Tale Of Two Cities Sydney Carton Quotes

Sydney Carton is a character in the novel, A Tale of Two Cities, written by Charles Dickens. In Book the First, Chapter 5, “The Wine-Shop”, Sydney Carton says, “I am a disappointing drudge, sir. I care for no man on earth, and no man on earth cares for me.” The childhood life of Sydney Carton has not been mentioned in the book and his childhood life is left up to the imagination. Sydney Carton’s childhood can be assumed to have been bad based on his drinking habits, the way he treats others, and his need to be a part of a family.
One main example of an inadequate childhood, is that Sydney is always drunk. He is described as being drunk or is drinking during several scenes throughout the book. One example from the story would be in chapter

four from Book the First, “Congratulatory”. Sydney had just helped Charles Darnay win a trial and they were talking after at a bar.

It is stated that Charles noticed Sydney smelled of alcohol. “Carton, who smelled of port wine, and did not appear to be quite sober, laughed then, and turned to Darnay.” (62). This scene took place right after the trial got dismissed. That means that Sydney was drunk throughout the trial and helped win the case while under the influence of alcohol. Another reason this could be a sign of a bad childhood, is that having a related alcoholic, can increase their chances of being an alcoholic themself. When you grow up, your biggest influence is your parents. So if one or both of Sydney’s parents drank a lot, he might have assumed growing up that it was normal. Another quote from the book follows in the same scene as the previous quote with Charles and Sydney being at the bar after the trial. “‘Then bring me another pint

of this same wine, drawer, and come wake me at ten.’” (63). This statement made by Sydney shows that he is aware he drinks all of the time and what happens to him when he drinks. He knows he will fall asleep and is letting an employee at the bar know to wake him at ten. This statement results in Charles stating he thinks Sydney has been drinking, to which he gets defensive and responds, “Think? You know I have been drinking.” (63). Charles admits he knows and causes Sydney to say the phrase about himself being a “disappointed drudge”.
Another reason Sydney had a bad childhood could come from always having to respond to the demand of others.

If his parents were controlling or demanding it would make the way he works for Mr.Lorry logical. In the story, Sydney is described as being a jackal to Mr.Lorry who is compared to a lion. “At last, it began to get about, among such as were interested in the matter, that although Sydney Carton would never be a lion, he was an amazingly good jackal.” (65). Mr. Lorry and Sydney Carton work together as lawyers. They had even gone to school together and Mr.Lorry notices a similar behavior tendency between now and back when they were in school. “‘The old seesaw Sydney. Up one minute and down the next; now in spirits and now in despondency!’ ‘Ah!’ returned the other, sighing: ‘yes! The same Sydney, with the same luck. Even then, I did exercises for other boys, and seldom did my own.’” (67). The quote proves that both Mr.Lorry and Sydney Carton recognize that Sydney has changed very little. While Mr.Lorry sees it in a way of his moods, and how he’s either feeling happy or feeling down and changing between very quickly. Sydney remembers he has done the work of others for a long time and acknowledges that he still does

so.
A final reason for Sydney Carton not having a magnificent childhood would be how hard he is trying to be accepted into Charles Darnay and Lucie Manette’s family. In chapter twenty from Book the Second, “A Plea”, Sydney asks Charles if he would be allowed to visit the family. “I should ask that I might be permitted to come and go as a privileged person here; that I might be regarded as an useless piece of furniture, tolerated for its old service, and taken no notice of. I doubt if I should abuse the permission. It is a hundred to one if I should avail myself of it four times in a year.” Sydney wants desperately the permission to visit Lucie and Charles as he may please no more than a couple of times per year. He does not even ask that he be acknowledged in the house, but just that he may be there. After Lucie and Charles have children, there are more instances in the book where the connection between Sydney and the family is noticeable. In the next chapter, “Echoing Footsteps”, one line points out the relationship between Sydney Carton and Lucie’s children. “Carton was the first stranger to whom little Lucie help out her chubby arms, and he kept his place with her as she grew. The little boy had spoken of him, almost at his last. ‘Poor Carton! Kiss him for me!’” (163). This shows that Sydney had been in little Lucie’s life since the beginning and also made an impact on the life of Charles and Lucie’s little boy. He thought it was important for someone to think of Sydney and for him to know, that even as the boy was dying, he was thinking of Sydney Carton. So while originally all Sydney wanted, was to be let into the home, he became a part of the home and family. He left a lasting impression on both of the young children.
Sydney Carton was a character from Charles Dickens novel, A Tale of Two Cities. He was a character whose background story was lightly touched and only given brief details about. It can be assumed that his childhood was not the suitable, happy childhood people wish to give their children. This accusation can be made by several examples from the story. Sydney Carton is likely to have not had a good childhood based on his drinking habits, the way he succumbs to the wants of other people, and he desire to fit in with the family of Charles Darnay and Lucie Manette.