Silas Marner Wealth Quotes

How we cite our quotes: (Book.Chapter.Paragraph)

Quote #10

"No," said Godfrey, with a keen decisiveness of tone, in contrast with his usually careless and unemphatic speech—"There's debts we can't pay like money debts, by paying extra for the years that have slipped by." (2.20.5)

This is a key realization for Godfrey's character. At this moment, you might say, he finally grows up—if what it means to be "grown up" is to accept both responsibility and the gratification of fulfilling that responsibility (like seeing a child grow up to love and respect you). Being a big shot isn't enough to make you a man—as we learn from Squire Cass's example.