"The Collector" by John Fowles, summary

John Fowles’s "The Collector," published in 1963, is a psychological novel about the abduction of a young student by a shy clerk. The author structured the narrative as two opposing diaries, contrasting the abductor’s ossified, bourgeois world with the lofty spiritual space of his victim. In 1965, director William Wyler made a film adaptation of the same name, which won prizes at the Cannes Film Festival.

Background and preparation of the abduction

Frederick Clegg was raised by his Aunt Annie and Uncle Dick after his father died in a car accident in 1937 and his mother fled. His uncle instilled in the boy a love of entomology. Frederick later became an unremarkable clerk at the municipal office. His life was drab and dreary, and his colleagues regularly mocked his passion.

From his office window, Clegg watched Miranda Grey, a student at the Slade School of Art. He perceived her as a rare, exotic specimen, unattainable in the ordinary world.

Suddenly, Clegg’s fortunes changed: in 1961, he won over £73,000 on the betting.

Financial wealth allowed Clegg to retire from the military and send his relatives to live with his Uncle Steve in Australia. He secretly purchased a secluded, historic seventeenth-century house in Sussex. In a deep underground space, Frederick set up an isolated room, outfitting it with furniture, a wardrobe, ventilation, and art books. By disguising the oak door with a false bookcase, he prevented sound from penetrating.

Clegg tracked Miranda down in Hampstead. Luring her into a van under the pretense of helping a dog that had been hit, he tranquilized her with a mixture of chloroform and carbon tetrachloride. He transported the unconscious girl to a hideout.

Captivity in the dungeon

Waking up in a locked room, Miranda realized her situation. She quickly realized she hadn’t been captured for ransom. Clegg called himself Ferdinand and professed a long-standing affection for her. He hoped that in isolation, his captive would be able to get to know him better and reciprocate his feelings. Miranda nicknamed her captor "Caliban," after the rude character in Shakespeare’s play "The Tempest."

Frederick sought to surround the girl with comfort. He bought her a record player, Mozart records, the finest paints, and gourmet food. However, the kidnapper was terrified of being discovered and strictly limited her freedom.

Miranda tried to establish contact. She demanded fresh air, walks in the garden, and a hot bath. Frederick agreed on the condition that he would tie her hands and tape her mouth before leaving. He promised to release her in four weeks, by November 11th.

Miranda’s Diary

The second part of the novel is Miranda’s diary, which she kept secretly during her imprisonment. She describes her experiences, fears, and struggle to maintain her inner peace.

In her notes, Miranda analyzed Clegg’s personality in detail. She noted his spiritual deafness, his complete lack of imagination, and his slavish adherence to formal propriety. The captive understood that, for Frederick, she remained just another dead exhibit.

At the same time, Miranda recalled her past life in London and her encounters with the mature artist George Paston. This master taught her an uncompromising approach to painting and the ability to distinguish true beauty from falsehood. She realized her deep feelings for him, overcoming her youthful delusions.

In her diary, Miranda reflected on the conflict between the spiritual elite and the unthinking masses. She vowed to resist and fight for life to the end.

Attempts to break free

Miranda tirelessly searched for a way to escape. At first, she feigned appendicitis, hoping to get to the hospital, but Clegg discovered the deception. Later, the captive tried to cut a passage through the stone wall using a found nail, but found herself stuck in solid rock.

During one of her nighttime walks, Miranda struck Frederick with an unattended garden axe. The blow was a glancing blow, and Clegg forced her back into the basement.

Realizing the futility of force, Miranda decided to resort to a last resort. On the eve of her scheduled release, she attempted to seduce her captor, hoping to break his barrier or shame him. However, Clegg turned out to be a sexually inhibited man. Rejecting her advances, he accused her of depravity.

Frederick felt deeply insulted. He finally refused to let Miranda go and deprived her of all concessions, locking her in the basement without any exercise.

Tragic ending

Miranda soon fell gravely ill. She developed a high fever, a cough, and severe chest pains. She begged for a doctor, feeling death approaching.

Clegg dismissed the symptoms as just another ploy and limited himself to buying standard medications. When he finally realized the severity of her condition and went to see a doctor in Louis, fear of the police forced him to retreat. Frederick returned without a doctor.

Miranda died of acute pneumonia in the arms of her tormentor.

Upon realizing his captive’s death, Clegg was in shock. He read her diary and learned of her true contempt for him. His first reaction was to consider committing suicide with aspirin.

However, the next morning, Clegg regained his composure. A chance encounter with a similar girl outside Woolworth’s brought him back to everyday reality. He convinced himself of his own innocence, blaming Miranda’s death on illness.

Frederick secretly buried the girl’s body in the garden under the apple trees. He was finally considering a new plan: to kidnap a simple shop assistant named Marian, who would be less capricious and more susceptible to his influence.