Discuss how the two communities of Lantern Yard and Raveloe influence the development of Silas Marner's character in the novel.

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Edward Lyne 10CD

Silas Marner Coursework

Discuss how the two communities of Lantern Yard and Raveloe influence the development of Silas Marner’s character in the novel.

The purpose of this essay is to discuss how the two communities of Lantern Yard and Raveloe influence the development of Silas Marner’s character in the novel. By exploring aspects of the community such as social, religious and class this essay will underline Silas’ change throughout the book.

The communities of Lantern Yard and Raveloe are very different from each other. Lantern Yard is a very upper class society but we know Raveloe is a classless (no class system) community because Godfrey Cass helps out Silas Marner with money for Eppie. We know this because it says, “ Mr Godfrey Cass, as every one 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.” This evidence shows that the two communities differ because no one would have done something like that in Lantern Yard because there wasn’t a friendly, giving community like the one in Raveloe. The way these two communities are is the most important part in the way Silas’ character develops.

Lantern Yard is a very tightly closed community because of its strict religious principles. We know that is a place of narrow and restricted vision as once they have made their mind up about Silas they will not change it. The betrayal at Lantern Yard was a very significant point in the transformation of Silas Marner for two main reasons. When he is accused of stealing the gold he says, “God will clear me,” but when God doesn’t he loses his faith in God and the church. This is significant because it shows that Silas is losing his trust in God and this is one of the reasons for his obsession with gold. His obsession with gold has a lot do with his monotonous life style and why he finds it so difficult to change. If Silas were not betrayed at Lantern Yard he would never have become the person he is at the end of the book. This is because he would not have discovered Eppie so I feel this is a very important part because it links back to his full transformation.

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 Silas Marner also loses his trust in man and goes into solitude. He doesn’t socialise with the villagers of Raveloe in the way that most villagers would. He no longer goes to church, (a key place for the villagers to socialise) and he doesn’t go to the Rainbow Inn so the only chance he gets to meet anyone from the outside world is when he sells the cloth that he weaves. We know this because it says, “ The livelong day he sat in his loom, his ears filled with its monotony.” This is very significant because it shows ...

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