The Plot Thickens (2)

After a monotonous beginning, this novel is getting more exciting and easier to follow. The main characters so far include Mr. James Lorry, Miss Manette, her father Monsieur Manette, and Monsieur Defarge. This hodge-podge of characters-- Mr. Lorry, a businessman in the successful English firm Tellson’s, Miss Manette, a beautiful young lady, her father, the brilliant scientist-gone-mad, and Monsieur Defarge, the owner of a wine shop and inn-- seem to be like pieces of a puzzle that unexpectedly fit together. These four main characters, each from a different background and walk of life, play important roles in each others’ lives.

Not much is known about Miss Manette’s past. Her relationships with her father and the rest of her family, as well as with Mr. Lorry remain shrouded in mystery. The victim of some sort of accident, she believed herself to be orphaned until Mr. Lorry introduced her (through Monsieur Defarge) to her father...who has lost the ability to communicate appropriately with most people, including his long-lost daughter. Just introduced at the end of Section 1 was Charles Darnay, a young Englishman on trial for committing treason against his country. Mr. Darnay’s trial, although a small segment of the section I just read, stands out as one of the most important events in the book thus far.
All main characters were present at Mr. Darnay’s trial, which is most likely a hint to the reader that it is important. One particular passage stands out to me: “Over the prisoner’s head there was a mirror, to throw the light down upon him...about on a level with his eyes, there sat, in that corner of the Judge’s bench, two persons upon whom his look immediately rested...a young lady of little more than twenty, and a gentleman who was evidently her father... ‘Witnesses’. ‘For which side?’ ‘Against.’ ‘Against what side?’ ‘The prisoner’s’,” (Dickens 94-5). This passage is when Mr. Darnay notices Miss Manette and her father. Captivated, spellbound, Mr. Darnay cannot resist looking at the pair. This action draws an immediate reaction from the crowd seated at the trial, all now clambering to catch a glance of the mysterious couple...and what they see completely changes their loathing and demeaning perspective of Mr. Darnay. The magical effect Miss Manette had on Mr. Darnay could foreshadow a relationship between the two. The mirror casting a light on the face of Miss Manette could be a symbol of this relationship. Light is a symbol of purity and goodness, which could allude to Miss Manette being a g-d like character. As the bishop was to Jean Valjean in Les Miserables, Miss Manette may be to Mr. Darnay. I am excited to continue reading and to discover the effect Miss Manette truly has on Mr. Darnay.

It is said that pictures are worth a thousand words, and the image of Miss Manette and her father speaks for itself. I predict that, without realizing it, Miss Manette and her father may be the deciding factor of the trial. This realization raises more questions than it answers, however.

Why are Miss Manette and her father at the trial? Have they ever met Mr. Darnay before, and how? Where? Why are they against the prisoner? Could Mr. Darnay, perhaps, hold the key that unlocks some of the secrets to the mysterious Manettes? Dickens leaves the reader pondering all of these questions as he sets the stage for the next chain of events to occur in the book. These unanswered questions leave plenty of space for the reader to predict their own answers. I am excited to continue reading and discover how the relationships between characters, especially Miss Manette and Mr. Darnay, morph and develop.