1987 AP Exam Essay #1

Leisure is defined as a freedom provided by the cessation of activities especially time free from work or necessary duties, but is that what it has always meant? George Elliot feels as though leisure has changed over time and affected our society. Elliot often refers to the idea of old leisure, which was sinless, pure, and dilatory. She believes that modern leisure in her time period, which was 1859, was too rushed and heterodox. The comparison between these two types of leisure is shown through irony, personification, allusion, contrast and descriptive language. Elliot craves old leisure and dreams that it was the modern way of thought.

"Leisure is gone-gone where the spinning-wheels are gone, and the pack-horses, and the slow-waggons, and the peddlers, who brought bargains to the door on sunny afternoons." Elliot uses descriptive language to convey images that allude to a specific item that contains significance. The peddlers and spinning-wheels had disappeared from modern life by 1859 due to the invention of more practical ways of completing those chores, so by alluding to those items, the reader has a better understanding of the drastic loss and significance of old leisure. Elliot also uses personification to express what she believes to be old leisure. She makes old leisure embody the soul of a old man in order to show its innocence, goodness, and simple qualities that are embedded within. This embodiment connects with the audience on an emotional level due to the fact that we connect our own older relatives that we care about deeply to the soul of the old man in which she personifies. By doing so, Elliot was able to make a clear point about the how disappointing the loss of old leisure was and how modern leisure is nothing in comparison.

"Even idleness is eager now-egad for amusement." Elliot describes her dislike to the modern leisure and uses it as ammo to support her view on old leisure. By using modern leisure to contrast with old leisure, she is able to provide and support accurate evidence to her claim. An example of this would be usage of images such as "the great work of the steam-engine" to contrast with "-sunny afternoon." This shows the serenity of old leisure and how modern leisure isn't even or shouldn't be considered leisure at all, which is the irony presented in her piece of literature.

"Fine old Leisure! Do not be severe upon him, and judge him by our modern standard." Old leisure was calm, innocent, and lacked stress, but as time passed, this definition began to change. George Elliot  describes the loss of old leisure and how modern leisure is a turbulent cycle of knowing. The lack of restrictions in old leisure allowed the mind to wander and gave imagination the opportunity to run free. Sadly, she explains how modern leisure strips that freedom and leaves only rules in its wake. The main theme presented within this piece of literature is that modern leisure isn't even leisure at all and that old leisure is the way in which we should follow.