Monday, July 25, 2016

How does Silas react to the boys disturbing him?

If you are referring to Silas in "Silas Marner", our protagonist reacts to the boys disturbing him by glaring at them in a threatening manner.


In Chapter One, Silas Marner is a linen-weaver who works in his stone cottage near Raveloe. The neighborhood boys are fascinated by the strange sounds emanating from Silas' loom because the sounds do not resemble anything they have ever heard before. Certainly, the sounds are different from those made by a winnowing machine or a manually operated flail.


Filled with both awe and scorn at this strange figure and his equally strange machine, the boys would peep in at Silas during inopportune times. They are actuated by a "pleasant sense of scornful superiority" when they spy on Silas at his loom. This is because most weavers, usually bent over their sedentary work for long hours, appear sparse in build and strength when compared to the heartier field workers. When Silas finds himself tested to the limits of his patience, he usually opens the door of his cottage and glares at the boys menacingly. Of course, this frightens the boys and they take off running. Certainly superstitious stories about Silas circulating in the village add further mystery to his person and contribute to his fearsome reputation.

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