Topic > Love and Control Shown in “The Collector”

Love is a complex concept, one that even ingenious writers have struggled to understand. Although scientists limit their understanding of love to "chemical reactions" involving dopamine and serotonin, there is no denying the qualitative nature of love. Clegg expresses signs of love throughout John Fowles' The Collector; however, there is more evidence that it is an imitative reaction of expected human life rather than a true feeling. There is much speculation that Fowles generates regarding Clegg's mental state, and there is no denying the sociopathic tendencies that Clegg displays: "He didn't look at me once, but I looked at the back of his neck and his hair in a long braid." . It was very pale, silky, like brown cocoons." At first glance, this observation about Miranda's appearance may seem romantic, even quixotic. However, when you recognize the context of the comment, a sense of alarm may arise. Fowles creates an atmosphere of clarity tinged with ironic ambiguity; Clegg's obsession with Miranda is immediately revealed, though there is a suspenseful elusiveness regarding his impending actions. The reader is immediately informed of the peculiarity of Clegg's personality, underlined by his attention to entomology. The simile exaggerates Clegg's compulsive disposition because he focused exclusively on comparing Miranda's characteristics to natural traits. Clegg refrains from describing Miranda's face, which suggests that he is primarily in love with the idea of ​​being romantically involved with her. This allows him to have control and power, as Miranda has been transformed into an object rather than a person. As Clegg states, describing Miranda's photographs, 'The best were without his facts. In any case, with the gag it didn't have a great effect. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay To some extent, Clegg may have real romantic feelings towards Miranda. What may appear as an obsession or a dangerous fascination could be mistaken for love. However, Clegg's fragile and complex mental state must be taken into account. Fowles creates evidence that causes the reader to question Clegg's psychological makeup. Therefore, when asking whether Clegg "loves" Miranda, one should recognize the kind of love psychologically accessible to Clegg: "We would be buried together." Like Romeo and Juliet." Initially, Clegg pursues the romantic option and dismisses any previous reservations he had regarding Miranda. This may suggest that Clegg's love for Miranda is strong, as he has overlooked their differences and is determined to join her in the afterlife. This idea is further exaggerated by Fowles' use of short sentences, which increase Clegg's motivation and finalize his determination. Furthermore, as Marian attracts Clegg's attention after Miranda's death, the similarities between the two girls may suggest that Clegg unconsciously desires Miranda's return: "For a moment it shocked me, I thought I was seeing a ghost, she had the same hair, only it wasn't as long.' On the surface, it may appear that Clegg has callously embraced a new romantic interest; however, this change could alternatively be seen as an opportunity to cultivate his subliminal pain, he states that "She's not as pretty as Miranda, obviously, in reality is just a common shop assistant." Clegg places Miranda on a higher pedestal and criticizes Marian's appearance, and the repetition of the commas embellishes this and may demonstrate that Miranda is now pristine in the mind of.