<doc.id=0193.a4>
<title> Themes in Fowles's The Collector </title>
Two themes through out John Fowles's novel The Collector is how the two characters Caliban and Miranda think of class and ways to divide people into different groups, and their opinions of what is important in life. To Caliban, money and the walk of life you were born into, or can work yourself in to, is of great importance. Miranda, on the other hand, tends to divide people into intellectual classes, judging them according to their opinions. Classes can refer to one's social status but also to groups according to opinion and way of living. Their different views are made clear in Miranda's diary entry form November 7th (pp. 205-208).

Caliban soon learns that in spite of his now having money, he is not accepted among the richer people. He did not grow up with them and does not have their manners or attitude: 'as soon as we spoke or did something we gave the game away' (p. 14). Also, he does not know how to handle his money, how to spend them and on what. The rich people he meets in London despise him 'for having all that money and not knowing what to do with it.' (p. 14). Further more, he does no longer fit in with the people he grew up with, his native class. His money has made him alien to those who are his likes in upbringing and mind. Caliban realises he is ashamed of his aunt and cousin, people like him. They were '...small people who'd never left home' (pp. 15-16). Caliban does simply not fit in. Miranda points this out to him: 'He [a character in a book C. has read] doesn't fit anywhere and you don't ' (p. 205). But with Miranda 'you didn't have any class feeling' (p. 18), he still knew 'there was always class between us' (p. 41). He said to her: 'You wouldn't be seen dead with me in London' (p. 39).
He thinks of money as giving him freedom, a life without limits, 'there are no obstacles' (p. 19). But since he does not know where to put the limits himself his obsession for Miranda takes overhand. He spends hundreds of pounds on her, he would buy 'anything she wanted' (p. 35). He does not care how much the decorators and builders want to do their work, because 'money was no object' (p. 22). He remembers the words of his teacher: 'Power corrupts' (p. 24) and in his own opinion 'Money is Power' (p. 24). He tries to open Miranda's heart through money and what he thinks is his generosity, he wants to buy her love, her feelings: 'I was rich, a good spec as a husband now' (p. 13). He would give her anything she asked for, except her freedom. 

To Miranda, people's opinions and attitudes are more important than their class and money. 'She often went on about how she hated class distinction' (p. 41). She finds 'class primitive and silly' (p. 144). She cannot stand what her friend G.P., an artist, call the New People 'with their cars and their money' (p. 207). The poor had to be 'saved financially before you could save their souls' (p. 207). Caliban is financially safe and Miranda does her best to save his soul and make him realize what is really important in life, that money is not everything, what art is all about - but most of all, she tries to make it clear to him that she will always despise him as long as he keeps her prisoner. She does not want his money; she wants her freedom, her life. But if he releases her, she will be his friend and introduce him to the right people.

Miranda thinks money is a danger in the hands of the wrong people. People like Caliban, who 'have no head for money' (p. 209). She dislikes 'the awful misuse of money' (p. 209) and wonders why people should 'have money if they don't know how to use it?' (p. 209). She writes: 'It sickens me to think of all the money Caliban has won' (p. 209). 

While Miranda is the life-loving creator, Caliban is the collector who is ignorant and dead. She thinks of him as 'anti-life, anti-art, anti-everything' (p. 123). He is 'The Old Man of the Sea' (p. 206) who get 'on the back of everything vital, everything trying to be honest and free [and he bears] it down' (p. 206) and she is one of the few who care, one of the few who 'have to carry it all' (p. 206). Those who 'feel, they want to better the world' (p. 144). She wants to be an artist and as an artist 'you give your whole being to your art' (p. 143). She cannot stand people like Caliban, 'with their great deadweight of pettiness and selfishness and meanness of every kind' (p. 206). According to Miranda, Caliban and his likes 'persecute us [...] they do anything to avoid having to take notice of us and respect us' (p. 207). And the Calibans hate them 'for being different, for not being them, for their own not being like us' (p. 206). Miranda herself loves 'honesty and freedom and giving' (p. 207) and 'everything which is not sitting and watching and [...] dead at heart' (p. 207). She draws Caliban but does not think it turns out any good. Still, he wants the portrait. He offers to buy it, not because he appreciates art but because he has the money to do so. The first thing she does when she wakes up in the morning and the last thing before going to bed at night is to look at her friend G.P.'s picture which is 'the only living, created, unique thing' (p. 205) in her room. The room where she is 'imprisoned, unable to grow' (p. 206). She feels like one of Caliban's butterflies and thinks 'of the living beauty [he has] ended' (p. 55). Still she realises that he too is a prisoner, 'in his own hateful and present world' (p. 212).

In the end she dies, just like all his other butterflies. The Creator was persecuted and born down by Caliban the Collector. Like many other artists and creators, her love for life and creating was killed by their meanness and ignorance. The Collector himself has soon found a new butterfly and 'only put the stove down there today because the room needs drying out anyway' (p. 283). Drying out so the new butterfly can stretch its wings. After all, he is a Collector and they get on the back of everything vital.

All quotes are taken from Fowles, John: The Collector, London: Vintage (1963), 1998
</doc>