Sydney Carton Character Analysis Essay

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Recommended: Settings in a tale of two cities

Novel Study: “A Tale of Two Cities" by Charles Dickens
Ben Davison

CHARACTER

1. Sydney Carton is an example of a dynamic character.
2. At the beginning of the novel, Sydney Carton appears as a lazy, rude, alcoholic attorney. He has no interest in anything, not even in his own life, which he describes as a waste of time. He cares for nothing and no one. This changes as he begins to develop feelings for Lucie Manette. Before Lucie and Charles Darnay get married he professes his love for her. This is a very big moment in the transformation of Carton; it is because of the love that he has for Lucie, that he sacrifices his life for Darnay’s so that Darnay and Lucie can get married. He transforms into a selfless, noble, courageous person by the end of the novel. The narrator asserts that Carton has finally filled his life with meaning.

SETTING

The story takes place in both England and Paris, the main action however, occurs in Paris during the French Revolution.

The time period greatly influences the characters’ lives in the novel. Taking place before and during the French Revolution, there is lots of conflict. The aristocrats, who show no pity or mercy on them, treat the impoverished characters cruelly. Mme. Defarge is planning the deaths of many, and innocent people are being wrongfully accused of crimes they did not commit.

SYMBOLISM

Mme. Defarge’s knitting is symbolic as she knits a registry of names into her work, condemning them to die in the revolution. The knitting is symbolic, representing the stealthy, cold-blooded vengefulness of the revolution. Appearing to be harmless and innocent, Defarge is a violent killer, motivated by revenge. Similarly, the French peasants appear helpless and simple, however it is them who rise...

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...ileged people of France that the French Revolution began.

Human Nature:

The image of humankind that emerges from this work is that people are generally good, but when oppressed they will resort to means of violence. For example, the peasants in this book were continually pushed to their limits and finally broke. They probably had no wish to turn to violence but they felt it was their only chance to live freely in peace.

Human Freedom:

The characters do not have much freedom as they are being heavily oppressed by the French regime.

They do not make choices in complete freedom. This is why they begin the Revolution.

Because of the majority of the characters have poor social ranking they are driven against their own will by the forces of aristocrats and the government. The story although fictitious is based on a historical event, so the final outcome is known.

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