Sacrifice In A Tale Of Two Cities

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The Gift of a Lifetime: Sacrifice in a Tale of Two Cities

Some men are engraved eternally in the hearts and minds of those he inspired. It is done so in a fashion that allows his name to live eternally, long after his ephemeral existence. However, what truly sets a man apart from his lesser counterparts is his willingness to give without taking. Indeed, the pioneer aviator and author Anne Morrow Lindbergh puts it best when she says, “to give without any reward, or any notice, has a special quality of its own” In Charles Dickens’s A Tale of two Cities , Dickens shows the inherent goodness of his characters . By exemplifying various acts of sacrifice, he demonstrates the character’s gifts ultimately bring about great change, often changes that facilitate the revival of their loved ones.

The very first signs of sacrifice are noted in the opening scenes of the book. Dickens writes of a “fated revolution” by metaphorically comparing the woodsman and the forester to the creation of the guillotine. Dickens notes that in the midst of a revolution, heavy bloodshed must be made in order to achieve the vengeance that the peasants desire. Though the peasants were originally people of good faith, they were forced by the aristocratic government to take drastic actions. Poverty, the mother of all crimes, along with the aristocrats “crushing of humanity out of shape once more” gave the peasants no choice.” Dickens conveys here that because of the negligence of the government, the people were forced to sacrifice their good nature and engage in the violent acts that caused a time of great animosity and dejection.

Sacrifices are often made to strengthen bonds, and no other bond in the novel is stronger than the one that Lucie Mannette shares with her father , Dr. Manette. Indeed, Lucy has gone to great lengths to ensure that their bond stays strong. In the opening chapters of the novel, Lucie, in hopes that her pleas can cure her father’s insanity, devotes herself to Dr. Manette wholeheartedly, disregarding any personal desires of her own. She promises her father that if, “ ..I hint to you of a home there is before us, I will be true to you with all my duty.” (46) Lucie’s undying devotion to her father is a clear example of how one person’s sacrifice can inspire life in another.

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