A Tale Of Two Cities: A Hero's Journey

In Tale of Two Cities, multitude of characters proceed through the hero’s journey and face one challenge or abyss that changes them into the person they become at the finale of the book. In Tale of Two Cities, Sydney Carton meets Lucie Manette to express his feelings thus causing him to realize that he has completely wasted his life, he knows he almost has no chance to amend his life, and he learns he has to find purpose to make himself content with his life. While walking in Lucie’s neighborhood, he finds himself walking up to Lucie’s house for the first time. He talks to Lucie and she frets that he appears unhealthy, and at this point, he knows “[he is] like one who died young [and has lost] all [that his] life might have been”(Dickens 150).

Furthermore, Carton realizes he lost his life and he had a chance to be something great, but he did not take advantage of that and ruined who he could have been. Comparatively, while talking to Lucie, Carton expresses his belief that he cannot change the type of person he has become. With everything he has done, he believes that “‘it is too late for [change]. [He] shall never be better than [he is]. [He] shall sink lower, and be worse’”(Dickens 149). Notably, he has given up on himself, he does not believe in what he can do and believes that nothing he accomplishes can change the person he has become. Likewise, when at the Manette’s house talking to Lucie, Carton realizes that if he is to do anything with his life he needs to find any purpose even if it is nugatory. Lucie inspires him and he decides that “‘For [Lucie], and for any dear to [Lucie], [he] would do anything’”(Dickens 152). Correspondingly, Carton found his purpose in his life to help Lucie and her family survive through anything that happens to them during their life to make sure she lives a long and jocular life. By talking to Lucie, Carton faces his abyss which was facing the truth about himself, but by doing this he finds his purpose which will completely change his life and other people's lives later in the book.