George Eliot Old Leisure Analysis

The expression the good old days tends to be accompanied by nostalgia and happy memories. In reality, though, were things truly better in the good old days? The past was ramped with racism, sexism, and homophobia. The human race didn’t have the same medical and technological advances that society relies on today. People were content in preoccupying themselves with simple hobbies. In reality, society prefers the modern day, even if we find ourselves getting caught up in the simple aesthetics of the past. In her passage, author George Eliot uses personification and imagery to create the appearance of a preference to old leisure, but really her sarcasm communicates her true stance on the matter: that new leisure is truly an improvement to the …show more content…
In the listing within the first few lines, she says that leisure is gone where the “spinning wheels” and “slow waggons” are. At first glance these objects would be missed along with leisure, but with more analysis the reader comes to realize that spinning wheels and slow waggons are undesirable and old-fashioned in comparison to the easily-accessible technology of the modern day. Everyday tasks were much more complicated and took a great deal of time to complete in the old days. When describing the character of old leisure, the author’s diction and imagery appear initially positive, but negativity subtly lies beneath it. He is described as being “undiseased by hypothesis,” which makes thinking out to be a painful thing. A majority of readers recognize the value behind intelligence and would ignore Eliot’s diction in order to come to their own correct conclusion: that Eliot actually sees hypothesis as a progressive, positive direction that society continues moving towards. Eliot’s sarcastic diction and imagery make old leisure sound initially desirable, although underlyingly plain. The subtle sarcasm within the text defines Eliot’s true opinion that new leisure is better than old. In conclusion, author George Eliot appeals to old leisure with personification and imagery, using sarcasm to cover her true opinion that new leisure is an improvement. Truly, everything appears more appealing in the past tense. Although we may admire the past, the present is undoubtedly an easier place to survive. The past is full of ugly, fatal flaws that over time have begun to be resolved. In reality, the good old days are nothing more than a twisted, unrealistic dream that seems better from