In the novel Silas Marner, by George
Elliot, we can describe the character of Silas as a immigrant that resides in the town
of Raveloe and who used to be a very well-liked man in his former hometown. As a result
of a mean and nasty set-up by one of his so-called friends, Silas not only loses his
friends, but his reputation and, what is worse, the woman whom he loves.For this reason,
he leaves his hometown and heads for Raveloe.
Turned into a
hermit, Silas enters the village of Raveloe an eccentric and isolated man. He wishes to
befriend nobody and it is his behavior, combined with his huge, odd, brown eyes, what
set him aside from everyone else.
As a talented weaver,
Silas demonstrates a creativity that earns him not only a mythical reputation, but a lot
of money in his new town. Silas simply sees for the first time that he is able to make a
living for himself. This gives him a bigger sense of self-sufficiency that distances him
further from the population.Yet, this success provides him with some closure and
consolation for all that he had lost before.
Therefore, the
need of hoarding gold is not proportional to a need to save money. His gold is a symbol
of his success. He was not successful in his former town, hence, being a successful man
in Raveloe is like starting over. He enjoys looking at the gold, feeling it, and even
analyzing the shape of the coins. It has nothing to do with economy: It is simply
another eccentricity developed as a way to prove himself a worthy person, after
all.
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