Silas Marner Essay, Research Paper

Silas Marner

Silas Marner, a book by George Eliot show how Silas Marner, an unjustly exiled linen weaver is restored to life by the means of a little orphan girl named Eppie. This moral allegory of the redemption of the power of love affects three main characters in different ways.

After being crookedly accused of stealing money, Silas Marner is forced into the life of a loner. During this time, someone steals his gold and he is so transfixed on getting the gold back that when he sees a young girl, he thinks that her golden hair is his lost gold. He calls the girl Eppie, even though her real name is Hepzibah. He raises the girl and she grows into a beautiful woman. But what she does to him is greater than any change he could have possibly made to her.

She turns a man who had given up on life with a purpose to a man who had but one goal, to make her happy. She came to think of him as her father, and couldn’t imagine it any other way, as was shown when Godfrey wanted to adopt her and she refused. He stopped thinking about money, went back to church, and started to socialize again all because of a little girl who many would think of as a hindrance.

The second person Eppie impacted was Godfrey. Godfrey was really not influenced by the girl until the very end of the book when he realizes he doesn’t have control over everyone. Although Godfrey did some things that were wrong, he really wasn’t that bad of a person. Yet all Eppie knew of Godfrey was ignored responsibility. Although she in some ways treated him unjustly it probably taught him a lifelong lesson that not everything can be controlled. He truly realizes he is sorry in the end and mentions that he will never do such a thing again.

Eppie, although not as great, affected Molly in the story as well. She brings out her maternal feeling hidden deep inside even the most evil of women. Although the effect was not great enough to make her stop taking opium, there are small instances of love throughout the book. When they were trudging through the snow, she covers up Eppie in her coat to keep her warm. Molly let a drug take over her life, and by providing warmth to Eppie, she steered her away from that life. This may seem like Eppie affecting Molly, but truly this is Eppie bringing out Molly’s buried feelings.

In the book Silas Marner, a young girl affected many people. Just by being herself, she brought out good in others. This is truly the greatest quality a person can have.