Summary:
Explores the George Eliot novel, Silas Marner. Considers Silas'three grand essentials for happiness. Describes how his adoption of Eppie changes his perspective.
Silas' Essentials for Happiness
Happiness comes in many shapes and forms. Different people find happiness in different things, but the feeling itself is universal. A man by the name of Joseph Addison once said, "The grand essentials for happiness in this life are something to do, something to love, and something to hope for." I completely agree with his philosophy and I believe that anyone who has obtained happiness has these essentials. In the novel Silas Marner, by George Eliot, Silas has these three grand essentials for happiness throughout the novel. However, events that happen that might change the subject of his essentials only cause his level of happiness to increase.
One of the essentials for happiness is something to do. This applies to anything that one may do, that one enjoys doing, and that one looks forward to doing. For example, in Silas Marner, Silas has his weaving to occupy him; and occupy him it does quite contently. He enjoyed weaving because it is what earned him his guineas. Weaving had become a "mere pulsation of desire and satisfaction" to Silas(II, 17). Since he worked for no one but himself, he gained full payment of his work and this became his obsession. He was content with be left alone as long as he had his weaving to do. Later in the novel, a new "to do" came into his life in the form of a young child. Caring for his new daughter became Silas' first priority. Since raising a child is a huge responsibility, Silas was offered much help by neighbors, but he "want[ed] to do things for it [himself]"(XIV, 124). In order to take care of his daughter, whom he named Eppie, Silas had to continue his weaving job to earn money for the two of them. He would "sit weaving longer and longer" in order to earn what money he could(XIV, 128). Marner was still content in weaving, but with a daughter to care for, he was much happier.
Another essential for happiness is something to love. Silas' something was his gold. He became obsessed with his "heaps of [gold]" and wanted them "to grow into a square, and then into a larger square"(II, 16). All he could think about was his money sitting at home. Even when he left his house to fetch water or work "his thoughts were still with his...money"(II, 19). This became his purpose; to build his pile of gold as big as he could. His time of enjoyment was "only in the night, when his work was done" because was able to "handle them [and] count them"(II, 17). His whole life revolved around weaving and earning more gold, but he was content with this lifestyle. However, once Eppie came into his life, his gold was not as appealing to him as before. Eppie "had come to replace [Silas'] hoard" as the new love in his life, "which gave a growing purpose to the earnings"(XIV, 133). The money that he now earned was put toward the raising of Eppie instead of for his old obsession.
The third essential for happiness is something to hope for. In Silas' case, he had to things to hope for; (1) adding to his pile of gold and hoping it will continue to grow, and (2), after acquiring a daughter, Eppie's good fortune and well-being. After feeling the gold that he had earned and not having to share it with anyone else, Silas became obsessed with his gold and wanted to "make his pile larger and larger"(II, 17). In order for this to happen he must keep up with his weaving which he loves to do. Once Eppie became priority over Silas' gold, he had something new to hope for. Eppie said "she'll never leave [him]," so Silas will be able to watch her grow "till [he] die[s]"(XXI, 180). This will allow him to watch over Eppie and make sure she lives a happy life while he is alive. This becomes a parent's main goal in life: to watch their child grow and blossom, and to guide them along the way when necessary.
The feeling of happiness is quite a wonderful experience. Only those with the three grand essentials for happiness, something to do, something to love, and something to hope for, have the chance to experience his unique and amazing feeling. In the novel Silas Marner, by George Eliot, the main character, Silas Marner, has these three essentials for happiness throughout the entire novel. As the novel progresses, events happen that may change the subject of his essentials, but ultimately he becomes happier than before. His daughter, Eppie "[drew] his hope and joy continually onward beyond the money"(XIV, 133). Silas' original happiness had come from his work and from hoarding the money that he earned from it. After he adopted Eppie, his happiness only became greater.
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