Thus begins the link between Eppie and Nancy. At the time of her mother’s suicide, Eliot makes Eppie known as ‘the child,’ and hereafter things are written from the ‘child’s’ point of view.
Earlier in the story, we were told about Silas Marner and how he came to leave his previous town, ‘Lanterns Yard,’ and move to Raveloe. It is clear how much Silas depends on the gold coins he is given for the work he does on his loom. ‘He handled them, he counted them, till their form and colour were like the satisfaction of a thirst to him…that he drew them out to enjoy their companionship.’ A simile and a metaphor are used to describe how Silas has come to depend on these simple gold coins. ‘Like the satisfaction of a thirst’ is a good simile because it is understandable to need water after a long period of drought; Silas actually needs these coins. The word ‘companionship’ (metaphor) suggests that these coins are Silas’ friends; that he doesn’t have any friends and he has become so obsessed with these coins that he thinks of them as his friends, continually counting them and touching them. Unfortunately, Dunstan Cass, Godfrey’s brother, stumbles upon the cottage where Silas Marner lives. Knowing about the money, but not knowing about the full extent of the damage he is going to cause, he finds and steals it.
This is what Silas thinks the ‘soft warm curls’ of the child are – ‘gold! – his own gold – brought back to him as mysteriously as it had been taken away!’ But he is mistaken; as he leans forward to touch the ‘gold’ he encounters these ‘soft warm curls’ and realises it is a sleeping child – Silas then discovers the ‘human body, with the head sunk low in the furze, and half covered with the shaken snow.’ Again, Eliot doesn’t write that the body is the mother of the child; from reading the start of the chapter and using our own initiative we are expected to know that.
Godfrey never really shows any regret for the death of Molly, whom he still refuses to acknowledge as his wife. When Silas stumbles into the party, Godfrey is in the midst of wooing Nancy and isn’t particularly thrilled to hear about the discovery of this dead woman – ‘ there was one terror in his mind at that moment;’ - here we start to feel that perhaps Godfrey isn’t as evil-minded as Eliot makes him out to be – ‘it was, that the woman might not be dead…’ – and here Eliot forces us to realise that he really is evil-minded.
Moving on to chapter XVII, and, again, Eliot’s love for saying things discreetly can be seen. The start of this chapter shows how Nancy has made herself at home in the Red House, although the last time we encountered her, Godfrey was trying to make her marry him. The only way the reader is told about the marriage of Godfrey and Nancy, is the line; ‘ …these relics of her husband’s departed father.’ This line also tells the reader that Godfrey’s father, Squire Cass, has died. Another link between Eppie and Nancy falls into place. Nancy has been unable to have a child; ‘It’s natural he should be disappointed at not having any children…’ and Godfrey, thinking of being a father to Eppie, suggests adoption; ‘ Godfrey had from the first specified Eppie, then about twelve years old, as a suitable child for them to adopt.’ However, Nancy thinks that ‘ to adopt a child because children of your own had been denied you was to try and choose your lot in Providence.’
Finally Godfrey tells Nancy about Molly Farren being his wife. I think that Eliot decided that Godfrey should tell Nancy about Molly because then the reader could make stronger the link between Nancy and Eppie – she hasn’t just made Silas and Eppie live ‘happily ever after’ – this is another twist to the story. Telling Nancy about Molly makes her realise that Eppie is the daughter of Godfrey, who therefore should be living with them. They go down to Silas Marner’s house to claim Eppie.
There is also a link between Eppie and Dolly Winthrop. This link has been made slightly more subtle then the links between Eppie and Nancy. From the time when Silas first arrived in Raveloe, Dolly Winthrop was ready to help Silas if ever he was trouble; ‘Among the notable mothers, Dolly Winthrop was the one whose neighbourly offices were most acceptable to Marner.’ Mrs Winthrop is there looking after Silas when his money is stolen. She takes him cakes and tries to make him feel more welcome. From that day, Silas and Dolly are firm friends, with Dolly helping to raise Eppie (here is the link between the two women) and, in consequence, becoming her godmother.
These are all interesting links between Dolly Winthrop, Molly Farren, Eppie and Nancy Lammeter – the women in Silas Marner’s life. Some of the links are subtle and some more obvious.