Silas Marner

Susanna Bond

Grade 8

Teacher Mom

June 1, 2016

In Silas Marner, the main character undergoes many struggles which cause him to question the faithfulness of not only his fellow man but also of God. His trust, once shattered by human betrayal, is ultimately challenged and restored by human devotion.

Before the first betrayal in Silas Marner, Silas possesses a strong trust in both God and man. His faith is unwavering during the trial as exemplified by the fact that Silas declares,” God will clear me.” However, after the casting of lots deems Silas guilty, Silas declares,” There is no just God that governs the earth righteously, but a God of lies, that bears witness against the innocent.” As if betrayal by God was not enough to shake Silas’ trust, his dearest friend, William Dane, does not confess to any wrongdoing when confronted by Silas on his own act of betrayal. Rather, he says,” I leave our brethren to judge whether this is the voice of Satan or not. I can do nothing but pray for you, Silas.” After the trial, “Poor Marner went out with despair in his soul- that shaken trust in God and man.”

After Silas loses his first treasure- his good reputation at Lantern Yard and his strong trust in God- he begins to build another treasure for himself: an unchanging treasure Silas could enjoy in solitude- an object Silas believed would never turn against him.

Thrown out of the church at Lantern Yard, Silas starts a new way of life in Raveloe where religion means hardly anything to the population. Because of the high demand for Silas’ skill in weaving, his days are filled with plenty of work resulting in a pileup of wages. Every night Silas lifts his gold from its hiding place in the floor to worship this new god. Silas does not anticipate a theft as he lives a lowly weaver’s life away from town. However, when two desperate brothers have debts to pay, Silas returns to his unlocked home to discover the hiding place beneath the floor hollow. With the theft of Silas’ gold, the second act of betrayal in his life, further loss of trust in man and in himself takes place. After the search for the thief proves fruitless, Silas can do nothing but work and grieve. “… but the bright treasure in the hole under his feet was gone; the prospect of handling and counting it was gone: the evening had no phantasm of delight to the poor soul’s craving. The thought of the money he would get by his actual work could bring no joy, for its meagre image was only a fresh reminder of his loss; and hope was too heavily crushed by the sudden blow for his imagination to dwell on the growth of a new hoard from that small beginning.

He filled up the blank with grief.”

Again, Silas loses a treasure for which he has worked hard over many years. This time, though, Silas does not even want to rebuild another interest which will motivate him in life. However, while he is grieving the loss of his gold, a new treasure toddles through his open door.

On New Year’s Eve, Silas steps outside his home as he did every night to gaze at the Stone Pits about him. He had done so several times, having been provided with the exciting proposition that if he listened to the bell ring for the new year, he might obtain good luck, and with it, his money. Re-entering his home, Silas reaches for the latch on the door then suddenly freezes due to the same