A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens Analysis
“A Tale of Two Cities” is a historical fiction novel by Charles Dickens. When Darnay was convicted a second time by the Defarges and now Dr. Manette. Good wins out in the end of the novel when Sydney Carton was successfully able to trade places with Darnay, and have his life taken instead.
In chapter 13, Sydney Carton was able to get into the prison with a spy called John Barsad (John Barsad was a spy for both the English and French). Carton convinces Darnay that Lucie wanted Sydney to change boots, clothes, and a ribbon with Darnay on behalf of Lucie. When Darnay hears Lucie’s request he complains saying, “Carton, there is no escaping from this place; it never can be done. You will only die with me. It is madness” (Dickens 377). Carton ignores this request and makes Darnay write a letter to no one, and without a date. While Carton was saying what he wanted Darnay to write, Darnay glanced up and noticed that Carton had an item equipped in his hand and asked, “Is that a weapon in your hand,” thus Sydney replies with “No; I am not armed” (Dickens 378). By the time Darnay finished writing the letter he was fast asleep on the floor due to “struggling with the man who had come to lay down his life.”
Since Sydney’s plan worked Darnay was able to escape with Lucie, little Lucie, and Mr. Lorry. Darnay had gotten the identity of an Englishman named Sydney Carton. Furthermore, after Lucie, little Lucie, and Mr. Lorry, and Darnay with the new identity of Sydney Carton leave Miss Pross at the house to wait for a 3 o'clock coach to not raise suspicion. Around the time when Miss Pross was about to depart Madame Defarge arrived demanding to see the Evermonde family. Miss Pross refuses and closes the two doors and blocks the main door with her body. Madame Defarge had gotten impatient and stomped her way up to the front door, in addition Miss Pross wrapped her arms around Madame Defarge’s waist and held her tight. The two women have a literal hand-to-hand fight, and the gun which Madame Defarge produced goes off between them. Not only is the result a dead Frenchwoman and a deaf Miss Pross but Miss Pross never regained her hearing from that altercation, but she was glad to sacrifice for the family she loved.
By the end of the novel, evil was able to behead all of the aristocrats except for the Evermonde bloodline, losing its chance of killing all the aristocrats during this revolutionary movement since Sydney was the one beheaded instead of Darnay. Now, Lucie, little Lucie, Dr. Manette, and Darnay live in England where they are finally free.
