I just finished Part One of The Collector by John Fowles…
0 reactions
I just finished Part One of The Collector by John Fowles, and I genuinely cannot stop thinking about it
I just finished Part One of *The Collector*, and once again I’m reminded why I love older literary fiction so much. There’s something about the prose and the way the psychological tension is handled that feels pretty different from almost anything I normally come across in newer thrillers. I went into the book expecting something disturbing, obviously, but I really did not expect to become this interested in Clegg as a character.
More than anything, I think what has fascinated me is the logic he uses to make his obsession seem reasonable.
Clegg is a madman, of course, but he does not really seem to think of himself as one. He idealizes Miranda because of everything he associates with refinement, individuality, intelligence, beauty, etc. At the same time, though, he seems to believe that his own differences—his restraint, his gifts, his money, and the fact that he considers himself different from an ordinary kidnapper—should make him worthy of the same sort of special consideration from her.
And yet, I don’t think he actually loves Miranda at all.
He loves the version of Miranda that he has collected in his head.
That has probably been my favorite part of the book so far. Her captivity almost becomes this static cocoon for the fantasy he has built around her. Clegg seems happiest whenever she becomes compliant, dependent on him, or even just slightly nice to him, despite the fact that those moments are only happening because he has removed nearly every other option she has.
The contradiction is incredible.
He wants credit for treating her “well.” He buys her things, avoids hurting her in certain ways, and seems to genuinely believe that because he is not as cruel as another kidnapper *could* be, Miranda should recognize that as some sort of kindness. From there, he almost starts expecting gratitude, affection, and eventually love as though those are reasonable things for him to receive in return.
Meanwhile, she is still a woman locked in his cellar.
That gap between how Clegg understands himself and what he is actually doing has been amazing to read. There are even moments where I can follow the chain of logic in his head and understand how he reached a certain conclusion, only to remember that the conclusion itself is completely insane.
I suppose that is what makes him so disturbing to me. He is not constantly thinking of himself as evil. He is constantly finding little ways to explain why what he is doing is different.
I know these are not all new Ideas and have been well documented, but still... Incredible. My true praises.
I ended up reading all of Part One in a single day, which I really was not expecting.
it is an easy 10/10 for me and an absolute must-read. Cannot wait for the raving that will inevitably come as I read Part 2.
#entertainment
source
I just finished Part One of *The Collector*, and once again I’m reminded why I love older literary fiction so much. There’s something about the prose and the way the psychological tension is handled that feels pretty different from almost anything I normally come across in newer thrillers. I went into the book expecting something disturbing, obviously, but I really did not expect to become this interested in Clegg as a character.
More than anything, I think what has fascinated me is the logic he uses to make his obsession seem reasonable.
Clegg is a madman, of course, but he does not really seem to think of himself as one. He idealizes Miranda because of everything he associates with refinement, individuality, intelligence, beauty, etc. At the same time, though, he seems to believe that his own differences—his restraint, his gifts, his money, and the fact that he considers himself different from an ordinary kidnapper—should make him worthy of the same sort of special consideration from her.
And yet, I don’t think he actually loves Miranda at all.
He loves the version of Miranda that he has collected in his head.
That has probably been my favorite part of the book so far. Her captivity almost becomes this static cocoon for the fantasy he has built around her. Clegg seems happiest whenever she becomes compliant, dependent on him, or even just slightly nice to him, despite the fact that those moments are only happening because he has removed nearly every other option she has.
The contradiction is incredible.
He wants credit for treating her “well.” He buys her things, avoids hurting her in certain ways, and seems to genuinely believe that because he is not as cruel as another kidnapper *could* be, Miranda should recognize that as some sort of kindness. From there, he almost starts expecting gratitude, affection, and eventually love as though those are reasonable things for him to receive in return.
Meanwhile, she is still a woman locked in his cellar.
That gap between how Clegg understands himself and what he is actually doing has been amazing to read. There are even moments where I can follow the chain of logic in his head and understand how he reached a certain conclusion, only to remember that the conclusion itself is completely insane.
I suppose that is what makes him so disturbing to me. He is not constantly thinking of himself as evil. He is constantly finding little ways to explain why what he is doing is different.
I know these are not all new Ideas and have been well documented, but still... Incredible. My true praises.
I ended up reading all of Part One in a single day, which I really was not expecting.
it is an easy 10/10 for me and an absolute must-read. Cannot wait for the raving that will inevitably come as I read Part 2.
#entertainment
source
| 3,000 mlx | |
| 5 | |
| 0 |