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3.53 AVERAGE
3.53 AVERAGE
I thought this was VERY good, but I'm glad it wasn't assigned in high school, because I wouldn't have liked in when I was 17. So why DO that assign it to 17-year-olds. Maybe because it's short?
What strikes me most about this George Eliot classic is how widely open it is to interpretation. On the one hand, it might be seen as a testament to the power and unity of Judaeo-Christian faith, sharing elements with, for example, the "Book of Job." Then again, we can view "Silas Marner" from an Eastern perspective, and consider it a morality tale which illustrates the power of karma. Then again again, we're also rewarded by considering Eliot's novel as a primer for humanists on how to behave morally in the absence of faith.
Eliot's writing is flawless and not overwrought with detail. This is not a story which is steeped in action, and the novel is compact, yet dense and vivid. The characters are often rustic stereotypes and developed variously, but only to the extent necessary. The central character of Marner, however, is developed continuously across the duration of the story, and, among other things, provides a great portrait of a dour, cranky miser which stands both in parallel to and in contrast to Dickens' Scrooge.
In sum, "Silas Marner" is likely to resonate with the usual suspects: fans of the classics.
Eliot's writing is flawless and not overwrought with detail. This is not a story which is steeped in action, and the novel is compact, yet dense and vivid. The characters are often rustic stereotypes and developed variously, but only to the extent necessary. The central character of Marner, however, is developed continuously across the duration of the story, and, among other things, provides a great portrait of a dour, cranky miser which stands both in parallel to and in contrast to Dickens' Scrooge.
In sum, "Silas Marner" is likely to resonate with the usual suspects: fans of the classics.
The first chapter had me convinced this was going to be a fantasy novel where a maligned weaver who mysteriously fades in and out of reality has to leave the world he knows to go off on an adventure. Hilariously, the penultimate chapter—when Silas returns with Eppie to Lantern Yard only to find the location of his former life has disappeared under the auspice of English industrialization—also convinced me this wanted to be a fantasy novel. But everything between these two chapters didn't quite fit.
Alexander Chee in How to Write an Autobiographical Novel recounted his writing process, and how he'd experienced cases where he stumbled into the story he wanted to tell after ninety pages, so he cut the first ninety and used the remaining forty-five as the actual beginning (the full story is in section 2 of the chapter "The Autobiography of My Novel," around page 219 of my edition). It felt like George Eliot wasn't sure what story she wanted to tell, found it about 100 pages in, and then had all of these extraneous plotlines to wrap up. This resulted in a lot of chapters about the landed gentry which I had no interest in, sixty-odd pages dedicated to the Eppie storyline, and a Wordsworth quote in the preface that did not seem relevant until the second half.
Regardless, I really liked how this was written, and Eliot's exploration of community, ostracization, use of dialect, and ability to wrap up disparate storylines each felt superb.
Alexander Chee in How to Write an Autobiographical Novel recounted his writing process, and how he'd experienced cases where he stumbled into the story he wanted to tell after ninety pages, so he cut the first ninety and used the remaining forty-five as the actual beginning (the full story is in section 2 of the chapter "The Autobiography of My Novel," around page 219 of my edition). It felt like George Eliot wasn't sure what story she wanted to tell, found it about 100 pages in, and then had all of these extraneous plotlines to wrap up. This resulted in a lot of chapters about the landed gentry which I had no interest in, sixty-odd pages dedicated to the Eppie storyline, and a Wordsworth quote in the preface that did not seem relevant until the second half.
Regardless, I really liked how this was written, and Eliot's exploration of community, ostracization, use of dialect, and ability to wrap up disparate storylines each felt superb.
There were a lot if things that beyond of my expectations that I have encountered through my reading of the book.
Okey, I know Silas Marner a classic. Not because Silas Marner sounds an extinct name but I know George Eliot, its creator, have existed many years ago and lived during Victorian era. However, I never expected Silas Marner to be a subtle reading. I never did because Mary Anne (Mary Ann or Marian) Evans, George Eliot's real name, is a woman. And it is not on my expectation that a woman like her write as complicated as the men authors of her contemporaries. Although, I have somewhat think beforehand that Victorian literature is marked with such verbosity.
Its 170 pages could have rather short, but added with the little complexities of the language and my regular duty requiring me to work at weekdays, I am reading this book for more than a month (as you can see in the graph below).
image:
But however verbose the book is, it is a rather simple tale. A great man of simplicity would have wonderful time reading it as there is not arduous time of deep reflection for the story was presented with not so much allegory if none at all.
I love to think that the theme of Eliot's writing is of simplicity and love.
Okey, I know Silas Marner a classic. Not because Silas Marner sounds an extinct name but I know George Eliot, its creator, have existed many years ago and lived during Victorian era. However, I never expected Silas Marner to be a subtle reading. I never did because Mary Anne (Mary Ann or Marian) Evans, George Eliot's real name, is a woman. And it is not on my expectation that a woman like her write as complicated as the men authors of her contemporaries. Although, I have somewhat think beforehand that Victorian literature is marked with such verbosity.
Its 170 pages could have rather short, but added with the little complexities of the language and my regular duty requiring me to work at weekdays, I am reading this book for more than a month (as you can see in the graph below).
image:
But however verbose the book is, it is a rather simple tale. A great man of simplicity would have wonderful time reading it as there is not arduous time of deep reflection for the story was presented with not so much allegory if none at all.
I love to think that the theme of Eliot's writing is of simplicity and love.
First off, I read this because I had to. Not by free choice. There were things I liked: mostly the stab at being an anti-Victorian, anti-fairy tale. But it's still a Victorian read in many ways, and it just ain't my cup o' tea.
Falsely accused of a crime, Silas is forced to leave his community. Silas sets up as a weaver in a small rural community. He withdraws into himself, not interacting with the townsfolk, giving him the reputation of an antisocial miser. Silas takes pleasure only in accumulating savings. When that is taken from him, he sinks into a deep despair, until a tiny tot toddles into his life, by sheer happenstance. He instantly becomes devoted to her, and she becomes the light of his life. Silas is a good-hearted character who tries to do right, despite the difficult or complicated circumstances he finds himself in. There is quite a bit of backstory about some of the townspeople, and it all comes together as the characters' lives are woven together in unexpected ways. This is a charming story of the graces and foibles of humanity.
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
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