Comparing Darnay And Charles Carton

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Patrick McMahon Mrs. Conetta English 9 Honors B-2 26 March 2014 Two Men, Alike and Different: Charles Darnay and Sydney Carton Two characters within Charles Dicken’s A Tale of Two Cities stand out the most: Charles Darnay and Sydney Carton. While they both love Lucie, only one man makes the ultimate sacrifice for her and her family: his life. Sydney Carton giving up his life for Lucie and her family illustrates one of the stark differences between Darnay and Carton. However, at the same time, both men share many similarities. When the reader first encounters Sydney Carton, Sydney is a self-deprecating, poor unfortunate soul that has nothing to live for. This contrasts with the persona of Charles Darnay, as he marries Lucie, with whom Carton is in love. Carton even comments to Darnay, “I am a disappointed drudge, sir. I care for no man on Earth, and no man on Earth cares for me” (70, Dickens). This quote further affirms Carton’s depressed disposition. Carton, in contrast to Darnay is also described as “careless and slovenly, if not debouched” (72, Dickens). Carton, a seemi...

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