...Silas Marner Essay Fulfill duties or neglect them Concept of duty Statements of “duty” in Silas * Silas had a duty as a future husband to Sarah that he could not fulfill - betray * Sarah had a duty to stand by Silas however she didn’t think twice about the false information she obtained and turned her back on silas - betray * William had a duty as a best friend to fulfill however he didn’t believe Silas and even worse, he turned on him and took away the love of his life - betray * Silas’ community in Lantern yard had a duty of support to fulfill in silas’ life but they turned on him - betray * Silas had a duty to fulfill in ravelo, try to engage – self * Godfrey had a duty as a strong man to fulfill but he gave in and didn’t stand up for himself and married Molly- strength * Godfrey had a duty as a husband - strength * Duty as a father - strength * Molly had duty as mother – self absorption * Godfrey had a duty as husband self * Even though Silas did not need to take care of Eppie he took initiative - love * Fulfilled his duty above and beyond – love * Dunsey did not fulfill they duty he had as a family member – self absorption * Nancy fulfilled hers as a wife, she did not need to stand by Godfrey – love * Dolly and aaron helped when they ddint need to – love * Eppie had no obligation to stay with Silas she fulfilled her duty as a daughter, while , rightfully so, neglecting her duties to her true father...
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...Tyler Adams Ms. Maher English 12 3 January 2013 George Eliot Mary Anne Evans, better known for her pen name George Eliot, was a leading novelist, translator, poet, and religious writer of the Victorian Era. During her lifetime, she was an avid contributor to British Literature. Being a successful writer and poet, as a woman, she worked as an assistant editor at the Westminster Review. She was an inspiration to many people of her time. A quote from Eliot reads, “Starting a long way off the true point by loops and zigzags, we now and then arrive just where we ought to be.” That quote was exactly what she did. She did outrageous things to achieve what she wanted to become. Eliot was a brave, courageous woman who always followed her dreams of becoming a successful writer. George Eliot was a very influential female novelist of her time through her brave steps in becoming one. Mary Anne’s novels have an important impact of the Victorian Era. The Victorian Era is during Mary Anne’s lifetime. The Victorian Era lasted between 1830 and 1901. Towards the beginning of this era, poetry was strictly based on Romanticism. However, poetry slowly progressed into more narrative stories. As a result, now we have Realism. Most of the literature in the Victorian Era was created mainly for entertainment. It is known for attempting to combine imagination and emotion with classic art forms for the common person. The majority of these novels were published weekly in the newspaper so that everyone...
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...How does George Eliot present the character of Godfrey Cass in ‘Silas Marner’ in comparison with characters from a range of short stories? Eliot presents the character of Godfrey as a total moral coward and shows he has a lack of resolution. He is ironically described as ‘fine, open-faced, good natured’ by the approving villagers when he already has much to hide. He goes through life acting on impulses and hoping luck will save him from the results of his actions. In this way he has secretly married Molly Farren and fathered a child, been blackmailed to misuse money due to his father - and yet still somehow hopes to wriggle out of everything and marry Nancy Lammeter. Godfrey is insensitive, weak and deceitful: We are told he has an easy disposition and prefers good. Eliot conveys her opinions about Victorian society in her novel. With Godfrey, she is able to explore the issue of social class. Eliot disagreed with the commonly held belief of society at the time that the upper class were morally superior to the lower class. Through Godfrey is morally questionable character she is able to promote instead the integrity and values of the working class. For a while fortune favours him: Molly dies, Silas takes Eppie and Nancy agrees to marry him. With all his privileges and his loving wife, in the end Godfrey is unhappy because, ironically, he has to appear childless, his only child apparently having died. He had a child whom he disowned - he did not deserve to be a father...
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...Silas Marner has undergone a massive change of personality and character, or as George Eliot calls it a metamorphosis. Marner goes from being a humble, trusting man, to a man who locks himself up with his money, away from other people, where he can no longer be hurt. This is because of the significant events that happened to him previously. At the beginning of the story, when Silas Marner is still at Lantern Yard, Marner is described as having a “defenceless, deer-like gaze”. This deer-like gaze portrays a soft, quiet, trusting creature. At this point, Marner has complete faith and trust in his friend, William Dane. He also has complete trust in God, and in people in general, to know what is right and wrong, good and bad. When Marner is first accused of stealing the money he said nothing but “God will clear me.” He believes that even if nobody realises that he didn’t steal the money, God will show them, God will protect him. Then, when he finally realises that he has been set up by his ‘best friend’, he states that “There is no just God.” By saying this, he realises that everything he believed in was a lie. That he could no longer trust God or man. Losing belief in the only two things you believe in, made Silas Marner the bitter man we see at the beginning of chapter 1. After being found guilty by the citizens of lantern yard, Marner tries to carry on with normal life in disbelief at what has just happened. Shortly after this, Marner’s fiancée, Sarah, announces the breakup. Only...
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..."CHARACTER OF HETTY SORREL" -:CONTENTS • c The name “George Eliot” was the pseudonym of Mary Ann Evans. Eliot was born in 1819 at the estate of her father’s employer in Chilvers Coton, Warwickshire, England. Because of her father’s important role as the manager, Eliot was given permission to spend time in the estate’s library, where she expanded her knowledge by reading. As a young girl she was educated at the local school and then at boarding school. Eliot was deeply religious throughout her childhood and adolescence because of her pious family background and the influence of the evangelical Maria Lewes, one of her instructors at boarding school. When Eliot was seventeen, her mother died and Eliot came home to care for her father. In 1841, Eliot and her father moved to Coventry. While living in Coventry, Eliot met Charles and Caroline Bray, who led her to question her faith by introducing her to new religious and political ideas. Eliot’s personal life likely influenced Adam Bede in several ways. First, the portrayal of Methodists as a positive social force possibly stems from Eliot’s own rejection of some organized religions. While Methodism is an organized religion, Eliot was particularly drawn to the religion’s belief that salvation is possible for all people through personal effort. Second, the character of Dinah, who is strong and powerful beyond normal social conventions, is perhaps inspired by Eliot’s own willingness to step outside normal social convention...
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...In Silas Marner, George Eliot connects the appearance of Eppie to the disappearance of Silas’ gold. Eliot uses an equation of greater than (Eppie > Silas’ gold) to express the connection that they have to each other. Eliot makes it clear that Eppie replaces Silas’ gold but she goes deeper to show that Eppie does more than just replace Silas’ gold, Silas becomes a better man in every sense when he is confronted with being a good father to Eppie. In order to be a good father to Eppie, Silas becomes a better man in a religious sense. Dolly explains to Silas that in order to be a good father to Eppie he must include religion in Eppie’s life; “you must bring her up like christened folks’s children, and take her to church.” (121) Dolly specifically tells Silas that he must have Eppie christened, Silas being devoted to Eppie and her well being is willing to do anything and everything to be a good father to Eppie; “I want to do everything as can be done for the child.” (122) Silas is somewhat reunited with the Church and has a double baptism, both Eppie and him, showing that he is becoming a better man through fathering Eppie. Silas was repressed by his gold, but with Eppie he becomes revitalized; Silas not only becomes a better man in a religious sense he also has more interactions with people becoming a better man in a social sense. In the early chapters of he novel Silas is sequestered only weaving and enjoying the companion ship of his coins; “He handled them, he counted...
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... In the poem “The Death of the Hired Man,” a wife named Mary argues with her husband, Warren, about keeping Silas on the farm to keep working. Warren fails to realize Silas’ illness, and therefore is hard on him. Mary, on the other hand, realizes just how sick Silas is, and pleads with her husband to keep him on the farm and cut him some slack. Silas has continuously been a disappointment to Warren- from failed contracts to sleeping on the job. Mary finally persuades him to keep Silas, but when he goes to find him, he is already dead. This poem made me feel grievance for Silas. It was easy to tell from descriptions in the story that he was a hard worker, but he was just too sick to get the job done well. “He’s worn out. He’s asleep beside the stove. When I came up from Rowe’s I found him here, Huddled against the barn-door fast asleep, A miserable sight, and frightening, too… and he’s changed. Wait till you see.”. This here indicates his hard work, and just how sick Silas really was. He could not even make it back to the house before falling asleep. I felt contempt towards Warren because he could have changed Silas’ circumstances by being lenient towards him and caring for him when he was sick. But, I believe that Silas could have easily left the farm and took time to regain strength and health, and then come back to make things right with Warren. Warren was oblivious to Silas’ sickness, which proves that Warren should have paid more attention to his workers and their...
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...How does George Eliot present money and wealth in Silas Marner? George Eliot presents money and wealth in Silas Marner as something which is a prized possession and as if there is nothing better. There are many situations throughout the novel where this is revealed. However closer to the end of the novel there comes a turning point on the point about wealth and money when they realise it’s not all about money. One of the ways George shows the importance of money is when he says “And [he] had lost his money too, so as he had nothing but what he worked for week by week, and when the weaving was going down too—for there was less and less flax spun—and Master Marner was none so young.” This quote is an example of George Eliot's historical precision. That throw-away line, "there was less and less flax spun," keys into a big historical change: the Industrial Revolution, which is basically outsourcing Silas's job. In the cities, factories are churning out cheap fabric that makes his loom irrelevant. Another point about wealth mentioned in the novel is when they are trying to get Eppie (Godfrey’s child) but in this case it is not an obsession of wealth at hand or its importance. “It's natural he should be disappointed at not having any children: every man likes to have somebody to work for and lay by for, and he always counted so on making a fuss with 'em when they were little.” From this we can understand Nancy excuses Godfrey's disappointment in not having children because, she...
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...Ryan Fosgreen Prof. Simon Cine 105 Film 2: Mise-en-Scene and Cinematography in “The Untouchables. When Al Capone was introduced the mise-en-scene was shown by him receiving a wet shave which was a popular service to receive back in the twenties. He was having his shoes polished and reporters were asking questions. Al Capone’s opening shot was a high angle shot from directly above. We know Capone is wealthy and holds a lot of power when the reporter says ‘some say you are the mayor of Chicago’. We also learn that Capone has a criminal background when he openly admits that he is a business man who took advantage of prohibition. Ness was introduced in his home with his wife the mise-en-scene again reflects the twenties when you see his furniture and clothing. He was wearing a suit with a vest and eventually a brim hat as well which accurately captures the apparel worn in the twenties. Elliott Ness is introduced as a caring individual disgusted by the rising crime in Chicago. It is easily seen that he is not corrupt and wants to clean up the streets of Chicago. Malone was introduced on a bridge passing by and confronting Elliott for littering. The police uniform worn by Malone was old fashioned especially the hat he wore, he also carried a wooden baton like the police used to carry in the early nineteen-hundreds. A low angle shot is used when you see Ness on the bridge at first but then it merges into an equal level shot once Ness and Malone begin conversing. The...
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...The Rise of Silas Lapham is set in Boston in the mid to late 1800’s. Silas is an aspiring business man. When the book opens he is being interviewed by the local newspaper man for the column in the next morning’s issue. Silas is quite proud of all his accomplishments. He tells of the early days and how a paint mine was found on his family farm. His family did not try to work the mine and he began working in a Saloon. It was not until he wanted to paint the building that he thought about that paint mine on his family farm. Within the first few years of producing the paint, Silas Lapham was making enough money to comfortably care for his family. As his wealth grew so did his pride. He is so self assured in his business that he begins to invest in larger more risky assets. Silas begins to build a new house in the very rich section of town. By building this bigger, better house he is making a financial and social statement. The Corey family is a distinct, rich family in Boston. They are all the rage of the day. The Lapham family desires to somehow make them equal with the Corey’s. The only problem is that the Lapham’s are not comfortable with rich society ways. One night when they are invited to the Corey’s house for supper Mr. Lapham is not sure whether he should wear gloves for the event. This is only one of the times that their inadequacy in society shows. Mr. Lapham hire Tom to oversee the sales of his paint in foreign countries. Tom fully believes in the paint and is committed...
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...“This is the word of the LORD: 'Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,' says the LORD of hosts” Integrity Produces Excellence This morning I will share how integrity produces a life of excellence. Remember to project your voice Open In Prayer Father I pray that as I share today your word will bring revelation to our lives. AMEN Opening Today we continue with the subject of Honesty and Integrity. Ps John has shared on Honesty is the only policy reasons we lie and facing the consequences. Last week he also spoke on Integrity today I will share on how integrity in our lives produces a life of excellence. 1. God loves a person that holds fast to their integrity Job 2:3 says: Then the LORD said to satan, "Have you considered My servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, one who fears God and shuns evil? And still he holds fast to his integrity, although you incited Me against him, to destroy him without cause." We can see in this scripture that God loves a person that holds fast to their integrity so much that He boasts to satan that Job is a man of integrity and he holds fast to it. Remember to project your voice Today I would like to ask you, are you a person that holds onto your integrity when difficult times comes? Integrity is defined in the Webster’s dictionary as: Integrity comprises the personal inner sense of "wholeness" deriving from honesty and consistent uprightness of character...
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...The title of the novel is Silas Marner and the author is Mrs. Mary Anne Evans, better known as her pen name, George Eliot. The character analyzed in this essay is Mr. Godfrey Cass. Firstly, it should be known Godfrey is the eldest son of the most powerful man in all of Raveloe, Squire Cass. He is usually a good-natured man, with a very likeable personality. As easy going as Godfrey is, he has made a few mistakes in his life which he is willing to come forward and admit later. If any three words could be used to describe Mr. Godfrey Cass, it would be honest, caring and in stark contrast to the two previous descriptions, Godfrey could even be described as strong-willed. Caring is an adjective describing someone who is kind or empathetic of others. Godfrey Cass showed great care when he provided for his daughter, Eppie, even though she did not want to live with him, and continued to live with Silas. He furnished her needs from when she was a small child until her latter teenage years. “The oaken table and three-cornered oaken chair were hardly what was likely to be seen in so poor a cottage: they had come, with the beds and other things, from the Red House; for Mr. Godfrey Cass, as everyone said in the village, did very kindly by the weaver; and it was nothing but right a man should be looked on and helped by those who could afford it, when he had brought up an orphan child, and been father and mother to her—and had lost his money too, so as he had nothing but what he worked for...
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...Summary of Silas Marner by George Eliot Silas Marner, a weaver, is an eager and promising young member of a Puritan religious community, Lantern Yard. Marner's supposed best friend, Willam Dane, frames him for the theft of a pouch of coins. Marner suffers from cataleptic fits which leave him as insensible as stone and vulnerable to Dane's frame-up. The community of Lantern Yard draws lots to determine Marner's guilt or innocence in the crime. After the lots proclaim Marner guilty, he flees from Lantern Yard, utterly crushed, leaving behind his faith in God and in humankind. Marner eventually settles at the outskirts of Raveloe, a provincial village in the English Midlands. The villagers appreciate Marner's trade but find him strange and unapproachable. Marner seems to have supernatural powers--he is able to heal a local woman using herbal arts he learned from his mother--but the villagers of Raveloe do not know his background and thus find his knowledge diabolical and threatening. Marner, for his part, is content to live a life of almost total solitude in his simple cottage beside the Stone-pits. Marner has one joy in life: gold. The gold coins that he earns at his loom represent for him all the meaning that he has lost, and the faces printed on the coins serve as his only company. He spends as little as he can in order to save more coins, which he hides in two leather bags in a hole in his cottage floor. Meanwhile, Raveloe is the home of other wealthy citizens. Its...
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...I enjoyed the novel and I found the story line intriguing. While I was reading the story it was hard for me to not want to learn more about the two boys’ personality and coping methods. It was definitely amusing to see how ignorant the small prince was and how he knew nothing about the real world before the switch. One of my favorite lines was when Edward and Tom were talking about the people who took care of the prince. When Edward found out that Tom didn’t have a servant to care for him he asked simply, “And prithee, why not? Who helpeth them undress at night? Who attireth them when they rise?” The way Twain portrayed the different boys really brought forward the point of understanding and brought a whole new meaning to the saying “to walk a day in someone else’s shoes.” This book was fun to read and as a reader I go t very emotionally connected to the two boys. I’m sure any one else who would read this novel, will love the plot line and the author’s style, and if not for those reasons at least they would enjoy the message the book gives. It is hard to relate the story to my own life because I am and will always be so different than the two boys. I have never had an uncomfortable living condition or an over exorbitant one. If I were in Tom’s position of having to take the role of the prince, I understand how it were hard for him to deal with but I think I would have been more proactive and less naive. Same with Edward as a pauper, I’m sure it was hard for him to deal with...
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...How does George Eliot represent the relationship between the individual and community in Silas Marner? George Eliot represents the relationship between the individual and the community in the novel Silas Marner (1861). Written in the Victorian era, Eliot sets this novel within the Regency era, early 19th century. This period was characterized by the influence of the French revolution, crowning of the Prince Regent after the confirmed insanity of King George III and rise of meritocracy opposed to aristocracy through service in the military. Eliot empathizes with the poorer people in rural areas and scrutinizes the Aristocracy seen through the gentry. She depicts the transformation of the roles of women and beginnings of industrialization. Relationships between the individual and community is shown through the characters of Silas; how he integrates into society, the character of Dolly; who depicts the role of women in the community and through reaching out to silas and finally through the location; The Rainbow in bringing the community together as a place for rest after work and to help people in crisis. The connection between the individual and the community is seen through the character of Silas and his transformation from being a recluse to an active member in society. Silas is a solitary figure who self excludes himself from the community of Raveloe due to his past experiences in Lantern Yard. This had extremely detrimental effects on Silas and as a result he becomes...
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