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Allusions
Key Examples in Silas Marner
Chapter 6
Explanation and Analysis—Northern English:
Eliot uses representations of Northern English speech to give her rural characters life on the page and to distinguish the dialogue of wealthy citizens from that of their less affluent neighbors. In Chapter 6, when Mr Macey is speaking to his counterparts about the Lammeters, Eliot actually presents the word "pronounced" in a nonstandard English, Northern way. Macey says:
Ay, ay; I know, I know; but I let other folks talk. I’ve laid by now, and gev up to the young uns. Ask them as have been to school at Tarley: they’ve learnt pernouncing; that’s come up since my day.
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Chapter 10
Explanation and Analysis—Christmas Carols:
In Chapter 10 of Silas Marner Dolly alludes to the British Christian tradition of carol-singing, remarking to Silas that nothing stirs her blood like Christmas music:
Unlock with LitCharts A+There’s no other music equil to the Christmas music—“Hark the erol angils sing.” And you may judge what it is at church, Master Marner, with the bassoon and the voices, as you can’t help thinking you’ve got to a better place a’ready—for I wouldn’t speak ill o’ this world, seeing as Them put us in it as knows best—but what wi’ the drink, and the quarrelling, and the bad illnesses, and the hard dying, as I’ve seen times and times, one’s thankful to hear of a better. [...]
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