Silas Marner by George Eliot

Product Description: Embittered by a false accusation, disappointed in friendship and love, the weaver Silas Marner retreats into a long twilight life alone with his loom...and his gold. Silas hoards a treasure that kills his spirit until fate steals it from him and replaces it with a golden-haired founding child. Where she came from, who her parents were, and who really stole the gold are the secrets that permeate this moving tale of guilt and innocence. A moral allegory of the redemptive power of love, it is also a finely drawn picture of early nineteenth-century England in the days when spinning wheels hummed busily in the farmhouses, and of a simple way of life that was soon to disappear.

First Line: In the days when the spinning-wheels hummed busily in the farmhouses-- and even great ladies, clothed in silk and thread-lace, had their toy spinning-wheels of polished oak-- there might be seen in districts far away among the lanes, or deep in the bosom of the hills, certain pallid undersized men, who, by the side of the brawny country-folk, looked like the remnants of a disinherited race.


My thoughts: I read this one many years ago in school and remember not liking it but nothing else. I am so glad that I decided to reread it. I quite enjoyed this story. It was a little slow in places but the gems of quiet humor were wonderful to stumble upon. Many of the sentences were extremely long (see the first line) and I found that a little distracting at times. The decline of Silas Marner into doom and gloom then his eventual reintroduction into a happy life was captivating. I loved the sense of time and place and the way the author showed the difference between the rich and poor of the time of the setting of this book. I also enjoy bookes where the dialect is written like this one. The look at adoption was, to me, interesting as my husband was adopted. You can read this for the simple story of Silas Marner on the surface or mine for religious outlooks, the effect of industrilization on society, betrayal etc. If you like classics you'll love this one, if you aren't into classics try this one. It is short and a great read.


Rating: E


Quote: "Ah, If there's good anywhere, we've need of it," repeated Dolly, who did not lightly forsake a serviceable phrase.