FRONT

Livija Alex Y. Spencer Adrian Shannon Michael

Julia Chad John Alex F. Sam Andrea

Caleb Thomas D.

Thomas B.

Luis Ethan Joe

Will M-M

Katie Duncan Keegan Chris Will M.

x x x Will G. Jacob Sadie

A Tale of Two CitiesA Tale of Two Cities

To be able to describe how Dickens uses devices To be able to describe how Dickens uses devices such as paradox to enhance and deepen his such as paradox to enhance and deepen his comment on good and evil in the worldcomment on good and evil in the world

Recall: The significance of paradox in the beginningRecall: The significance of paradox in the beginning It was the best of times, it was the worst of times It was the best of times, it was the worst of times

Today’s objective Today’s objective

{{ {{DarkDark

personal disclosure personal disclosure that invokes Blaise that invokes Blaise Pascal's concept of a Pascal's concept of a God-shaped vacuum God-shaped vacuum inside each human inside each human heart: heart:

"You told me that I "You told me that I would find a hole would find a hole within the fragile within the fragile substance of my soul."substance of my soul."

LightLight

couples his stark couples his stark confession with an confession with an affirmation of redemption affirmation of redemption that echoes Jesus' parable that echoes Jesus' parable of the prodigal sonof the prodigal son

It seems that all my It seems that all my bridges have been burnedbridges have been burnedBut you say that's exactly But you say that's exactly how this grace thing workshow this grace thing worksIt's not the long walk home It's not the long walk home that will change this heartthat will change this heartBut the welcome I receive But the welcome I receive with the restart.with the restart.

Light and darkLight and dark

Your group will be assigned Your group will be assigned one one of the sample of the sample texts to compare to Dickens’ last lines in texts to compare to Dickens’ last lines in A Tale A Tale of Two Cities of Two Cities

Be prepared to present your conclusions Be prepared to present your conclusions

Make a connectionMake a connection

{{

Dickens uses the figure of Miss Dickens uses the figure of Miss Pross to emphasize the power of Pross to emphasize the power of lovelove

As the devoted servant battles As the devoted servant battles with Madame Defarge, he notes with Madame Defarge, he notes that “the vigorous tenacity of love that “the vigorous tenacity of love [is] always so much stronger than [is] always so much stronger than hate.” hate.”

The showdown The showdown a commentary on social order a commentary on social order

and revolutionand revolution

Dickens’ social Dickens’ social commentarycommentary

Mme Defarge Miss Pross

may prove fiercer and wilder

but the social order that Miss Pross represents emerges as stronger and steadier

RecallRecall

It was the It was the bestbest of times, it was of times, it was the the worstworst of times, it was the age of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to us, we were all going direct to heaven, we were all going direct heaven, we were all going direct the other way - in short, the the other way - in short, the period was so far like the period was so far like the present period, that some of its present period, that some of its noisiest authorities insisted on noisiest authorities insisted on its being received, for good or its being received, for good or for evil, in the superlative degree for evil, in the superlative degree of comparison only.of comparison only.

Through paradox, Through paradox, Dickens reveals the Dickens reveals the coexistence of polar coexistence of polar oppositesopposites

Good and evil Good and evil

{{ {{Explanation Explanation

Good prevails Good prevails butbut Dickens ascribed to Dickens ascribed to

Carlyle’s theory on history Carlyle’s theory on history One era must be destroyed One era must be destroyed

before a new one can before a new one can develop and thrivedevelop and thrive Carlyle noted, “each new age Carlyle noted, “each new age

*is born *is born like the phoenix like the phoenix out out of the ashes of the past.” of the ashes of the past.”

Evidence Evidence

And yet there is not in And yet there is not in France, with its rich variety France, with its rich variety of soil and climate, a blade, a of soil and climate, a blade, a leaf, a root, a sprig, a leaf, a root, a sprig, a peppercorn, which will grow peppercorn, which will grow to maturity under conditions to maturity under conditions more certain than those that more certain than those that have produced this horror. have produced this horror. Crush humanity out of shape Crush humanity out of shape once more, under similar once more, under similar hammers, and it will twist hammers, and it will twist itself into the same tortured itself into the same tortured forms. Sow the same seed of forms. Sow the same seed of rapacious license and rapacious license and oppression over again, and oppression over again, and it it will surely yield will surely yield the same the same fruit according to its kind.fruit according to its kind.

Does Dickens condone or romanticize the Does Dickens condone or romanticize the revolutionaries?revolutionaries?

The violence may serve to cleanse society The violence may serve to cleanse society of the injustices of the French aristocracy, of the injustices of the French aristocracy, but it nevertheless creates its own sort of but it nevertheless creates its own sort of pollutionpollution

In describing the peasants’ carefree return In describing the peasants’ carefree return to eating, playing, and loving after their to eating, playing, and loving after their bloodthirsty execution of Foulon in Chapter bloodthirsty execution of Foulon in Chapter 22, Dickens points toward a fundamentally 22, Dickens points toward a fundamentally corrupt side of the human soul corrupt side of the human soul

The revolutionaries The revolutionaries

Christian paradox: life is achieved through deathChristian paradox: life is achieved through death Carton’s sacrifice of his life enables him to live in a way that he Carton’s sacrifice of his life enables him to live in a way that he

otherwise could nototherwise could not He undertakes one truly meaningful and valuable act before He undertakes one truly meaningful and valuable act before

dyingdying Carton’s life is extended beyond the moment of his death Carton’s life is extended beyond the moment of his death Lives on in Lucie and DarnayLives on in Lucie and Darnay Carton’s love of Lucie allows him to overcome the Carton’s love of Lucie allows him to overcome the

purposelessness of his lifepurposelessness of his life

Paradox comes full Paradox comes full circle circle