Characterization
George Elliot's Silas Marner tells a tale of basic human nature depicted through the words and actions of the characters. The characterization presented throughout Silas Marner is enhanced with the uses of point of view, human understanding, and literary devices. Using these techniques, she creates believable characters that develop along with the plot to create a story line that, not only seems real, but also appeals to the human senses of understanding and sympathy.
George Elliot chose to write Silas Marner in the omniscient point of view (Holland, 57), meaning that the action could be viewed from any angle. In doing so, she creates an atmosphere in which any character is given the opportunity to display his or her feelings toward one another. This decision allows the reader to better understand why the characters feel the ways they do, because their reasoning is shown in their conversations and actions with others. Also, it allows the reader to realize that the characters' actions are dependent on the consequences one could face at the time it was written. This gave way for a more personal character to develop, because no one person was describing him or her. Certain traits are left for the reader to develop on his own.
Since Elliot chose to write in the omniscient point of view, she allows herself to control certain traits about each character through her use of narration. This is essential in presenting certain knowledge to the reader that not every character is aware of. Therefore, a strong presence of irony exists within the novel, and is displayed numerous times. One such situation continually represented is the knowledge that Eppie is the daughter of Godfrey Cass and his secret wife who died in the snow. The fact that no one knows of this situation, besides Godfrey, are the source of much irony and eventually the climax of the novel. Another example f dramatic irony is that the reader knows, from the minute of its occurrence, that the robbery is the doing of Dunstan Cass. However, no one in the novel is presented with these details. This concealing of information is the source of much irony within Silas Marner.
Along with point of view, literary devices are used to create and develop characters throughout Silas Marner. The use of speech is the most prevalent device found within the novel. The speech patterns of the "common man" are noticeably different from those of the "proper.
...ile forms an image of her character. By comparing her eyes with marbles the reader can construct that Mrs. Merkle was expressionless and had cold, glazed hard eyes. For every instance that Mrs. Merkle is mentioned the phrase is repeated, in the last occurrence to excuse her from not crying for the loss of Mrs. Bylow. Wilson’s adaptation of a motif in her writing shapes the character’s conscience based on their emotional reactions to a situation.
For example, in the beginning of the story, the narrator starts by talking about Mrs. Freeman. “Besides the neutral expressions that she wore when she was alone, Mrs. Freeman had two others, forward and reverse, that she used for all her human dealings” (433). The irony in this first line is that she is a “Freeman,” yet only has three different expressions. Another example of an irony that is easily noticeable is when Mrs. Hopewell considered Manley Pointer as “good country people.” “He was just good country people, you know” (441). The irony in this line is that in the end, Manley Pointer, whom is supposedly is “good country people,” ends up being a thief who steals Hulga’s prosthetic leg and runs and not only steals, but admits that he is not a Christian, making the line, “good country people,” a dramatic irony. However, one of the most ironic characters in the story is Hulga herself as she understands little of herself, regardless of the high education she holds in philosophy. For example, Hulga imagines that Pointer is easily seduced. “During the night she had imagined that she seduced him” (442). Yet, when they kissed, she was the one who was seduced and having the “extra surge of adrenaline… that enables one to carry a packed trunk out of a burning house…”
The entire novel is written in the point of view of the main character Arnold. The reader would feel as though they are having a conversation with a close friend and is then better able to relate and sympathize with Arnold’s struggles and accomplishments. For example, Arnold begins telling the reader his story by stating, “I was born with water on the brain.” (Alexie, 1) Explaining his medical condition in the beginning of the novel allows the reader to easily understand why Arnold may react differently to certain social situations. However, his medical condition also acts as an anchor allowing the reader to get closer to Arnold’s character. Without a personal connection readers may not relate or comprehend any of Arnold’s experience. Using the first person view perspective from Arnold’s character gave Alexie an advantage and makes the novel more appealing to readers.
The author uses situational irony throughout the story to show underlying traits of Miss Strangeworth. For example, when Miss Strangeworth starts writing her rumor-filled anonymous letters, “Although Miss Strangeworth’s desk held a trimmed
Irony was also used in this book. For example, in the beginning Edna was taking swimming lessons. It would help her stay above water and move to shore if she was too far out. However, in the end of the book, she went to the same beach and purposefully drowned herself.
Blanche's facade of morality is ironic when the reader is informed of the truth, as is her eventual committal to a mental institute when the audience knows about Stanley's rape/sex. Shakespeare incorporates similar dramatic irony into Hamlet through the same technique. Examples include Laertes trusting of Claudius when in fact Claudius couldn't force himself to feel repentant. It is the use of this dramatic irony, based on the discrepancy between appearance and reality, which makes the plays' plots engaging and interesting. Irony is not only employed by the playwright's in the plots, but also in subtle symbolism which allows a multi-faceted portrayal of characters, and the fictional world in which they exist.
Many authors use irony as a way of questioning the reader or emphasizing a central idea. A literary device, such as irony, can only be made simple with the help of examples. Irony can help a reader to better understand certain parts of a novel. F. Scott Fitzgerald helps the reader to recognize and understand his use of irony by giving key examples throughout The Great Gatsby. Fitzgerald uses Gatsby’s lush parties, Myrtle’s death, Gatsby’s death, and the title of the novel to demonstrate how irony plays a key role in the development of the plot.
For example the family go on a fun road trip across the country and they end up being murder. O 'Connor uses a few types of irony to convey her message about what makes a person good. In the first paragraph the Grandmother says she would never take her children where there is criminal on the loose and if she did she wouldn’t know what to do. However, the Grandmother takes the family to a dirt road which will later lead them to their demise. The story 's irony focuses on the family 's communication with the Misfit. "She would of been a good woman, if it had been somebody there to shoot her every minute of her life" (O’Connor). The characters don 't realize whats going when death is pointing right at them and as a family they grow closer than they ever have, despite them being dreadful
Throughout the whole short story “The Story of an Hour” the reader sees’ irony but the best usage of irony occurs toward the end of the story in the last few paragraphs. As the reader reads the story they notice that Mrs. Mallard’s husband Brently Mallard died in a railroad disaster. The reader also finds out that Mrs. Mallard has a heart trouble, and great care was taken to break to her as gently as possible the news of her husband’s death. (157) There ar...
Dramatic irony is used when Irene is led by her grandmother’s string to a pile of stones in the heart of the mountain. “But neither did she know who was on the other side of the slab.” Irene fees hopelessly misled by her great-grandmother’s string, but the reader is
Vanity is a reoccuring theme in Persuasion and is particularly portrayed through the character of Sir Walter Elliot and it is evident that the cause of this is the abundance of wealth that seemingly elavates the upper classes. His arrogance is immediately highlighted in chapter one where the narrator declares how “vanity was the beginning and end of Sir Walter Elliot’s character.” He prides his appearance and that of others beyond most things, even his daughter Anne who he can find “little to admire in.” His disaproval evokes his own self importance as her “delicate features an...
There are so many examples of situational irony that is clear throughout these stories Mr. Mallard being dead, Mama finally realizes that Maggie deserves the quilts because she understands her heritage better than Dee, Mathilde finding out she worked her whole life for nothing, and when Mr. Graves tells Tessie that Eva draws with her husband's family, Tessie is angry. Dramatic irony is everywhere as well. Louise dies from the shock of seeing her husband who is supposed to be dead and when Dee never wanted anything to do with her heritage until somebody was impressed by it.
The situational irony is that his name was on the list and louis sees his name and tell the news to Mrs. Mallard’s sister. She locks herself in room and her sister think she is in pain but she was dreaming of her life is going to be great without her husband. The dramatic irony is her death in the end. As a reader I knew she dies because of the shock seeing her husband but the characters think she died because of joy. She was happy that he died and she wishes for a long life but sadly she dies.
Irony is the most significant technique that the author uses in this story. It shows the contrast between Louise's expectation and her limited reality. It also gives the story more twists and turns. The reader knows Louise's desire. However, her sister and her friend do not know.
Another illustration of irony is the way Nora treats her children as if they were dolls. This is situational irony because Nora is treated like a doll by her husband, and by her father when he was alive. She says "I passed out of Daddy's hands into yours.