Charles Darnay

Charles is the guy who’s got it all. Born a French nobleman. He leaves his land and his family in the dust and begins his life over as Charles Dranay. Darnay is hardworking. Dickens writes, "Miss Manette, I am a man of business. I have a business charge to acquit myself of. In your reception of it, don’t heed me any more than if I was a speaking machine-truly, I am not much else. I will, with your leave, relate to you, miss, the story of one of our customers." (Dickens 36). I chose a hammer to symbolize Charles Darnay's hard work. His life kind of revolves around work but he has a soft spot for Lucie and only Lucie. He tells Lucie that he is taking care of her because it's strictly business but he has grown to love her. Besides her, he focuses on work and nothing else. Next I chose money to symbolize Darnay's care for other people.  He doesn't care for the money unlike his family, he wants to give it to the poor. He has a kind heart. For example Dickens says, "'this property and France are lost to me, ' said the nephew sadly; 'I renounce them'" (Dickens 217). This quote indirectly characterizes Charles Darnay, since it describes one of his actions. Darnay wantes to give up his French name and any relation with his French family because he believes that the family has done wrong and wants nothing to do with it. This shows that Charles is a caring and responsible gentleman who does not only care for money and power, so I put a stack of dollars in his hand. He can do a lot with that money but he chose to give it to the poor. The well being of the people is more important to him, and he does not want to be apart of a family that has caused them so much harm. "I am only looking to sharing your fortunes, sharing your life and home, and being faithful to you to the death" (Dickens 235). This quote shows that Charles Darnay is a man who respects boundaries and does not want to get into others person space. He is saying that he does not want to separate and break up Dr. Manette and Lucie's. This characterizes him as trustworthy, as well, when he says that he will be faithful until his death. His true loyalty, dedication, and passion to achieve what he wants is shown here.

Light and Dark

Charles Dickens uses light and dark to illustrate hope for Lucie and Dr. Manette's relationship. To illustrate Dickens writes, "...on her fair young face, that looked as though she passed like a moving light" (Dickens 32). Lucie is the light to her father's world. Dickens shows that Lucie is going to shed light on Dr. Manette and help him with his depression. He didn't even know that he had a child, let alone that child living to an adult and finding him one day. Another example is when Dickens states, "'I want.' said Defarge: to let in a little more light here. You can bear a little more?" (Dickens 30). This conversation is between Defarge and Dr. Manette is when Lucie walk in. Lucie was the light being brought into the room. Lucie is going to bring good/light into his life. He has been locked up in a prison for over 18 years, so anything good that will come his way he will take. Later, when they hug, "his cold white head mingled with her radiant hair, which warmed and lighted it as though it were the light of Freedom shining on him" (Dickens 34). The warmth and love of his daughter are strong enough to bring Doctor Manette back from the cold, horrible place his mind has gone to during his years in prison. His daughter is his chance to bring back his old self that has seemed to vanish. Ultimately, Charles Dickens shows hope when Dr. Manette and Lucie meet by using light and dark.

The Wine-shop

In the book A Tale of Two Cities, Charles dickens foreshadows the French Revolution. He says, "it had stain many hands, too, and faces, and many naked feet, and many wooden shoes" (Dickens 21). When Charles Dickens speaks of the stains he's symbolizing the blood that was shed in the next few years coming. Dickens emphasizes the bloodshed even more when he writes,"...scrawled upon a wall with his fingers dipped in muddy wineless—BLOOD" (Dickens 21). Also he hints how hunger can change a person into an animal. He writes,"some men kneel down, made scoops of their two hands jointed...dipped in the puddles with little mugs... Or even with handkerchiefs from woman's heads… Started here and there, to cut off a little stream of wine that started away in new directions..." (Dickens 21). These people are literally on their knees trying to get this wine. They are doing anything for that wine. The monarchies have all the food they could ever want but then there's these kind of people, the poor. They are feeding their children wine, their young children. The monachary is doing nothing. Dickens foreshadows the bloodshed and the hunger that will soon be coming with the war. 

Importance of Family

Family is important to all of us. It's what keeps us, well us and the book A Tree Grows in Brooklyn  by Betty Smith and Stone Soup by Barbara Kingsolver illustrate it very well. The function of family is to keep you sane. To hold you up when there is no one there and help you through life decisions. They are the ones that put you first and keep you on your feet. My family is my backbone, I don't know what I would do if they weren't here.

In Stone Soup, Barbara Kingsolver talks about her idea of having a perfect family, "I started out like any child, intent on being the Family of Dolls" (Kingsolver 10). My family isn't perfect but I love them unconditionally. It doesn't matter how broken the family is, there will always be a strong bond. There is no such thing as a perfect family because no one is perfect. As we get older we start to realize this. When we are younger we always have this image of living in a nice house with your flawless family but its not even close to the truth. Our families fight all the time, whether you like to admit it or not. We sometimes see our parents fight as Barbara Kingsolver says, "every happily married couple I know has loads of irreconcilable differences" (Kingsolver 12). Yeah we have arguments but even at the worst times we know that they love each other. It's okay and healthy to have your own opinion on something.

Your family will always accept who you are and support you. It doesn't matter if your gay, bisexual, divorced, or your 12th marriage, they will never leave your side. If they accept you, you also have to accept them for who they are. In A Tree Grows in Brooklyn it says, "“All of us are what we have to be and everyone lives the kid of life it’s in him to live. You’ve got a good man, Katie.”,“But he drinks.”, “And he always will until he dies. There it is. He drinks. You must take that along with the rest.”" (Smith 102). Sissy tries to explain to Katie that she needs to accept the way Johnny is because that is just Johnny Nolan. Yeah so what, Johnny drinks? You cant change him for yourself. Also in A Tree Grows in Brooklyn Francie says, "he bandaged the arm. The cloth smelled of Johnny, warm and cigarish. But it was a comforting thing to the child. It smelled of protection and love.” (Smith 149). Johnny may not be perfect, but he loves Francie, and that is what truly matters most to her. Francie looks besides the drinking problem and looks at the real Johnny. The one who cares for her and calls her Prima Donna. If you truly love and care for someone, then you can look besides their flaws and mistakes and see the real them and love that.

As I said before, family is what keeps you grounded and makes you feel safe and sound. Family will always be around when the ones that you thought would always be there aren't. Family is loving someone without doubt and with your entire heart. My family is what makes me, me. 

Sacredness of the Ordinary

           The gold ring that never seems to leave my finger was given to me by my grandfather. He had given it to me for my first birthday. He wanted to give me something that I will always remember him by. I never really wore it until now and I never take it off. My grandfather passed away in 2007. He passed away because of a stroke and hypothermia. He had gone out for a walk in the cold October evening with nothing but a shawl. He sat down on the curb to take a break and just passed out. Someone driving by found him 1 1/2  hours later. He could have been saved if someone had found him 10 minutes after he had the stroke, but it was too late. I remember every little bit of it, the police banging on my door, tears, screaming and pain.  We saw ambulances outside, oblivious of the thought of my grandfather being in there. I remember feeling my blood run cold and my heart drop to the floor when the police officer pulled out my grandfather's ID. "Someone found him on the street. We need to rush to the hospital", said the officer. My mom rushed to the ambulance outside and I was left there in shock. I may have been young but I will always have that day embedded in my memory. I will never forget that day. I cried for days, it felt like hell. He passed away on my cousin's birthday. My cousin hates celebrating his birthday because that memory will always be there. He's turning 21 soon, but he has never gotten over it, none of us really have. It seems like it happened maybe 2 years ago but no, its been 8 years. That thought hits me like a truck. Has it really been that long?

         I loved him more than anything and I still do. There's not a single day I don't think about him. I remember playing with him when I was younger. He would take me to the train station and we would just watch them pass by, he'd give me piggyback rides and buy me candy from the convenience store. My mother told me that when I was born, he was beyond happy. I was the only girl born out of his grand kids. She said he held me with such care. I was his prized possession, now this small little ring that he gave me, is mine. The mention of his name still makes my heart crumble a little. I always seem to fiddle with the ring, I rub my fingers against the grooves and think about what life would be like if he was still here. If I ever were to take it off, it would feel like a part of me is missing. I feel odd without it. I keep it on my wedding ring finger, kind of like a promise ring. Some people see it as a flashy ring or something that maybe my nonexistent boyfriend gave me, but no it's not. I don't care for the way it looks, I would still wear it if it was made out of plastic. It's a one of a kind ring just like my grandfather, no one can replace it and no one can replace him.