{"ops":[{"insert":"Of all the novels we have read thus far in our workshop, Silas Marner is my favorite--the only one I could not lay down when I had reached my assigned stopping place. And there are so many reasons why. Because it is written from the viewpoint of an intelligent woman whose ability to describe places and personalities with equal skill, and without overdoing it, beats any others I've seen by a long shot. Because it has lessons to teach, about the nature of organized religion and how society approaches it, about the nature of fatherhood and being a good husband or wife, about pride and greed, about how we confront death--especially valuable to me with the death of an old family companion (our dog Coco) this week after a long illness, about keeping secrets. I think the one that speaks to me most about Critical Thinking is the one on fatherhood, however, because Silas, when the truth is revealed about Eppie's parentage, lets her make the decision, and trusts her to make the right one for herself, and makes sure she knows what she's doing, and defends her when she's made it. That is something that is most valuable to me, with a teenage daughter of my own, that I will keep in mind. \n"}]}