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6.) Minimum length (unless otherwise noted): at least 8 well-developed sentences.TEACH US SOMETHING ABOUT THE TOPIC! HAVE FUN WITH THIS! Practice analyzing.
In the first part of the book, Mr. Lorry’s use of the word ‘business’ is extremely repetitive. It seems as if he uses the term to keep himself removed from the situation. This gives the impression that he is personally affected by Lucie’s situation, but having had a business relationship with the Manette family in the past, he is reluctant to be emotionally involved in the reunion of the Doctor and Lucie. His being in charge of Miss Manette for a time after her mother died and her father was imprisoned would suggest that he was quite close to the family and probably had a great respect for Dr. Manette. He struggles to maintain his composure throughout the visit with him and is visibly upset when he witnesses Lucie’s first meeting with her father. He encourages Lucie, saying “Courage! Business! You have business before you; useful business.”(pg.29)Miss Manette however, gives little concern to the ‘business’ matter of reuniting with her father, and begs for him to break his composure and weep for any and every loss that has befallen him. At this point, Mr. Lorry and Mr. Defarge are obviously uncomfortable with the expression of deep emotion in the room and even hide their faces.
ReplyDeleteLucie Manette has obviously "got it goin' on." She has long golden curls and a perfect figure, and her personality is perfectly angelic. She probably has figured out that she's beautiful. Beautiful girls get the guys, right?
ReplyDeleteWhen Lorry comes to Dover, Lucie is "extremely anxious to see the gentleman from Tellson's immediately, if it suited his pleasure and convenience."(22) If Lucie had known that he was coming to tell her about her supposedly dead father, she would have naturally been extremely anxious to meet with him. But Lucie knew nothing about his reasons for wanting to meet. Is this a hint about a past relationship between the two?
(P.S. How do we indent on a blog posting? It won't let me use TAB.)
Like Reagan, I too noticed the banker’s repetitive use of the phrase “a matter of business” (Chpt. 4 pg. 27). But I think his intentions and meanings are slightly different. Chapter two gives us a closer analysis of Dickens’s Mr. Lorry. The author explains, not only through his description of the character, but also through his interactions with others that he is an established businessman. Mr. Lorry’s conversation with Lucie Manette gives a look at his prideful nature as he repeats the fact that his business with the Miss’s father was only “…a matter of business” (Chpt. 4, pg. 28). The banker finds his self-worth in his reputation as a businessman and is hasty to uphold that reputation.
ReplyDeleteThe thought of a status of anything other than a man of strictly business seems to unnerve Lorry. He guarantees Miss Manette that “…there is no friendship in [his business dealings]; no particular interest, nothing of sentiment” (Chpt. 4, pg. 26). Other statements reveal this pride as well: “I spoke myself just now, in saying I had no feelings, and that all the relations I hold with my fellow-creatures are mere business relations…” (Chpt. 4, pg. 27) and “Feelings! I have no time for them, no chance of them” (Chpt. 4, pg. 27). Mr. Lorry’s reassurances to Lucie of the nature of his dealings with others lead to the conclusion that his reputation as a businessman is very important to him, perhaps the most important, which makes him very prideful.
ahh!! it didn't post a separate paragraphs....
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ReplyDeleteRight after the spill outside the Defarge’s Wine Shop, Dickens begins to describe the people surrounding St. Antoine, a poor suburb. The syntax used in this description demonstrates the inevitably poor people of France. The word “hunger” is repeated 8 times signifying the poverty stricken times right before the Revolution. The French had ultimately adapted to this unyielding lifestyle of “hunger”, the limitation of food. Most families only lived off bread because the government was unable to provide anymore than the necessities. “ The mill which had worked them down, was the mill that grinds young people old; the children has ancient faces and grave voices; and upon them, and upon the grown faces, and ploughed into every furrow of age and coming up afresh, was a sign of hunger. “ (32) The mill was wearing down on not only the young, but also the old, and although other issues were obstructions, the ultimate cause of this “destruction” was hunger. The mill required hard labor, which is shown through their worn and tired faces. “Hunger was the inscription on the baker’s shelves, written in every small loaf of scanty stock of bad bread; at the sausage shop, in every dead-dog that was offered for sale. “(33)
ReplyDeleteDickens’s descriptions depict the food struggles of French civilians during this time and the poverty that is attached. Also, foreshadowing is shown as similar scenarios and living conditions are shown during the French Revolution 10 years later. Dickens understands the need for liberation among the peasants and uses the word “hunger” to show the lack of importance regarding this problem. Dickens would agree that the “hunger” issue however is unavoidable, and could be one of the causes of the start of the French Revolution.
When we are introduced to the Defarges they are somewhat of a mystery. By bending “down on one knee to the child of his old master,” (5, 37) Mr. Defarge shows respect towards his previous employers but completely abandons that notion by allowing men to pay him in exchange for watching Dr. Manette, as if he is a show. As Lucie, Mr. Lorry, and Mr. Defarge are walking up to see Dr. Manette, he becomes “a secret, angry, dangerous man” (5, 37) for no apparent reason. If Mr. Defarge holds a grudge against Dr. Manette for something he previously did, then maybe he is purposefully trying to embarrass him as revenge. Since he was a well-known doctor before he went to prison, many people probably respected him and valued his opinion, so Mr. Defarge is degrading him by allowing people to see him in this crazed state. Why does Mr. Defarge show respect to Lucie but completely disrespect Dr. Manette?
ReplyDeleteIf Mr. Defarge knew Lucie until she was only two, maybe he does not hold a grudge against her like he might against Dr. Manette. If this is the case, Mr. Defarge is most likely not a bad man but a man who has been wronged by Dr. Manette in some way. By allowing people to see Dr. Manette in this irrational state, he is not only humiliating him, but also creating a profit for himself. When he realizes that Mr. Lorry and Lucie are there to take him away, it is apparent that that he will lose this portion of his income. This could explain the sudden mood change he experiences while walking up to see Dr. Manette. Mr. Defarge probably holds some sort of grudge against Dr. Manette as a result of something that happened while he was still employed by him, and as a result, uses the Doctor’s demented state as a source of revenge.
In Chapter 5, 'The Wine Shop,' the reader is introduced to the Defarges, and more importantly, Madam Defarge. Her characterization is developed through descriptions of her such as '[she] was wrapped in fur,' 'had a quantity of bright shawl[s]','large earrings,' and had 'a hand heavily ringed' (Dickens 35). Later in the chapter she, by a singular cough and lifting her eyebrows, 'suggested to her husband to look round the shop among the customers.' With this hint he goes over to three customers, whom each address Mr. Defarge as 'Jacque,' the peasant code word for revolutionaries. Each time the code word was dropped, Madam Defarge 'coughed another grain of cough, and raised her eyebrows by the breadth of another line.' This subtle movement of hers displays her awareness of the specialty of this conversation.
ReplyDeleteLater on, in Chapter 6, when Dr. Manette had been loaded into the coach, he asked 'miserably for his shoemaking tools and the unfinished shoes.' Out of no where 'Madam Defarge immediately called out to her husband that she would get them' and 'quickly brought them down and handed them in; - and immediately afterwards leaned against the door-post, knitting, and saw nothing' (Dickens 52). The repetition of the two words 'saw nothing' obviously are not true, as Madam Defarge is aware of what is going on, but chooses to act oblivious to it, and returns to her knitting each time. Perhaps, Madam Defarge is a symbol for the nobility in France, characterized through her description and possession of expensive goods. Like the nobility in France at the time, she is aware of the increasing amount of revolutionaries, but chooses to ignore it for whatever reason. Possibly, she is choosing to help these people because she doesn't agree with the current state of France, and is secretly helping those working towards a revolution.
Off of what Brighton said, I wonder what other appearances in the book Mr. Defarge will have, if any? Is it a grudge he has on Mr. Manette, or is it because now he is obviously in a state that is superior to Mr. Manette? If he will be mentioned later on in the book will he be seen as being on the good side? Or the bad?
ReplyDeleteThe way Mr. Defarge talks about Mr. Manette seems very animalistic: "...has lived so long, locked up, that he would be frightened-rave-tear himself to pieces..." (ch 5, pg 39)It’s almost is he is reducing him to an animal, that that is all that is left of him, that there is no hope of him every returning back to normal. He also “[strikes] twice or thrice upon the door…with no other object than to make a noise there.”(ch.5 pg 40) Mr. Defarge does so therefore when he opens the door it won’t alarm Mr. Manette, as if he is a timid creature that is easily scared. He continues to dehumanize him by showing him off as a freak show to certain men even though he claims to only allow a couple people to see him. His cruelty to Mr. Manette even affects Lucie in how she first perceives her father: “I am afraid of it.” Mr. Defarges attitude toward her father makes her seem him in a different light also.
Dickens closely relates imprisonment and death itself, through which the significance of the repetition of being “recalled to life” becomes apparent. Dr. Manette, although freed from prison, is still living in a jail. He doesn’t talk much, is living in a rudimentary room, and, like Brighton said, is being humiliated by being put on show. In chapter 3, Jarvis Lorry was “on his way to dig someone out of a grave.” (Chapter 3, page 11) We, of course, know that he is actually going to free Dr. Manette from his cell-like living quarters, but Dickens displays him as digging a dead person up. Lorry pictures Dr. Manette with the “varieties of sunken cheek, cadaverous colour, emaciated hangs and figures.” (Chapter 3, page 11) Dickens describes Manette this way to intensify the idea of his imprisonment being death, therefore describing him as a dead person.
ReplyDeleteAfter Lorry and Lucie Manette find Dr. Manette, they have recalled him to life by freeing him from his cell-like room and reuniting him with his daughter; “The task of recalling him from the vacancy into which he always sank when he had spoken was like recalling some very weak person from a swoon, or endeavoring, in the hope of some disclosure, to stay the spirit of a fast-dying man.” (Chapter 6, page 37) The term, “recalling to life,” supports Dickens’ relation of imprisonment and death; if you are freed from prison, or in Manette’s case, a prison life-style, you are recalled to life just as if you are physically brought back from the dead.
Throughout the first book, the reader is often confronted with the term "recalled to life." Though we do not yet have complete understanding of the term, we can be sure it is referring to those that have been "buried" or imprisoned. We know for certain that it is a phrase with some importance to Dr. Manette's life because of the conversation he has with Mr. Lorry on page 53: "I hope you care to be recalled to life?" "I can't say" The term most likely literally means returning to society after years of imprisonment but when analyzing it more closely, it could have other symbolic meaning.
ReplyDeleteThe words "recalled to life" literally mean "returning to life," also known as resurrection. Just as Christ was buried in the tomb, Dr. Manette was buried in prison and just as Christ was resurrected, so is Dr. Manette. Lucie, as Mrs. Gahan told us, means light. Her character is very angelic, both in appearance and personality. Because her character symbolizes light and angels, Lucie could be seen as her father's salvation, finally coming to rescue him after eighteen long years.
I thought May May's thought on the possible past relationship between Lucie and Lory was very intresting. I did not think about this while I was reading the book. Yet, when I went back and thought about it, I did not think there was a past relationship between the two.
ReplyDeleteThough we do not know a distinct age of Lorry,the fact that he is Dr. Manette's banker, and they known each other for a long time, it is assumed that he is quite older than Lucie, who is only 17. Also, this following quote is a glimpse of the fact he is older. "..a sudden vivid likeness passed before him, of a child whom he had help in his arms on the passage across that very Channel, one cold time.." (23) Lorry knew Lucie since she was a child, so I do not see how they could of carried out an relationship.
In the text, it does mention Lucie's anxiousness. This could be caused by many things, and not the fact they had a relationship. "a pair of blue eyes that met his own with an inquiring look..lifting and knitting itself into an expression that was not quite one of perplexity, or wonder, or alarm, or merely of a bright fixed attention, though it included all the four expressions-"(23) As it is shown, Lucie anxiousness could have been easily caused by the fact of bad news, instead of seeing a past love.
Tiana Mills
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ReplyDeleteThe Defarges are out for blood. Throughout the book, wine is the symbol for blood and it shows the violence and destruction that occurs. Because the Defarges own the wine- shop, this shows that they contain the resources needed for ruin, and even they themselves might cause the ruin. This is foreshadowing because it hints that Madame and Monsieur Defarge might be the antagonists of the story.
ReplyDeleteIn the description of Monsieur Defarge, it declares that he is a dark man. This suggests he is evil. Also, on page 39 Monsieur Defarge states, “Yes. And a beautiful world we live in, when it is possible, but done- done, see you! – under that sky there, every day. Long live the Devil. Let us go on.” When he says this, it shows that he has a pessimistic view of the world and anything can happen. This is foreshadowing because Monsieur Defarge might do something to cause horrific things to happen. Also when he asserts, “Long live the Devil”, it illustrates that he worships the Devil and commits iniquity like the Devil. Just as Becky relates Dr. Manette to a spiritual figure, Christ, another figure can resemble something spiritual: Monsieur Defarge. Monsieur Defarge can resemble the Devil.
Throughout Book One, I noticed several repetitions that were used to portray the dominant impression of the passages. The first passage of the book displayed the repetitive nature of Dickens' writing, repeating parts of each phrase: "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of incredulity" (1). The repetition of each line projected a mood of conflict and contradiction. This was the first light into the social differences at the time; it was either a time that was loved or a time that was hated; each person had their own view. The redundancy of each line emphasized on these social differences, setting the scene for disputes between social classes later on in the book.
ReplyDeleteLike Sydney, I also felt that the repetition of the word "hunger" in chapter 5 signified the severity of the poverty and famine that had come over the peasants of France. Dickens described it as "prevalent everywhere" and being "pushed out of the tall houses," and being "the inscription on the baker's shelves" (5). He used the word "hunger" as repetition to express the seriousness of the famine in France, and to help create a realization of the desperation of its citizens. It sends out a message of anger, repeating the obvious as a sign that it was time for France to change.
Repetition was a significant element in Book One of A Tale of Two Cities, giving Dickens the ability to express the dominant impression of each passage in a strong, powerful way.
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ReplyDeleteA reader will look at the title of each chapter and by habit look for the significance. In this novel the chapter titles of book one have not only a straight-forward meaning, but also a deeper, less obvious meaning. The first chapter, named “The Period,” is most obviously referring to Dickens’ reference to the time period that the novel was set in and when he was writing the book. He wrote this first chapter to set up the reader for the rest of the book, giving them a brief explanation of the time period he was talking about. However, a period is also the punctuation mark that ends a sentence. The first sentence of the book says “It was the best of times; it was the worst of times.” By naming this chapter “The Period,” it is implying that even at the end of the story and the end of the French Revolution, it will always be for some the best of times, and for others the worst of times.
ReplyDeleteThe title of chapter six is “The Shoemaker.” The most obvious reasoning for the title was that it was a way for the reader to understand that the shoemaker would be important and then find out later that it was the father of Lucie Manette. However, the reason that Dickens used the title “The Shoemaker” instead of stating his name was to show that Monsieur had lost his identity. He was formerly known as Dr. Manette in the town. After 18 years in prison, his family and identity as Monsieur Manette had been lost and he was simply referred to as the shoemaker.
○ In the part one, the symbol of darkness comes up multiple times. In the beginning of the second chapter of the first part, the three passengers on the coach are traveling through an eerie forest surrounded by darkness. Because of these surroundings, there are feelings of anxiety, distrust and suspicion swirling around in and around the coach. The darkness cloaks them and disturbs their thoughts. Their lack of physical sigh leads to their unwillingness to trust. In most of the situations that this symbol was used, it was unrest of mind within darkness of surroundings. In chapter six, when Mr. Lorry and Lucie visit Dr. Manette, the language used shows us the complications in his mind. "The hollowness and thinness of his face would have caused them to look large under his dark eyebrows and his confused white hair, though had been really otherwise; but, they were unnaturally large, and looked naturally so (Page 43). Dr. Manette had been in jail for so long, his thoughts were incredibly confused and it began to show in his appearance. When they entered his tower, he blocked the light from his eyes and preferred to be in the dark.
ReplyDeleteThere were also many cases of foreshadowing. Like Sydney said, the wine in the street is definite foreshadowing to the conflict of the French Revolution. The French people are starving and thirsty while the "the darkness of it was heavy - cold, dirt, sickness, ignorance, and want, were the lords in waiting on the saintly presence - nobles of great power all of them; but, most especially the last (Page 32)." The ignorance of the nobles in France will lead to a bloody conflict. A person even displayed their thoughts on a wall by writing it in wine. The person wrote BLOOD, which is a strong depiction of the way the French people feel about the future. Dickens uses foreshadowing as great tool in this story and helps further the sense of conflict and unrest within French society.
Throughout Book 1, Charles Dickens repeats the motif of distrust in humanity in A Tale of Two Cities. Beginning in Chapter 2, it mentions how all the passengers of the Dover mail, including the guard and the coachman, suspect each other of being criminals: “The Dover mail was in its usual genial position that the guard suspected the passengers, the passengers suspected one another and the guard, they all suspected everybody else, and the coachman was sure of nothing but the horses,” (Dickens 9). This portrays human instinct to doubt each other. Throughout the journey from London to Dover many instances show the passengers anxiety of one another which makes the reader suspicious and waiting for something unexpected, yet nothing happens. This could be the first criticism of lack of belief in humans’ ethics and morality.
ReplyDeleteIn the beginning of Chapter 3, Dickens begins with a narration to emphasize that it is in human nature to have a layer of duplicity: “A wonderful fact to reflect upon, that every human creature is constituted to be that profound secret and mystery to every other,” (Dickens 14). This strongly stated opinion of Dickens is emphasized with his use of the word “fact.” Just as Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen began with a “known truth” that was later disproven by the novel, Dickens must either support this “fact” or contradict it.. This makes the reader believe the characters are much deeper than their outward appearance and puts more emphasis on every single character’s actions: “Only one soul was to be seen, and that was Madame Defarge - who leaned against the door-post, knitting, and saw nothing,” (Dickens 52). This added description of Madame Defarge, which is repeated every time her character is mentioned, gives the notion that she did see something. The distrustful motif throughout Book 1 could also make the reader doubt the narrator. Dickens may be using this element of fallacy to give the overall theme of distrust or to criticize the pessimism of human nature.
Utter confusion, something both Monsieur Manette and his daughter are experiencing. Charles Dickens creatively uses their foreheads as a symbol to portray their befuddled thoughts. Mr. Lorry asks Lucie Manette if they have met before her forehead betrays her confusion, “Between the eyebrows and just over the little feminine nose...the expression deepened itself as she took her seat thoughtfully” (chapter 4, page 24). As she questions if Mr. Lorry was the same man who brought her to England as a child and what importance her father’s story has with her, the lines on her forehead become “curiously roughened” (chapter 4, page 25). Furthermore, once Lucie discovered the truth about her father her forehead expressed complete terror and bewilderment. The, “last expression looking as if it were carved or branded into her forehead,” was of the earlier horror and confusion (chapter 4, page 29).
ReplyDeleteIn Chapter 6, Monsieur Manette is asked to remember his life before prison. Leaving the aged man lost in his perplexed mind. Now that he is leaving France, the war in of his mind begins between who he was and who he became in prison. As Mr. Lorry begins to ask him to remember who he and Defarge are the, “long-obliterated marks of an actively intent intelligence in the middle of the forehead, gradually forced themselves through the black mist that had fallen on him” (chapter 6, page 45). In this way, Charles Dickens uses the human expression in his or her forehead to show their confused emotions.
Sorry! I indented before I turned it in, but it did not show on the post!
ReplyDeleteI disagree with both Raegan and Kay about what Mr. Lorry means by things being “a matter of business” (27). He simply doesn’t see people as people as people – yes, he is proud of his work but all another person means to him is another business deal and another contract: “I pass my whole life, miss, in turning an immense pecuniary Mangle” (27). He is high up in the bank and has many duties which come from a life he has given to Tellson’s Bank but along with these responsibilities and lifestyle, he has lost a piece of his humanity and sees people not as people but as his chosen business.
ReplyDeleteDuring the reunion of Lucie and Mr. Manette, he tries to keep up his pretense of being a business man, but is just as nervous about the meeting as Lucie. “’A-a-a-business, business!’ he urged, with a moisture that was not of business shining on his cheek” (40). He sees people as a business transaction usually, but when confronted by his and other’s strong emotions, he is shown clearly as being nervous and very excitable – the most probable cause of his obsession with keeping people on the other side of a desk and only a series of numbers on a piece of paper.
Continuing Monica's thoughts on Charles Dickens use of distrust in the coach, I noticed, more than Dicken's study of the duplicity of humans, the diction that he used to create a dominant impression of unease among the passengers in the mail.
ReplyDeleteThe discomfort began when "the mail-coach lumbered, jolted, rattled, and bumped upon its tedious way" (Dickens 16) while Mr. Lorry sat, confined to his corner of solitude. There, he positioned himself "with an arm drawn through the leathern strap, which did what in it to keep him(self) from pounding against the next passenger" (Dickens 16).
In this fashion, the entirety of Mr. Lorry's trip is portrayed by Charles Dickens, not only through vivid images, but also with a sense of suspicion among the strangers.
As Monica mentioned, chapter three's opening passage introduces both "a wonderful fact to reflect upon" as well as "a solemn consideration," each relating to the secretive nature of human kind. It claims "that every human creature is constituted to be that profound secret and mystery to every other" (Dickens 14) as the passenger's uncomfortable relationships are introduced.
In the following paragraph, to set the atmosphere in the coach, Dickens states clearly that the passengers "were mysteries to one another" (Dickens 15) from the start. He uses descriptive diction to illustrate the passenger's unfamiliarity with one another while depicting the awkward scene taking place inside of the coach. The position in which the passengers were arranged, "much too near together -- as if they were afraid of being found out in something, singly, if they kept too far apart," (Dickens 15) their appearances, complete with "varieties of sunken cheek, cadaverous colour, and emaciated hands and figures," (Dickens 17) and their actions, such as a "passenger (starting) to himself, and (lowering) the window, to get the reality of mist and rain on his cheek" (Dickens 18) are serveral components Dickens incorporates for the sake of establishing an outsider's perspective on each assumedly unimportant passenger. That they wish neither to be known or to know any of their fellow traveller's further proves Dicken's belief that "every beating heart, in the hundreds of thousands of breasts there, is, a secret to the heart nearest it!" (Dickens 15)
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ReplyDeleteIn Book 1 of A Tale of Two Cities, Dickens creates countless mysteries, one of the most inquiring, perhaps, being Mr. Lorry’s cryptic message to Miss Manette in chapter 2: Recalled to life. Through Dr. Manette and his daughter, we begin to get a better look at what exactly Dickens means by the idea of being “recalled to life.” Like Betsy said, Dickens does closely relate the ideas of imprisonment and death; hence Dr. Manette’s freedom from an imprisoned lifestyle leads to his “rebirth.” However, directly following Dr. Manette’s freedom, book the first ends, leaving the reader wondering how he will cope with this newfound freedom. The last few sentences of chapter six allude back to Mr. Lorry’s “inquiries” about Dr. Manette’s imprisonment (being buried alive): “I hope you care to be recalled to life? And the old answer: I can’t say" (Dickens 52). This is foreshadowing that the transition to freedom for Dr. Manette is going to be difficult.
ReplyDeleteTo put the previous idea into historical context, I think the situation of Dr. Manette’s freedom and imprisonment can be partially related to some of the happenings of the French Revolution. The French revolution began with the revolt of angry commoners in poverty against the injustice of the nobility. The poverty of the French citizens can be seen as their imprisonment, like that of Dr. Manette. While Dr. Manette does not rebel, he is still holding on to the hope of the life he used to live, a life of freedom. We know this because of the fact that he still wears strands of his wife’s hair around his neck. In the French Revolution, the Third Estate managed to overthrow the nobility, but in doing so left France with no order or government. They acquired freedom from their imprisonment (the nobility, poverty), much like the literal case of Dr. Manett’s freedom from prison. Their “freedom” resulted in chaos. We have yet to discover how Dr. Manett’s freedom will affect him.
“Pride, contempt, defiance, stubbornness, submission, lamentation.” (Dickens 17) This statement reflects in some ways reflects the fall of man. Towards the end of Chapter 3(17), Dickens describes the vision Mr. Jarvis is having while travelling inside "the mail." He is trying to think of whom he is "recall[ing] to life.” But all he could see is a worn face created by the tyranny of the French government. Dickens’ word choice in describing the face “of sunken cheek, cadaverous coulor” (Dickens 17) shows the dehumanization of Manette and many other French citizens. They live in conditions that cause them not only physical but mental destruction. This is shown in Dr. Manette, who was once a strong, intelligent man, but now sits in a dark room, obsessed with being a “shoemaker,” clearly a skeleton of his former self.
ReplyDeleteThese conditions, like Betsy said, are represented by macabre images. For example, a release from an 18 year long confinement would seem to be a joyous occasion, but instead Mr. Lorry says the he must “dig this wretched creature out “ and a “ghostly face will rise” (Dickens 18) from the grave. Just like Dr. Manette, the French people are no longer seen as humans. Like in first line, they went from a strong group of citizens to a fallen crowd of peasants that drink wine off the ground "in their chains of straw, a tangle of shaggy wrappers” (Dickens 19) and dipping into the “puddles with little mutilated earthen cups.” (Dickens 31) These images reflect the desperation that humans will result to after their former lives have plummeted to nothingness.
Though I respect Emma’s opinion and understand where she is coming from, I believe that Madame Defarge represents a sly, evil type of character, not symbolizing the nobility in France. Like Emma mentioned, Madame Defarge actually seeing what is going on is true. She “coughed just one grain of cough” (Dickens, ch. 5 pg. 35) in order to get her husband’s attention to the new customers. However, perhaps the reason that she saw the customers in the first place was because she had been watching them the whole time, like an animal watching its prey. Maybe, her knitting is just a cover up and she actually watches the people all the time, just waiting to see what they do and what matters of which they talk. “When this interchange of christian name was effected, Madame Defarge… coughed another grain of cough, and raised her eyebrows by the breadth of another line.” (Dickens, ch. 5, pg. 36) This sentence shows that though Dickens says she “saw nothing” (Dickens, ch. 5 pg. 37), in reality Madame Defarge sees and hears everything, storing it away for later use, possibly to harm people. In addition, it shows that perhaps, she got interested in the conversation because they used a “christian name”, which would re-instate the fact that maybe, Madame Defarge represents evil.
ReplyDeleteAlso, I think that Dickens could be foreshadowing Madame Defarge in the littlest way possible when he says at “this third interchange of the Christian name was completed at the moment when Madam Defarge put her toothpick by, kept her eyebrows up, and slightly rustled in her seat.” (Dickens, ch. 5, pg. 36)From always having a toothpick, makes it seem that she always has a weapon, and likes to keep it with her, which during the French Revolution is a good thing, but it also could show her violent character. Also, when it says she “rustled in her seat”, this could mean that she is restless and distressed by this news. With knowing the history of the French Revolution, we know that when the people get agitated and restless, those emotions turn to violence, so perhaps Dickens is foreshadowing that Madam Defarge will become violent as well.
I’ve noticed a lack of humanity in book one. It starts out like a poem, intricately and beautifully worded, and shifts into a structure like that of a history book. The narrator gives no identity to the king and queen when he describes them; “There were a king with a large jaw and a queen with a plain face, on the throne of England; there were a King with a large jaw and a queen with a fair face, on the throne of France” (Dickens 5) Even when describing the era’s hostility Dickens’ tone is sarcastic and somewhat insensitive to the harsh times.
ReplyDeleteFrom this point until the end of chapter six, most of the characters seem out of touch, and reluctant to relate to each other. For instance, while on the Dover Mail, “With those words the passenger opened the coach door and got in; not at all assisted by his fellow-passengers, who had expeditiously secreted their watches and purses in their boots, and were now making a general pretence of being asleep.” (Dickens 12).
Mr. Lorry, as a lot of people mentioned, always refers to business when he is talking with Lucie. My conclusion is like Paige’s and Reagan’s combined; I believe he wants to stay out of everything, but not because he is emotionally connected to the situation, but because he doesn’t want to be. I first thought he was attracted to Lucie, but realized it was a misread. So far, I have found that each character is lacking a certain amount of humanity. I have seen a lot of issues with people relating in the book. Everyone except Lucie seems to have this problem. I think this is why she is left to “recall” her father “to life”. The dead can’t awaken the dead.
---Malia
Sorry, I don't know how to completely fix the layout.
Every event, particularly surrounding supposedly random characters, in this first book is setting us up for a story set in a time of parallel political and social chaos. The scene from the mail that Monica pointed out grasps the sense of distrust the people see one other with but I saw Dickens take it a step further in France with the three Jacques in the wine shop. The three men whom Monsieur Defarge refers to as “Jacques” are a compact symbol for the initial issues surrounding the French government of that time. Though they were all born peasants – which we can gather from the nickname they all give other – they seem to separate themselves from the starving people out on the street. “Miserable beasts (36)” and “poor cattle [with] hard lives (36)” is what the gentlemen are happy to call their fellow peasants. Like the three separate divisions of the French government, they consider themselves better than the rest even though that ‘rest’ is a part of themselves. The three classes didn’t care about each other and didn’t understand that they made up the same country which is why the lower class was unhappy in the first place. They are three parts of the same whole continuing to fuel a cycle of anger due to disinterest.
ReplyDeleteMalia said that she thinks there is a lack of humanity in the first book but I have to disagree entirely. Dickens’ characters - with all their distrust, anger, misery directed particularly towards each other – are the epitome of humanity. Like the three men in the wine shop, every one of Dickens’ doubtful men and women add a little more anger to their unhappy world, in both England and France, during this first part of the book. By using the simplest three characters to represent the failing political system in France, Dickens is saying that all of these people are both the products and the causes of the misery they live in.
In Book One of a Tale of Two Cities, an expressed message is being "Recalled to life". This encouraging thought is contrasted with an opposing oppressing anticipation of death. The first chapters give glimpses of hope to a society thick in despair, but the hope is suffocated by fear. “If any one of the three had the hardihood to propose to one another to walk himself a little ahead into the mist and darkness, he would have out himself in fair way of getting shot.” (2, 10) The passengers of the mail coach are anxious to get to the top of the hill but are terrified of what lies in the misty darkness, so they remain silent in fear of being harmed by a highwayman or robber.
ReplyDeleteIn the first chapter, we see how wretched the societies of London and France were. People were starving and dying in the streets, and the government didn’t care. This leads me to believe that the whole book will be caked with fear and death. “Achievements as sentencing a youth to have his hands cut off, his tongue torn out with pincers, and his body burned alive, because he had not kneeled down.” (1, 6)
Hannah stated that the Defarges are out for blood because they own the wine shop. I tend to agree that wine is going to be a symbol for blood and violence in France. The lack of wine and food in France is going to cause violence for the people of France. Therefore, the wine scene(31) is a huge foreshadowing paragraph in the book. During the entire book one, there are symbols foreshadowing the events that will soon take place in France. The descriptions in the first book are gloomy and destructive. The paragraph Dickens includes “..And the sea did what it likes, and what it liked was destruction” is a major example of foreshadowing.(21-22) The line that reads “..as sick people went down to be dipped into the sea” could be a metaphor of death. The dominant impression of this paragraph is destruction and death. Dickens uses this idea of death and destruction in many of his descriptions in book one and they will most likely be motifs throughout the rest of the book.
ReplyDeleteDickens will use characters along with description to represent the attitude in France. Katy Beth discussed how Madame Defarge seems like a sly, evil character not a character symbolizing the nobility in France like Emma suggested. While I agree with some points they both discussed, I respectfully disagree. I think Madame Defrage best represents the uneasiness of the French people at the time. When the new customers walk in to the store, maybe she isn’t being evil but just protecting her husband and their store. The people of France are getting more hungry everyday and their want for wine grows everyday they go without wine. It wouldn’t be surprising if later on in the book, the Defarge’s wine shop gets broken in to or raided as the people become more desperate. So, Madame Defarge could be a character symbolizing the uneasiness in France.
Unlike Katy Beth, I do not think Madame Defarge is a violent character herself or will become violent, unless the people of France become violent. If the people of France become violent, then yes, I agree with Katy Beth, she will become violent because she is the representation of the people. Throughout the rest of the novel I will expect Madame Defarge to be a dynamic character that changes as the people of France change. I expect the Dickens will develop Madame Defarge to give his readers a direct source of how the French people feel.
Along with the ultimate feeling of distrust in the first book, the identities of the characters are not developed. Whether it is purposeful, or because it's the beginning of the book, the characters seem to have a sense of mystery about them. For example, the passengers in the Dover mail are not addressed by any names and "not one of the three could have said, from anything he saw, what either of the other two was like; and each one was hidden under almost as many wrappers as from the eyes of the mind, as from the eyes of the body." (Dickens, 9) The travelers are hidden under many wrappers, this representening they have many layers leading to their true soul which the other companions cannot see. The different people who have been traveling together don't even know one another and a sense of uncertainty is created. This could be to portray the idea of distrust and being hidden from others.
ReplyDeleteWe are also unsure of who Monsieur Defarge is yet and why he is in charge of his former employer, Doctor Manette. His identity is not known, and his neither is his purpose. He is in charge of the wine shop and he talks to two men who come in and he and his wife address them both by "Jacques." Their names are mysteries, and they are described and confronted by their status in the French society. Dickens's representation of these characters portrays their importance being minimal and the fact they aren't known by anything but their political stance. The fact we do not know the real people could suggest the fact Dickens believes we are complicated and we carry mystery and secrets no one will be exposed to.
Throughout Book the First, Dicken's uses different literary devices, such as anaphora and foreshadowing, to portray the maximum extremes presented in the novel.
ReplyDeleteIn the opening of the novel, Dicken's presents his reader with an anaphora. This one sentence oxymoronic paragraph is used to emphasize the extremes that chapter one is setting the reader up for. "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times,…" (Dickens, 5) in society during 1775 and by repeating the sentence structure over and over the emphasis that the author was looking for could be portrayed. This paragraph ultimately set the book up for the reader as it presents the motifs along with the highs and lows of the novel.
The spilling of wine in the opening of Chapter 5 is foreshadowing the French Revolution. The wine in the street insinuates that blood will run through the streets of Paris. "The wine was red wine, and had stained the ground of the narrow street…" (Dickens, 32) as the stories of the French Revolution state. Dicken's uses foreshadowing as a way to cause the reader the question about the rest of the book and interact. By hinting at the horrible events, the author helped illustrate his intention of maximum extremes.
The author used literary devices with the intention of portraying the extremes found socially, politically, and personally in his characters throughout the First Book.
In book one, particularly Chapter 6, Dickens always mentions Dr. Manette working on the shoe even when Mr. Lorry and Lucie, his daughter, come to see him. On page 51, Mr. Lorry asks Dr. Manette if he recognizes him and after intently looking at Mr. Lorry “he took the shoe up, and resumed his work.” Even though Dr. Manette recognizes “the face [he] once knew so well,” he doesn’t want to acknowledge it because of his past. Being a shoemaker is all he knows now, so he doesn’t want to be reminded of his tragic history of losing contact with his daughter and the death of his wife.
ReplyDeleteWhen his daughter arrives by his side, he is startled by the sight of "her golden hair, which she wore in curls," resembling that of her mother, his wife. He starts to reach for her hair but “he went astray and fell to work at his shoe-making.” (Dickens 52) Once again he distracts himself with the shoe in order to not be reminded of his past.
“… his eyes rested on a short, slight-pretty figure, a quantity of golden hair, a pair of blue eyes” (Ch.4, 23). May May was definitely right when she said that Lucie Manette’s “got it goin’ on.” Lucie’s golden hair, bright blue eyes, and overall attractive appearance remind me of an angel. Although Monsieur Manette is literally free from prison, he still feels imprisoned until his daughter recalls him to life: “His cold white head mingled with her radiant hair and lighted it as though it were the light of Freedom shining on him” (Ch.6, 48). Her angelic radiance seems to free her father, and her hair protects him: “her hair drooping over him curtained him from the light” (Ch.6, 48)
ReplyDeleteLucie is the only character so far that really feels emotion. She begs her father to “weep for it, weep for it” on page 48. I predict that when riots break out in France, Lucie will encourage the people of France to weep and feel for their actions instead of just returning to their gloomy lives like they did after the wine spill. Her ability to feel emotions when no one else can seems heavenly and angelic.
Betsy said that Mr. Lorry and Lucie recall Manette to life by freeing him and reuniting him with his daughter. I agree that this is the time of Monsieur Manette’s rebirth. It is Lucie Manette’s angelic radiance and genuine emotion that brings him back to life and gives him hope. “Light gleamed through the chinks of the wall” (Ch.6, 51). The light is a symbol of hope for Manette, something Manette would have never experienced without Lucie.
- Nicole Raisin