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A Level English Literature Coursework (9ET)/04)

How Does Madness,Obsession And Control Intertwine In John Fowles’ ‘The Collector’

And Ian McEwan’s ‘Enduring Love’

‘Enduring Love’ is a book that was written in 1997 written by English author Ian

McEwan,who has written many works of literature over the course of his career such as ‘The

Cement Garden’ , ‘The Comfort of Strangers’, ‘Amsterdam’ and ‘Atonement’.

‘The Collector’, was the debut novel of John Fowles that was published in 1963. Such factors

that are common in both books are that of the subjects of mental illnesses,obsession and love.

McEwan’s novel follows the events after a tragic accident of the death of John Logan

involving a hot air balloon,wherein two strangers' lives become perilously intertwined this is

because one of the men named Jed Parry,believes he has formed a connection to another man,

Joe Rose as they had shared a look during this incident. It begins as an obsession,although it

is not just only that of love,but also religion and the events of the past. 1The first object that is

focused on is the balloon,which foreshadows the later events of the book.It provides a

catalyst of love and hate and both sides. Joe constantly finds evidence of Parry’s fixation of

him,and it builds in his mind constantly. So much so that when he informs Clarissa, his wife

about it,she tells him that he must be imagining things as she has never seen anything to

allude to the existence of this particular figure in their life.

1 https://www.gradesaver.com/enduring-love/study-guide/themes

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Parry’s obsession is through his religious beliefs, as he is a man of God, whilst Joe Rose is a

rationalist, a man of science. He is under the impression that ‘God has brought us together in

this tragedy’, and as such it is his duty to guide Joe to the path of the Lord, as his messenger.

Due to his factual nature and understanding that this love is not naturally borne,Joe labels his

counterpart with ‘de Clerembualts syndrome’.2 As to make sense of everything that is

occurring.

Fowles wrote his novel ‘The Collector’ in only a month's time and was sent to his

publisher,who thought that it would damage his integrity due to its contents. It is told in three

separate parts, two of them being a diary entry of each of the leading characters; Clegg and

Grey. The basis of it is about a man who after winning a small fortune in the lottery, kidnaps

a young art student and holds her captive in the cellar of his rural farmhouse. The inspiration

for this came from the ‘A Kékszakállú Herceg Vára’ which translated from Hungarian is

‘The Blue-Bearded Dukes Castle’ or in simpler terms ‘Bluebeard’s castle’.3 A play about a

man who gives his wife the keys to his estate, but tells her not to go to one particular room as

this is where he kept the bodies of his previous murdered wives.

Fowles chooses to focus symbolically on a butterfly. This is due to Clegg’s hobby as a

lepidopterist or a butterfly and moth collector (which was inspired by his late Uncle Dick).

He views this as a scientific study and even has a diary in which he records his findings.This

2 Gaddal, Y.Y.E. (1989). De Clérambault’s Syndrome (Erotomania) in Organic Delusional Syndrome.

British Journal of Psychiatry, 154(5), pp.714–716.
‌

3 Wikipedia Contributors (2021). Bluebeard’s Castle.

Obsession as Depicted in 'The Collector' and 'Enduring Love': [Essay Example], 2807 words
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is paralleled in his treatment of Miranda Grey, as he dehumanises her when he likens his

hobby to her capturing as being on equal levels. In fact to him Miranda is the centerpoint of

his assemblage. He even writes in his entry that ‘seeing her always made me feel like I was

catching a rarity’.

Something that differentiates the two texts is the reciprocity of the consuming obsession. In

‘Enduring Love’, Joe also becomes fixated on Jed which encourages and fuels his actions

even further. It comes to such a point as to where everyone else around Rose can not seem to

identify him, Clarissa says that his (Jed’s) handwriting even looks similar to his own.Which

brings the question forward is Jed actually a real person or a figment of Joe’s imagination. To

everyone else he appears harmless and it is Joe who seems to be the dangerous one as he

behaves strangely.

On the contrary Clegg's fascination with Miranda is entirely one sided and she herself is

infatuated with George Paston, who she refers to as G.P. Who is a pretentious artist twenty

years older than herself. This is a healthy kind of affection,and is used as a form of escape

from her current situation of entrapment, which is contrasted with the entomologist’s all

consuming,

dominating feelings of sexual repression that he projects onto the young woman.

This aspect is focused later on as at one point Miranda propositions sex as a way to persuade

him to eventually give her freedom. However Clegg refuses her advances due to his

inexperience, as well as his awareness that she is trying to trick him. He feels embarrassed

and uncomfortable as well as upset and alarmed .He does covet the affection,however not

specifically through sexual means but pure,unadulterated love.4 Miranda informs him that it
4 GradeSaver (n.d.). The Collector Part 1: Pages 77-113 Summary and Analysis | GradeSaver.
is natural, but he is disgusted, and falsely claims that his doctor says that he can never have

intercourse, although these emotions seem to stem from other underlying issues in regards to

his own sexuality and masculinity. This in itself very unusual situation because the time

period is the 60’s which was the age of the sexual liberation, and as such he should

presumably not be as sexually stunted.

As for ‘Enduring Love’ the title itself gives meaning to the entire book.There are various

facets of love and the most important is that of the married couple Joe and Clarissa Rose. It is

their relationship that persists through all the trials and challenges in the novel. It changes and

is not of the same strength at the end but gives the best example of the ideal harmonious

marriage;at least in this specific situation.5 It brings the question is love something that

endures or that should be endured.In the early days of their romance Joe recalls that they

were ‘passionately abstract in their exploration’ and that their affection ‘was different from

and superior to any that had ever existed.’ He himself was in a state of wonderment and

thought himself lucky as to how a beautiful and successful woman could hold so much

fondness for ‘a large, clumsy,balding fellow’. This love is evident as after the balloon

incident Clarissa tries to offer support to him by helping him to bed. The reader can see that

this is McEwan weighing in on how love should present itself in a healthy partnership,

providing an escape from the troubles and harrows of sadness.

In opposition the other example of love is that of Jed Parry and Joe Rose.It is significantly

darker and more menacing than the other, and is unrequired making it an even more perilous

situation. Even though Joe is the one who is at most risk it is not only the fault of Parry as

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5 https://www.litcharts.com/lit/enduring-love/themes/the-nature-of-love

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parties as both are victims of an happenstances. This is evidenced as one of the first things

that is mentioned in the novel is how Joe described their introduction, they are ‘rushing

toward each other like lovers’, this is a highly ironic statement as neither of them is aware as

to what they are actually running towards, just that it is an act of desperation, that is a result

of untamable forces. This comes to a course when Parry is sitting on the sofa of Rose’s home

with Clasrissa, when he holds himself at knife point and says to Joe ‘I love you’ as well as

‘it’s wrecked my life’. It betrays the intensity of misfortune that has befallen everyone that is

involved. How one meeting of eyes could lead to such an irreparable devastation and

obsession, and to have both of the men endure this dreadful so called love.

Another aspect that can be looked at is that of personal beliefs and lifestyles. In ‘The

Collector’ Miranda she believes that art should above all strive for authenticity. What annoys

her about Clegg is that he lacks appreciation of art. Although he does read a classic of J.D

Salinger ‘The Catcher in the Rye’, it is to gain her attention. As he does not hold it to any

value and has no particular opinion or interest in it beyond trying to please his prisoner. She

sees his collection as something that he hoards and that it is selfish of him to keep it from

society. She passionately remarks ‘I hate scientists’ and she‘hate[s] people who collect

things, and classify things and give them names and then forget all about them.’ She likens

this to how artists are put into labels and categories of ‘impressionist’ or ‘cubist’ ‘or

something and then they put him in a drawer and don’t see him as a living individual painter

anymore.’ Clegg sees this as her being arrogant, and that she looks down upon him for his

humble beginnings and a drawback of his life. As such this is a continuous theme regarding

Miranda she does not understand Ferdinand’s actions and her being imprisoned leads her to

over intellectualisation of everything and misinterpretation about Clegg. In his ‘Journal of

Modern Literature’ Shayamal Bagchee 6notes that ‘ It takes Miranda a long time to get rid of

her successive stereotyped views of Clegg as a rapist, an extortionist, or a psychotic. She

admits to an uneasy admiration of him, and this baffles her’.A critic by the name of Jeff

Rackman says ‘the chilling intensity of the story arises from the ambiguous response to him

which both Miranda and the reader share.’7 Due to his tricky and clever nature Miranda

admires how Clegg details each precaution. Fowles uses Miranda’s impression of him as a

portrayal of the masses’ fascination with this character and attitude; getting away with the

perfect crime.

The themes that are one of the most prevalent and important in ‘Enduring Love’ are that of

fate versus chance and religion and belief. Joe is rationalist atheist and believes that the

balloon incident was just an unforeseeable circumstance which leads him to ponder over

whether or not John Logan’s death held significance or not.8 Meanwhile Parry is a devout

Christian so he sees their meeting as a method to bring Rose closer to God. Joe says that ‘it

was a precarious form of transport when the wind, rather than the pilot, set the course.’ He

sees the winds as being there by coincidence. Whereas Jed may interpret the winds as a

manifestation of God’s power and ability that was a catalyst that was imperative to their

meeting.

The biggest motivation in regards to Parry’s fixation on Joe is religion.McEwan like the

character Joe is also a very vocal atheist,and as such his views bleed out into his

6 Bagchee.S(1980).’The Collector’:The Paradoxical Imagination Of John Fowles.Journal of Modern

Literature

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7 Jeff Rackman,’’John Fowles:’’The Existential Labyrinth,’’Critique,13 (1972),91

8 https://www.gradesaver.com/enduring-love/study-guide/themes

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works,painting religion in an unappealing manner, likening Jed to a raving lunatic. His faith

combined with psychiatric conditions reveal McEwan’s association of religion with

senselessness. At some point during the course of the novel religious imagery is used as a

metaphor for pieces of Joe’s actions and thoughts.Such as when he compares the points in a

field as ‘stations of the cross’.This depicts his arrogance as he is comparing his own trial and

journey to that of the divine figure of Jesus a prophet of God.It is also a contradiction in itself

as Rose entirely denies the existence of God but uses religious connotations and references

here.This language could also be a means of revealing Parry’s effect on Joe as he begins to

use symbols associated with Chrstianity.Which may highlight the aspect of fixational and to a

certain degree love that is embedding itself into Rose’s psyche.

Controversially McEwan also takes into account other beliefs,one such being that of

rationalism.It is a defining characteristic of Joe’s that shapes the entirety of the perspective of

‘Enduring Love’.Clarissa concludes that he does not comprehend the events of the ballooning

incident,to her he lacks emotional depth.when Joe says ‘we tried to help and we failed’

Clarissa replies with ‘You’re so rational sometimes you’re like a child’,indicating to his

occasional naivete. It is something that separates the two,his black and white

straightforwardness compared to her more emotional intuitive language.To Clarissa it is

highly unreasonable to act so nonchalantly to such a brutal and vicious death,although she

does understand that in some extreme circumstances there is a need for irrationality.Even

after being in a fatal encounter with Parry,Clarissa can not entirely blame him for everything

that occurs,as to her that worldview can not possibly hold truth.9Though McEwan presents

flaws in the couple’s differing mindsets,something that can be agreed upon is that Parry has

the most disjointed standpoint.

9 https://www.litcharts.com/lit/enduring-love/themes/rationalism-vs-intuition
In ‘The Collector’ there are frequent mentions that allude to Shakespeare’s ‘The

Tempest’.10Something that must be taken into account is that of identity as it is very

humorous as when Clegg introduces himself to Miranda he says his name is Ferdinand when

it is in actual reality, Frederick. He puts himself in the position of this noble princely figure

that the character Miranda falls in love with. It is this person that he desires her to see him as,

she retorts back and she calls him, Caliban,who in the play is amonterous thing thatattempts

to rape the girl, however Clegg does not do this but the likeness is given due his wanting to

possess Miranda. Like the young girl,Miranda Grey also sees herself as superior to her

tormentor. Another manner in which ‘The Collector’ is compared to ‘The Tempest’ is that of

how both Prospero and Clegg seek to gain ultimate power and control in their

relationships.Prospero does this by fabricating the tempest, putting spells on the unwanted

characters on his island, and using his charms and abilities to manipulate those around him.

Prospero puts them in positions where they have no choice but to be subordinates to him

alone. He treats his daughter Miranda in such a way that he is her only source of knowledge

and all authority of her life belongs to him.Her fear of him only further cements Prospero’s

domination and influence. As a matter of fact when the island girl,meets Ferdinand and

confesses her attraction to him she says that ‘I prattle Something too wildly, and my father’s

precepts I therein do forget.’It is a confession ,as she fears thats he has disobeyed her father

and by claiming that she ‘would not wish Any companion in the world but you’ to him,she

has betrayed him.Clegg also uses this procedure of chaos when he kidnaps Miranda, holds

her prisoner and creates a whole new reality of existence for her. In which she is isolated

from everyone and everything of the world and her own sense of belonging and

communication is solely him.

10 https://www.shakespeare.org.uk/explore-shakespeare/shakespedia/shakespeares-plays/tempest

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All in all both novelists have used their abilities and talents to create masterpieces of

literature that share likeness and vary in many different appearances.’Enduring Love’

according to the Washington post being a depiction of ‘...an ingenious and formidably

intelligent study of one form of mental illness and a wrenching evocation of the risks to

which love can be put’.11That concludes with happiness,as Joe and Clarissa Rose adopt a

child after many long years of longing,but has shades of sadness and pirty as Jed Parry is still

in the mental institution suffering with his mental illness.As for ‘The Collector’ after

murdering Miranda,and justefying it in a strange way,Clegg yet again starts to become

enraptued by another woman similar to his first.Which begs the question will history repeat

itself.Both Fowles and McEwan leave there works on a cliffhanger leaving the readers to

perplex the events as a whole and wonder what else can occur.

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Total Word Count -2653

11 https://bookmarks.reviews/reviews/all/enduring-love

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Bibliography

1-https://www.gradesaver.com/enduring-love/study-guide/themes

2-Gaddal, Y.Y.E. (1989). De Clérambault’s Syndrome (Erotomania) in Organic

Delusional Syndrome. British Journal of Psychiatry, 154(5), pp.714–716.

3-Wikipedia Contributors (2021). Bluebeard’s Castle.

Obsession as Depicted in 'The Collector' and 'Enduring Love': [Essay Example],

2807 words GradesFixer

4-GradeSaver (n.d.). The Collector Part 1: Pages 77-113 Summary and Analysis |
GradeSaver.

5- https://www.litcharts.com/lit/enduring-love/themes/the-nature-of-love

6-Bagchee.S(1980).’The Collector’:The Paradoxical Imagination Of John

Fowles.Journal of Modern Literature

7-Jeff Rackman,’’John Fowles:’’The Existential Labyrinth,’’Critique,13 (1972),91

8-https://www.gradesaver.com/enduring-love/study-guide/themes

9- https://www.litcharts.com/lit/enduring-love/themes/rationalism-vs-intuition

10-https://www.shakespeare.org.uk/explore-shakespeare/shakespedia/
shakespeares-plays/tempest

11-https://bookmarks.reviews/reviews/all/enduring-love