The inhumanity of the 'revolutionaries' is unbelievable. It is exemplified by Jacque three when he states, talking about Lucie being put to death by the guolltine,"She has a fine head for it, I have seen blue eyes and golden hair there, and they look charming when Samson held them up." This is a woman, a wife, a mother they are speaking of, how can they be so heartless??
In this final part we see, and are told, how utterly horrific Madame Defarge has become. She does not even trust her own husband anymore, and thus decided to exclude him from her plan of condemning Lucie and little Lucie. Although the Evermondes changed her life greatly as a young girl, it is sad to see someone become so consumed with something that happened so long ago that their life is revolved around nothing but hate and revenge.
I believe that Madame Defarges plan is to condemn Lucie and little Lucie by accusing them of making a plan with Darnay while he was in prison by standing outside his tower and supposedly 'signing' words to him. This all comes from the wood sawyer, the man Lucie was always cordial to and gave drinking money to.
Although it goes unsaid, Miss Pross is also alot like Sydney Carton, she would do anything for Lucie. In fact, she also sacrifices for her, by shooting Madame Defarge. She didn't sacrafice her own life, but I believe she would if she had to, but she did sacrafice her piece of mind for she will always be haunted by her killing of Madame Defarge.
Once again, Miss Pross brings comic relief in to the story by never hearing anything again after the gun shot.
I like the way Dicken's ended the novel with the thoughts of Sydney Carton even though he was dead. It gave an insight into what he was thinking just before his death. Carton knew that what he was doing would be remembered by the Evermondes for generations to come. He knew his acts would be cherished by Lucie and Darnay and that the Doctor could like a long life as he should; and I think as long as Carton knew he gave all these other people a "life they loved" he had lived a fulfulling life himself.
Sunday, December 14, 2008
Monday, December 8, 2008
Tale of Two Cities Pages 297 - 335
We are finally able to read the letter that Dr. Manette buried in his cell so many years ago. Not only did it explain the reason for his captivity, but also made a connection to the relevant times.
The dieing boy, which we later find out is Madame Defarges brother, tells Manette that the two men took him and his siter because they are nobles and thus have the right. He only wanted his sister because they liked her, I think?? The boy was merely trying to rescue his sister. One of the men is the Marquis and the other his brother, Darnay's father. It all makes sense now, because if you think back to when Darnay was talking to the Marquis in the chateau, he called him his uncle. The boy forshadowed, back then, that he and his family would pay for this, which they are doing now.
So, after Dr. Manette tries to save the siblings, and fails, he returns to his house and writes a letter about what he has witnessed. This is the confusing part, is he writing a letter to like the minister, thinking that they will never do anything about it, but it will just make himself feel better?? In the midst of his letter writing, Darnay, as a young boy, and his mother show up on Manette's doorstep. She disagreed with her husband and thier doings and wanted to find the other sister of the two siblings, who is really Madame Defarge, and help her. Darnay's mother asks Darnay, "though wilt be faithful, little Charles?. He replies, "Yes." Is this the promise to his mother he is talking about when he has his conversation with his uncle, the Marquis, in the chateau?? Also, another connection is revealed in that Defarge, as a young boy, was Dr. Manette's servant, which is why he took care of him and looked after him so much in prison and when he was realeased.
In the end, the minister never recieved his letter, but instead it was intercepted by the Marquis, and they subsequently send him to his "living grave." I can tell the end is coming near becuase so many connections are being made. Somehow everybody is connected, even in the past.
After the trial, when Carton visits Lucie and leans down and kisses her, he whispers " A life you love." What does that signify?? Does it have something to do with the promise he made her?? Little Lucie is the one that heard it, so I feel that we may only be hearing part of the comment he made to her.
Carton proceeds from Lucie's house to go to the wine shop. At first I think the Defarges are suspicious, but I don't believe they act up it. Carton is able to overhear though and finds out that the Sawyer of the woodshop was a spy for them, which we should have known, he was a mender of the roads and was in with the Jacques. Maybe everyone else picked up on that, but I had forgotten he was a Jacque. Their discussion was a bit confusing, but after reading on I believe Carton hears that Madame Defarge wants every last member of the Evermondes killed, which includes Lucie, Dr. Manette, and little Lucie (they all have relations to Darnay) to get revenge for her siblings.
This whole time we have all thought the Defarges were just blood hungry killers for no reason, when in reality she has, if it can be possible, a good reason for wanting them dead. I guess it just reminds us that everybody usually has a motive for doing what they do. It is just easy to judge someone, and hate them, and assume they don't have a reason just because we don't know about it.
Finally, Carton's plan is revealed (Arielle is right!). He exchanges places with Darnay and then has it arranged to have Darnay, Mr. Lorry, and his family leave for England right away because Dr. Manette had papers that allowed them to leave yet. How did he get those, though? Also, what happened to Mr. Cruncher and Miss Pross?? Don't they get to go back to England, too??
As Carton is waiting in line at the guolltine(spelling?) he converses with a poor seamstress. I don't know if she has any real relevance to the story, but he made a comment that she was dying for someone else- who? her husband?
In the end, they successfully leave Paris and are on their way to England, but constantly fear that they will be persued. I think that is kind of like the price they have to pay in cheating the system. They recieved Darnay's life, but must pay by living in fear of being caught for the rest of thier lives.
The dieing boy, which we later find out is Madame Defarges brother, tells Manette that the two men took him and his siter because they are nobles and thus have the right. He only wanted his sister because they liked her, I think?? The boy was merely trying to rescue his sister. One of the men is the Marquis and the other his brother, Darnay's father. It all makes sense now, because if you think back to when Darnay was talking to the Marquis in the chateau, he called him his uncle. The boy forshadowed, back then, that he and his family would pay for this, which they are doing now.
So, after Dr. Manette tries to save the siblings, and fails, he returns to his house and writes a letter about what he has witnessed. This is the confusing part, is he writing a letter to like the minister, thinking that they will never do anything about it, but it will just make himself feel better?? In the midst of his letter writing, Darnay, as a young boy, and his mother show up on Manette's doorstep. She disagreed with her husband and thier doings and wanted to find the other sister of the two siblings, who is really Madame Defarge, and help her. Darnay's mother asks Darnay, "though wilt be faithful, little Charles?. He replies, "Yes." Is this the promise to his mother he is talking about when he has his conversation with his uncle, the Marquis, in the chateau?? Also, another connection is revealed in that Defarge, as a young boy, was Dr. Manette's servant, which is why he took care of him and looked after him so much in prison and when he was realeased.
In the end, the minister never recieved his letter, but instead it was intercepted by the Marquis, and they subsequently send him to his "living grave." I can tell the end is coming near becuase so many connections are being made. Somehow everybody is connected, even in the past.
After the trial, when Carton visits Lucie and leans down and kisses her, he whispers " A life you love." What does that signify?? Does it have something to do with the promise he made her?? Little Lucie is the one that heard it, so I feel that we may only be hearing part of the comment he made to her.
Carton proceeds from Lucie's house to go to the wine shop. At first I think the Defarges are suspicious, but I don't believe they act up it. Carton is able to overhear though and finds out that the Sawyer of the woodshop was a spy for them, which we should have known, he was a mender of the roads and was in with the Jacques. Maybe everyone else picked up on that, but I had forgotten he was a Jacque. Their discussion was a bit confusing, but after reading on I believe Carton hears that Madame Defarge wants every last member of the Evermondes killed, which includes Lucie, Dr. Manette, and little Lucie (they all have relations to Darnay) to get revenge for her siblings.
This whole time we have all thought the Defarges were just blood hungry killers for no reason, when in reality she has, if it can be possible, a good reason for wanting them dead. I guess it just reminds us that everybody usually has a motive for doing what they do. It is just easy to judge someone, and hate them, and assume they don't have a reason just because we don't know about it.
Finally, Carton's plan is revealed (Arielle is right!). He exchanges places with Darnay and then has it arranged to have Darnay, Mr. Lorry, and his family leave for England right away because Dr. Manette had papers that allowed them to leave yet. How did he get those, though? Also, what happened to Mr. Cruncher and Miss Pross?? Don't they get to go back to England, too??
As Carton is waiting in line at the guolltine(spelling?) he converses with a poor seamstress. I don't know if she has any real relevance to the story, but he made a comment that she was dying for someone else- who? her husband?
In the end, they successfully leave Paris and are on their way to England, but constantly fear that they will be persued. I think that is kind of like the price they have to pay in cheating the system. They recieved Darnay's life, but must pay by living in fear of being caught for the rest of thier lives.
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