Kristin Leeper
1
Professor Natalia Vesselova
Reader’s Response Essay - The Collector
John Fowles’ acclaimed first novel, The Collector, is unique in many respects. It
was written in the almost incomprehensibly short span of four weeks, it is a horror story
almost devoid of bloodshed and violence, and its plot has been cited by real-life serial
killers as the inspiration for their crimes. Perhaps the most striking aspect of the novel is
the fact that the story is narrated in turns by its protagonist and antagonist. Through the
use of dual narration, Fowles puts his readers into the minds of both the psychotic
kidnapper, Frederick Clegg, and his young, beautiful victim, Miranda Grey. By
developing the story from both perspectives, Fowles provides a fresh twist on the horror
genre and forces his readers to rely on their own interpretations of both characters’
often contradictory accounts of events.
Fowles defies the trends of typical horror novels by allowing his villain to narrate
both the beginning and the end of the story. In most thrillers, the criminal is a vague,
menacing figure that readers fear from a distance; in The Collector, they see the plot
develop through Clegg’s eyes, from the planning of the crime to its tragic
consequences. Fowles’ decision to give the reader an intimate glimpse into Clegg’s
disturbed mind adds to the eeriness of the story because they are able to comprehend
the extent of his delusion. For example, the description of Clegg’s emotional state when
he first kidnaps Miranda demonstrates his total lack of conscience or capacity for
remorse: “she was telling me what a bad thing I did and how I ought to try and realize it
more. I can only say that evening I was very happy.. it was more like I had done
something very daring...to sum up, that night was the best thing I ever did in my life”
(28). The novel is more horrific because readers are privy to all of the dark thoughts
Kristin Leeper
2
Professor Natalia Vesselova
that lurk in the villain’s mind and are all too aware of the potential danger that could
ensue if he gives in to them.
Since readers are presented with two descriptions of the events in the novel, they
are forced to think critically and to form their own conclusions based on each narrator’s
account, because neither one is free from bias or is completely reliable. Clegg’s
perspective is limited because his vision is clouded by his obsession with Miranda, while
hers is tainted by her anger towards him for refusing to release her. Together the two
accounts provide the readers with an overall idea of events, but it is up to them to fill in
the gaps and to discern the truth from the lies and contradictions. By using this
technique, Fowles engages his readers and requires them to read more actively;
instead of simply telling the story, he creates a challenging plot that must be carefully
interpreted.
I encountered Fowles’ technique in the past when I read Guy Vanderhaege’s The
Last Crossing in my grade twelve English class; this novel was narrated by no less than
seven different characters. While Fowles’ usage of multiple narrators is highly effective,
Vanderhaege’s decision to implement this technique was detrimental to the overall
story, because his attempt to tell the story from so many different perspectives resulted
in a plot that was often complex and convoluted. Rather than enriching the novel, the
use of multiple narrators created a lot of potential confusion for the reader; Fowles
smartly avoided this problem by keeping his story simple. Vanderhaege’s technique
worked best when he was describing the love triangle between three of its characters,
Kristin Leeper
3
Professor Natalia Vesselova
because it allowed him to demonstrate the miscommunications between them, just as
Fowles is
able to illustrate the colossal lack of understanding that overshadows Clegg and
Miranda’s relationship. For example, the scene in which Miranda attempts to break all of
the plates in Clegg’s dining room is described by Clegg in a tone of surprise and
indignation, while Miranda’s account of the same scene is underscored with a deep
sense of frustration: “I gave him hell tonight...what happens if he has a crash? A stroke.
Anything. I die. I couldn’t get out. All I did the day before yesterday was to prove it”
(215). Clegg is unable to understand how Miranda’s perpetual imprisonment is making
her increasingly desperate and unhappy; instead, he expects her to behave according
to social norms, as if she were an invited guest. Fowles smartly limits his comparison to
two characters, as opposed to Vanderhaege’s seven, in order to provide an in-depth
analysis of their dysfunctional relationship.
Fowles’ decision to narrate the story from the perspectives of both the antagonist
and the protagonist was the key to the novel’s success. He was able to create an
intimate portrayal of his villain without neglecting the character development of the
protagonist, and he created an intricate, complex novel while still ensuring that his
readers were able to comprehend the overall plot. If Fowles had chosen to narrate the
novel from simply one character’s perspective - either Miranda’s or Clegg’s - it would
have been far less insightful and effective. Clegg’s evident mental unbalance makes his
section of the novel chilling and fascinating to read, but also leaves him incredibly
Kristin Leeper
4
Professor Natalia Vesselova
limited in terms of a narrator; it is necessary to have Miranda’s portion of the novel in
order to fill in the gaps. Likewise, if Clegg’s portion was omitted, the story would lose a
great deal of its effectiveness as a psychological thriller, because the reader would not
be able to examine his demented thoughts.
In fact, this technique was my favourite aspect of The Collector, and one of the
main reasons why I enjoyed the novel. I found Clegg’s portrayal and development
fascinating, and I thought it was refreshing to read the story from Miranda’s perspective
because it explains the reasons behind some of her more surprising actions, which
Clegg could never begin to comprehend. Although he often focuses on dark subject
matter, Fowles is able to draw his readers in based on the strength of his characters; he
has created a well-written analysis of the complex relationship between criminal and
victim that was enjoyable to read despite its gruesome conclusion.