Essay about Phaedo by Plato - 942 Words

Phaedo is an account written by Plato of the last conversation of Socrates’ before he will be put to death by the state of Athens by drinking hemlock. The dialog itself seems to recount Plato’s psychological, Metaphysical, and epistemological beliefs rather than an accurate portrayal of Socrates’ last conversation . The dialog addresses three main arguments for recollection including the argument of opposites, the argument of recollection, and the argument of affinity. Plato’s arguments in the Phaedo are less of an argument for immortality and more of an argument for duality. We must attempt to answer the questions: Are the arguments for immortality in the Phaedo used as a means for the soul to establish its own existence and†¦show more content†¦The first argument Socrates uses to defend his argument for the immortality of the soul is the argument of opposites. Socrates first establishes the existence of an underworld based on an ancient idea that souls that are born come from there; essentially, they are born from the dead. The argument continues that if the living come back from the dead, the souls must be in existence in that realm which for Socrates is proof that the living only come from the dead (Phaedo 70d). He then extends this reason to all plants, animals, and things that come to be. Socrates expounds this logic using the argument that â€Å"if something smaller comes to be, it will come from something larger before, which became smaller† (Phaedo 69e). Socrates establishes that the opposite of living is being dead, and therefore they must come from one another. Because it is established that life comes from death, and death comes from life and that this is a cyclical pattern, then there must be a place where the souls go after death to await life again (Phaedo 72a). Socrates’ next argument is for immortality based on the theory of recollection. Recollection is defined as when â€Å" a man sees or hears or in some other way perceives one thing and not only knows that thing but also thinks of another thing of which the knowledge is not the same but different† (Phaedo 73c). In others recollection occurs when someone â€Å"recalls† answers that they did not previously possess when ask certainShow MoreRelatedPhaedo by Plato1189 Words   |  5 Pagessee the importance of sensory experiences in order to provide answers about the natural world. Each view has their benefits and drawbacks but each play a vital role in the discussion about knowledge. The philosopher Plato is considered to be a rationalist thinker. In Plato’s Phaedo, he shows the reader that the five senses are not what one should rely on. The senses do not provide us with truth. One’s surroundings are constantly changing thus, their senses must change with them. For example, inRead MoreThe Apology And Phaedo By Plato Essay1682 Words   |  7 PagesThe Apology and Phaedo by Plato are two different books describing what is like to be a philosopher per Socrates believes. These two books take place in two different scenarios in Socrates’ life, The Apology takes place in a court room where Socrates is to defend himself from false charges brought to him by Meletus who is acting as the prosecutor. Phaedo, on the other hand, takes place in a prison cell post judgment on the day of Socrates execution. Hence, The Apology and Phaedo appeared to displayRead MoreHarmony Theory In Phaedo By Plato1498 Words   |  6 PagesIn Phaedo, by Plato, Phaedo r ecounts an incident with Socrates. The story starts with Socrates opening up saying that Philosophers should not only accept death, but welcome it. After all, although the body will pass, the soul is able to live on because it is immortal. He uses a lot of his intuition to back up his claim, but the main rationale is the Argument of Affinity. He claims that the world is very binary. Things are either incorporeal and invisible, or not. The body is physical, visible andRead MorePhaedo by Plato Essay examples2494 Words   |  10 PagesPhaedo by Plato The opening of Platos Phaedo finds Socrates constructing a defense of the philosophical life. When consideration is given to the status of philosophy in Greece at the end of the fifth century BCE, such a defense seems unnecessary and, at the same time, difficult. This is because ancient Greece provides us with the origins of philosophy, and yet this particular period in history serves as a good demonstration of the publics general distaste for and persecution of it.Read MoreThe Flaws of Plato ´s Phaedo Essay1306 Words   |  6 PagesPlatos final argument in Phaedo for the immortality of the soul is one of the most interesting topics of all time. It goes hand to hand with the application of the theory of forms to the question of the souls immortality, as Plato constantly reminds us, the theory of forms is the most certain of all his theories. The Phaedo is Plato’s attempt to convince us of the immortality of the soul by using several main arguments. These include the argument of forms and the law of opposites. In the finalRead MorePlato s Phaedo For The Immortality Of The Soul1701 Words   |  7 PagesPlato s final argument in Phaedo for the immortality of the soul is one of the most interesting topics of all time. The argument of whether the soul exists has been debated for years and even today. It goes hand to hand with the application of the theory o f forms to the question of the soul s immortality, as Plato constantly reminds us, the theory of forms is the most certain of all his theories. The Phaedo is Plato’s attempt to convince us of the immortality of the soul by using several main argumentsRead MorePlato s Phaedo : The Soul And The Body1409 Words   |  6 PagesSaila Sanders PHIL 011 Altshuler 25 September 2014 Plato’s Phaedo: The Soul and the Body In the Phaedo, Socrates proposes that the soul is immortal. Despite being a seemingly counterintuitive understanding, Socrates offers arguments for the soul’s immortality and expresses his view between the soul, or mind, and the body. Socrates practices reasoning to establish his philosophy on the concept of the soul and all that it necessitates. He rationalizes four theories of the immortality of the soulRead MoreComparing Plato Five Dialogues Euthyphro, Apology, Crito, Meno, Phaedo By John M. Cooper1009 Words   |  5 Pagesin the world. While this exist in the world some of the things that bring people the most happiness in life is achieving a good education, treating others equally, and loving those around them. An example of this within Plato Five Dialogues Euthyphro, Apology, Crito, Meno, Phaedo by John M. Cooper is the following. â€Å"Men of Athens, I am grateful and I am your friend, but I will obey the god rather than you, and as long as I draw breath and am able , I shall not cease to practice philosophy, to exhortRead MoreWhy Does Plato Think That the Soul Is Immortal? Is He Right? Discuss with Close Reference to Phaedo 102a-107b.1609 Words   |  7 PagesWhy does Plato think that the soul is immortal? Is he right? Discuss with close reference to Phaedo 102a-107b. The Phaedo is Plato’s attempt to convince the reader of the immortality of the soul using four main arguments. These include the argument of affinity, recollection, Forms and the law of opposites. In the final passage of the Phaedo, (Grube, 2002:102a-107b), Plato provides his ‘Final Proof’, despite seeming like the most conclusive argument it is not necessarily the most convincing. PlatoRead MorePlato s Apology And The Apology1591 Words   |  7 PagesIn this paper I will discuss how Plato s Apology and Phaedo have difference ideas of what it means to be a philosopher. I will explain how in the Apology, the philosopher is wise in how he/she understand that they are wise because they know that they don t know, and in Phadeo the philosopher knowledgable and are concern in gaining more knowledge. In Plato s Apology we learn about Socrates life and who he really is. In platos Apology a philosopher is a wise person because he understands that

Analysis Of The Cask Of Amontillado By Edgar Allen Poe

Oftentimes in order to understand a story further, it is extremely important to understand the background and context of the story. This holds true for â€Å"The Cask of Amontillado,† by Edgar Allen Poe. Through researching the Freemasons and Poe, the reader is able to understand the minute details Poe gently places in the story to ridicule a rival, embed a statement about alcohol and satirize Freemasons. Edgar Allen Poe was born in the United States without ever knowing either of his parents. As a foster child, he finally was raised by a family and went to college but then had to drop out when he lost his money due to gambling (â€Å"Edgar†). Along with gambling, Poe had a history with drinking and it was believed that he later joined the†¦show more content†¦With this information, we are able to break down three main components within â€Å"The Cask of Amontillado.† The first is that this story mocks Freemasons. During one portion of the story, Montresor pulls out a trowel as a symbol of brick layers in the Freemason’s lodge (â€Å"Masonic†). Fortunado, a man who claims he is a Freemason, is unable to deduce what this symbol means but eventually goes along with it. This reveals that Poe is ridiculing how Freemasons act. They are not organized well enough to where some of their own members do not know the symbols they hold important deduced b y Montreso when he remarks â€Å"then you are not of the brotherhood† (Poe, 18). The other part is that there are also haughty members who are not true Freemasons such as Fortunado. A second component we are able to break down is that Poe was somewhat influenced to weave in the Freemasons because of his rivalry with Dunn. These two have partaken in ridiculing each other and Poe uses the relationship between characters and Freemasons to attack at Dunn and claim he is not knowledgeable just like Fortunado. This is further examined when Poe includes that there are 11 tiers of bricks to seal Fortunado. 11 is a sacred number to Freemasons because that is the number of degrees in each stage of being a Freemason (â€Å"Masonic†). The last idea we are able to break down through this research is his support for the Washingtonian Movement. Fortunado was mentioned to be intoxicatedShow MoreRelatedAnalysis Of Edgar Allen Poe s The Cask Of Amontillado 1257 Words   |  6 Pagespe rvasive morals in Edgar Allen Poe’s short stories is the idea of just retribution. This means that while a character commits a crime or performs a destructive action – such as Prospero ignoring the subjects suffering in â€Å"The Masque of Red Death† or the murder of the old man in â€Å"The Tell Tale Heart† – something of equal cruelty happens to them. In both these short stories, both characters receive just retribution. Yet another example can be found in â€Å"The Cask of Amontillado†, where Montresor claimsRead MoreAnalysis Of Edgar Allen Poe s `` The Glasses `` And The Cask Of Amontillado ``1545 Words   |  7 Pagesthemselves digging for only one particular theme in every story he or she chooses to read; indicating he or she has an obvious favorite. However, believe it or not, many people fail to even realize a common theme between two or more stories. As for Edgar Allen Poe, he is successful in his writings in all realms, however, h e is notably creative and extravagant in his writing in the field of deception. What exactly is deception, though? Think back to middle school when a girl asked another girl which topRead MoreLiterary Analysis Of The Cask Of Amontillado 1493 Words   |  6 PagesBrooke Womack Literary Analysis Paper Into to Literature: American I Dr. Julia Pond 12 October 2017 The Cask of Amontillado The Cask of Amontillado is a tale of terror written by Edgar Allen Poe. This short story is from the point of view from Montresor’s memory. The setting of this story is in a small unnamed European city, at a local carnival and then at the catacombs under Montresor’s home, around duck. The brief synopsis of this story is about the revenge that the Montresor, the antagonistRead MoreThe Cask Of Amontillado By Edgar Allan Poe1575 Words   |  7 Pageshas committed the perfect murder in just such a tale, â€Å"The Cask of Amontillado.† Montresor plots and kills an unwary friend/foe during carnival time for motives that are unclear. The author of this tale, Edgar Allan Poe, influenced by his somewhat tragic life and one of the most influential Gothic writers, uses symbolism and irony to show the multitude of complicated motives of the narrator in his famous horror story. Upon examining Edgar Allan Poe’s life, one is not surprised that he chooses toRead MoreRevenge in Edgar Allan Poes The Cask of Amontillad Essay1395 Words   |  6 PagesRevenge in Edgar Allan Poes The Cask of Amontillado In the story The Cask of Amontillado by Edgar Allan Poe, he writes about a man named Montressor who for some reason (one that we do not know) vows revenge on a well respected and even feared guy named Fortunato, to better understand the story though you will want to know about the author Edgar Allen Poe. Edgar Allen Poe has been a hugeRead MoreThe Cask Of Amontillado By Edgar Allen Poe1282 Words   |  6 PagesIn Edgar Allen Poe’s short story, the cask of Amontillado, many readers take the words of the characters at face value. This story is designed and presented in a very different manner and most of the people are not ready to accept the facts that are presented in the story. Due to the structure complex structure of the story many other people explain the thoughts of the story in a very critical way. The main purpose of this paper is to see and analyze the critical reviews of how Frederic Jameson wouldRead MoreCask of Amontillado Imagery Analysis Essay703 Words   |   3 PagesAlyssa Becker â€Å"The Cask of Amontillado† Imagery Analysis In â€Å"The Cask of Amontillado,† Edgar Allen Poe uses many examples of imagery, such as the descriptions of the carnival, characters, the walk through the catacombs, and much more throughout the story to build suspense and intrigue for the readers and add to the mystery of Montresor’s underlining actions of the revenge and deception of the foolish Fortunado. By using descriptive words and phrases to help us imagine the characters and settingRead MoreThe Cask Of Amontillado By Edgar Allen Poe2223 Words   |  9 Pages Edgar Allen Poe’s The Cask of Amontillado tells the story of a man who illustrates vengeance in its purest form. The short story is set in an unnamed Italian city during a time of celebration and carnival. It is told in a flashback by the narrator, Montresor, who recounts the day he took revenge on Fortunato, a man who continuously insulted him until he had enough and responded. This story is one of the most influential works in the horror genre as it possesses valuable insight into the psychologicalRead MoreReflection of â€Å"The Cask of Amontillado†1682 Words   |  7 Pagesof â€Å"The Cask of Amontillado† Edgar Allan Poe was a very dark, dramatic writer. All of his stories require the audience to reread his works of art. There are so many elements incorporated into his stories that it would be impossible to understand them all after one reading. His stories drip with irony and reveal mysteries in an interesting way. He writes his stories in a way that engages the mind and questions character. One of his most famous short stories is â€Å"The Cask of Amontillado†. ThisRead Moreâ€Å"The Cask of Amontillado† Essay1543 Words   |  7 PagesI cannot begin talking about â€Å"The Cask of Amontillado† without first mentioning its author, Mr. Edgar Allen Poe and his unique style of writing. Poe’s style of writing is described as â€Å"Dark Gothic.† Poe uses irony to create a comedic effect which only foreshadows the horror ahead; his short story writing still giving readers the full effect of the story; Poe felt a story should be read in one sitting, with each event occurring in order keeping with the storyline as he states in his essay â€Å"The

Smartphone Security Essay Example For Students

Smartphone Security Essay Security Issues in Smartphone Markets Are you buzzing about the new Verizon Blackberry Storm or the T Mobile G1? They are the new crave and everyone wants one right? What these owners many not know are the security risks that surround the raving technology. Most of the unawareness starts at companies and customers not placing more significance on security as smartphones get smarter. Although a smartphone may not be at greater risk than a PC, some security issues and risks are still present with PDA’s and smartphones. In the United Kingdom, a whooping 800,000 people were the victim of mobile phone theft in 2006. Even though 90 percent of these phones deactivated within 48 hours, what happened to the other 10% of users that lost data to the crime. Smartphones are linked to the corporate network and are as vital as a laptop on the company network. Also, you cannot stop your employees from having accidents by underestimating these devices. Mobile phone operators can stop SIM cards and stop expensive calls from being made. However, a smartphone differs from regular mobile phones. Executives carry all kinds of information on the device, from confidential announcements, to financial results and business in progress. If any of these were ever lost, it could result in the lost of business and trust within company IT infrastructures. It is important to recognize the dangers before permitting a full mobile device network within the company. When sending emails, texts, and using smartphone applications may seem harmless, however your phone could be very vulnerable to hijacker attacks. We will explore some security issues that surround some of the primary smartphones leading the markets today and address how to mitigate users’ risk of being attacked. Some of the issues that smartphones are having problems with securing encryption keys that can unlock cell phone holders’ private information. Digital signatures are also being compromised through man in the middle and proxy attacks. While these may not seem to affect every user, surely the danger of having your password captured due to spyware may catch your attention. On the other hand, many Symbian Operating System security flaws that smartphones use to operate have proven to be the source of some application hijacks. Since smartphones such as Blackberry do not require an application code signature, network access is permitted attackers access to owners’ applications. This could cause third parties to send messages, edit, delete, and add contracts and PIM (Product Information Management) data, read and call phone numbers. Simple functions such as sending and receiving SMS (short message service) text messages can be intercepted by another application that could cause outgoing text messages to be picked up by an expensive application. This causes confusion to the smartphone owner who is oblivious that his or her messages have been negotiated leaving the customer to pay the bill. A problem for businessmen and/or businesswomen smartphone owners is opening certain files from their smartphone application can contain this malicious code causing the data to be compromised. A hackers’ claim that they can pay one hundred dollars for an API key that can open backdoor to Blackberry’s RIM (Research in Motion) devices. If this is true than owners and companies have to worry about the data integrity of within application and software. Some issues that are present are the talk about an API key that can be bought for one hundred dollars. It gives hackers the ability to allow unauthorized network access. Let’s take the iPhone developers. They have yet to incorporate Microsoft Exchange or Lotus Notes. This makes it easy for an Internet provider to expose private data due to unsecured connections to servers. The current iPhone user must forward their e-mail to an Internet service provider, potentially exposing data. Trust could be gained if communications were encrypted from start o finish and usage of a VPN. Some devices like Blackberry and Sidekicks argue that there devices are encrypted from start to finish, but that is one on a phone service aspect. With growth in mobile networks full encryption should be implemented on both phone and web network sectors. VPN’s could mitigate the issues surrounding application data integrity. VPN’s use SSL (Secure Socket Layers). A SSL provide security and data integrity for communications over TCP/IP networks and are used in wide-spread use in applications like web browsing, electronic mail, instant messaging and voice-over-IP (VoIP). With this connection a user can ensure that pictures, text messages, emails, and application data going out or coming in is kept private. Do users think spying on your smartphone is impossible or hard? Of course, spying through social engineering risk, but what about if users have no idea that they are being watched? When connected to a PC, smartphones no authentication. They are USB devices that can give up all data that is stored in them. If accessed by the wrong hacker, he or she could install malware that can store all of user events and upload them onto an Excel sheet. Trust Of giving counsel essay exampleBBProxy opens a back channel bypassing the organizations gateway security mechanisms between the hacker and the inside of the users’ network. The communications channel between the BlackBerry server and mobile device is encrypted and a tunnel is opened by an administrator so encrypted communications can connect to the BlackBerry server inside the organizations network. A hacker will use this backdoor channel to move around inside of an organization unnoticed and remove confidential information undetected or install malware on the network. The Palm Treo security flaw existed in how data is accessed. It can allow anyone in possession of the device the ability to find data even if the device is locked. With security threats, flaws, and risks discussed, why are smartphones targeted? Well, many store a lot of their personal and business information on smartphones. Users have the deception that their smartphone is immune to hackers or attackers. No anti-malware or anti-virus protection software is installed on smartphones. Also, policies are overlooked because the vision of a mobile device is not taken as serious as a computer on the network. This is why smartphone security is important. With the smartphone market being so competitive, the first smartphone to have a major security breech will surely fade away. With major PC companies such as Microsoft, they have a market advantage. Security issues that are with the software may not as picked apart as the smartphone market. This is simply because a mobile device and easily be replaced. So smartphone companies do not have the same pull on the market as Microsoft. The most important thing to worry about with smartphones is emails and browsers that gateways to malicious activity. Most risks that users face however are not setting a user password and losing their mobile device. Hopefully companies will be better prepared in preventing security threats that are overlooked in smartphones. Companies that are planning to give employees access to business applications on their company smartphones. First, a company should Know the technology youre getting into, advises Shane Coursen, senior technology consultant at Kaspersky Lab. This simply means to understand the security risks before the company purchase a certain mobile device. Educate employees on importance of smartphone security. Have training classes that teach employees on best security practices and make sure they understand company policies about smartphones. Addresses issues such as, using a Virtual Private Network (VPN). Hire a company that can manage the company’s smartphones. That is, find qualified companies to manage your smartphone network and updates. Have accountability of smartphones. Take inventory and have only one smartphone carrier. This helps pin point a problem easier if one was to ever arise. Know the risks that the company can face. If data was lost or vulnerable how would it be recovered or protected? If smartphones are used as a thin client, have employees access applications through a Web browser so that nothing is stored locally, encryption is a great line of defense for data thats transported between back-end systems and smartphones. Enforce passwords. This is a way of protecting mobile devices that have data stored on them even though spyware or back doors can be present. Firewalls also add to security to prevent penetration to data. The most important is to buy anti-virus software that will protect your smartphones from malware and set standards so that updates will be ran routinely over the air. Bottom line is users must start treating smartphone like a laptop or desktop. The steps to hardening a smartphone network should become a necessity. REFERENCES John Edwards. â€Å"The iPhone Security Threat. † 25June 2007. Submitted by Computers. â€Å"Smartphone Virus Threat? † 30 June 2008 Symantec Corp. â€Å"Symantec Mobile Security 4. 0 for Symbian protects smartphones from viruses, hackers and other malicious threats. † 2005 Secure Computing Corporation. Warning of a serious BlackBerry security threat. † 09August 2006 Dawn Kawamoto. â€Å"Palm Treos ring up security flaws. † 16 February 2007 Elena Malykhina. â€Å"Best Practices in Smartphone Security. † 03November 2006 Symantec announces Anti-Virus and Firewall for Symbian smartphones 9 May 2005 John Markoff. â€Å"Securi ty Flaw Is Revealed in T-Mobile’s Google Phone. † 24October 2008 Davak. â€Å"The Unimportance of Smartphone Security — so far. † 01 August 2007 Jon Espenschied. â€Å"Ten dangerous claims about smart phone security. † 23 March 2007 Ryan Naraine. â€Å"Cracking the BlackBerry with a $100 Key. † 30November 2006

What do we learn about life in the early 19th century from reading Silas Marner by George Eliot Essay Example

What do we learn about life in the early 19th century from reading Silas Marner by George Eliot Paper George Eliot was born in 1819, named Mary Ann Evans. She changed her name to George Eliot when she started writing; this was a trend that women novelists followed because they were considered inferior to men so therefore were not taken seriously when they wrote. One of the key things which are relevant to this story is the fact that George Eliot lived in both the town and country. George Eliot witnessed the industrial revolution as it was in full swing at that time. She saw people emigrating from the country to urban areas to find work in factories; this is why she included it in the novel with the presence of Lantern Yard. The Napoleonic wars took place during this period as well. This caused a decrease in the amount of food supplies which were imported into the country. Due to this limit in supplies the prices of home-grown went through the roof. Citizens of a lower class starved because they couldnt afford to buy food but to balance out the bad there was a good; in the long run this gave Britain superiority over the sea. We will write a custom essay sample on What do we learn about life in the early 19th century from reading Silas Marner by George Eliot specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on What do we learn about life in the early 19th century from reading Silas Marner by George Eliot specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on What do we learn about life in the early 19th century from reading Silas Marner by George Eliot specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Silas Marner is full of twists and turns, from start to finish. It is about people who lived in a changing age and how their lives changed with time. The basic story is about Silas Marner, someone who has done wrong before he is rewarded with a final blessing. The story is quite sad, beginning with Silas in his native Lantern Yard. A key point in, which we must understand and appreciate, is that in those days people were moving from the country into the town. People emigrating meant that everyone was trying to adapt from their village life to the fast-paced town life. People liked living in villages but there was no work for them in the villages so they were left with no option but to move to a place where they could find work; mainly in factories, it was also important that the town had a church as they were regular church-goers. It was like a group of set villages put together and called a town; each with its own area name. Silas belonged to this sort of community along with its strange religious cult. Silas became friends with a man called William Dane, he was of a high standing in Lantern Yard. Silas had a mild epileptic fit but people thought that he was visited by god; this gave Silas a status that he could only dream of. Peoples speculations about Silas guest made him rise to a position of great importance and this is how he got to know William Dane. Silas and William were, in fact, the two most influential figures in Lantern Yard. People sought after their advice and would ask them what they thought was holy. They would also ask Silas to cure ailments with his special knowledge of herbs. After a while things started going wrong for the weaver when an old Deacon, who was ill, died under Silas supervision while he was in a visitation. Silas troubles were far from over, along with his inabilities to look after a sick man, he was accused of stealing the church money after the empty bag was discovered behind Silas loom. On these grounds William Dane convicted Silas of stealing the money and of being in league with the devil. He was found guilty by the drawing of lots; which were doubtlessly fixed by Dane. The whole community turned their backs on Silas, even his fiancà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½e Sarah, so the weaver left Lantern Yard for Raveloe. He rented a cottage and began weaving; desperate to escape the pain in his life, he also grew to love money. He wanted to earn as much money as humanly possible so he worked all day and most of the night in his desperate bid to be rich. Just as things looked to be going right for the lonely weaver, his life flipped 180. One night while he was out collecting supplies Dunstan Cass came to his house and stole all his money. This would be enough to push anyone over the edge but for Silas, it was a lot more than that. For him his life was worthless and pointless, more to the point; over. He, again, tried to get back on his feet by working but he was still a nervous wreck on the verge of a mental breakdown. After a thorough search of the village the blame was nailed on a peddler who had passed through the village. Knowing who it was did not make it any easier for Silas. His heart was in broken and once again he was left to pick up the pieces of his ruined life. Silas fell into a trance when he went out to look for his money in the New Year. While Silas was unconscious a destitute baby crawled into his home and fell asleep on the fire place. Silas recovered and discovered the baby; he picked it up and took it to the home of Squire Cass, who was, sort of, the Lord of Raveloe. The Cass family were the highest ranking family in Raveloe. Squire Cass was a widower who had four sons and a house to take care of after his wife passed on. This was very rare for men; the household fell into a horrid state along with the moral state of his four sons. The Squires eldest son, Godfrey, married a pauper, Molly Farren, by being tricked by Dunstan, his younger brother; all this took place in secret. Dunstan was very conniving; he tricked his brother so he could blackmail him. Things go from bad to worse for Godfrey when his wife becomes addicted to Opium, he realised his mistake and regrets not waiting to marry Nancy Lammeter, the girl he loved and wanted to marry. Within a few years Godfrey disowned Molly and started to court Nancy. Godfrey paid Dunstan to keep quiet; the money came from the tenants which belonged to their father. Godfrey was in debt, a debt who could not afford to pay back. This resulted in him selling his horse, Wildfire, in order to pay it back. Dunstan agrees a deal with a man named Bryce but tells him hell deliver Wildfire to him later. On his way home he rides the Wildfire straight into a hedge where the horse falls and dies. Dunstan considers hiring a horse but instead takes the much easier alternative; he goes to Silas cottage and steals his money and slowly disappears into the night. Due to Dunstans mystery disappearance Godfrey was left with no option but to tell his father all about the money he lent to his younger brother. Godfrey paid back the money and continued courting Nancy. His conscious was blackened by Molly and their illegitimate child. On New Years Eve they attended a party at which Godfrey courted Nancy and life just seemed to go on. Silas appeared out of the blue with some very disturbing news. He was holding Godfreys baby and he had come to inform him of Mollys death. Godfrey is relieved to hear of her death so he starts with a clear conscience. Silas offers to look after the child; no one makes any complaints so Silas takes the baby and everyone goes on with their lives as normal. The story resumes 16 years later. Silas bought up the bundle with help from the villagers; she was christened Eppie. Eppie grew very much attached to Aaron, Dolly Winthrops son. Godfrey had a child from his wife Nancy but it died soon after. Nancy believed that she should have not any children; she even refused to adopt children. Silas was completely reformed, Eppie gave Silas a reason to live after all the misery and pain in his life, and she changed him into an active member of the community. Dunstan Cass hadnt returned yet to Raveloe but he was most certainly not missed. Godfrey was having the stone pits drained, which were near Silas house; they found a skeleton and two bags of money belonging to Dunstan. This caused Godfrey to own up about all the things he had done wrong in the past. He told Nancy all about Molly and that Eppie was his child. He also told her that Dunstan had been bribing him along with all his other dark secrets. Nancy was as supportive as could be expected and she told her husband to reclaim Eppie as her own. Silas had taken care of Eppie for most of her life so it was no surprise that she chose to stay with him when it was up to her to make the final decision between living with the Cass or Silas; she chose Silas after a fierce battle between him and Godfrey over who would look after her. Silas had a long talk with Dolly Winthrop who influenced his decision to take Eppie to Lantern Yard. When Silas arrived there he was shocked to find it had disappeared off the face of the heart; instead of Lantern Yard there was a huge factory standing there. The story ended with Eppie marrying Aaron. The Cass were not present but only two people knew the real reason behind their absence. Eliot was a fantastic writer; this story was structured in a fantastic way. Initially there are two stories; one of Silas Marner and the other of the Cass family. The main characters in Silas Marner are obviously Silas himself, Godfrey, Eppie, Dolly Winthrop, Nancy, Dunstan, Squire Cass and Aaron Winthrop. Silas is a strange man, he was an outsider from the moment he moved into Raveloe, but he was changed by Eppie; she forced him to socialise with people and to go to church. Godfrey was very unlucky, he was Dunstans brother, his young-adulthood was full of disasters; starting with the marriage to Molly Farren. His luck did change however, after the disappearance of his brother and the death of Molly, Godfrey was able to sort himself out and marry Nancy; his life was shaping the way he wanted it to. Eppie was the illegitimate child of Godfrey and Molly. After the demise of her mother she was adopted by Silas. Silas bought Eppie up, through the tussle with the Cass until she married Aaron. Dolly Winthrop was the typical early 19th century country woman. She regularly gave advice to those who needed it, especially Silas and Eppie. She was a charitable woman, she didnt, however, go to church every Sunday. Nancy, the daughter of Mr Lammeter was a very strong willed person with firm morals. She brought order to the Red House after her marriage to Godfrey. She tried to be a good wife to Godfrey and give him a baby and she did but it died soon after birth. She believed this was a sign that she should have no more children. She was very badly hurt when Godfrey told her about his previous marriage but she, once again, proved to be a great wife by supporting him and convincing him to fight for the custody of his only child. Dunstan was the real villain of the whole story. He lived a life of pleasure; being able to drink and party freely. He pushed his older brother Godfrey into marrying Molly Farren, so he could blackmail him for money; this shows he was truly ruthless if he was willing to do this to his own brother, his own flesh and blood. After, to an extent, killing his brothers horse, Wildfire, who Godfrey loved dearly, he stole Silas money before meeting his destiny; the same as the horse; death, he drowned in the Stone Pits. Squire Cass was the lord of Raveloe. He was coarse but generous with his sons. He was a widower and made his money by renting out land. He did not live long after his sons marriage to Nancy. Aaron Winthrop was the 5th son of Dolly Winthrop. He was the gardener at the Cass residence, also known as the Red House. He was very keen on Eppie and was luckily enough to marry her at the end of the story. There are many things in this story which tell us about life in the early 19th century. One of the first things we learn is that rural villagers were very suspicious of any outsiders, particularly of outsiders with any special abilities. This is shown on numerous occasions. For example: The shepherds dog barked fiercely when one of these alien- looking men appeared on the upland. Chapter 1, Page 13, Lines 12-14 This is shown once again not long after Silas money was stolen, when the villagers blamed the peddler because of his strange looks and because of the fact that he was an easy scapegoat. At this time Britain was the most economically developed country in the world, becoming more and more industrialised as time went on. People moved out of the country into the town in search of jobs. Everyone tried to recreate the feeling of unity where everyone knew everyone else. This resulted in groups of religious sects to spring up in one particular area, say where the church was. This is shown in the next quote where Eliot writes, Marner was highly thought of in that little hidden world. Chapter 1, Page 19, Lines 16-17 These mini cults were often devoted, their members lives revolved around going to church; they were all very protective and zealous in their worship, however, it also showed how quickly Britain was evolving. When Silas returned to Lantern Yard, 31 years after his exile, to find the community was no longer there; it had been replaced by a factory. Strangers were no longer frowned at, there was a strange atmosphere of not much care, people no longer gossiped about one another. This change is highlighted by Silas when he says, Its gone child, he said, at last, in strong agitation Lantern Yards gone. It must ha been here, because theres the house with the oerhanging window I know that its just the same; but theyve made this new opening; and see that big factory! Its all gone chapel and all.' Chapter 21, Page 232, Lines 1-4 Another thing that we learn from Silas Marner is that in the early 19th century rich people were very spoilt and did not have to work if they didnt want to. Dunstan is a great example of this. This is shown in the story when Eliot wrote, As you please; but Ill have a draught of ale first.' Dunstan Cass, Chapter 3, Page 42, Line 30 This highlights how spoilt the rich folk were. Rich people also had an authority over the working class; they were allowed to adopt any child they saw fit, as long as they were already being fostered already. They thought that poor people were incapable of expressing emotions and that the loss of their child would not affect them much. There was no law preventing them from doing this and the whole of chapter 19 shows this, in the way that Godfrey talks to Silas. The story shows us how strict the class system really was. This system governed 19th century Britain. Marrying in secret was something which was frowned upon and marrying out of your class was considered the same as a great sin. This was the whole fasard between Molly and Godfrey. Another thing included in this story is the way they tell of how crime fighting was conducted. There was no permanent police force; the village would elect the most important person to conduct the investigations. This was shown in chapters 7 8, after Silas money went missing. This highlights another point regarding village life; the church and pub were the nerve centres of the village. This is shown in the story after Silas money is stolen. When he realises of his loss he heads straight for the pub to drown his sorrows with a little help from alcohol. (Chapter 6, Page 77) In the 19th century it was the Parishs duty to look after the poor in the area. They had to bury them if they died and send their families to work houses. This is shown around the whole Molly Farren incident. The parish was delighted when Silas offered to look after Eppie; it allowed them to get rid of her as quickly as they possibly could and this lessened the burden upon them. If today, however, a middle-aged man offered parenthood to a little baby it would not be anywhere near as easy for him to take it, a long process would take place before a final decision was made. The story also shows us that people were the same then as they are now in the sense that they gave advice about children to people who were in need of it. This is shown in the story when Dolly Winthrop speaks to Silas. Eh, Master Marner, said Dolly, theres no call to buy, no more nor a pair o shoes.' Dolly Winthrop, Chapter 14, Page 162, Lines 10-11 In conclusion I have learnt that life was very unpredictable in the early 19th century. People always had to live life with strict rules but they always helped each other out; people were friendly to those they knew. We also see that people want a sense of community even in towns and life was based around a hierarchy. I think that Eliot thought of the town as horrible and liked the idea of living in the country; shown in chapter 2 when she describes the awful smell and conditions. This is because she has lived in both town and country herself, and she says that she preferred the country. It is not surprising that the novel informs about the time it was set because writers always wrote about the time they lived in and what they saw and then commented on it in their writing. I enjoyed reading Silas Marner and there are two reasons behind this. Firstly because it was very well written and taught me a lot about the time it was set in and secondly because it has a story behind it; Mary Ann Evans changing her name to George Eliot in order to get the respect she deserved as a novelist. This was interesting to me because in my opinion things are better if there is a good story behind them and I feel although the change in name is a very small story it has a very huge meaning, it proves that women were thought of as inferior when in actual fact just as good as the men or maybe even better. I would recommend this novel to anyone who would like to learn about early 19th century life or anyone who is after a good read because this novel is most definitely a very enjoyable read.