Silas Marner...ok for 9 year old dd??

[Julpost]

Just checking before handing it over to her. I'm more careful after turning on Sister Wendy's art videos yesterday and finding the first episode full of nudes and her analysis of the sexual underpinings....

Thanks!:)

[Marie in Oh]

It is a tough read. There are no sexual underpinings in it. It is basically the story of a man falsly accused of something and then outcasted for it. He ends up redeeming himeslef in societ when he takes in an orpahaned little girl in the end.

Kudos to your dd to take it on at 9. I had a hard time getting highschool juniors to read it. They said the antiquated language was hard. I thought it was pretty good though.

[Tammy in Germany]

:iagree: my girls did it in 9th grade doing A Beka. Good luck to her!

[Eliana]

I would *not* give this to a 9 year old.

It is a wonderful book, but, imho, it goes places most 9 year olds aren't ready to go... not just in plot points (opium addicted mother dying in the snow with her little girl right there with her - here's a brief plot summary (http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/silas/summary.html)), but in character development and overall tone.

Context: in general, by 9 or 10 my kids have read Jane Austen, the Iliad and Odyssey, much of Shakespeare, and some Dickens - all in unabridged editions - so we don't hesitate to hand then challenging works of literature. But I think all of George Eliot's books are best saved for 8th grade and up - whenever a child is really ready to relate intellectually and emotionally to the issues of faith, integrity, and struggle which she presents so well... but, of course, ymmv :)

[Colleen]

George Eliot is a favorite of mine, but I can't fathom having a nine year old read her when there's so much wonderful fare more appropriate for that age group.