Answer: One of the main themes of Silas Marner is the nature of chance. Chance and coincidence play an important role in the novel Silas Marner. They influence the action in this novel. The novelist George Eliot has shown how chance and coincidence contribute a lot to the development of the life of the protagonist Silas Marner and in the lives of some other character.
Chance and coincidence are determining factors in the life of Silas Marner. Marner perfectly an innocent man. He is religious man in the treat sense of the term. He gives an away most of his earning sincerity. He leads a pious life. But his friend William Dare plays foul with Marner. He falsely implicates Marner in a theft case of Moray. In order to confirm this false charge people follow a false procedure. They arrange draw of lots to pix-up the identity of thief. This is done, as far an article at their religion. The result of this draw in purely a matter of chance. Actually it is nothing but a chance. It is regarded by the community in letterman as a signal from God. George Eliot a novelist vises this chance as a device for the ex-communication of Marner, the protagonist. Actually the real action in the novel starts when Marner being expelled from own place, starts a new journey in search of new life. Thus chance serves as locomotive behind Marner action.
Chance plays a major role in the action of the novel. It there is no action in Silas Marner. It crucial direction to the plot of the novel. Marner after losing his gold-gains leads a measurable life. After the theft of his treasure, he become disappointed and crest fallen. He leads a solitary life with a broken heart.
When Marners life is in sheer disappointment, a girl aged two whits a golden here, enters into a Marners cottage at one late evening. The entrance of the girl happens purely by chance. In fact, if the girl had not entered into the cottage of the Marner there would have been no story about him from this point onwards. It is the Childs appearance in Marners cottage with serves him as a compensation for the loss of his gold. The girl’s appearance provides him with a motive to live an active life once again. After the robbery in his cottage Marner lost all sorts of inspiration energy to lead a normal life. He was living like a dead man. But the entry of Eppie the little girl reanimates him.
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Eppie’s entrance into the cottage of the Marner is a coincidence too. She arrives at the cottage on New Years Eve. On this day people expect good luck. Eppie really brings good luck to the Marner. Her arrival proves to be a precious blessing to the Marner. She revives Marners dying spirit. He is rejuvenated having Eppie close to him. There in another coincidence. When the little girl entered the Marners cottage, Marner found an epileptic fit. That is why is not aware of girl enter at all. This coincidence is important too. When Marner returns to his senses and sits down before the fire in his hearth. He perceives something lying before him. At first, he thinks that his lost gold has been restored of him. But the finally the find that it is actually a little girl with golden here and not his actual gold. Really Eppie is a gold in human from. Thus Eppie as the best compensation for his loss of gold.
Eppies appearance is a turning point in Marners life. Marner had been dehumanized by the ups and down in his life. Her arrival marks the regeneration in Marner’s life. Marner was cut-off for human society. But Eppie arrival restored him to normal life. Marner was leading a subhuman and mechanical kind of life. His love for money made him hoarder and miser. But Eppie brings about a revolution in his life. So the chance arrival of Eppie in Marner regeneration and redemption.
Godfrey’s orders for the stone-pits to the drained of all their waters and the discovery of Dunstan’s skeleton along with Marner’s lost gold guineas are matter of co-incidence. These discoveries awaken Godfrey’s conscience. He confesses to Nancy the secant of his marriage and having a daughter named Eppie. This is a crusade in Godfrey’s life. Both Godfrey’s and Nancy go to Marners cottage. They request Manere to hand-over. Eppie, who is their own daughter to them. They want to bring up Eppie in their own house where she will grow up into a full leady in a better way. Their interview with Marner marks the climax of the novel. And again it is to be mentioned that this interview is also a matter of chance through these incidence the theme of the novel achieves maturity, beauty and gravity. Thus chance and co-incidence influence the action of the character in the novel. These chance and co-incidence takes the novel to its desired and expected destination.
