly The Collector
• Hermetic man by freedom of choice depicted in Clegg’s lifestyle although in his case without freedom
• Between Modernism and post modernism shows he is authentic yet includes social commentary
• See’s life as it is; what’s real and what’s and illusion – shown between two perspectives in the book. “I pity you for what you are and I pity you for not seeing what I am” – Miranda to Clegg ; Clegg’s illusion towards Miranda only seeing her as an object of his collection
• Sense of existential angst depressive aspect of his writing as he establishes a basis for evil and depicts it in Clegg
Miranda’s Morals and Values
• “We don’t have the same heart”- Miranda
Fowles as a Didactic writer – educates the reader through his work
• He injects philosophical beliefs
• He dictates how people understand and misunderstand each other through his characters
• “ A fool sees not the same tree a wise man sees ” Emphasises differences between Miranda and Clegg
• Educates people on how the world exists beyond our perception
• Emphasizes the notion of human mannerisms and existence
Clegg’s Values and Morals
• “That’s why I never believed in god. I think we are just insects, we live a bit and then die and that’s the lot. There’s no mercy in things. There’s not even a great beyond. There is nothing.” – Clegg’s view on human life and his hopelessness, loneliness and alienation.
• Anti-existentialist- values knowledge, companionship and acceptance.
• Clegg does not understand love because he was never shown it-parents died at early age.
• Non-stereotypical perception of what is right and wrong-immoral.
• His alienation causes him to trap “object of beauty” (Miranda) in order to teach someone on how to love him and make him happy-selfish.
He invites us to Share his personal philosophy on life
• Philosophical beliefs revolve around existentialism resulting in a lot of his work being existential literature particularly The Collector
• Hermetic man by freedom of choice depicted in Clegg’s lifestyle although in his case without freedom
• Between Modernism and post modernism shows he is authentic yet includes social commentary
• See’s life as it is; what’s real and what’s and illusion – shown between two perspectives in the book. “I pity you for what you are and I pity you for not seeing what I am” – Miranda to Clegg ; Clegg’s illusion towards Miranda only seeing her as an object of his collection
• Sense of existential angst depressive aspect of his writing as he establishes a basis for evil and depicts it in Clegg
Miranda’s Morals and Values
• “We don’t have the same heart”- Miranda