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innocent
09-10-2005, 03:16 AM
How could have Raveloe affected Silas Marner's view of himself and his attitudes
towrds them? in chapter 1-7

mono
09-10-2005, 02:14 PM
Hello, innocent, welcome to the forum.
Firstly, please, never call yourself stupid. Anything written by George Eliot, several readers have trouble (I admit I have, reading Silas Marner and Middlemarch ;)).
If you have read, at least, the first few chapters, you will, no doubt, notice that the novel takes place in a small town called Raveloe. Silas Marner, the character, I think, represents one of the saddest and tragic characters in literature; members of his religious sect condemned him, falsely accusing him of stealing, and, unfortunately, his move to Raveloe improves nothing.
Due to the false accusations placed on him in another town, Silas Marner traveled to Raveloe to alter his perspective on life, attempting a more optimistic, healthy lifestyle, and leave his past behind. On first moving to Raveloe, Marner suggests herbal remedies for a neighbor's affliction, but, due to that, others perceive him as some kind of witch doctor, practicing odd medicine unheard of in the time. After that incident, Marner declares a life of solitude, hoarding and saving money, while attempting to spend as little money as possible for many years.
Not implying that improving a visitor's life seems a responsibility of a local town, Raveloe could have easily improved Silas Marner's outlook and self-perception through concepts as easy as common courtesy. I cannot blame Marner for feeling so depressed, turning his back on the world, out of the cruelty others have inflicted upon him, but, if you read the remains of the novel, it turns into a real treat.
Good luck!