«THE FEW AND THE MANY» OPPOSITION IN JOHN FOWLES ARTISTIC CONCEPT

The development of the European civilization is a history of fight between the Few and the Many. Aristocrats resisted to commoners, musicians and Philistines were at enmity; the cultural elite and crowd don’t understand each other. John Fowles considers this problem in the philosophical essays «Wormhole» and «Aristos». The writer comes to a conclusion that the solution of the matter is impossible if to consider this problem only within social aspect. Heroes of the novel «Collector», representatives of two hostile parties, can neither overcome this conflict, nor leave it without loss. Fowles is sure that the watershed between the Few and the Many has to pass in each individual, but not between individuals. The choice between to be Aristos or to be lowbrow there is a choice of each person. So, people are in a condition of a choice, and it is incentive for their personal development.

Fowles, «Collector», Aristos, Caliban, Miranda, «few», «many»