Chapter Two

placed under a time constraint. As for this experiment, an inspiration from George A. Miller will be used to conduct this research. Miller was a founder of cognitive psychology who discovered that people are able to memorize seven numbers plus or minus two digits. He called this “The Magical Number 7, plus or minus 2”, in which he believed it is the amount of capacity people are able to recall when using their short term memory. Furthermore, a conclusion on whether males or females have better…

A vast majority of literary devices subside in a Tale of Two Cities that include: symbolism, satire, and foreshadowing. Strategically placing them throughout the book, Charles Dickens enhances his novel with his knowledge of literary devices. Foreshadowing technique resides in a Tale of Two Cities where the author is attempting to anticipate future events, such as when the non-wealthy peasants would bend down and attempt to drink the spilled wine from the broken casket. Provokingly, Dickens…

The Great Cat Massacre: Deciphering Cultural Symbols In Darnton’s second chapter, Workers Revolt: The Great Cat Massacre of The Rue Saint-Séverin, Darnton explores the bizarre ritualized cat massacre of the rue Saint-Séverin during the late 1730s. Examining the symbology behind the cat in French culture, as well as the historical context behind the massacre, Darnton weaves together a complex story that transcends far beyond the gruesome deaths of la grise, and the cats of the rue Saint-Séverin.…

Sacrifice Throughout history there have been many wars and revolutions, just as such, there have been many epics, novels, and poems written about them. In Charles Dicken’s A Tale of Two Cities, a book about families, friends, and leaders that are involved in the French Revolution, one will find the usage of symbolize to best explain a variety of themes and characters; along with this the reader will discover the usage of motifs that serve the purpose of showing the need for a revolution,…

Foils are two characters that contrast each other in order to establish their personalities quickly. They have been used for centuries to bring depth and complexity to characters without much effort. Charles Dickens uses his foils to bring light to the other's personal situation or experiences. In A Tale of Two Cities, Lucie Manette and Madame Defarge are foils of each other, with their conflicting themes of the "golden thread" and darkness. Lucie Manette shows kindness and compassion while…

Within The Other Paris, Canadian writer Mavis Gallant’s satirical portrayal of modern society progressively reveals humanity’s current reliance on procedural thought to accomplish all tasks. Identifying both Carol and Howard Mitchell as severely misguided characters through her blind trust in college courses and his desperate attempt to live according to society’s expectations, the passage illustrates the cold logic that begins to encroach on the community’s mind, eliminating the basic nature…

The historical fiction A Tale of Two Cities set in London, England and Paris, France depicts the French Revolution. The novel by Charles Dickens is understanding towards the overthrow of French aristocracy, but very harsh towards the Reign of Terror that followed. From the title and throughout the book, Dickens uses the motif duality to highlight his themes and to connect the past and the present which is demonstrated through the connected cities of London and Paris, contrasting female…

The characters in a Tale of Two Cities by, Charles Dickens have the capability to choose their own fate, through the actions they do throughout the novel. They control a major part of their own lives, but they are still easily influenced by their surroundings. There are some situations in which they must succumb to their pre-determined destinies and must accept their fate. Forces around them play an immense part in making them choose a particular decision, which leads them to a variety of…

A Tale of Two Cities is a historical novel which describes the lives and events of people living during the time of the French Revolution. The story takes place in London and Paris from 1775–1793. It is written in an ominous and dark tone, since it deals with a considerable number of rebellion and violence occurring during this time. Not only does it deal with violence, but it also focuses on the social upheaval and inequality between those of the aristocrat class and the peasant class. Dickens…

grew tired of the malevolence and poverty they faced at the hands of the French aristocracy (Sarpparaje 125). Charles Dickens’s novel A Tale of Two Cities follows the lives of numerous characters living in London, England and Paris, France. It begins in the year 1775, just before the start of the French Revolution (Dickens 5). Throughout the book A Tale of Two Cities, Charles Dickens shows sympathy towards both the aristocracy and the revolutionaries; however, although he shows sympathy to both,…