In A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens, Ebenezer Scrooge is a hateful, miserable man who transforms into a humble, kind soul as a result of three spirits who enlighten him of what life truly means. Mimicking Ebenezer’s transformation, Silas grows as person in his community. In Silas Marner, by George Eliot, Silas shows a progression in his status as a member of the community as well as his growth as a person like Scrooge. Due to his three intersections with the Cass family, Silas becomes a joyful and respected man, as well as a loving and protective father towards Eppie. Before meeting the Cass family, Silas was a lonely man who found comfort from his past in his gold and solitude. Through the three intersections of Dunstan robbing Silas, Eppie entering Silas’ home, and the Cass’ coming to adopt Eppie, Silas evolves into a new man in his community and family.
When Dunstan robs Silas he immediately goes to the Rainbow to look for solutions. He blames Jem Rodney for robbing him, “ ‘Jem Rodney!’ said Silas, turning and fixing his eyes on the suspected man… ‘If it was you who stole my money,’ said Silas, clasping his hands entreatingly,” ( Eliot 31). Silas eventually recognizes his own wrong in accusing Jem Rodney because he knows how it feels to be wrongly accused. The men of Raveloe hear Silas and decide to help find his money, and the men eventually seek to comfort Silas. They begin to think less superstitiously of him, they no longer talk about him in the same way, and the men begin to speak about him with compassion. After helping Silas for a few days, the townspeople are now uninterested with the robbery and have moved on. Silas’ posture begins to turn into grieve, brooding, and despair, “during this discursive address Silas had continues motionless in his previous attitude, leaning his elbows on his knees, and pressing his hand against his head,” (43). In his community, Silas begins to act uninvolved and awkward, but little did he know that his second intersection with the Cass family would be incomparable.
Eppie, Godfrey Cass’ daughter walks into Silas’ hearth and changes his life forever. Because of Eppie, Silas takes his focus off himself and his gold and becomes self-sacrificing in-order to serve and nurture the child, “the gold had kept his thoughts in an ever-repeated circle, leading to nothing beyond itself; but Eppie was an object compacted of changes and hopes that forced his thoughts onward, and carried them far away from their old eager pacing towards the same blank limit,” (68). Silas is now seen with value and as a caring, fatherly figure, and he finds his new purpose in life other than weaving and money. Dolly Winthrop, a caring woman who is full of spiritual knowledge, has a strong friendship with Silas that restores his ability to trust and have faith. She teaches Silas life lessons on how to be a strong Christian, a nurturing parent, and even how to reprimand a child, “ ‘To be sure, there’s another thing you might do, Master Marner…you might shut her up once i’ the coal-hole. That was what I did wi’ Aaron; for I was that silly wi’ the youngest lad, as I could never bear to smack him,’ ” (69). Dolly always gave great advice and helped, along with Eppie, in Silas’ growth as a person.
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When the Cass’ came to adopt Eppie, Master Marner’s third intersection, it taught both Eppie and Silas how much they mean to each other. When Godfrey come to Silas’ house wanting to adopt Eppie, she was against the idea and declared her love for Silas, “ ‘Thank you, ma’am—thank you, sir. But I can’t leave my father nor own anybody nearer than him. And I don’t want to be a lady—thank you all the same…I couldn’t give up the folks I’ve been used to,” (90). Because of the way Eppie has declared her love, Silas now feels bold and able to defend his position of Eppie’s true father who has loved her for the past sixteen years.
Silas no longer sees Eppie as a possession but rather a person who needs love. He has found the strength and courage, from the love of his family, to seek reconciliation for his past by visiting Lantern Yard, “ ‘Eppie, there’s a thing I’ve had on my mind to do this two year, and now the money’s been brought back to us, we can do it. I’ve been turning it over and over in the night, and I think we’ll set out to-morrow…to my old country—to the town where I was born—up Lantern Yard,’ ” (94). After his visit to Lantern Yard, Silas comes to the realization that his community and family is in Raveloe. It is no longer the place that sent him away those many years ago. Silas Marner has evolved into a new man in his community and family.
Silas’ interactions with the Cass’ has allowed Silas to evolve into a new man in his community and family. Being robbed by Dunstan allows Silas to interact with his community, yet it makes him become uninvolved and awkward. Silas is then blessed with Eppie entering his home and is empowered with a feeling of love and growth as a person. Finally, when the Cass’ came to adopt Eppie, she declares her love for Silas resulting in him no longer seeing Eppie as a possession but now as a person who needs love. Silas has evolved from a lonely man, who only cared about his loom and gold, to a kind-hearted soul who has found his new family. Mirroring Ebeneezer Scrooge, Silas Marner has three interactions that has changed his life forever.
