ificance of the Sally Oates incident (p. 65) in Marner's
life?

What effect did the gold have upon him? Contrast this with the influence
of Eppie.

In the development of Marner's character, what is the significance of
the scene at the Rainbow when Marner tells his neighbors of the loss of
his gold?

What sort of man was Godfrey at the beginning of the story? Was there
any excuse for him in his lack of manliness? State the struggle going on
within him the night before he told his father about taking Fowler's
money. What was the effect on him of telling only a little of his
secret? Why did he at last tell Nancy all? What was his punishment?

INTERPRETATION.--What idea does the development of Silas Marner's
character illustrate?

Does the author's devotion to this idea mar at all your interest in the
book as a story?

What truth does Godfrey Cass's life illustrate?

What satire do you find on people or customs?

METHOD OF NARRATION.--Who tells the story?

Could the author have made one of the characters tell the story just as
well? Give reasons.

Does the narrator write as though in some mysterious way she knew all
about the characters, or does she write only what she might have seen
and heard?

To what extent does she use dialogue?

How do we become acquainted with the characters?

Find several passages where the author interrupts the flow of her story
to make explanations for our benefit (for example, pp. 100-101).

STYLE.--Does the author use the language of her own time?

To what extent does she make use of dialect?

Is the language of the characters consistent with the author's
description of them? Note the difference in choice of words and grace of
expression when the author speaks in her own person, and when she speaks
through the mouth of one of her characters.

Find passages that express humor (pp. 201-203), pathos (pp. 67-69),
satire (pp. 184-185).

THE LIFE AND CHARACTER OF THE AUTHOR.--What do we know of George Eliot's
early home? education? religious experiences? life while manager of the
house at Griff? life at Coventry? early literary work? first attempt at
novel writing? success as a novelist?

Would you judge from this book that she was fond of social life? simple
country life? animals? children? books? Give your reasons.

How do you suppose she knew how to describe the horse sale? the evening
at the Rainbow?

COMPARISON.--Is our interest in this book chiefly in the setting? in