A Tale of Two Cities

Author :Charles Dickens

Publisher : PT Gramedia Pustaka Utama
Publish Year :Jakarta 2003
Total Pages :116 pages

A Tale of Two Cities is a great book written by Charles Dickens, who happens to be one of my favorite Authors. The story takes place before the French revolution, and the settings are England and France. The major characters of this book are Charles Darnay, Sydney Carton, Doctor Manette, Lucie Manette, Monsieur Defarge, Madame Defarge, Marquis Evrémonde, and Gabelle.

Lucie Manette is the main character of this book, and she lives in England. She has a special gift which allows her to transform people around her into a better person. She is loving, caring, and beautiful. She is wife of Charles Darnay and daughter of Doctor Manette.

Charles Darnay is a French aristocrat, who has moved to England because he is ashamed of French aristocrat's behavior towards the poor. He is honest, and full of courage. He is Lucie Manette's husband, and Marquis Evrémonde's nephew.

Sydney Carlton is a lawyer who fought for Charles Darnay. He loves Lucie Manette and becomes one of her better friends. He changes drastically through the story through her relationship with Lucie Manette. In the beginning, he is a selfish and alcoholic who is very careless. By the end, he turns into a person who is totally unselfish and will go to any extent to help his friends.

Doctor Manette is lost father of Lucie Manette. Doctor Manette is a brilliant physician, extremely loving father, and a very kind person. He spent eighteen years in Bastille prison. By the time he got out, he had turned into a mad man. Manette transformed into a normal person with the help of his daughter.

Monsieur Defarge a wine shop owner and a former servant of Doctor Manette. He took care of Doctor until Lucie came. He is a revolutionist, and has very good leadership skills. He shares a very good relationship with Doctor Manette.

Madame Defarge is wife of Monsieur Defarge. She is very intelligent, sneaky, and revengeful through the story. She made a list of people who should die, which includes most of the aristocrats of France.

Marquis Evrémonde is Darnay's uncle, and he is an aristocrat who shows no mercy for poor people. He is hated by his nephew and most of people in France.

Gabelle is heir of Marquis. Gabelle is jailed during the France revolution. One theme that came to my mind after reading this book was that in order to achieve something must be sacrificed. In order to save lives of Dr Manette, Lucie, and Charles, Carlton had to give his life up so that the other three could live. Likewise, people of France had to take some action against the Government before they could install a new government. Another theme that I thought of was that don't give up hope too easily. When Carlton came to France with a plan to free Darnay, a character though that it would be impossible to save him but, Darnay was able to accomplish it because he was determined and never gave up hope. Likewise, when Lucie first meet her father, she wasn't sure if she would be able to change him, however her friend Jarvis Lorry gave her confidence that she can do it. In the end her father was transformed into a whole new person.

There was a lot of symbolism in this book. The aristocrats of France in this book were symbolized as evil people who didn't care for anybody but themselves. They were looked upon as evil which had to be over come in order to bring a new government inform, which would make life better for all people living in Frances.

A Tale of Two Cities is a story about a girl by the name of Lucie Manette, a woman who has the power to transform people around her. This story takes place just before the French revolution. She lives in England. Lucie goes to France in 1789 to find out if it was true that her father (Doctor Manette) is still alive. After she got there, she found her father who had gone mad because of staying in jail for 18 years. Then Lucie determines herself to change her father into a normal person and she accomplishes it in a short amount of time.

Then she returned home with her father, when she meets a guy by the name of Charles Darnay (an immigrant form Paris). Darney is on trial for treason against England, and his lawyer is Sydney Carlton and Mr. Stryver. Carlton and his partner are able to win the case for Darnay. Then, Darnay returns to Paris, where his uncle Marquis Evrémonde is waiting for him. Marquis Evrémonde is cruel aristocrat who shows no mercy for poor people. After Darnay arrives to France, he blames his uncle and the rest of the aristocrats for being very cruel to poor people. Then he returned back to England, and got the news that his uncle was dead. About one year later, Darnay asks Dr. Manette if he can marry Lucie, Darnay said he will reveal his true identity if she marries him.

At the same time Carlton told Lucie he also loved her. Later on Darnay gets married to Lucie and reveals his true identity that he is a French aristocrat. This sends Dr. Manette back into madness for a week or so before he recovers and joins them at their honey moon. Then in 1789 French revolution begins and Gabelle, Marquis Evrémonde heir, is imprisoned. As soon and Darnay got the news her went to help Gabelle. However, when he got there, he was put directly in jail by revolutionaries because he was an emigrant. Then Lucie and her father come to France to save him, however he had to stay in jail for one year. Then Dr. Manette uses his influence with revolutionaries to free Darnay.

However, Darnay is arrested again that night because of charges from a woman, whose parents were killed by Darnay's uncle. Then Carlton came from England with a plan to save Darnay. Carlton's plan was to go to Darnay's jail and to switch their clothes. Then Darnay would leave the jail and meet his father-in-law and wife, so that they could leave for Paris as soon as possible. Carlton was able to accomplish his plan and send them back home. Then Carlton was executed and the story ended. I like Tale of Two Cities for many reasons.

I like it because this book showed that if people wish they can do anything. Like Lucie was able to change peoples lives through her love. Same way the people of France decide that they wanted to a new type of government and did whatever it took to defeat the current government. I also like it because it showed that one should never give up hope even if they are not in a very good position. Finally, I liked it because it depicted a story which was very real and unfair in many ways. Over all, this a great book to read for anybody, from young kids to old adults.