Silas Marner Essay, Research Paper

The novel Silas Marner is the story of how a linen weaver is socially exiled by his peers because of their misunderstanding of him. The exile continues until a key figure, Eppie, restores his personal and social status within the town. The moral metaphor of the redemption power of love affects the three main characters in different ways.

After being erroneously accused of stealing money, Silas Marner is forced into the life of a loner. Due to his idiosyncrasies the town people shun and fear him as a witch. Silas is so engrossed on material possessions that when his gold is stolen he is close to a nervous breakdown. He had become obsessive and disgruntled. He had no feelings of love for himself or any others. He was alone. A little girl appears who s drunken mother has passed away and Silas takes her in. Eppie as he names her, transforms his life. Eppie turns a man who had given up on life, who had no purpose, into 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. When Godfrey wanted to adopt her she refused. She caused Silas to stop thinking about money. He went back to church, and started to socialize again. Eppie gave Silas a focus for what was right. She provided the responsibility needed for Silas to pull himself out of his money grubbing stupor. Eppie unlocked the heart of a sad man and allowed Silas to feel whole.

The second person Eppie impacted was Godfrey. The girl until the very end of the book did really not influence Godfrey when…

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