Silas Marner in Classics and the Western Canon

Jan 14, 2011 Roger rated it it was amazing

Shelves: historical-fiction, classics, multiple-reads, georgian-era, 1001-books-list, victorian-era

I dutifully read this book decades ago in Junior High School. The sum total of what I remember is a miser and there was something about a girl. It did not make any kind of impression, much less a profound impression. Now, many years later, I decided, for unknown reasons, to read this book again. And I am happy I did.

Yes, this is a story of a miser who lives for his gold and silver coins. Having closed himself off from a world that has betrayed him, he finds his only solace in working to obtain h I dutifully read this book decades ago in Junior High School. The sum total of what I remember is a miser and there was something about a girl. It did not make any kind of impression, much less a profound impression. Now, many years later, I decided, for unknown reasons, to read this book again. And I am happy I did.

Yes, this is a story of a miser who lives for his gold and silver coins. Having closed himself off from a world that has betrayed him, he finds his only solace in working to obtain his treasure and bringing his treasure out every night to look at it. But he is not a hard or cruel or even selfish man. He is naïve and gentle. If he could just get rid of his gold, his life would be much better.

Like its main character, the story itself is gentle. The villains hardly ever appear, mercy is prevalent and justice while an important element in the story is nevertheless mild. The story celebrates the quiet, unfashionable happiness of love at home.

One of the features of this story is the revealing glimpse it provides of small town life during the era. Those familiar with Eliot’s Middlemarch know that few portray small town life more accurately or sympathetically than she does. One has the sense that this is really what it must have been like to live in that time and place. From this accurate depiction, the story develops in such a natural way that new insight is given into why people become misers, and why rigid class distinctions exist even in rural country neighborhoods.

The digressive, descriptive writing style prevalent in the Victorian era, is certainly present here, but this is a short book. My copy was only 150 pages. One can enjoy the leisurely pace of the story without having to make a long term commitment to the book. But the book still delivers an arresting climax that stays with me now that the book is done, and I expect I will remember it years from now. I did not remember any of it after reading it for school, but that is the difference between reading against your will and reading for pleasure. Surprise. Silas Marner is a pleasure.
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Oct 16, 2010 Cassandra Kay Silva rated it it was amazing

Shelves: classics, all-time-favorites

I forgot about this book, but oh my what a lovely character story. I can still remember vividly his treasure store with so little prodding. This is one I would definitely reread.

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