Dickens's Motif Of Double In Sydney Carton And Mr. Sttryver

Sydney Carton and Mr. Stryver following along in Dickens’s motif of double are alike and different in their demeanor, in that they share some common traits and values. If one was to look at their similarities, one could go all the back to where they knew each other, which was way back to when they were in school, where they were known as surly drunks. Also after their college careers, they both still continued to drink. “‘And now we have done, Sydney, fill a bumper of punch’” (Dickens 93). Another similarity between the two is their selfishness. Mr. Stryver was known for his selfishness, since he was only out for himself. He is used to getting what he wants, very boastful, very ambitious toward others. “‘You shall not put me in the wrong, …show more content…
Stryver based upon their demeanor, one can apply the same device in regards to the resolution for each character. As Sydney Carton’s character begins to change over the course of the novel, he recognizes his selfish behavior and wants to break free from his co-dependency that he has with Mr. Stryver. His co-dependency is explained in the analogy of the jackal and the lion. “Sydney Carton would never be a lion, he was an amazingly good jackal” (Dickens 90). In the quote Sydney Carton is thinking to himself and he compares himself to Mr. Stryver as the jackal. A jackal is an animal that feeds off the scraps of other predators, such as the lion. Sydney feeds off of Mr. Stryver’s success, but in the end it does not really help him to be really known for accomplishments from the beginning. By comparison, both characters have an end goal in terms of marrying, specifically to Lucie Manette, but their motives are different. Sydney Carton wanted to marry her, but saw that he did not have a good chance to actually marry her; however, he makes a vow to Lucie saying that he would protect her and any of her potential lovers no matter the cost. “‘So afflicted to find that his friend has drawn a prize in the lottery of Sainte Guillotine?’” (Dickens 367). One of the prisoners has noticed that the person in line for the guillotine is not Charles Darnay, but actually Sydney Carton. Carton swapped places with …show more content…
In the novel Sydney Carton, the once ruthless jackal, makes several sacrifices and is restored and recalled to life. However, in contrast Mr. Stryver, Sydney’s pair in the novel, does not make similar sacrifices, therefore, does not go through the process from death to rebirth. Carton’s journey from death to rebirth begins when he loses his father during college. The death affected Carton greatly and he “followed his father to the grave” (Dickens 325). In a literal sense, Carton attended his father’s funeral; however, in a metaphorical sense, Carton died that day. This began Carton’s downward spiral to drinking and other coping mechanisms that we see in the beginning of the novel. Both men in the beginning of the novel were described as lazy drunks and Sydney Carton furthermore characterized as “the idlest and most unpromising of men” (Dickens 90). Similarly, Mr. Stryver was not an upstanding man either and “never seemed to have a case in his hand”. Sydney Carton “was Stryver’s great ally” (Dickens 90). Carton realizes that his life is going in no particular direction and has no choice, but to live in “‘rust and repose’” (Dickens 94), meaning that Carton is lacking ambition similarly to his colleague, Mr. Stryver, and accepts the fact that both have “fallen into your rank, and I have fallen into mine” (Dickens 94) and appears to given up to make something of himself. Carton