All right, I just wrote this entire entry and then this stupid school computer erased everything. So basically, I haven't posted in a while so I was just thinking about how I have not really been up to anything exciting. School is taking up a lot of time. Funny how it does that. I just slaved my way through a calculus test. Actually it really wasn't that bad. The first thing to do today was turn my thesis paper to Mrs. Gibson. I was to prove that Sydney Carton is a christ-like character. Well, since that has been what I have been up to... I guess you can read it if you have nothing better to do.
In the 19th century Charles Dickens wrote the highly politically and socially opinionated novel A Tale of Two Cities. Once a reader takes a look deeper in the novel they are able to find layer upon layer of allusions and metaphorical satire. An example of this is how Dickens uses his characters. Sydney Carton for instance, is ultimately madeout to be a Christ-like figure who keeps the story from being just a tragedy. The reader is able to pick up on this through Dickens having Carton's mere presence save a life, Carton’s gift of life by giving his own, and finally relating resurrection directly to Carton.
In the first book of the novel Carton saves a man‘s life. It's interesting, however,that there is no need for him to be slaughtered to do so. Carton’s presence and the mentioning of his presence save another man's life. While working as a colleague to Mr. Stryver, who is defending a man on trial for treason, Carton gives his associate a note expressing the incredible likeness between Carton himself and the prisoner. Although the attorney does not believe this information will do their case any good, their conversation over the note captivates the rest of the court. The jury then cannot send Carton to his certain death because of the off-chance that identity was the prisoners only folly. So, in essence, just because of who Carton happens to be, he saves a man's life. In The Bible Jesus Christ constantly saves the lives of men by being in their presence.
Carton's demise is his own trip to the guillotine. His being put to death is comparable to Christ's ultimate sacrifice for the love of his people. Carton gives his life so that Lucie Manette’s husband can live. By sacrificing his life to a wooden object (likewise to Christ’s own sacrifice) he is able to show and spread his love more than he ever couldduring the duration of his normal life "it is a far, far better thing that I do, than I have ever done; it is far, far better rest that I go to than I have ever known" (293).
Obviously Carton is willing to give up his life. Because of this act of sparing a life for his own, he will be resurrected as Christ was. It is noted that Carton will undoubtedly live on in the hearts of the characters who will be able to live a seemingly normal life thereafter. This is seen in Carton’s own words "I see that I hold a sanctuary in their hearts, and in the hearts of their descendants, generations hence"(292). Not to mention, he quotes Christ himself in saying "I am the Resurrection and the Life" (292). Furthermore, while in the guillotine Carton pictures in his mind the ending of the old regime in France and the rebirth of Paris "I see a beautiful city and a brilliant people rising from this abyss, and, in their struggles to be truly free, in their triumphs and defeats, through long years to come, I see the evil of this time and of the previous time of which this is the natural birth, gradually making expiation for itself and wearing out" (292). Carton’s resurrection then surpasses not just his own life, but carries on to the world around him, which was the result of the hope Christ gave his followers by being resurrected.
According to dictionary.com Christ is synonymous with messiah, which in turn means “one who is anticipated as, regarded as, or professes to be a savior or liberator.” Sydney Carton in A Tale of Two Cities can certainly be regarded as a liberator and savior for his actions, and as mentioned earlier, was also a self-professed liberator and savior. Clearly Dickens used Carton as a character who could be compared by the reader as a Christ like figure.
My conclusion is lame, I know this. What I should be doing now is finding a global issue for a speech. Thing is, there are far too many issues right now to choose some. I'm thinking maybe the growth of corporations, just to defy the normal issues like poverty, global warming, etc. I'll start that on Tues. night most likely. It's due on Wed. I like this class, but I somehow think this will not be too difficult, and I'd rather just put my energy into debates then open-ended speeches.
