The Role of Fate in A Tale of Two Cities Often in literature, authors use other characters to dramatically change one's fate instantaneously and beneficially. Charles Dickens' A Tale of Two Cities presents such situations through the characters Lucie Manette, Dr. Manette and Charles Darnay. Lucie, unaware of the existence of her supposedly dead father, Dr. Manette, suddenly discovers through Jarvis Lorry that her father still lives. Lucie learns of the optimistic plans to return her beloved father back to a healthy condition and her future involvement in her father's life. Dr. Manette, after 18 years of imprisonment and harsh treatment, experiences detrimental harm to his mental state and loses his ability to lead a normal life. However, Lorry reunites Dr. Manette with his daughter and travels with them to England in hopes of brightening Dr. Manette's future and improving his deteriorated condition. Later, Charles Darnay, a prisoner in England on trial for treason, receives an acquittal, barely escaping death. Darnay avoids a highly expected guilty verdict with the assistance of his defense lawyers, Mr. Stryver and Mr. Carton. By examining Lucie Manette, Dr. Manette and Charles Darnay, the reader comes to see that through the assistance and intervention of others, one's fate suddenly changes to benefit him. Lucie Manette experiences a positive change of fate with the sudden intervention and assistance of Mr. Lorry. Lorry unexpectedly notifies Lucie of the existence of her father, as he describes his plans and her role in reviving Dr. Manette to a healthy state. "But he has been found. He is alive...Your father has been taken to the house of an old servant in Paris, and we are going there: I, to identify him if I can: you, to restore him to life, love, duty, rest, comfort"(57). Lucie's future takes an optimistic turn, as Lorry informs her of his plans to return her father to healthiness and her obligations in attempting to achieve such a task. Lucie, once unaware of the mere existence of her father, suddenly learns of her ability to meet and live with him, while loving and comforting him to healthiness. Lorry abruptly interjects into Lucie's life, offering her a chance to bond with her father, a once unimaginable opportunity. Lucie, with the intervention of Mr. Lorry, experiences a dramatic and beneficial change of fate, as she can finally develop a relationship with her previously unknown father. Much like Mr. Lorry assists in enhancing Lucie's future, he improves the future of Dr. Manette by facilitating his mental recovery. Lorry travels to France to reunite Dr. Manette with his daughter, Lucie, with the intention of returning to England and improving Dr. Manette's condition. "The prisoner had got into a coach, and his daughter had followed him...Mr. Jarvis Lorry, sitting opposite the buried man who had been dug out, and wondering what subtle powers were forever lost to him, and what were capable of restoration - the old inquiry: `I hope you care to be recalled to life?' "(80-81). Dr. Manette, previously confined in a room and practically buried away from society, suddenly receives a promising opportunity to return to a normal lifestyle. Lorry reunites the lost and confused Dr. Manette with his daughter, hoping that a comforting bond will develop and eventually restore Dr. Manette's mental health. Lorry removes Dr. Manette from his monotonous and miserable existence, as Dr. Manette's once pessimistic future brightens. With Lorry's assistance, Dr. Manette experiences a sudden and beneficial change of fate, as he finally begins to escape the torture of his past and recover to normality. Just as Dr. Manette experiences a beneficial and instantaneous change of fate with the assistance of others, so too does Charles Darnay. Darnay, on trial for treason, barely receives an acquittal, as his defense congratulates him on such a relief. ."..Dr. Manette, Lucie Manette his daughter, Mr. Lorry, the solicitor for the defense, and its counsel Mr. Stryver, stood gathered round Mr. Charles Darnay - just released - congratulating him on his escape from death" (109). Darnay, expected to receive capital punishment, cheats death as his lawyers, Mr. Stryver and Mr. Carton, help allay the heavy accusations against him. Stryver and Carton succeed in accomplishing the unimaginable, freeing such a loathed and wanted convict, as Darnay suddenly transforms from pessimistically sad to victoriously jovial. Darnay, once expecting to die, experiences a sudden and beneficial change of fate as his lawyers, Stryver and Carton, assist him in escaping death. Lucie Manette, Dr. Manette and Charles Darnay all experience a sudden and beneficial change of fate with the assistance of other characters. Mr. Lorry reunites Lucie with her father, Dr. Manette, brightening the future of both of them. Lucie, deprived of a father during childhood, suddenly discovers the existence of her father and her golden opportunity to bond with him. Dr. Manette, troubled by years of harsh treatment, begins his once unimaginable path to recovery. Later, Charles Darnay, a prisoner suspected of treason, avoids a highly expected guilty verdict with assistance of his lawyers, Stryver and Carton. Dickens masterfully depicts that one's fate can change at any instant to benefit him. Hopefully, such a sudden and beneficial change of fate will occur to people worldwide, especially to those living in a constant state of fear and violence.
Steroids are ruining sports in the United States, and they are also going to ruin future athletes if the United States does not put a stop to it. Many young athletes in the United States are taking performance enhancing drugs because they see that professional athletes are doing it and getting results. These teenagers are using steroids because they want to look muscular and fit, but they are not aware of the negative effects steroids have on their bodies. Young athletes do not know that they are not only risking their careers but also their bodies. Steroids may make a person look muscular and fit, but at the same time, it is ruining their heart. Steroids also cause people to act differently and do foolish things like using other drugs. Parents can prevent steroid use by teaching their children about it at a young age and staying involved in their children’s sport lives. Steroids have ruined professional careers. They ruined Lance Armstrong, Marion Jones, and Barry Bonds’ careers and almost ruined Alex Rodriguez’s career. Professional athletes use steroids to improve their performance which is cheating. The game is not fair if someone is performing better by using drugs, and everybody should be performing with what they got. There are many different ways to achieve what they want in fair and healthier way. Many high school athletes are using steroids in the United States. They are not doing it under a doctor’s supervision; therefore, they are ruining their bodies without them knowing. Many of these athletes are looking at the outcome only and not what there are doing to their bodies in addition to getting stronger, muscular, and fit. All governing sport bodies in the United States need to take steroid testing seriously and give at...
Two characters Dickens sets in opposition are Madame Defarge and Lucie Manette. Although Lucie Manette grew up an orphan after her mother died and her father lay languishing anonymously in a prison cell of the Bastille, although she suffered irreparable harm, Lucie Manette always finds within herself the ability to forgive wrongs and love other people. She looks for the best in every human heart and inspires those around her to love and achieve great, nearly impossible goals. Lucie Manette always appears in the form of light, often receiving the appellation of "angel." She provides a soothing disposition to those in torment, patiently listening to sorrows and misdeeds while forgiving and encouraging the miscreant to better ways. Even though she cannot reform Sidney Carton, he realizes that she, more than anyone, would have that power; ho...
At the end of chapter 18, we see that Dr. Manette goes back to making shoes for nine days. Chapter 19 starts off with the morning of the tenth day of Dr. Manette but instead of making shoes, he regained his senses and goes back to normal. Mr. Lorry decides not to confront Dr. Manette about him making shoes for the past nine days but instead tells him about “a curious case in which I am deeply interested.”. Dr. Manette has no recall of the past nine days and nights of him making shoes. Dr. Manette tells Mr. Lorry “the relapse was not unforeseen by its subject.” While they are talking Dr. Manette tells Mr. Lorry that the “subject” is very important but they cannot speak of the subject. Dr. Manette assures Mr. Lorry that the worst is over and everything will be fine, but Mr. Lorry convinces Dr. Manette that his shoe making bench should be destroyed. Dr. Manette tells Mr. Lorry that the shoe making bench should be destroyed in the name of his daughter, Lucie. Two weeks later when Dr. Manette goes out to meet Lucie and her husband (Charles Darnay), Mr Lorry and Miss Pross sneak into Dr. Manette’s room with a chopper, a saw, a chisel, and a hammer while Miss Pross carried the candle. They closed the doors and with a very guilty look on both of their faces, Mr Lorry hacked the shoe making bench to pieces with the ax, while Miss Pross held the candle as if she were assisting a murder. They used the wood of the show making bench ads fire wood and buried all of the shoe making tools, the shoes, and all of the leather in the garden. After doing this, both Miss Pross and Mr. Lorry felt like they had just committed a horrible crime.
Lucie Manette is one of the catalysts of the plot because of how Dickens portrays Lucie as an angel with charm. After Charles Darnay 's first trial, Dr. Manette
Carton thinks, “I see a child who lay upon her bosom and who bore my name, a man whining his way up in that path of life which once was mine. I see him whining it so well, that my name is made illustrious there by the light of his” (364). The child that Carton foresees will become the man Carton always wanted to be. Not only did his fate benefit Darnay and his descendants, but Carton was rid of his past miseries that made him a prisoner during his life. Upon hearing about Darnay’s imprisonment, Dr. Manette attempted to change Darnay’s fate of dying by the guillotine. Dr. Manette promised, “I knew I could help Charles out of all danger; I told Lucie so” (253). However, Dr. Manette’s forgotten past of his unjust imprisonment in Bastille reappears through his own letter denouncing Darnay, giving Carton his golden opportunity to give himself for Darnay. After taking the letter addressed to the Marquis St. Evrémonde, Darnay was surprised upon reading the letter to know that his loyal servant Gabelle was in danger and felt compelled to save Gabelle. “...the winds and streams had driven him within the influence of the Loadstone Rock, and it was drawing him to itself, and he must go. Everything that arose before his mind drifted him on, faster and faster, more and more steadily, to the terrible attraction” (234). After Carton fulfilled his fate of sacrificing himself, Darnay was freed from his attachment with France and settled in England once and for all. Through the connections of the character’s imprisonment, Dickens illustrates that only a sacrifice could change the fate of
Lucie Manette is a compassionate and benevolent character that aids in the resurrection of Sydney Carton and Dr. Manette. At the beginning of the book Lucie is only 17, but maturity beyond her age is reflected in her character. She is the ideal Victorian lady, perfect in every way. Lucie is gorgeous, with long, beautiful golden hair. She is very positive and unselfish, always willing to help others. Her wonderfully kind and sympathetic nature causes the men to fall in love with her. She doesn't look down upon anyone and sees the best in who some may see the worst. These qualities in Lucy are what make possible the resurrections of Sydney Carton and Dr. Manette's lives.
“There can be many reason for animal cruelty, like any other form of violence, is often committed by a person who feels powerless, unnoticed, or under control of others. Some who are cruel to animals copy acts what they have seen or that have been done to them, others see harming an animal as a safe way to get revenge against--or threaten-- someone who cares about that animal”. (“Animal… Statistics”) Concerns towards abusing animals have gone up in the past. Although there are not many cases on animal abuse, many have occurred. Abusers are charged with Criminal Animal Abuse and then sentenced to life in prison. Some animals that are physically abused are sometimes rescued by Animal Control, and are taken it to an animal shelter. However, many shelters have not had the space to keep the animals so the workers would have to put them down (Carol Roach). Researchers have shown that the main animals getting abused are dogs, chickens, horses, and livestock (“Animal...
A Doctor Alexandre Manette was captured for 18 years in France and was being freed at the beginning of the book. While imprisoned he became a shoemaker and became quite good at it. His daughter Lucie, along with Jarvis Lorry, a banker and friend to Lucie, rescued him. They went back to live in England and Lucie would come to marry Charles Darnay, also known as Charles Evrémonde, and they would have a daughter. Darnay was brought up with money in France and an old servant sent him a letter asking for his help; because he was stuck in jail and sentenced to death. Darnay ended up going to France to help him, but was put jail himself for entering France without papers. Lucie and her family met with Mr. Lorry, who was already in France on business,
Lucie Manette Darnay played an important and symbolic role in the novel. Dickens described her as “the golden thread” of the novel, weaving its good throughout the plot. Along with her good nature, she was also young and attractive. Dickens described her as having:
Dr. Manette is resurrected, or recalled to life, multiple times in A Tale of Two Cities. Lucie Manette, Dr. Manette’s daughter, always helps in saving him. Dr. Manette’s story begins with him being imprisoned in the Bastille. He gets out after eighteen years and stays at Monsieur Defarge, an old servant’s house. This is where Lucie meets him for the first time. She instantly tries to help save him. She insists on taking him out of Paris with her to keep him safe. He goes with her to a court hearing for Charles Darnay, where she speaks in court and he is acquitted. Charles and Lucie fall in love and plan to get married. On their wedding day Charles has a private conversation with Dr. Manette. During this conversation he tells Dr. Manette his real name, Charles Evrémonde. The next day, Mr. Lorry discovers that Dr. Manette has a relapse and is making shoes, as he did in prison. This relapse lasts nine days and nine nights. Afterwards, Mr. Lorry tells Dr. Manette that he has to get rid of his shoe making tools. Dr. Manette is hesitant until Mr. Lorry brings up Lucie saying, “‘I would recommend him to sacrifice it. Come! Give me your authority, like a dear good man. For his daughter’s sake, my dear Manette’… ‘In her name, then, let it be done.’”(232). This shows that Lucie is the only thing he cares about. In this way Lucie saved him as well. These are two w...
Every 60 seconds an animal is abused. Dogs, cats, horses, and many other types of animals are being neglected and tortured everyday, yet resulting in few and minor consequences for the perpetrators. Animal abuse is prevalent in the United States and has been an ongoing issue since the 1970's, and prior to. Society as a whole has chosen to avoid the facts and arguments about animal cruelty, because to some it is seen as acceptable and typical. It becomes much more frowned upon when people actually see the results of the cruelty, especially in the media.
...r. Manette are fully resurrected. Dr. Manette, who went to the Bastille for 18 years, now has the courage to return to prison to help Lucie’s husband, Charles Darnay. Dr. Manette knows that as the Bastille prisoner, he is something of a celebrity in Paris. He says, “I have a charmed life in this city [Paris]. I have been a Bastille prisoner” (XX) Dr. Manette speaks of his degradation as something preeminent. He is proud to have suffered at the hands of the upper class, and lived to tell the tale. This is wildly different from earlier in the novel when Dr. Manette didn’t ever even speak of his imprisonment. The incident that proves Dr. Manette is fully resurrected is when he goes back into the prison to rescue Darnay. Dr. Manette finds a job as “the inspection physician of three prisons” (XX) Dr. Manette does this to save Darnay, whom he knows is close to Lucie.
Dr. Alexander Manette was a prisoner in the Bastille (Frances symbolism for Royal Authority) for 18 years. He is eventually released and he travels to London with Jarivs Lorry of Tellson bank, who had raised his daughter since Manette was imprisoned. Since Alexander had been imprisoned for so long he had lost touch with life, love, rest, duty and comfort which his daughter helps to bring out in him again.
Proclaiming his love to Lucie Manette before her wedding, Carton has a turning point and becomes enlightened. Carton converses with Miss Manette, "O Miss Manette... think now and then that there is a man who would give his life, to keep a life you love beside you" (156). Apparently, Carton becomes a changed man; he becomes a caring person who tries to help others. However, Carton always noticed Lucie Manette; when they were in the courtroom, Carton focuses on Miss Manette. Dickens describes the scene, "when Miss Manette's head dropped upon her father's breast, he was the first to see it." Carton constantly focuses on Lucie. He makes her the center of his attention.
When The two meet, Lucie is informed that her father is alive. This news awakens fear and trepidation in her breast and the two journey to Paris. They proceed to a wine shop in the Saint Antoine region and there they meet Ernest Defarge, keeper of the wine shop and a former servant of Dr. Manette's. Defarge has been caring for the doctor pending the arrival of Lucie and Mr. Lorry. The Shopkeeper takes them to a garret room where they see an old, white-haired man making shoes: it is Doctor Manette, who took up the trade in prison and who now thinks of himself only as a shoemaker, having forgotten his earlier existence. After an emotional scene between father and daughter, during which there is a brief flicker of remembrance in the doctor's eyes, arrangements are made for the three to leave Paris immediately. In a short while Defarge bids good-bye to them as the coach sets out for Calais with its three passengers, on the first leg of the trip to London.