Literary Society Reads: Silas Marner

Umatilla Public Library - Program Room. Discover timeless tales with the Umatilla Literary Society's Classics Book Club, where we explore the enduring stories that have shaped literature. This term we will read George Elliot's Silas Marner, a story that explores morality in Victorian England. A digital copy is available here: https://mylakelibrary.overdrive.com/media/1348141. Core Themes & Discussion Questions 1. Isolation, Community, and Identity Silas's Transformation: How does Silas's isolation in Raveloe contrast with his early life in Lantern Yard? What drives him to isolate himself, and how does the Raveloe community initially view him? Faith and Betrayal: Silas loses his faith in God and humanity after William Dane betrays him in Lantern Yard. How does this loss of faith shape his behavior in the first half of the novel? Belonging: What commentary does George Eliot make about small-town communities? Are the villagers of Raveloe welcoming, suspicious, or a mix of both? 2. Gold, Wealth, and Redemption The Hoard vs. Eppie: Compare Silas’s relationship with his hoard of gold to his relationship with Eppie. How does Eppie act as a replacement for his lost gold, and in what ways is she superior to it? Moral Consequences of Wealth: Contrast Silas’s attitude toward money with Godfrey and Dunstan Cass's relationship with wealth and status. What does the novel suggest about the connection between money and true happiness? 3. Class, Secrets, and Moral Choice Godfrey Cass's Dilemma: Godfrey chooses to keep his secret marriage to Molly Farren—and later his paternity of Eppie—hidden. Do you find Godfrey to be a villain, a coward, or simply a flawed human being? Is he redeemed by the end? Class Differences: How do social class and privilege influence the choices available to Godfrey versus Silas? How does Nancy Lammeter’s sense of duty and morality fit into this? 4. Parenthood and Providence Nature vs. Nurture: When Godfrey and Nancy attempt to claim Eppie as…