Eliot and Methodism in Adam BedeAdam Bede was the pseudonym of George Eliot by Mary Ann Evans, the second book and the first novel. Eliot grew up in a strict Methodist family. Her friendships with two skeptical philosophers, Charles Bray and Charles Hennell, led her to challenge and ultimately reject her strict religious upbringing ("George Eliot" 91). Adam Bede was based on a story told to Eliot by one of his Methodist aunts, a tragicomedy, and the moral of the novel is that man cannot escape the results of his actions (Wiesenfarth 145). Adam Bede is a novel about English pastoral life (Magill 26). Eliot's commentary on John Wesley's Methodism comes particularly through the character Dinah Morris; however, the other characters' actions also reflect Eliot's view of Methodism. An unsigned review, attributed to Anne Mozely, in the July 1859 edition of Bently's Quarterly Review stated that "where a Methodist preacher is a heroine, the question of religion must be more predominant than is usually permitted in a novel" (Carrol 95). . In Adam Bede George Eliot provides an accurate portrayal of Methodism, but in doing so shows his belief that Methodism was unimportant to English rural life. Methodism was born out of the search of John Wesley and his brother Charles for a deepened religious life within the ordained ways of the Church of England, which John described as 'the best constituted national church in the world'" (Baker 493). Wesley he did not seek any drastic reform in doctrines, but rather greater spiritual experience He also strove for "greater opportunities for spiritual inquiry within Christian groups, without being deterred by denominational barriers" (Baker 493). 1753 Wesley defined a Methodist as "or...... middle of paper...... a Century". Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Salem Press, 1996. Wiesenfarth, Joe. "Dictionary of Literary Biography 21st Ed. Inc. 1983. OutlineThesis: Accurate Depiction of Methodism Shows His Belief that It Was Not Important to English Rural Life idealII as the reason for DinahB's actions