Moral and Immoral Conversions in A Tale of Two Cities

1274 Words3 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: a tale of two cities the two main characters

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.

Show More
Related

  • Ambiguous Characters In A Tale Of Two Cities

    706 Words  | 2 Pages

    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

    Read More

  • Tale Of Two Cities Dialectical Journal

    2442 Words  | 5 Pages

    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.

    Read More

  • Ambiguous Characters In A Tale Of Two Cities

    642 Words  | 2 Pages

    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 and ambiguous character because he is seen by society a negative person because he is a part of the Evrémonde family. That

    Read More

  • The Metamorphosis of Sydney Carton

    1445 Words  | 3 Pages

    The elusive Sydney Carton is depicted as a “man of habit” (Sims 229-220). Because Carton is such a habitual man, it gives his character a sense of stability and, therefore, gives the novel a sense of stability also. Some readers even conclude that Carton’s habitual patterns contribute to him sacrificing his life. When he takes the place of Charles Darnay, he “brings to light the stability and constancy of his character initially occluded by his socially inappropriate or ‘elusive qualities’” (Sims 221).

    Read More

  • Tale Of Two Cities Passage Analysis Essay

    474 Words  | 1 Pages

    Sydney’s execution seems to allow him to forgive and redeem himself for his past wrongdoings. In his final actions (such as the reassurance of the weaver girl and the Bible quotation), Carton appears to better himself as a person in his last moments of personhood. In addition, Sydney potentially improves the life of future generations by giving up his own. He is motivated by the thought his love, Lucie, and Darnay having a child of his namesake, and pledges that his loyalty and death will mean betterment for thousands of good people. This is supported by the following quote: “I see him [Darnay’s child] winning it so well, that my name is made illustrious there by the light of his. I see the blots I threw upon it, faded away.” (pg. ) Carton’s choice could either be seen as a noble rebirth, Christ-like in its execution, or a final self-indulgent act of fatalism. However, Dickens certainly seems to think that he is nothing less than a

    Read More

  • How Does Charles Dickens Create Suspense In A Tale Of Two Cities

    1222 Words  | 3 Pages

    Stryver points out the similarities in appearance between Charles Darnay and Sydney Carton to the witness against the prisoner. The witness was asked if he had ever seen prisoner Charles Darnay, but Stryver confuses him by saying, “Look well upon the gentleman, my learned friend there,’ pointing to him who had tossed the paper over, ‘and then look well upon the prisoner. How say you? Are they very like each other?” (Dickens 55). Sydney Carton and Charles’ Darnay’s looks are so similar that the witness testifies against seeing Darnay and Darnay is acquitted. Darnay and Carton’s similarities come in advantage again when Madame Defarge sees Carton at her wine shop and immediately notices that Carton and Darnay look ”a good deal like” (263). Carton walks into the Defarges’ wine shop because he wishes for the Defarges to know that there is a man who looks similar to Darnay. Carton wants this to assure that he and his look-a-like cannot be easily differentiated when he frees Darnay by switching places with him. Finally, Darnay and Carton’s likeness allows Carton to make the ultimate sacrifice of his life by switching places with Darnay, who is to be executed. Carton meets a little seamstress on the way to the

    Read More

  • Resurrection in A Tale of Two Cities

    1152 Words  | 3 Pages

    ... 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.

    Read More

  • Christianity in a Tale of Two Cities

    1696 Words  | 4 Pages

    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.

    Read More

  • Summary of A Tale Of Two Cities

    417 Words  | 1 Pages

    On a boat trip, Lucie meets a young man named Charles Darnay and is taken with him. They discuss the American Revolution. Darnay is a Frenchman, but he has relinquished the title of his nobility. He is tried for treason in England. However, Darnay's lawyer, Sydney Carton, points out that there is no way to prove that Darnay could have done it because the two men look alike and the witness could not say for sure that it was Darnay.

    Read More

  • A Tale of Two Cities, by Charles Dickens

    1389 Words  | 3 Pages

    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...

    Read More

  • Free Essays on A Tale of Two Cities: Theme of Resurrection

    588 Words  | 2 Pages

    The best example of resurrection in the entire book, is also partly ironic in that Sydney Carton must die for this resurrection to take place, when he is executed on the guillotine in Paris. However, his death is not in the book as Dicken's idea of poetic justice, as in the  case of the villains, but rather as a divine reward. This is displayed when Carton decides to sacrifice himself by dying on the guillotine instead of Darnay, with "I am the Resurrection and the life." This theme of resurrection appears earlier on with Carton's prophecy, where  he envisions a son to be born to Lucie and Darnay, a son who will bear Carton's name. Thus he will symbolically be reborn through Lucie and Darnay's child. This vision serves another purpose, though. In the early parts of the novel, Lucie and Darnay have a son, who dies when he is a very young child.

    Read More

  • Charles Dickens' A Tale of Two Cities

    617 Words  | 2 Pages

    his true love for Lucie. After the second arrest of Charles Darnay, Carton urges Dr.

    Read More

  • Charles Darnay Comparison

    1512 Words  | 4 Pages

    Like his wife Lucie Manette, Charles Darnay is a largely passive character. Although his manners and behavior are impeccable and his intentions are well-meant, he is incapable of performing the important tasks to which he commits himself. Both his arrests take place while he is in the process of trying to extract friends or former servants from difficulties.

    Read More

  • "Recalled to Life" in A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens

    758 Words  | 2 Pages

    ...he will do anything for her, even die for someone she loves. Lucie recalls Sydney by opening him up to doing something with his life. He later uses this new mindset to save Charles’s life. After Sydney is inspired to make something of his life he vows to do something good. To do this, he dies for Charles Darnay to show his love for Lucie. This is how Sydney Carton is recalled to life.

    Read More

  • Unconditional Love Forgiveness And Mercy Research Paper

    867 Words  | 2 Pages

    ...seen. Sydney Carton, therefore, would be an exemplary disciple to this. It is Sydney Carton's unmatched love for Lucie results in giving up the ultimate sacrifice—his life. Fufilling his promise to Lucie, Carton trades places with Charles Darnay, a man he despises, on his execution day, sparing Darnay’s life but ending his own. His death enables the woman he loves to be with the life she loves.

    Read More

More about Moral and Immoral Conversions in A Tale of Two Cities

Open Document