A Simple Twist of Silas Marner:
To update or modernize a classic novel like Silas Marner, writers of
screenplays must change certain elements, as evidenced in A Simple Twist of Fate.
For instance, Dunstan doesn’t “stake” a horse but, appropriately for a modern
telling, wrecks the Mercedes. The protagonist isn’t a weaver, a trade rarely seen these days, but a
carpenter instead. And his name isn’t even the old-fashioned Silas, but a more familiar name,
Michael.
BUT, to remain true to the spirit and theme of the classic Silas Marner, other elements, the
more important elements, must remain.
With your team, you will create and “publish” a children’s book that retells Silas Marner in a
new way. It’s important to capture how the specific elements that make Silas Marner worth
studying are of a timeless and classic nature. Consider the rhetorical triangle when you craft
your story:
Silas Marner
Audience
Purpose
Speaker
Readers in 19th
Century England
To show the contrast
between the evils of
modern society and
the value of a simple
life close to nature
Anonymous
omniscient narrator
with no part in the
plot
A Simple Twist of
Fate
Moviegoers in the 21st
Century
Your Children’s
Story
Children in 5th and
6th grade
Writing a children's story requires a vivid imagination, good speech, enthusiastic creativity, and the
ability to step into the mind of a child. To write your children’s story, follow these guidelines:
The plot doesn't need to be realistic, but must follow a logical sequence that reflects the events that
occur in Silas Marner. This is the biggest difference between children's and adult books. Children
can understand absurdities as long as they are organized in a logical sequence. Children in your
target audience can understand complicated plots and recognize stories within stories. Be sure
that the conflict is something that a child would view as a conflict (rising gas prices will probably
not interest a child!). Keep in mind the major events that occur in Silas Marner:
 Betrayal resulting in a loss of faith
 Replacing faith with a material object
 Losing the material object
 Replacing the material object with something of substantial importance
 Reconnection to faith
 Result: happily ever after
Children in your target audience recognize that all stories have settings. They recognize time can
move steadily forward or jump forward or backward in leaps of time.
While every main character in Silas Marner must be included, you may rename them and change
their occupations in order to fit the genre/time period of your story. Children love characters that
are human, animal, fantasy, etc. as long as they have enough human characteristics that the child
can identify with them and feel empathy for them.
Children in your target audience recognize that characters are able to have all the characteristics a
human can have and more. They can recognize and sympathize or empathize with the plight of the
character.
Children in fifth and sixth grade are able to recognize all points of view. They recognize that a point
of view may change in a story.
Your target audience can recognize most kinds of style with samples or other kinds of assists. They
can recognize symbols in literature.
Your target audience can recognize a wide variety of tones (absurd, parody, condescending, didactic,
etc.).
Make sure your writing is age appropriate! Use bigger words, but be careful to explain them so as
not to frustrate new readers. At this point, books can be long enough to read over two or three
nights.
Your target audience can recognize a variety of themes, and that a story may have multiple themes.
Themes should reflect the themes of Silas Marner.
 Betrayal
 Loss of faith/regaining of faith
 Individual vs. community
 Leaving life up to chance vs. taking responsibility for one’s life
 Connection between faith and community
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The realm depicted in most children’s stories is bright, colorful and optimistic; the
personality of the main character should have mostly positive traits, though Silas does not
display positive characteristics at all times in the novel.
Every noun and verb should have a descriptor (adjective or adverb). Children need you to
paint word pictures for them. They are particularly responsive to anything that references
the five senses.
Avoid using slang words.
Try not to give the characters long names, unless it’s funny and memorable, like
Rumplestiltskin. Also, do not give them similar names or even names starting with the same
letter. This may confuse the child and make the story harder to follow.
Scary stories, even if they have a happy ending, may not be good for young children.