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Love and the Power of Healing in "A Tale Of Two Cities&

Uploaded by spootyhead on Apr 18, 2007

Love and the Power of Healing in "A Tale Of Two Cities"

A Tale of Two Cities, a novel written by Charles Dickens, illustrates the effect of the French Revolution on the lives of the individuals affected. One of the most evident themes of this novel is that love has the power to heal. Dickens utilizes the character and restoration of Dr. Manette to portray this theme to the reader. Through the contrast of the shadow and the golden thread Dickens is able to make this theme clearly stand out. Dickens also uses the characterization of Sydney Carton, and his need to be loved to present this theme. By combining both characterization and the contrast of the shadow and the golden thread, Charles Dickens clearly presents us with the theme that love has the power to heal.

Dickens uses the characterization of the Doctor and Lucie's love for him to portray that love has the power to heal. When we first meet Dr. Manette, Dickens describes him as "a hopeless and lost creature." (Page 47) When Dr. Manette is asked his name, all that he says is "One Hundred and Five, North Tower." (Page 49) This is a result of his eighteen-year imprisonment in the Bastille, which he was doomed to by the Evrémonde brother for telling of their wrongdoings. It is clear that Dr. Manette has lost his sense of life because of his imprisonment. When Dr. Manette sees Lucie, he knows that she is without a doubt his daughter. Through the love of his daughter, Dr. Manette is able to forgive the Evrémonde family. Five years later, when Dr. Manette, Lucie and Mr. Lorry enter the courtroom to testify at a trial for Charles Darnay, the spectators see Dr. Manette as, “a man of a very remarkable appearance.” (Page 72) From the expression on his face, “on his speaking to his daughter—he became a handsome man, not past the prime of his life.” (Page 72) This indicates to us how Lucie’s love has the power to heal and overcome unpleasant memories of the Doctor’s time in the Bastille.

Dickens restates the theme that love has the power to heal, thought the contrast of the “shadow” and the “Golden Thread.” We are first introduced to the shadow when Mr. Lorry and M. Defarge are...

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Uploaded by:   spootyhead

Date:   04/18/2007

Category:   Literature

Length:   4 pages (987 words)

Views:   5770

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