A Tale of Christianity
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Professor and writer Harold Lindsell once said, “Regardless of the day or the hour; whether in seeming good times or bad, the Christian lives in the world for the good of the world and for the sake of the world.” Exploring Christianity in times of despair throughout the ages is also evident in one of Charles Dickens’ most famous books, A Tale of Two Cities. At a sudden glance, this story seems to discuss the problems between France and England during the French Revolution; but when one takes a closer look, it becomes increasingly evident that the foundations of Dickens’ book actually stem from Christianity. The revolution is simply a tale to accompany the real plot of the novel, which includes the exploration of Jesus Christ’s resurrection from the dead at the hand of God and the everlasting battle of good versus evil. In A Tale of Two Cities, Dickens uses alliteration, parallelism, metaphor, simile, symbolism, and personification to write a novel based on the principles and stories of Christianity and to reveal the presence of Christianity in everyday life.
Dickens often chooses to reveal Christianity in his work by creating characters that symbolize those found in the Bible. This is especially evident with Lucie Manette, the daughter of Doctor Manette and the wife of Charles Darnay, who represents God through her ability to save those around her from desolation. Lucie, which means “light” in Latin, is given credit for “resurrecting” both her father, from the trauma of spending eighteen years in prison, and Sydney Carton, a once lazy drunk who morphs into a Christ-like figure because of Lucie’s influence on him. During an emotional breakdown, Carton confesses to Lucie, “You have… stirred old shadows that I thought had died out of me. Since I knew you, I have been troubled by a remorse that I thought would never reproach me again… I have had unformed ideas of striving afresh, beginning anew, shaking off sloth and sensuality, and fighting out the abandoned fight… with what a sudden mastery you kindled me, heap of ashes that I am, into fire” (201). In this quotation, Dickens chooses to emphasize Carton’s words by repeating key sounds through alliteration. He selects the words he wishes to accentuate and gives them the same initial consonant sounds, such as in “remorse/reproach,” “afresh/anew,” and “shaking/sloth/sensuality.” He also uses parallelism to repeat significant words, as demonstrated in “I thought… I thought” and “fighting…fight.” Dickens then chooses to end the passage with an imprinting metaphor that compares Carton to ashes that Lucie “kindled” into a fire. This passage also reflects the same ideas as those in the most popular hymn in the English language, Amazing Grace. This hymn joyfully proclaims, “Amazing grace! How sweet the sound/that saved a wretch like me!/I once was lost, but now am found;/was blind, but now I see” (Newton). God’s act of saving people from the hopelessness of their lives is a recurring theme that is a main element in the foundations of Christianity. In inspiring Carton, Lucie demonstrates similar characteristics as God by being able to resurrect people out of desolation.
However, Lucie not only transforms Carton into a symbol of Christ but she also resurrects her father from a dying shell of his former self into the prominent doctor and citizen he once was. Upon the first meeting of the two, Dickens writes, “his [Doctor Manette] cold white head mingled with her [Lucie] radiant hair, which warmed and lighted it as though it were the light of Freedom shining on him” (63). As symbolically demonstrated here, even Lucie’s hair has the power to transform those around her into better and livelier people. Dickens chooses to use a simile to reveal the impact of Lucie’s aura on Doctor Manette, comparing it to “the light of Freedom.” For although Doctor Manette is no longer in prison, he is still not free from the impact the eighteen years has imposed on him. But once he encounters the God-like Lucie, Doctor Manette finally receives the opportunity to experience true freedom. God’s ability to save individuals from despair is constantly reiterated throughout the Bible. In the Book of Psalms, it reads, “I suffered distress and anguish. Then I called on the name of the LORD… when I was brought low, he saved me… For thou hast delivered my soul from death, my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling… O LORD, I am thy servant; I am thy servant” (Psalms 116:3-16, Revised Standard Version). This quote especially refers back to Carton because at the end of his meeting with Lucie, Carton pledges to be a servant to Lucie and states he would even give his life for her. There is no doubt that Dickens chose for Lucie to symbolize God through the constant hope and love that she emits to those who cross her path.
Dickens also chooses to write about the eternal struggle between good versus