At the beginning of Chapter 21, Dickens uses the imagery of echoing footsteps to foreshadow the beginning of the French Revolution. "Among the echoes then, there would arise the sound of footsteps at her own early grave; and thoughts of the husband who would be left so desolate, and who would mourn for much, swelled to her eyes and broke like waves" (21, 218). The imagery gives the reader a sense that something is quickly approaching with the "arise [of] the sound of footsteps." The passage also says, "Let greater echoes resound as they would, the young mother at the cradle side could always hear those coming" (21, 218). All the imagery of the footsteps and echoes sets the mood that something is approaching. Also, the fact that the chapter title is named "Echoing Footsteps" is a clear indicator that the echoing footsteps are not only important, but represent something: a revolution in its beginnings.
In Chapter 21, echoes and footsteps are used to describe the French Revolution because they are continuous and even if someone doesn't see them coming, there are many signs hinting them. Footsteps are repeated many times which hints the Revolution on its way. "Headlong, mad, and dangerous footsteps to force their way into anybody's life, footsteps not easily made clean again if once stained red, and footsteps raging in Saint Antoine afar off, as the little circle sat in the dark London window" (Ch 21, 222). The footsteps begin to force their way into anybody's life meaning that no matter what, the Revolution will affect their life greatly.
At the beginning of Chapter 21, Dickens uses the imagery of echoing footsteps to foreshadow the beginning of the French Revolution. "Among the echoes then, there would arise the sound of footsteps at her own early grave; and thoughts of the husband who would be left so desolate, and who would mourn for much, swelled to her eyes and broke like waves" (21, 218). The imagery gives the reader a sense that something is quickly approaching with the "arise [of] the sound of footsteps." The passage also says, "Let greater echoes resound as they would, the young mother at the cradle side could always hear those coming" (21, 218). All the imagery of the footsteps and echoes sets the mood that something is approaching. Also, the fact that the chapter title is named "Echoing Footsteps" is a clear indicator that the echoing footsteps are not only important, but represent something: a revolution in its beginnings.
ReplyDeleteIn Chapter 21, echoes and footsteps are used to describe the French Revolution because they are continuous and even if someone doesn't see them coming, there are many signs hinting them. Footsteps are repeated many times which hints the Revolution on its way. "Headlong, mad, and dangerous footsteps to force their way into anybody's life, footsteps not easily made clean again if once stained red, and footsteps raging in Saint Antoine afar off, as the little circle sat in the dark London window" (Ch 21, 222). The footsteps begin to force their way into anybody's life meaning that no matter what, the Revolution will affect their life greatly.
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