I have read many books in my life, and in those tens of thousands of pages i know few quotes more compelling than the one on page 398, it reads:
"I see Barsad, and Cly, Defarge, The Vengance, the Juryman, the Judge, long ranks of the new oppressors who have risen on the destruction of the old, perishing by this retributive instrument, before it shall cease out of its present use. I see a beautiful city and a brilliant people rising from the abyss, and, in their struggles to be truly free, in their triumphs and defeats, through long years to come, i see the evil of this time and of the previous time of which this is the natural birth, gradually making expiation for itself and waring out."
This quote was so perfectly written and placed that it spoke to me on a totally different level, so much so that it shocked me. It was worth reading the entire book for. I now see why so many people credit this book as a "Classic". It is quotes like this that make a book.
There where a few reasons why this quote is so amazing. One being that these are a condemned mans last words. The last things that Sydney Carton will ever say, they carry a meaning more than that of any other in this book. The words are so dramatic, full of life, of spirit, of energy that for a dead man to say it, is shocking to say the least. These are the immortal words of a man that would (if this were a true story) go down in the books for being a truly profound man. He realizes that his life was more or less a waste, throwing it away with years of drinking and being a scumbag, so he risks his life in a daring raid to save an innocent man with a family that is condemned to death.
I just love how this quote brings closure to the entire book in one big bang. Dickens gives new hope to the reader that there can still be liberty even though people like madame Defarge are in charge by telling us that,"...evil of this time and of the previous time of which this is the natural birth, gradually making expiation for itself and waring out." So it is basically a finale for the book and that is why this is so important. One last thought from Sydney Carton.
Tuesday, April 17, 2012
Thursday, March 1, 2012
Beautiful Depression, The Tragedy Of Child Loss
"At first there were times, though she was perfectly happy young wife, when her work would slowly fall from her hands, and her eyes would be dimmed. For, there was something coming in the echoes, something light, afar off, and scarcely audible yet, that stirred her heart too much. Fluttering hopes and doubts- hopes, of a love as yet unknown to her; doubts of her remaining on earth, to enjoy that new delight- divided her breast."(Dickens.218.)
Excerpt from, "A Tale Of Two Cities," describing Lucie Manette.
Wow, I literally was taken back by this beautiful writing. What a tragic concoction of emotions this young wife is having to deal with! Clearly she is haunted by her past, and the obvious signs of depression (suicidal thoughts) are described so delicately and soft by Dickens, it was very easy for me to feel for Lucie. It states she has doubts of remaining on earth, leading me to believe that she's deeply depressed and even fantasizing about what death would be like. And honestly, how romantic, he calls her hopes for a love she has not yet found "fluttering" as if unsure that she even knows what she is hopeful for. When I read that she had a baby girl (of course a miniature Lucie), I felt joy for her that she had something good in her life, then I was so sad for her on the next page when I discovered that although she did have one healthy child, her young boy died after stating that he was sorry to leave but that he was being "called". Really, what a horrific experience that must have been, especially for such a delicate, sweet young woman like Lucie.
Maybe it was the childhood death that got to me, but I found myself very distraught after reading this and I give full credit to Dicken's writing. Realistically, although I find a conventional love story to be the best, the untraditional tales of depression and tragedy, written in such a light and empathetic way, can be just as sappy and emotional for a romantic such as myself.
Excerpt from, "A Tale Of Two Cities," describing Lucie Manette.
Wow, I literally was taken back by this beautiful writing. What a tragic concoction of emotions this young wife is having to deal with! Clearly she is haunted by her past, and the obvious signs of depression (suicidal thoughts) are described so delicately and soft by Dickens, it was very easy for me to feel for Lucie. It states she has doubts of remaining on earth, leading me to believe that she's deeply depressed and even fantasizing about what death would be like. And honestly, how romantic, he calls her hopes for a love she has not yet found "fluttering" as if unsure that she even knows what she is hopeful for. When I read that she had a baby girl (of course a miniature Lucie), I felt joy for her that she had something good in her life, then I was so sad for her on the next page when I discovered that although she did have one healthy child, her young boy died after stating that he was sorry to leave but that he was being "called". Really, what a horrific experience that must have been, especially for such a delicate, sweet young woman like Lucie.
Maybe it was the childhood death that got to me, but I found myself very distraught after reading this and I give full credit to Dicken's writing. Realistically, although I find a conventional love story to be the best, the untraditional tales of depression and tragedy, written in such a light and empathetic way, can be just as sappy and emotional for a romantic such as myself.
Thursday, February 16, 2012
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder in Dr. Manette
(Miss Pross) -Sometimes, he gets up in the dead of the night, and will be heard, by us overhead there, walking up and down, walking up and down, in his room. Ladybird has learnt to know then that his mind is walking up and down, walking up and down, in his old prison. She hurries to him, and they go on together, walking up and down, walking up and down, until he is composed. But he never says a word of the true reason of his restlessness, to her, and she finds it best not to hint at it to him. In silence they go walking up and down together, walking up and down together, till her love and company have brought him to himself.” (pg.102)
This passage explained so much to me about Dr. Manette along with the rest if the novel. He is not some strange old man who is just naturally confused and bewildered by everything changing around him, he is suffering from PTSD. The book hinted earlier that prison had changed him so much. This is the hard evidence. This is where I made the A-HA connection. He knew a monotonous life of prison for so long that he really doesn't know any other life. He cant function in the real world normally so at this time his mind doesn't know what to do and he reverts back to the prisoner's life he experienced for so long. It wasn't Alziemers, or one of the other common elderly disease that i saw in Manor Care. It was his prison experience that changed his life forever, and made him the anxious, untrusting man that he is showing himself to be. A-HA! Finally I understand his character.
My new understanding also reveals Lucie's charactor well. She is very patient with her father, who has been gone for 18 years of her life. Even though she doesn't really know him, she has spent countless hours trying to rehabilitate her father in his time of need. This was an A-HA moment for me because it really showed how loving and thoughful Lucie is. It is one of the few times her true character comes out in the story so far and it really "clicked" when we found out she was helping her father every chance she got. I really got a feeling for who she is.
Monday, February 6, 2012
Februrary 5th 2012
What?!?!
"This dialogue had been held in so very low a whisper, that not a word of it had reacheed the young lady's ears. But, by this time she trembled under such strong emotion and her face expressed such deep anxiety, and, above all, such dread and terror, that Mr Lorry felt it incumbent on him to speak a word or two of reassurance. 'Courage, dear miss! Courage! Business! The worst will be over in a moment; it is but passing the room door, and the worst is over. Then all the good you bring to him, all the relief, all the happines you bring to him, begin. Let our good friend here, assist you on that side. That's well, friend Defarge. Come now. Business. Business.'" (pg.39.Dickens.)
-Excerpt from Charles Dicken's, A Tale of Two Cities.
Lucie Mannett, a young girl who had assumed all her life that her father was deceased, just found out she was mistaken. Jarvis Lorry, a trusted friend of the Mannetts, has come to Dover to inform her that her father is very much alive, and that she is going to see him. She learns that he has been in prison for eighteen years, but that his release has now taken place. Of course, as anyone would be, Lucie is shocked and gets very emotional, as this exerpt shows. When I read, "her face expressed such deep anxiety, and above all, such dread and terror," I pictured a scared girl, imagining her father in terrifying circumstances, while listening to two men discussing him with much lack of courtesy towards her feelings. Lorry, who realizes how sad and confused Lucie is, tries to comfort her, and this is where I get lost. He exclaims, "Courage, dear miss! Courage! Business!" What kind of comforting words are these? Business? How on earth is finding out that your father, who you assumed to be killed, has been rotting away in prison and that you are going to see him after eighteen years, business? I truly wondered after reading this, if back when Tale of Two Cities, was written, the word business had a different definition, one that was less irritating for me to endure from this man. Then i stopped and thought, this must be a man who clearly is trying to make the young girl feel better, what with advising her to have courage, while lacking the ability to realize that not everyone deals with their tough emotions by putting on their game face and acting like its all, "business". Although maybe bankers, such as Jarvis Lorry may have to think of things more critically to survive in a business world, it's interesting and almost funny to me that he doesnt realize how to talk to a teenage girl.
What?!?!
"This dialogue had been held in so very low a whisper, that not a word of it had reacheed the young lady's ears. But, by this time she trembled under such strong emotion and her face expressed such deep anxiety, and, above all, such dread and terror, that Mr Lorry felt it incumbent on him to speak a word or two of reassurance. 'Courage, dear miss! Courage! Business! The worst will be over in a moment; it is but passing the room door, and the worst is over. Then all the good you bring to him, all the relief, all the happines you bring to him, begin. Let our good friend here, assist you on that side. That's well, friend Defarge. Come now. Business. Business.'" (pg.39.Dickens.)
-Excerpt from Charles Dicken's, A Tale of Two Cities.
Lucie Mannett, a young girl who had assumed all her life that her father was deceased, just found out she was mistaken. Jarvis Lorry, a trusted friend of the Mannetts, has come to Dover to inform her that her father is very much alive, and that she is going to see him. She learns that he has been in prison for eighteen years, but that his release has now taken place. Of course, as anyone would be, Lucie is shocked and gets very emotional, as this exerpt shows. When I read, "her face expressed such deep anxiety, and above all, such dread and terror," I pictured a scared girl, imagining her father in terrifying circumstances, while listening to two men discussing him with much lack of courtesy towards her feelings. Lorry, who realizes how sad and confused Lucie is, tries to comfort her, and this is where I get lost. He exclaims, "Courage, dear miss! Courage! Business!" What kind of comforting words are these? Business? How on earth is finding out that your father, who you assumed to be killed, has been rotting away in prison and that you are going to see him after eighteen years, business? I truly wondered after reading this, if back when Tale of Two Cities, was written, the word business had a different definition, one that was less irritating for me to endure from this man. Then i stopped and thought, this must be a man who clearly is trying to make the young girl feel better, what with advising her to have courage, while lacking the ability to realize that not everyone deals with their tough emotions by putting on their game face and acting like its all, "business". Although maybe bankers, such as Jarvis Lorry may have to think of things more critically to survive in a business world, it's interesting and almost funny to me that he doesnt realize how to talk to a teenage girl.
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