Silas Marner

Yes, it’s a Victorian novel but it’s also the slenderest and sweetest one, by my lights.

Cast out from his narrow religious community by the acts of a dishonest friend, Silas Marner flees to a new village and resolves to live a life apart, money his only security. Then along comes a tiny child in need and Silas cannot help but help—even though this new challenge comes on the heels of a devastating robbery.

The man’s generosity has the effect of opening him up to the generosity of others until, little by little, he becomes a part of the community… show more.

Silas Marner is my favorite fictional wounded human. His warm heart is cruelly rejected, he is betrayed and besmirched, thrown away, and exiled. Is it any wonder he becomes a gold-hoarding hermit? Who could read this book without longing to see him avenged?

But the author, instead of avenging Silas, takes away his gold and gives him a child instead. The child forges a link between Silas and his community, and is a channel of healing. Silas Marner makes me cry every time I read it. Even though it is a work of fiction, I feel this book perfectly portrays… show more.

I first encountered Silas Marner, as I did so many other great stories, in the form of a Classics Illustrated comic. I liked it well enough, but avoided the novel for decades, assuming it would be maudlin. Not so. It’s very realistic and very moving. Middlemarch is considered Eliot's masterpiece, and I've tried it a couple of times but couldn't really warm to it--even though it, too, features an orphan! Marner, on the other hand, drew me in right away. (Maybe I should try the Classics Illustrated version of Middlemarch?)