It is these collective attributes of the community that make Raveloe one character, with which Silas’ relationships revolve. His relationships and connections with the characters of the community provide the most significant points of interest in the novel. Initially, there is the theft of his gold by Dunsey, then his integration into the community with the help of Dolly and later his confrontation with Godfrey over the fate of Eppie. Dolly represents the warmer, caring part of the Raveloe community, opposite to William Dane, the bitter symbol of Silas’ past. She is described to ‘seek the sadder and more serious elements of life and pasture her mind upon them’. Dolly seems to almost gain sustenance from helping those in need, in this case Silas. She helps him with the upbringing of Eppie, offering clothes and her own time. She fulfils her found role in the community. Although she can be seen as the prime example of the village’s moral capability, such sentiments are seen universally. When Silas informs the villagers of his lost gold, the villagers group together in order to help him. By entering ‘The Rainbow’, Silas enters the hub of the village community, beginning the process of his integration. After seeing the authenticity and depth of Silas’ grief, any former rumours disappear as the villagers begin to relate him to themselves, seeming anxious to help. The event acts as a rare source of excitement, as the villagers become incapable of distinguishing reality from imagination, fabricating information concerning a pedlar ‘with ear-rings’. However this all represents a symptomatic characteristic of the village - a concern to help others.
The villagers’ reaction concerning the pedlar, is an indication of another key characteristic of Raveloe – a belief in superstition. Although the villagers provide lengthy descriptions of this so called thief, we know that no such character even exists. It is an example of how, in such close cut communities, little matters, true or false, can be embellished, escalating into common belief, leading to the creation of new superstitions. Silas is initially associated with the devil and spirit worship. These suspicions are only heightened by his apparent skill with herbal remedies, his strange cataleptic fits, as well as his past home, ‘North’ard’, where wizards, magic and folklore were associated. However his evident massive bereavement following the loss of his gold dispels any former rumours.
Much of this superstition originates from the villagers discussions in the ‘Rainbow’, an important focus of the novel. This can be seen in the tale of ‘Cliff’s Holiday’, a well known rehearsed tale. Mr Macey, the apparent head of this specific social community, describes how a tailor, known as Cliff, had tried to ‘ride the tailor’ out of his son, attempting rising up the class system by making a gentleman out of his son. The story however ends with the son dying, and Cliff following him soon after. The story entails much superstition, mentioning ‘old Harry’, a euphemism for the devil, suggesting this unnatural desire to climb the class system was responsible for the death of the boy. The villagers, opposite to Cliff, are in fact very accepting of what they have been given. They feel content with what God has given them. Their pre-occupation is not to rise out of poverty but to merely co-operate with each other in order to make it bearable. This is seen in Dolly’s clear desire to help anyone in need, or at least to do the best she can. None of the villagers seem to complain about their conditions. They support Silas and each other. Another example of this is in Aarons desire to help Silas later on in the novel with his garden. He has no qualms about working in his spare time, he sees it as simply a decent thing to do. These sentiments would largely be a result of his mother, Dolly, and the way she brought him up.
The meetings in the Rainbow are an important aspect of the social nature of Raveloe. Like going to Church, it is a social function. This religious aspect of Raveloe is alien to Silas due to his origins of the non-conformist Lantern Yard. He knows nothing of churches, only chapels. This complete lack of knowledge somewhat isolates him from the community; he does not go to church. However Dolly, is adamant that Eppie shall be brought up in the Raveloe faith and at the same time, introduces Silas back into religion. Both the working class are present in such functions as well as the gentry. The gentry are represented by the Cass family. The squire sees himself above the other members of the community, only becoming involved with them at festive, social occasions, such as the new-year party at the Red House. They are differentiated from the poor and, unlike Dolly, Mr Macey or any other members of the lower class community, represent little more than themselves.
The Cass family are one of the villagers’ topics of discussion. They perceptively see the faults of the upper class just as they see faults in the lower classes. They take a specific disliking to Dunstan, due to his lack of respect of anyone, especially those below him. Godfrey is also seen as weak, Mr Macey describing him as a ‘slack baked pie’, commenting on his moral flaws. The primitive but nevertheless logical philosophy of, those who do well are rewarded while those who don’t suffer, is apparently proven in both cases. Dunstan ends up dying due his greed, while, although it is unknown to them, because of his rejection of Eppie, Godfrey is seemingly punished by Nancy being unable to conceive. Silas’ innocence on the other hand, is eventually rewarded. He is blessed with Eppie, who changes his life. These conclusions follow the villager’s moral code, maintaining justice.
Categorically speaking, the village has a variety of overall attributes and a predictable nature so therefore can be described as a character. Furthermore, being the main focus of the novel, we can go on to suggest it is the main character. We are more aware of the values and nature of Raveloe as a whole than any specific character - even Silas. All the main events of the novel are shaped by the village. Each personality of each character represents a different aspect of the village as a whole. These individual characters amount to create one, main character which dictates the narrative and plot of the novel. Elliot’s concentration on her depictions of the village, indicate that she desired it to be the main focus. Obviously Silas is important, however, it is the events that unfold around him in Raveloe that really influence the direction of the novel.
