The Response of the Community to Silas in Silas Marner

The Response of the Community to Silas in Silas Marner

When Silas Marner arrived in Raveloe the villagers did not show a very

hospitable welcome to him, they saw him as an outsider, 'an

alien-looking man'. This was the normal reaction to new comers in

Raveloe. It was a small village, 'where many of the old echoes

lingered, undrowned by new voices'. The village based itself mainly

around the church, which 'once showed the summits of its social life'.

Silas however was not a religious man, 'he invited no comer to step

across his door-sill and he never strolled into the village'. From the

way Silas had been betrayed in his old town, Lantern Yard, he tried to

keep as far away from people as possible. As he had nothing to do with

his days, his life slowly progressed into an obsession with work.

Silas was a weaver and 'he worked far on into the night', to finish

what he had to, for the following day. He was working so much; he

gained a lot of money. 'Silas was paid in Gold' and 'how the guineas

shone as they came out of the dark leather pouch'. Silas' life soon

began to revolve around money, so he made no effort to make friends,

as he felt no need for them. In effect, money had replaced the friends

he once had. It seemed that Silas felt safe with money, but with

people he was afraid and vulnerable of them being untrustworthy.

Status was seen as important in Raveloe, 'the greatest man in Raveloe

was Squire Cass'. He was 'used to the presupposition that his

family…were the oldest and the best'. However, as important as the

Squire was in Raveloe, he would be nothing in a larger town or city,

where there were higher-class people, but in Ra...

... middle of paper ...

...as he was a weaver and anybody who

had a trade would be important in the village, as they were probably

the only one nearby who could do that particular trade.

George Elliot portrayed nineteenth century life in a way that showed

how important people really were and that money was not as much as it

was made out to be. When Silas' friends were disloyal to him in

Lantern Yard, he was 'stunned by despair' and his whole world just

fell apart. He 'departed from the town' and travelled to Raveloe, to

try and begin a new life. In Raveloe he was an outsider and turned to

money, but when his riches were stolen he had to find something else

to depend upon-and this was Eppie. Silas, once more had turned back to

people and he'd found what he'd once lost, love. I feel the story

holds a strong moral to it, money can't buy you love.