Posted by The Mysterious H.C. on April 28, 1997 at 16:36:19:
In reply to Re: Aunt Norris: what's with this woman, anyhow? posted by Amy on April 28, 1997 at 02:10:23
] There's shading on Auntie's back story I hadn't picked up before. She knew she'd have to watch her pennies when she married, but did not realize she'd get pleasure from it. I guess true misers like Silas Marner and Aunt Norris start out pretty normal and innocent, then gradually allow the hoarding drive to govern their lives.
Amy -- don't sully the name of my good buddy Silas by comparing him to Mrs. Norris!! 
Silas Marner takes up hoarding because his life has been turned upside down and he's been psychologically crushed, and he has no real human contact with other people, and if he didn't fixate on something he might go stark raving bonkers.
Also, Silas Marner doesn't make any kind of ostentatious parade of his frugality, and his miserliness doesn't affect anyone else in a negative way...
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