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3.53 AVERAGE
3.53 AVERAGE
George Eliot is a keen observer of human behavior. She is more than a little tongue-in-cheek when describing the hypocrisies of human behavior. This novel is no Middlemarch or Mill on the Floss--it's shorter and the themes are less expansive-- but it is a nice story with social observations well worth considering.
Not really children's literature, but I read it on a child's level because it was the first adult book I read. The image of the old man with the little blond girl still sticks out in my mind. Only know do I realize that it was written by George Elliot..
This book took two tries to get into. I couldn't finish it the 1st time. I really liked it when I tried again.
Well worth a read. In today's market, I doubt the book would ever have been noticed, there's no murder or sexual affairs. But the book remains a delightful gem.
emotional
hopeful
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
Yes I understand that 19th century pastoralism is an agent of the British nationalist project. Yes I understand that Eliot is preaching at the reader Good Protestant Ethics that would cause nausea in me coming from anyone today. Nevertheless. This was so fun I really loved it going into my top 25 all time (barring another Eliot surpassing it) I was gawking and gasping all up and down this book.
For whatever reason this Victorian era style of writing just really fits in my brain well - dickens and gaskell and obvi the pastiche in Jonathan strange also do this for me despite generally being someone who has to work to grasp older styles of writing
For whatever reason this Victorian era style of writing just really fits in my brain well - dickens and gaskell and obvi the pastiche in Jonathan strange also do this for me despite generally being someone who has to work to grasp older styles of writing
Silas Marner, outcast, lives a life for money. When his money is stolen, he finds himself adrift. Later he finds a young child on his hearth, and devotes his life to the toddler instead. Slow. Characters that seem to play a big part are thrown out only to be mentioned in passing. It's been done better.
Verdict: A simple story with deep truths. As crafted and comforting a classic as ever there was.
‘Silas Marner’ has, since I can remember, been present at the edge of my literary consciousness as a ‘classic’. Due to a persistent misreading of the title I had assumed it was something to do with a sailor and carried on unfussed in my ignorance until this year. One of the many edifying effects of my 1000 book mission is that it fills in those ‘classic book’ holes in my repertoire which I have generally not bothered with since leaving high school. There have been high points (Wuthering Heights) and low points (Robinson Crusoe) and solidly centre stands ‘Silas Marner’
‘Silas Marner’ is about a man named Silas who is not a sailor (or mariner, if you will) but is, in fact, a linen weaver. He was not always sad and alone. Once he was a fervent member of a sort of reformation/cult community but then his best friend framed him for robbery and stole his fiancé. Such events would, understandably, shake one’s faith in God and man and they did. Silas, banished, moved to another town, kept himself to himself, and fetishistically hoarded the money he was paid to weave linen.
There are other people in the town and they think he is weird, but then they have their own problems. Specifically brothers Dunstan and Godfrey Cass, sons of the richest guy (farmer? Landowner? I forget) in the village, have problems that will come to pertain particularly to Silas. They are both rather spoiled and ass-y but Godfrey at least feels some shame on this point – a factor which comeuppance will later take into account. The fate of the three intertwine on a cold winter’s night. I’ll leave the mechanics of the transaction to Eliot, but the end result is Silas losing his gold and gaining an orphaned baby girl. Your feelings on the value of such a swap may vary but it cannot be disputed that it works for Silas. What follows is a redemptive story culminating in a deeply satisfying distribution of heavenly justice.
What can I say but this is solid literature right here. It is not shocking or upsetting or gripping or tragic which makes it all the more noteworthy. It is as simple as life which is to say not at all. Within the easy narrative there are themes of creeping industrialization, of the role of class and of the place of religion. These big topics are assimilated seamlessly into the story of Silas and Eppie and it gives ‘Silas Marner’ the feel of a parable; a simple story reflecting a deeper truth. It is an engaging and comforting book with a story so well joined it is hard to remember it was crafted by human hand.
‘Silas Marner’ is an easy three. A lovely book, but just not one I’m capable of getting excited about. You should read it, though, if you haven’t already. On a day when it rains and you’re feeling a bit down about humans in general. I’ll be doing the same.
‘Silas Marner’ has, since I can remember, been present at the edge of my literary consciousness as a ‘classic’. Due to a persistent misreading of the title I had assumed it was something to do with a sailor and carried on unfussed in my ignorance until this year. One of the many edifying effects of my 1000 book mission is that it fills in those ‘classic book’ holes in my repertoire which I have generally not bothered with since leaving high school. There have been high points (Wuthering Heights) and low points (Robinson Crusoe) and solidly centre stands ‘Silas Marner’
‘Silas Marner’ is about a man named Silas who is not a sailor (or mariner, if you will) but is, in fact, a linen weaver. He was not always sad and alone. Once he was a fervent member of a sort of reformation/cult community but then his best friend framed him for robbery and stole his fiancé. Such events would, understandably, shake one’s faith in God and man and they did. Silas, banished, moved to another town, kept himself to himself, and fetishistically hoarded the money he was paid to weave linen.
There are other people in the town and they think he is weird, but then they have their own problems. Specifically brothers Dunstan and Godfrey Cass, sons of the richest guy (farmer? Landowner? I forget) in the village, have problems that will come to pertain particularly to Silas. They are both rather spoiled and ass-y but Godfrey at least feels some shame on this point – a factor which comeuppance will later take into account. The fate of the three intertwine on a cold winter’s night. I’ll leave the mechanics of the transaction to Eliot, but the end result is Silas losing his gold and gaining an orphaned baby girl. Your feelings on the value of such a swap may vary but it cannot be disputed that it works for Silas. What follows is a redemptive story culminating in a deeply satisfying distribution of heavenly justice.
What can I say but this is solid literature right here. It is not shocking or upsetting or gripping or tragic which makes it all the more noteworthy. It is as simple as life which is to say not at all. Within the easy narrative there are themes of creeping industrialization, of the role of class and of the place of religion. These big topics are assimilated seamlessly into the story of Silas and Eppie and it gives ‘Silas Marner’ the feel of a parable; a simple story reflecting a deeper truth. It is an engaging and comforting book with a story so well joined it is hard to remember it was crafted by human hand.
‘Silas Marner’ is an easy three. A lovely book, but just not one I’m capable of getting excited about. You should read it, though, if you haven’t already. On a day when it rains and you’re feeling a bit down about humans in general. I’ll be doing the same.
challenging
hopeful
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes