Theme of Inhumanity Invades in Symbols

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Recommended: Cruelty in works of literature

Cruelty, blood, and gore are all accurate descriptions of the French Revolution. This horrific time is correctly represented by the twisted and elaborate plot of A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens. During this time, pity and sympathy leave the hearts of both the revolutionaries and the aristocrats. The hatred felt by the revolutionaries towards their oppressors seizes control of their hearts and results in more ruthless and savage behavior towards their old persecutors. Man, himself, becomes a more brutal race in this time of animosity. He has no compassion towards his fellow man, resulting in extraordinary bloodshed. Throughout A Tale of Two Cities, Dickens conveys the theme of inhumanity by using symbols, especially scarecrows, blue-flies, and dogs.
By using scarecrows to represent the peasants, Dickens successfully portrays the theme of inhumanity. He states, “But, the time was not come yet; and every wind that blew over France shook the rags of the scarecrows in vain, for the birds, fine of song and feather, took no warning” (Dickens 23). The nobles dress flamboyantly and spend their days being entertained, similar to the birds. The peasants are frail looking with baggy clothes resembling the appearance of scarecrows. While they want to scare nobles away, the peasants do not have enough strength to overpower the aristocrats who abuse them day and night. The nobles ignore all weakness of the peasants and take advantage of them. They pay attention to their fancy clothes and spend their days wasting money by being entertained when the peasants continue to fail to scare away their persecutors. The peasants continuously search for food desperately trying to sustain life while being taken advantage of. They are starved, for...

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...inhumane way the Marquis along with other nobles look down upon them.
By developing the symbols of scarecrows, blue-flies, and dogs, Dickens portrays the theme of man’s inhumanity. But, the French Revolution was not the first time ruthlessness and savagery have overcome mankind. Throughout history the same power struggle between upper and lower classes repeats itself over and over again, with the result always being the same—bloodshed. Mankind is a greedy, power-craving race who is never satisfied with what they have. Due to the fact that man will do anything to gain more authority no matter how morally wrong it is, bloodshed and war is inevitable. Wickedness and barbarity will continue to poison the human race so long as it is in human nature to yearn for power.

Works Cited

Dickens, Charles. A Tale of Two Cities. Mineola, NY: Dover Publications, 1999. Print.

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