Fatherly Love Theme in Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens Essay Sample

In a Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens, Dr. Manette’s fatherly love for his daughter, the protagonist, influences him to talk to Sydney Carton so that he may better himself of his unrequited love for Lucie. Love tends to help people make decisions they normally would not, either that being good or bad. Unrequited love is simply one-sided and does not benefit the individual on the other side. Someone so blindly in love would do anything and everything for someone whose life is currently not affected with or without them. There is no validation from the opposite person, causing a change. Although, generally people unrequitedly in love cannot end up with the said person, so there is an opportunity that opens for them to grow. Meanwhile, Dr. Manette has not been present in most of Lucie's life due to his imprisonment and is now senile and old. While Sydney Carton is a locally hated drunk who still could represent someone in a court of law as a lawyer. Eventually, after not being able to be with them unrequited love pushes people to better themself and to feel worthy. Winning the lottery is a 1 in 13,983,816 chance, yet people still buy tickets and continue to take the chance, very much like the nature of people unrequitedly in love. 

Nevertheless, Dr. Manette, a shoemaker, is forgotten as a lone prisoner in the basteil, who accordingly is redeemed when he is reunited with his daughter. Before meeting his daughter in many years, he is asked for his name. He responds, “‘Did you ask me for my name?’ ‘Assuredly I did.’ ‘One Hundred and Five North Tower.’” (Dickens 42). This illuminates her father's intelligence and comprehension from being isolated and remote before he is redeemed by her love. Correspondingly Dr. Manette’s fatherly love for Lucie is revealed as well as illustrating how he wants the very best for his daughter. Dr. Manette understands that Carton is not right for his daughter so he reluctantly converses with Sydney and tells him off. “‘You have seen Mr. Carton here, yourself. Mr. Stryver is here too, occasionally. If it is at all, it can only be by one of these.’” (Dickens 136-7). This captures his fatherly love for Lucie and how he is in a much better state after being reunited. He politely and blatantly calls Sydney out for his poor decisions, he then states that Carton needs to change up his life, and how he should meet someone who will take care of him and look after him. This provides a new purpose and motivation for Carton that drives him to make a better man of himself.

Conclusively, Sydney Carton who is a disgraced local drunken lawyer who is frowned upon by the people is unrequitedly in love with the protagonist Lucie Manette. Regardless, Carton's character unfolds, he is unmotivated and unwilling to believe in himself when we are introduced to him. Later on, after Mr.Stryver lectures Sydney, his true character shines for the first time. “‘In the fair city of this version, there were airy galleries from which the loves and graces looked upon him, gardens in which the fruits of life hung ripening, waters of hope that sparkled in his sight. A moment, and it was gone. Climbing to a high chamber in a well of houses, he threw himself down in his clothes on a neglected bed, and its pillow was wet with wasted tears.”’ (Dickens 91-2). Carton does not appear to show much if any emotion in the beginning until he meets Lucie. This establishes Carton at his seemingly lowest point before meeting her and before wanting to make a change for her. Later on, as he speaks to Lucie's father, he has a change of heart and wants to help her knowing he can't be with her. ‘“Don’t speak of me to her. As I said to you when I first came, I had better not see her. I can put my hand out, to do any little helpful work for her that my hand can find to do, without that. You are going to her, I hope? She must be very desolate to-night.” “I am going now, directly.” “I am glad of that...”’ Forwarding his unrequited love for Lucie by doing whatever he can just to help her. Carton knowingly does whatever he must to keep her safe although, in the end, she cannot be his.

Lastly, in A tale of two cities by Charles Dickens, unrequited love makes people act in a way that they normally would not. Unrequited love rewards Carton by helping him turn his life around and to be a better man. Fatherly love for Lucie by Dr. Manette is resurrected when he is finally able to see her. There still is a chance to win at the Lottery even if you do not have all the numbers right you can still win partly if you have some, and in this case, Sydney Carton may not have won the girl but bettered himself. While on the other hand, Dr. Manette wins, when he is reunited with his daughter. Love brought Lucie back to her father and love also provided a purpose for a self-loathing Sydney Carton. Love will win even if it's not the exact way as planned.