Resurrection In A Tale Of Two Cities

To many people, resurrection is the act of rising from the dead. To others, however, resurrection is the idea that askew lives can transition into a newfound purpose and hope. Charles Dickens incorporates these meanings and concepts into his novel A Tale of Two Cities.The story follows two prominent European cities, London and Paris, throughout the French Revolution and the following Reign of Terror. Many characters in the novel undergo great mental and emotional changes as the plot progresses. They begin as very simplistic characters but grow into deep, complex people. One recurring theme of A Tale of Two Cities is “recalled to life,” as proven by Jarvis Lorry, Doctor Manette, and Sydney Carton.

To begin with, Jarvis Lorry is recalled to life through his friendship with the Manette’s. To illustrate, before he befriends the Manette’s, Lorry devotes his entire life to his job at Tellson’s and only focuses on business. When Mr. Lorry first meets Lucie Manette to disclose very personal information on her father’s whereabouts, he tries to keep the meeting as emotionless as possible. “I am a man of business … don’t heed me any more than if I was a speaking machine-truly, I am not much else” (21). His tendency to immediately close himself off from any emotion makes his transition throughout the novel even more drastic. At the novel’s beginning, Lorry is a shallow, dull, sixty year old bachelor, but by the end builds a deep, loving personality while finding a family with the