Source: Book. The Collector (1963), John Fowles
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There’s an interesting point in The Collector where the female lead, Miranda, who I picture as a longer-haired Claire Danes circa So-Called, becomes frustrated with what she describes to be the “crude…primitive” nature of words. Her full quote goes as follows:
“I’m moving to California.” The response to anyone inquiring about my future after college. Higher education, lower education, ungainful employment–mere formalities on the way to my true calling. Leaving. I had never so much as visited Los Angeles but that didn’t matter, it was like any goal, simply arbitrary…
The worst part of any vacation is all the way back. A vacation: quite literally an escape from your normal life and the more you let go, the deeper you leave, the harder it is to return. In some cases you don’t completely come back, something changes inside. Sometimes this change is temporary, but sometimes it takes. My body arrived in Key West containing one version of self and left with something closely resembling the person I am now. And I can pinpoint the exact moment that change took place…
This story doesn’t have a point. No plot, no arc, no end. I can be certain because I wrote this sentence last. Definitely no moral. Just snaps of . . .