How are characters and relations made convincing in George Eliot’s ‘Silas Marner’ and Paul Gallico’s ‘ The Snow Goose’?

How are characters and relations made convincing in George Eliot's 'Silas Marner' and Paul Gallico's ' The Snow Goose'?


George Elliot's novel centres around the relationship between father and daughter which ultimately is more fulfilling than the love of money which can never be truly real, as money can only be appreciated, never loved because it is not a living thing, and doesn't give you real happiness, as Silas finds out.

Before Silas came to live in the town of Raveloe, he had lived in another village called Lantern Yard. Silas left because he had been falsely accused of stealing the Deacons money when it had actually been his friend.

For fifteen years Silas lived in isolation as a weaver in his cottage at the edge of the town, finding satisfaction in his weaving and hoards of gold, he only discovers real happiness a little while after his gold is stolen, which is the best thing that ever happened to him, he may not realise this, especially at the time, but we, the readers, do. Eliot portrays Silas's reunion with society as a slow change, but in reality, it was overnight.
She deliberately and very cleverly puts lots of symbolism in which carry on as themes throughout the story, the two main themes are light and trust.
Silas's gold gives him pleasure in counting it, the only companion he has, and the gold is a fake friend. The gold is bright and shiny = light, the gold is also very hard and cold; Silas's heart begins to grow like his companion's.
In Chapter 12, page109, just before, and at the time Silas and Eppie are brought together, the page is full of symbolism linked with light: 'bright light dancing on the white round',
'the white ground' (snow), represents the purity of the child. 'Gleam' is repeated constantly throughout this page. ' A bright fire of logs and sticks', 'the little golden head sank down on the old sack', 'In the evening twilight', all these words which are related to light, are all to symbolise the goodness, and beauty of Eppie, and happiness which that new years eve brought to many, as well as Silas. If luck had not chanced upon the child and Silas', then Eppie would probably no longer be alive, Godfrey Cass would have been rejected from his family and his class, Silas would have earned more money again and returned to his miser