The Two Paths

is corruption, defined as fraudulent acts by those in power. As corruption is an inherently political affliction, Charles Dickens cannot help but comment on it in A Tale of Two Cities. The plot expounds upon the French Revolution, and naturally splits characters into two groups: the Revolutionaries and the aristocracy. The two groups—both of whom hold polar ideas for the future of France—repeatedly and violently clash as the plot progresses with the eventual victory of the Revolution. Through…

emptiness or an “I could have done better” perspective towards life. Attachment and desire won’t allow people to live the good life because the meaning and purpose will eventually fade away. But the solution to eliminate desire is to follow the Eightfold Path which states to respect others with love and truthfulness while having an understanding of the world as it is, which leads to reaching Nirvana. Stoics believe in not seeking passion and to treat things in life as if you want the events in…

like hitting a reset button to get a second chance. One should live constantly working to escape this cycle and reach salvation. Above all, I believe Genji’s story is about second chances. Lady Muraski creates repetitions to draw a parallel between two timelines. The original timeline belongs to the King. He is the first revolution readers witness. The second revolution is Genji’s life, fueled by the residual centripetal energy…

Brutality like what is seen in the book A Tale of Two Cities, doesn’t come out of the woodwork. It must be nurtured and fed, groomed. Brutality shown in the novel A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens, comes from pure, unadulterated hatred. It comes from years of oppression and social bullying. There are two prisons in the book; La Force and the Bastille. And many punishments for those like the characters Gaspard and Doctor Manette. All of these prisons are places of horrendous mistreatment…

Love and Hate, a clashing force with a common purpose: to unify people and bring about change, but which is more powerful? In A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens, the theme of love and hate can be found throughout the novel. Lucie’s “Golden Thread” tied all the men in her life together, transforming them into a better person. She is a virtuous woman who represents unconditional love and inspires loyalty and compassion in others. On the other hand, Madame Defarge’s abhorrence towards the…

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,…

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…

to come. The first two books of this novel are in the peasants favor, depicting the fight they had to overcome every day. However, the third book is much more powerful. He clearly states how innocent and sad the aristocrats became as they were murdered inhumanely by the ravenous peasants. With these important details, it is shown that Charles Dickens did sympathize with the upper class citizens of the novel. To contradict this thesis, there are many examples from the first two books, ‘Recalled…

“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 (Dickens, 446)”. Charles Dickens wrote A Tale of Two Cities, a book about Charles Darnay, Sydney Carton, Alexandre Manette, and Lucie Manette set around the French Revolution. In this book, many characters were faced with hardships and stumbled upon the recurring theme of being recalled to life. Sydney Carton, however, had the most interesting story for behind…

Fate in A Tale of Two Cities Fate cannot be altered or modified because it is a course in life that is forever destined to occur. Fate unites the people of France under one banner to overthrow a corrupt, violent, and aristocratic government who causes the national poverty, food shortages, and the uneven distribution of wealth throughout the nation. The Evremonde brothers imprison Dr. Manette for 18 years for accepting his fate of helping them cure two peasant people and later reporting the…