The Collector by Valerie Darovskikh https://padlet.com/vlrdarovskikh/2knshjea1yb1n379 Сделано со вкусом к приключениям en-us 2021-12-25 07:41:37 UTC 2025-12-05 00:21:56 UTC hello@padlet.com John Fowles vlrdarovskikh https://padlet.com/vlrdarovskikh/2knshjea1yb1n379/wish/1963438573 John Fowles ( 31 March 1926 – 5 November 2005) was an English novelist of international renown, critically positioned between modernism and postmodernism. His work was influenced by Jean-Paul Sartre and Albert Camus.  While his works are reflective of literary tradition reaching back to Greek philosophy and Celtic romance, he was very much a contemporary existentialist, and his writings received both popular and critical acclaim.
Fowles graduated from the University of Oxford in 1950 and taught in Greece, France, and Britain.
Awards:
1982 - Christopher Award
1970 - WH Smith Literary Award
1969 - Silver Pen Award
]]> 2021-12-25 07:57:10 UTC https://padlet.com/vlrdarovskikh/2knshjea1yb1n379/wish/1963438573 The Collector vlrdarovskikh https://padlet.com/vlrdarovskikh/2knshjea1yb1n379/wish/1963439233 2021-12-25 07:58:46 UTC https://padlet.com/vlrdarovskikh/2knshjea1yb1n379/wish/1963439233 Plot Summary vlrdarovskikh https://padlet.com/vlrdarovskikh/2knshjea1yb1n379/wish/1963444962 The story goes that Frederick Clegg works as a clerk in a city hall. He is a very lonely man whose only hobby is collecting butterflies. Firstly the narration goes on his behalf. 
Clegg is obsessed with an art student - Miranda Grey. He idealizes her, admires her, worships her. But from the distance. He is very awkward and socially underdeveloped when it comes to basic communication. 
One day, as he wins a large prize, Clegg quits his job and buys an isolated house in the countryside where he creates a plan on how to end his loneliness and make Miranda stay with him.
After careful preparations, he kidnaps and locks her up in the cellar of his house. He wants her to fall in love with him, even though he realizes that his actions are flawed and he is quite embarrassed. Frederick doesn't assault her, showers the girl with gifts, and creates as much comfort as possible when you kidnap someone. 
The second part of the novel is narrated by Miranda and her diary notes. At first, Miranda is scared and disgusted by Clegg as she believes that he has only sexual motives. Later Maranda realizes that he is just a pathetic lonely man. 
Miranda tries to escape several times, but every time Clegg stops her. She despises him, she dreams of killing him but never attempts it as it would lower her to his level. Before she can try to escape again, she becomes seriously ill and dies.
The third part of the novel is narrated by Clegg again. At first, he wants to commit suicide after he finds Miranda dead; but, after he reads in her diary that she never loved him, Frederick becomes indifferent to what has happened.  He buries her corpse in the garden. The book ends with his announcement that he plans to kidnap another girl.]]> 2021-12-25 08:14:36 UTC https://padlet.com/vlrdarovskikh/2knshjea1yb1n379/wish/1963444962 Characters vlrdarovskikh https://padlet.com/vlrdarovskikh/2knshjea1yb1n379/wish/1963449126 Frederick Clegg is a city clerk and amateur entomologist who loves to collect butterflies. He is an antisocial and awkward young man in his mid-20s. I think that due to his parent's death and the fact that his Aunt was raising her own disabled child CLegg was never properly loved and it turned him into a traumatized, emotionless person. That's why he craves love from Miranda but as he doesn't know how to love and how to be loved his only way of attachment is imprisonment and codependency.
Miranda Grey is a 20-year-old art student at the Slade School of Fine Art in London. She grew up in a privileged middle-class household. Her father, a doctor, was much older than her mother and their marriage was generally dysfunctional. Miranda is very close to her sister Carmen, whom she calls Minny. She also fell in love with George Paston (or, as she calls him, G.P.) a middle-aged artist who influenced her while she was an art student. I find her a very smart, quick thinking and courageous woman and I was really sorry that she never escaped from this place. ]]> 2021-12-25 08:25:32 UTC https://padlet.com/vlrdarovskikh/2knshjea1yb1n379/wish/1963449126 Modernism and postmodernism features vlrdarovskikh https://padlet.com/vlrdarovskikh/2knshjea1yb1n379/wish/1963454072 1) Fragmental narration. The novel is divided into fragments, short parts consisting of characters' memories or notes. Also, we hear two different voices in the story, which makes the plot less smoothly going.
2) No black and white. This story doesn't have a concrete moral. Moreover, due to the polyphony of the narrative, we can see completely different sides of both characters. We feel sympathy towards Clegg and then we hate him, we feel sorry for Miranda but the next moment we are not so sure if she is fair in her actions towards him. Everything depends on the reader and his subjective beliefs. 
3) Symbolism. Miranda is a lively butterfly that becomes a part of Clegg's collection. Butterflies symbolize a short life span but at the same time, they are a sign of hope and rebirth. So on the one hand the reader is relieved and hopes that in the next life Miranda won't suffer. But at the same time, the whole situation seems absurd as we know that there is no salvation for Frederick and the hope is actually lost.]]> 2021-12-25 08:39:15 UTC https://padlet.com/vlrdarovskikh/2knshjea1yb1n379/wish/1963454072 My opinion vlrdarovskikh https://padlet.com/vlrdarovskikh/2knshjea1yb1n379/wish/1963455906 The story is very gloomy and horrifying. At the same time, I really liked it. My mind was constantly challenged as I realized that Clegg's actions are disgusting but I couldn't help myself feeling sorry for him. I think it is a great book in terms of the psychology of a kidnapper and his victim. I was really excited and stressed while reading about Miranda's attempts to escape. After the book was finished, I was drowned in the animal fear of the same thing happening to me, so I  think that the author did a great job. ]]> 2021-12-25 08:44:03 UTC https://padlet.com/vlrdarovskikh/2knshjea1yb1n379/wish/1963455906