The suspense and mystery builds as the characters in A Tale of Two Cities race towards the heart of the French Revolution. As Dickens places the time period of the story more into perspective, I learned that my original predictions of when the story takes place were wrong. A Tale of Two Cities takes place during the French Revolution, not in its aftermath. Feel free to watch this portion of a documentary about the beginning of the French Revolution, including the National Assembly, Tennis Court Oath, and the storming of the Bastille:
This revelation forced me to wonder, How will the events of the French Revolution influence the characters’ actions? Also, how will some of the characters’ actions during the French Revolution affect other characters, during the revolution or farther into the future?
One thing that fascinates me about Dickens is his ability to understand the complex connections between people. Many of the names Dickens chose for his characters are a direct result of this ability. Manette, the French last name of Doctor and Lucie Manette, means lever in English. The term lever can be used in a variety of ways, but it is most commonly known as a tool that holds things together. Both Lucie and her father exhibit this trait in different, yet still fitting ways. Lucie Manette is the woman who holds her family together. She is the sole individual who can comfort her father when his past threatens to consume his present, and the love she displays towards him, her husband, and her daughter is limitless. In the words of Charles Darnay, “What is the magic secret, my darling, of your being everything to all of us, as if there were only one of us, yet never seeming hurried, or having too much to do?” (Dickens 242). Lucie Manette’s caring, loving presence is one element of the story that has not wavered at all (at least, not yet). Doctor Manette, on the other hand, has kept living life, with a presence as strong and unbending as a lever, no matter the unfortunate events bestowed upon him as a young man. This trait of perseverance shows what a strong character Doctor Manette is, and it makes his past life all the more interesting for the reader.
The character of Doctor Manette has remained fascinating to me from the very beginning of the book. With his past shrouded in mystery, it becomes hard for the reader to tell how much he is changing and developing, and how much he is just reverting back to his old ways. To be honest, I am a little disappointed and frustrated at Dickens’ lack of revealing information in regards to Doctor Manette’s past. However, I think it will be worth finding out the secrets behind Doctor Manette when they finally are exposed; it makes for a more interesting read building up to the truth behind Doctor Manette’s past. The reader currently knows that Doctor Manette was imprisoned for many years for an unknown reason, and youthfulness was stripped from him at an early age. It has already been revealed that his wife died a young woman, and Doctor Manette did not know his daughter for the greater part of his life. This lack of family connectivity early in his life may be a reason that Doctor Manette has had trouble forming lasting, tight connections with those around him. When he is upset and anxious, instead of opening up to those around him, Doctor Manette prefers to keep to himself and make shoes, a skill he has refined through the years. This habit displays the insecure, child like part of Doctor Manette. It is ironic that in some ways, Lucie Manette is more of the mother to Doctor Manette than he was ever a father to her. The reasons for this go back to Doctor Manette’s imprisonment, both in the Bastille and with the Defarges. When the Defarges took the lead in storming the Bastille, there were only 7 prisoners inside. However, the Bastille was still a symbol of oppression to the French people because of the many years that innumerable amounts of prisoners were held and tortured there. This would probably be more of what the Bastille was like during the time that Doctor Manette was held there. To find out more about what life in the Bastille may have been like for the common Doctor Manette, click here or here!
Dickens also has the unusual ability to create complex stories that would not make sense if not for the actions of a variety of people. For example, the French Revolution affects Dickens’ characters in many ways, and the effect on some characters is solely because of the actions of other characters. The Defarges, middle class French businessmen, are the ones literally fueling the French Revolution’s flames. The couple led the siege of the Bastille, a huge success in a variety of ways. During the siege, Monsieur Defarge crept into a tower of the building, which the reader then learns was Doctor Manette’s prison! After going through Doctor Manette’s old mattress and finding nothing he was looking for, Monsieur Defarge torches the room and its contents. This sparked my curiousity; what was Defarge looking for? How will these actions affect Doctor Manette himself, as well as Charles and Lucie Darnay, and Mr Lorry, back home in England?
One thing that fascinates me about Dickens is his ability to understand the complex connections between people. Many of the names Dickens chose for his characters are a direct result of this ability. Manette, the French last name of Doctor and Lucie Manette, means lever in English. The term lever can be used in a variety of ways, but it is most commonly known as a tool that holds things together. Both Lucie and her father exhibit this trait in different, yet still fitting ways. Lucie Manette is the woman who holds her family together. She is the sole individual who can comfort her father when his past threatens to consume his present, and the love she displays towards him, her husband, and her daughter is limitless. In the words of Charles Darnay, “What is the magic secret, my darling, of your being everything to all of us, as if there were only one of us, yet never seeming hurried, or having too much to do?” (Dickens 242). Lucie Manette’s caring, loving presence is one element of the story that has not wavered at all (at least, not yet). Doctor Manette, on the other hand, has kept living life, with a presence as strong and unbending as a lever, no matter the unfortunate events bestowed upon him as a young man. This trait of perseverance shows what a strong character Doctor Manette is, and it makes his past life all the more interesting for the reader.
The character of Doctor Manette has remained fascinating to me from the very beginning of the book. With his past shrouded in mystery, it becomes hard for the reader to tell how much he is changing and developing, and how much he is just reverting back to his old ways. To be honest, I am a little disappointed and frustrated at Dickens’ lack of revealing information in regards to Doctor Manette’s past. However, I think it will be worth finding out the secrets behind Doctor Manette when they finally are exposed; it makes for a more interesting read building up to the truth behind Doctor Manette’s past. The reader currently knows that Doctor Manette was imprisoned for many years for an unknown reason, and youthfulness was stripped from him at an early age. It has already been revealed that his wife died a young woman, and Doctor Manette did not know his daughter for the greater part of his life. This lack of family connectivity early in his life may be a reason that Doctor Manette has had trouble forming lasting, tight connections with those around him. When he is upset and anxious, instead of opening up to those around him, Doctor Manette prefers to keep to himself and make shoes, a skill he has refined through the years. This habit displays the insecure, child like part of Doctor Manette. It is ironic that in some ways, Lucie Manette is more of the mother to Doctor Manette than he was ever a father to her. The reasons for this go back to Doctor Manette’s imprisonment, both in the Bastille and with the Defarges. When the Defarges took the lead in storming the Bastille, there were only 7 prisoners inside. However, the Bastille was still a symbol of oppression to the French people because of the many years that innumerable amounts of prisoners were held and tortured there. This would probably be more of what the Bastille was like during the time that Doctor Manette was held there. To find out more about what life in the Bastille may have been like for the common Doctor Manette, click here or here!
Dickens also has the unusual ability to create complex stories that would not make sense if not for the actions of a variety of people. For example, the French Revolution affects Dickens’ characters in many ways, and the effect on some characters is solely because of the actions of other characters. The Defarges, middle class French businessmen, are the ones literally fueling the French Revolution’s flames. The couple led the siege of the Bastille, a huge success in a variety of ways. During the siege, Monsieur Defarge crept into a tower of the building, which the reader then learns was Doctor Manette’s prison! After going through Doctor Manette’s old mattress and finding nothing he was looking for, Monsieur Defarge torches the room and its contents. This sparked my curiousity; what was Defarge looking for? How will these actions affect Doctor Manette himself, as well as Charles and Lucie Darnay, and Mr Lorry, back home in England?
You are very good at analyzing literature. :) Every time I read any of your work that involves analyzing something, it points things out that I would never find while reading. I like how you looked in to the meaning of the character's names. I know that some authors choose specific names for their characters because of its meaning and how it reflects that character. Your descriptions of the Manette's and the meaning of their name makes perfect sense to me. Also, I like your video and links. They give a lot of background information that seems to be crucial in understanding the setting of the story and how it affects the characters. I am almost as excited as you are to see how the other characters in the story are affected. Enjoy reading!
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