More handpicked essays just for you.
A tale of two cities, the two main characters
A tale of two cities setting of story
A tale of two cities, the two main characters
Don’t take our word for it - see why 10 million students trust us with their essay needs.
Moral and Immoral Conversions in A Tale of Two Cities
A conversion in the Webster's Dictionary is described as a change from one belief to another. In the novel A Tale of Two Cities, the acclaimed author Charles Dickens uses his great imaginative power to create a superior artwork in literary terms. A Tale of Two Cities is an in-depth story about the lives of people in the two countries of France and England during the French Revolution. Through the process of the novel many of the characters go through changes. The most drastic of these changes are moral or immoral conversions which empower the characters to become greater or lesser of human beings. The three characters who take moral or immoral conversion to the greatest extent are Sydney Carton , Dr. Manette, and Madame Defarge.
The character who goes through moral conversion to the greatest extent is Sydney Carton. Sydney is a frustrated alcoholic who does not really seem to care too much about life, because life for him has not been too good. His moral conversion begins the first time his eyes see Lucie Manette, the beautiful young daughter of Dr. Alexander Manette. This occurs during the first trial of Charles
Darney. Barbara Hardy describes this first trial and how Carton comes about saving Charles in her essay "The Change of Heart in Dicken's Novels." She writes
It is significant that when Sydney Carton first sees Darnay, he performs a good act, using the striking resemblance to break down the witness who is identifying Darnay, and saving his double for the first time(43).
To the reader Sydney is presented as a man who places alcohol as his first priority. But now that he has met Lucie, he begins to set his priorities straight and he pyts Lucie in fro...
... middle of paper ...
...ause she kills herself by her own immorality.
The three characters who have moral or immoral conversions are Sydney Carton, Dr. Alexandre Manette, and Madame Defarge. By ending his life to rescue the life of Charles, Sydney reaches the climax of morality, Dr. Manette grows morally and he is no longer the hermit stuck in the prison cell, Madame Defarge converts to immortality which in the end kills her. In conclusion, it is evident that in this novel those who had a moral conversions were rewarded with true happiness earthly or otherwise, while those who had immoral conversions were doomed to eternal damnation.
Bibliography:
Dickens, Charles. A Tale of Two Cities. New York: Pocket Books Inc., 1957.
Hardy, Barbara. "The Change of Heart in Dickens Novels." Dickens
Ed. Martin Price. New Jersey: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1967: 10.
During the final event of the book, Carton sacrifices his life. He saves Darnays life purely for the happiness of Lucie. Carton drugs Darnay and Barsad takes him to the carriage outside where his family is waiting.
Sidney Carton’s conversation with Lucie Manette is an example of foreshadowing. Mr. Carton confesses to Lucie that he loves her and also states, “ For you, and any dear to you, I would do anything” (Dickens 117). Even though Carton does not distinctly know that he will be sacrificing his life, this phrase foreshadows the ending of the novel, which requires Mr. Carton sacrificing himself to save Darnay. In the chapter when Mr. Carton and Charles Darnay are switching places, Sidney Carton has Darnay write to Lucie, “’I am thankful that the time has come, when I can prove them. That I do so is no subject for regret or grief’” (Dickens 273). Mr. Carton does something for Lucie like he previously stated he would. At the end of the novel, Sidney Carton feels like he achieved and fulfilled his purpose in life by saving Darnay for Lucie.
Another noticeable sacrifice made for the sake of principle was made in Book The Second, entitled “The Golden Thread,” also by Dr. Manette. Charles Darnay reveals the truth about himself and his family history. He tells Dr. Manette his real identity and that he is heir to the Marquis St. Evremonde. In Book The Third, entitled “The Track of a Storm,” Sydney Carton makes an astounding sacrifice for the sake of principle when he fulfills his promise to Lucie Manette, his true love, that he will one day sacrifice himself for the person whom Lucie loves. In “Recalled to Life,” Dr. Manette makes a very great sacrifice for the sake of principle.
When Carton is being taken to the guillotine, he meets a young seamstress who was imprisoned with Darnay. She soon discovers that Carton is not actually Darnay, ““Are you dying for him?” she whispered. “And his wife and child. Hush! Yes.”” (Dickens 365). Caron is asked by the seamstress if he is sacrificing himself for Darnay. Carton replies that he is, but also for Darnay’s wife and child, Lucie and little Lucie. This shows why Carton is sacrificing himself. Carton, though he is saving Darnay’s life, is ultimately giving his life to save Lucie and her child, as well as the future children she and Darnay will have. His love for Lucie is the true reason he commits such an act of self-violence. Sydney Carton’s sacrifice is heroic because he willingly gives his life to save Darnay’s and to preserve the happiness of his family (Keck). Carton is ultimately driven by his love for the Manette family, and his desire to protect them and the love they have for one another. Though Sydney Carton is seemingly a failure, “his redeeming grace is his love for Lucie, which persuades him to sacrifice himself so that she and her family can escape” (Plot Summary). Again, this shows that Carton’s sacrifice is driven by the love he holds for Lucie. Everything Carton told Lucie he would do for her and her family has ultimately
...l that when prompted by inordinate greed, overwhelming power, and conspicuous injustice, man reveals his inhumanity towards his fellow man. These seemingly basic human ideas seem to have a very inhuman effect on the character in the novel, causing them to become tragic shadows of humans with little knowledge of what is right and what is wrong. Whether in the French Revolution or in modern society, when these negative changes take root and grow, man loses the simple morals he was born with and does not see his neighbor as an individual. For in the end, it is Sydney Carton or those types of people who in one single act redeem humanity. Quite simply, it is, “A far, far better thing that I do, than I have ever done; it is a far, far better rest that I go to than I have ever known”(293).
... by his daughter and he is returned to sanity. Sydney Carton's life is changed from despair to honor. Because of the great change in Carton, Darnay's life is spared. The power of love and determination is clearly exemplified by the resurrection of Dr. Alexander Manette, Sydney Carton, and Charles Darnay.
Dickens creates immortality for Sydney's character with the intention of showing the reader that those who live by a Christian moral code will be rewarded with immortality. Sydney begins as a sordid character so the reader will realize that anyone can follow the path of righteousness, regardless of how sinful one is to begin with. Dickens intends the evolution of Sydney's character to function as inspiration for the reader to incorporate both selfless kindness and self-sacrifice into his or her ethical code. By giving immortality in exchange for Sydney's selfless kindness and martyrdom, Dickens radiates his moral agenda of Christian values as a moving story to inspire Victorian society towards Christian morals.
Charles Darnay is a French aristocrat who decides to move to England because he could not deal with the cruel ways of the French, especially his uncle, the Marquis. He is an ambiguous character because he is seen by society a negative person because he is a part of the Evrémonde family while he is actually the complete opposite. That was the reason he left his country, “because he had voluntarily relinquished a title that was distasteful to him” (Dickens 288) to get away from his family
Yet when Charles was sentenced to death, Sydney Carton comes in and saves him. This is the real beginning of Darnay's
The most prevalent example of characters that are foils is the pair of Charles Darnay and Sydney Carton. These two men are extraordinarily similar, and yet they are also polar opposites. When Darnay and Carton are both introduced for the first time in the courthouse scene in Book the Second, Dickens immediately ensures that the reader is aware of the comparison. Darnay is acquitted of treason simply because the witnesses are unsure of their testimony after seeing Carton’s near-identical features. In addition to virtually sharing a countenance, the two also tend to dress alike throughout the novel. However, these similarities are merely the backdrop by which to accentuate the key differences between the characters. These are also recognized early on, even by the dim-witted Jerry Cruncher: “so alike each other in feature, so unlike each other in manner” (80). Carton is a relatively poor Englishman, while Darnay is a privileged French aristocrat. Although they have similar capabilities, Darnay uses his situation in life to his advantage, and Carton develops a disrespectful attitude and alcoholism. When the characters themselv...
Sydney Carton, being one of the most dynamic characters in A Tale of Two Cities, proves his charisma by devoting himself to help Charles Darnay avoid his execution and live on with the Manette Family alongside Lucie Manette, his wife. Carton’s intuitive plan to rescue Charles Darnay from La Force shows his true character, especially since he knows he will inevitably recieve execution by the guillotine. Sydney Carton lives a very monotonous and uneventful life, additionally criticizing himself that he has wasted his time doing absolutely nothing. To clarify his personality, Sydney Carton indeed cares for no man, and “no man on earth cares for [him]”. This idea that Sydney Carton cares for no man notably points out that he is indeed a very sickly
		Sydney Carton has been presented as the worthless human being. He was always drunk. He did not acquire any high social position. He was always alone and lonely. Nobody loved him and nobody respected him. "I care for no man on earth, and no man on earth cares for me" said Carton (page 99). However, Sydney Carton did never cause any harm to anybody, but actually helped the people around him. Sydney Carton was physically identical to Charles Darnay. When Darnay was being prosecuted for treason against the English government, Carton allowed Mr. Stryver (the lawyer Carton worked for) to reveal him "Look well upon that gentleman, my learned friend there, and then look well upon the prisoner. How say you? Are they very like each other?" said Stryver (page 86). "My lord inquired of Mr. Stryver, whether they were next to try Mr. Carton for treason? But Mr. Stryver replied no" (Page 86). The court then released Darnay. This was one of the ways Sydney Carton presented assistance to others, and that shows that he is a good person who does not mind helping other people. After the trial Carton and Darnay met with each other, and they had a talk. Mr. Carton had told Darnay that he hated him because Lucy loved him. Couple of months after this incident, Mr. Carton asked to meet with Mr. Darnay. Carton asked Darnay to forgive him for the previous incident and also asked him to be his friend. "Mr. Darnay, I wish we might be friends" said Carton (page 251) "On the drunken occasion in...
As implied by the statement “recalled to life” Dr. Manette, Charles Darnay, and Sydney Carton are all resurrected or saved. Lucie Manette saves Dr. Manette more than once. Charles Darnay is saved three times, once by Dr. Manette and twice by Sydney Carton. Sydney Carton is recalled by Lucie Manette by being opened up to having a purpose in life. All three people are saved by others. This shows to never give up on loved ones; one never knows when they will need to be recalled to life.
A wastrel, Carton has no hope for a successful career in law. After paying him fees from the trial, Darnay remarks and Carton responds, ““I think you have been drinking, Mr Carton.... and no man on earth cares for me”” (99). Darnay thanks Carton for saving his life and Carton admits that he has wasted his potential and has no connections in life. Although Carton has immensely more talent in the law than his more successful associate Stryver, his lack of ambition keeps him in the position of the jackal that kills but receives no credit. Despite his unkempt appearance, Carton also retains high morals throughout the novel and has the courage to sacrifice himself all along. He tells Lucie, ““O miss Manette... to keep a life you love beside you!”” (179). Carton tells Lucie to remember his promise of sacrificing his life for one close to her. Carton does not change into a redeeming character, he possesses his strong values from the beginning. Dickens’s portrayal of Carton poses the strongest paradox of the novel as he introduces his character as a drunk and seemingly of no consequence but in the end Carton reveals his sacrificial character that he had all
Charles Darnay, Evremonde as we know him, is a rich leader of France. On the other hand, a lawyer, whose name is Sydney Carton, seems to not care about anyone but himself. However, when he met Lucie Manette, his life was changed a little bit and added her in his circle of obligation. Both of these guys, in our case Charles Darnay and Sydney Carton, felt something unique to Lucie Manette. While Darnay is being sentenced for treason and Lucie is one of the witnesses against Darnay, Carton seems to see the similarity between himself and Darnay and presented it to the court of law The Court of Law point out some similar appearances between them and no one is quite sure if both ...