Silas Marner
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Teachings from Silas Marner
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Certainly, she isn't teaching us much about writing. The style was so opaque in many places it was like trying to see through cataracts.
I loved this book...this palid man bent over his loom, his eyesight failing, counting his gold and THEN believing Eppie's golden curls replaced his gold...haaa... so much drama strung with humor written so long ago, yet so illustrative of people today. I've been a mortgage underwriter for years...we sit in our cubicles bent over our files. We burn when we venture out as our skin is unaccustomed to sunlight...HAAA it is all of us growing old and important to those younger than we...
If you take into account Eliot's background, it is a surprisingly Christian book for the author as it is a story of loss and redemption, but I really enjoyed the author's commentary on the rural life and people's habits and duality. It was also interesting to see how a wrong accusation of money theft can turn a person into a miser and then a theft victim, and then a giver. And concerning Eppie's goldilocks, well, not all is gold that glitters.
The message, or theme, I drew from this book was a fierce love of father for child. The deep gratitude Silas Marner knew in having Eppie come into his life was evident, and his fear and sadness at the thought of surrendering her to her biological father showed his intense love for her. I agree the writing was a bit flowery, and empty, in places, but I did enjoy it and I'm glad I made myself stick with it.
And yes, nothing too special about this story. But I can say that this book gives a lesson about caring, loving, and I can have a deeper research of extrovert to introvert person, maybe.
I found many similarities between Silas Marner and Victor Hugo's Les Miserables. Both novels are centered on men who are cut off from others but who eventually find their way back through loving and caring for a child.I don't really believe that there are messages in books. I like to think of books as exploring ideas or states of mind, not as being so simplistic that they can be reduced to maxims or advice.
I don't understand why a man, I mean a humankind, never tend to make love or something like that. You know... Silas never have a desire to have a relationship and other natural biological need of sex and such. I don't know why. Any scientific explanation?
lol, yeaaa it sounds scientific. Anyway, it's a great answer. Thanks!
Sandra wrote: "The message, or theme, I drew from this book was a fierce love of father for child. The deep gratitude Silas Marner knew in having Eppie come into his life was evident, and his fear and sadness at..."Sandra, I like how you compared Silas Marner to Les Miserables. Nice!
Oh sorry -- I meant Mickey's insights about comparing the two books.
The moral of the story: the best happiness we can achieve is a home filled with those who love and understand us. I think Eliot wanted to demonstrate the fickle nature of destiny and how all of life is subject to a drawing of lots---sometimes the punishment meted out by Divine Justice makes sense as when Dunstan drowns with the stolen treasure but other times it misses the mark as when Silas is falsely accused and chased into a lonely exile. All we can do is soldier on and hope for the best against an imperfect world and distant God.
My English teacher said the theme of the book was "the redeeming power of love." And it is true.
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What is the principal message of the book? What is the author trying to teach us? Or, more directly, what have you learned from Silas Marner?
I'm in the middle of reading this book again, and I'm surprised to find myself identifying with Silas, the man. Perhaps my devotion is unduly directed towards cold, inanimate possesions. Perhaps towards isolating activity. If so, I hope to break free from my loom of slavery and rekindle my love of family, friend, and God.
A decade ago, I saw the primary message being something like, "Therefore, be not miserly." I didn't identify with Silas; I enjoyed the story, but didn't apply it to my life.
Clearly, little goldilocks Eppie rescused Silas from misery and miserliness, arriving months after losing his gold. But is there more? Am I missing something?
Cheers,
James