Tale Of Two Cities Reflection Essay

Throughout this passage, Sydney Carton experiences both the best of times and the worst of times in his life. A Tale of Two Cities, by Charles Dickens, tells the story of Lucie Manette, a young girl who finally meets her father, a man that has been in prison all her life. This narrative takes place in Paris and London during the time of the French Revolution. Lucie eventually falls in love with a man, Charles Darnay, who was on trial and together, the two have a child. The adventures of this young family and their connections to the revolution are told. Eventually, Lucie’s husband is condemned to death and a close family friend named Sydney Carton sacrifices his life to allow Darnay to survive. In Book the Third, Chapter 9, Dickens’ includes …show more content…
Carton is described as being a tired man who had “wandered and struggled and got lost”( ). This is an example of the author using diction to establish this cold-hearted tone. The word “wandered” suggests that Carton did not know where he was going and was moving about aimlessly. This can be compared to his life up to this point. His life hasn’t had a direction and he was basically going through the motions with no purpose. Sydney Carton had “followed his father to the grave”( ). This metaphor signifies that when Carton’s dad died his life was essentially over as well, reinforcing the idea that Carton’s life did not have a purpose to it. Ever since his father passed away, he has not been the same person. Carton’s life not having purpose to it contributes to the depressing and disappointing …show more content…
This happier tone is described when Dickens communicates the surrounding area. He states that Carton “crossed the street again for the lighter streets”( ). Carton crossing this street can be compared to his life changing. Instead of his useless life from before, Carton wants to be a better man so he crosses the street for the “lighter streets” or better life in his case. Dickens later describes the “night wore out”( ). The night coming to an end is also a metaphor to Carton’s changed life. Analogous to the night ending, Carton’s dark days are over. Just as the night ends, Carton’s meaningless life ends. This causes the sun to rise signifying he has a better life ahead. Dickens goes on portraying the sky, “the glorious sun, rising, seemed to strike”( ). Just like the night and his early life are similar, the sun and his new life can be compared. The sun rising is a metaphor to his life changing. He has a bright future ahead of him. This depiction of Carton’s surroundings given by Dickens contributes to this change in