Friday, September 16, 2011

In George Eliot's Silas Marner, what three events most affect Silas' character development (growth and change)?

In Ch.I George Eliot tells us  that "Silas Marner's inward life, had been a history and a metamorphosis."  The novel traces three important stages in the life of  Silas Marner.

1. "The lot declared that Silas was guilty." ch.1.Based on circumstantial evidence, the church in Lantern Yard mistakenly judges Silas to be guilty of stealing the church money. Silas' fiancee Sarah refuses to marry him and instead marries his friend William. Soon, Silas Marner leaves Lantern Yard permanently.

2. In Ch.5 Silas discovers that the money which he has worked hard and saved has been stolen. On New year's day Silas discovers an infant girl who has crawled unnoticed into his house Ch.12. The baby girl is actually Dunstan and Molly's daughter. Molly is now dead and Dunstan does not reveal that he is the father. In Ch.13 Silas decides to adopt the child:"No,no I can't part with it,I can't let it go" said Silas abruptly,"It's come to me I've a right to keep it." Silas becomes increasingly attached  to the baby girl and names her Eppie after his mother and sister.

3. In Ch.19 Silas Marner recovers his lost gold but instead of feeling happy he feels uneasy and tells Eppie that he has a premonition that he might lose her. Just then Dunstan and Nancy enter his house and request him to allow them to adopt to adopt Eppie. Silas agrees but Eppie firmly refuses:"But I can't leave my father, nor own anybody nearer than him."

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