Mob Mentality In A Tale Of Two Cities

A majority of novels use the symbol of water. Water often symbolizes peace or baptism. However, this is not the case in A Tale of Two Cities. In A Tale of Two Cities, water symbolizes mob mentality. Mob mentality is how people influence their peers to act or behave a certain way. This is evident in the novel when the peasants storm the Bastille, when the peasants look for Foulon, and when the Aristocrats lock up Gaspard in prison.

In A Tale of Two Cities, water symbolizes mob mentality while the peasants storm the Bastille {on July 14, 1789}. Dickens uses the term sea to describe the peasants while they take over over the Bastille. “The sea of black and threatening waters” consumes bystanders nearby who maybe would not have partaken in the storming because they fear the “destructive upheaving of wave against wave” would take a huge toll out of their lives (Dickens 222). Mob mentality changes the way the bystanders and citizens think and view ideas.

The mob cannot be contained like a raging sea and therefore consumes everyone in its path.
In A Tale of Two Cities, water symbolizes mob mentality when the peasant men and women charge out of their homes with the intent to track down Foulon and murder him.

In the beginning of this event, “[the men] caught up what arms they [have], and came pouring out into the streets” while the women follow them (Dickens 225). Dickens again describes them as the sea. Being the mob mentality of the people, the sea again starts to rage. Defarge is furious, and as a result is able to persuade the other peasants to be mad with him even though that may not have initially been as furious. Mob mentality, especially in this case, affects people tremendously. The citizens go home after the murder of Foulon. While they are returning home, Dickens no longer describes them as the sea. In fact, they are peaceful and patient when they return to their daily lives. This shows that mob mentality does not have to last long to be deadly. It also shows that almost anyone can conjure up the sea, and that the sea rages

easily.
In A Tale of Two Cities, water symbolizes mob mentality when the Aristocrats lock up Gaspard in jail. While Gaspard in jail, instead of “...gossip at the fountain, all faces [turn] towards the prison” (Dickens 171). Usually at the fountain there is gossip, mob mentality, that the citizens share by whispering. This mob mentality is ignored because the peasants are worrying about Gaspard in jail. Perhaps it is good that they do not notice the mob mentality building up, but perhaps not. It could be because there may be less resistance or conflicts. But, if the peasants get mad for the correct cause, there could be justice reigning. The roadmender reveals that the fountain represents mob mentality by retelling his experience earlier that day to Madame Defarge.
The peasants storming the Bastille, the men and women searching for Foulon, and the Aristocrats locking up Gaspard in the prison are examples of how water symbolizes mob mentality in A Tale of Two Cities. So, maybe next time water is used as a symbol, someone may think a little more deeper about it.