George Elliot increases the sense of isolation by suggesting that this is a village where many of the old echoes lingered, undrowned by new voices. The novel is set over a long period of time from 1790-1820. When the villagers meet Silas Marner they see him as mysterious' because his work is very different, described as, the questionable sound of Silas's loom, so unlike the natural. This suggests to the reader that the villagers see Silas's work as almost magical, which is perhaps why the Raveloe boys, would peep in at the window of the stone cottage'. We also learn that Marner suffers from fits described as Marner's eyes were set like a dead mans', which increases his sense of mystery as the villagers do not understand what is happening to him. In their ignorance they jump to their own conclusions describing how the soul comes loose from his body'. To increase the sense of isolation Silas also looks quite odd. He has a pale face and unexampled eyes, which leads the villagers to see him as alien like'. Silas feels compelled to live his own quiet life in Raveloe, he invited no comer to step across his doorsill and never strolled into the village'. Silas feels totally betrayed by his friends and God, the only people Silas communicated with were the people he sought for his calling. The reader begins to feel sorry for Silas as they are left with the impression that no one really knew Silas or understood him. Throughout chapter one the language used by Elliot such as although chary for his time' portrays Silas as a good character and a nice person. In this way the author creates a sense of pity which draws the reader into the novel as they begin to empathise with Silas because he is so hurt and lost. Elliot maintains the reader's interest in the novel by involving them emotionally with the main character Silas Marner. .
Elliot now takes us back 15 years to Lantern Yard, where Silas is framed for the theft of the church money.