Significance+of+Opening-Closing

=**Opening Scene:**= The opening scene demonstrates the connection Dickens is trying to make between England during the middle-late 1800s and France during the late 1700s. He juxtaposes many ideas between the two cities, showing how they are both different, but similar in the same respect. He describes England as being obsessed with "[s]piritual relations", whereas France is "less favored on the whole as to matters spiritual" (2). Dickens tries to demonstrate ow both countries are not the same, but still share more important similarities. He mentions many details of cruelty and injustice in both societies. In France, a boy gets tortured and killed because he wouldn't kneel on a muddy ground to monks a hundred feet away. In England, some of the same injustices are being committed including stealing and fighting. The main idea Dickens is trying to get across is that injustices cannot be committed without consequence. The government cannot walk all over the people and expect them to be mistreated for centuries. Eventually a revolt will break up, whether it because of starvation, injustices by the aristocracy, or hatred developed over the years. Dickens also begins presenting the theme of duality, which is a common tool he uses throughout his novel. All of his significant characters have their antitheses such as Lucie/Madame Defarge and Darnay/Carton. All of the major themes in his novel also are in pairs. He often uses the theme of mercy which is accompanied by the consequences of vengeance. Dickens uses the importance of balance throughout his novel, demonstrating how in reality opposites often accompany each other. There isn't a world where evil can exist without good, or where dark could exist without light. If there is evil in the world, then there must also be pure goodness. However, Dickens main point is still trying to warn England so they won't be in the predicament as France is because in his opinion they are heading down the same slope.

= = =**Closing Scene:**= In the closing scene of A Tale of Two Cities, all of the themes and connections are wrapped up nicely. Lucie and her family are able to escape to England for their happy ending, while Carton gets his twisted happily ever after. Carton isn't afraid when he dies or is he regretful of his decision. He ends his life imaging a great life for Lucie, which can be argued that he is actually only considering himself. Regardless of the controversy behind the motives of his true character, Dickens portrays him as being the selfless angel of resurrection. The France revolution had no happy ending, so Dickens tried his best to create one. He wanted his story to end as real, but still happy, as it could. In France, heads will still be rolling and the revolution has just begun. People with twice as much vengeance as Madame Defarge will reign into power. The Great fear hasn't even begun yet. Robespierre hasn't created the committee of Public Safety, and the worst and bloodiest days are yet to come. Dickens understands that France won't have a happy ending, but at least some of the characters can. Sidney dies, imagining a great life or Lucie, and is able to redeem his own life. Dickens also incorporates actual quotes from prisoners during the French revolution, "[i]t is a far, far better thing that I do, than i have ever done; it is a far, far better rest that I go to than I have ever known", to add even more reality to his story. The moral to England is that this could and will happen unless you put a stop to it.