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Thursday, May 15, 2014
Blog 2 - A Tale of Six White Girls - Book II, Chapters 6-11
Remember, you girls are up for the DO NOW on Monday! Don't forget!
1. Why does Doctor Manette keep his shoemaking tools and bench? (p. 98, Ch. 6)
It would seem that this connection to his horrid past, imprisoned in France, would bring only bad memories and any normal person would want to be rid of it. However, these tools were the only things keeping Doctor Manette remotely sane during that dark time, and getting rid of them would almost be as if he was losing a part of himself. It is likely that he is simply incapable of getting rid of these reminders, just as it is impossible for him to erase the memories. Also, as Mr. Lorry says to Miss Pross, it's probably better in the long run for his well being for Doctor Manette to be able to face his past without falling apart. Hiding all the evidence would only hinder his full recovery.
2. How does Dickens' descriptions of certain buildings reflect the characters that frequent these buildings? (p.119, Ch. 9)
So far, Dickens has used three buildings to reflect some of his characters. The first was Tellson's bank: described as a dismal, desolate place, it symbolizes the typical coldhearted, unsympathetic nature of bankers who care only about debts being paid. The second building is the Manette's home in England. Described as quaint, pleasant, and calm, this reminds one of the gentleness and kindness of Lucie, and the love and compassion shared between her and her father. It is fitting for them to live in such a place. Lastly, the Marquis lives in a great stone castle, with everything from the walls to the stairs to the decorations made entirely of hard, unforgiving stone. This reflects the cold heart and cruel nature of the Marquis, who treats the poor like animals and is incapable of emotion.
3. What can be inferred about the attitudes and lifestyles of Monseigneur's guests? (p. 108-109, Ch. 7)
These guests are shallow and incredibly superficial. They will do anything to keep up appearances and trick others into thinking they're better and grander people than they actually are: "Such frizzling and powdering and sticking up of hair, such delicate complexions artificially preserved and mended...". It's a fake way to life, a facade. Like most aristocrats of the time, these guests are all quite wealthy, and care much more about their status and appearance than how to act like a decent human being.
4. How does Charles Darnay differ from his uncle, the Marquis? (p. 126, Ch. 9) Unlike the Marquis, who is harsh, cruel, and incapable of sympathizing with another, Charles Darnay appears to have a good heart and truly empathize with others. Charles sees that the family estate is "a crumbling tower of waste, mismanagement, extortion, debt, mortgage, oppression, hunger, naked-ness, and suffering" and that his uncle is nothing but another oppressive ruler over this village, caring none for the needs of the people.
5. Why is Sydney Carton so indifferent to Mr. Stryver's news, and later his insults? (p. 140, Ch. 11)
We already know that Sydney Carton is incredibly self-deprecating and responds to most problems by drinking. As it has been over a year since he has met Lucie, he has appeared to have resigned himself to the fact that she prefers Charles Darnay over him. This is likely a result of his pessimistic attitude and low self-esteem. He must also realize that Stryver has little to no chance with Lucie, as he knows at least something of her and her father and the bond between them, and that Stryver is highly unlikely to be able to wriggle his way into that family. As for the insults that Stryver throws at him almost constantly, Carton must be used to it. Everyone in the world looks down on him, even himself. He has great potential to be successful, but he's given up so long ago on achieving anything or doing anything worthwhile that he believes he is insignificant to society. He's never had anyone or anything worth fighting for, nor anyone fighting for him. It's a vicious cycle, and one that has only caused harm in his life and allowed him to become who he is at this time.
Within the second book, we were introduced to the character Monseigneur Marquis, a wine vendor. Through the description we were given, I assumed that Monseigneur was a member of the elite, upper class. Dickens describes Monseigneur as “...one of the great lords in power at the Court, held his fortnightly reception in his grand hotel in Paris” (100). According to people who knew Monseigneur, he is “so polite and so impressible” (101). I disagree completely with this statement and I personally, did not develop a liking to Monseigneur for many reasons. The biggest reason for my strong dislike toward Monseigneur was due to his snobby and unsympathetic personality. A clear cut example of this attitude was evident when he said, “It is extraordinary to me, that you people cannot take care of yourselves and your children. One or the other of you is for ever in the way…” (107). In real life, people that act like this just really bother me… a lot. If you don’t like someone, there is no need to be disrespectful. It really doesn’t take that much effort to be the more mature person in the situation. All you have to do is ignore those that you don’t necessarily like, and carry on with your life. Monseigneur also lashes out at a man. The man informed him that a child had been crying, causing disruptions to his carriage ride. Infuriated, Monseigneur called for the man to be instantly killed using a sword. This short temper lead me to believe that Monseigneur is an unstable character who needs everything to go his way. Being that Monseigneur is such an unstable character, it is baffling to me that so many people continue to like him for who he is.
1. congenial (adj): agreeable, suitable, or pleasing in nature “A quainter corner than the corner where the Doctor lived, was not to be found in London. There was no way through it, and the front windows of the Doctor’s lodgings commanded a pleasant little vista of street that had a congenial air of retirement on it.” (chapter 6, pg. 97) The word congenial is used to describe Doctor Manette’s house. Before even looking up the definition, I got a positive connotation from this word because in French, genial, the root of the word, translates to good. Therefore, the Manettes seem to have a pleasant life, although that may just be what it appears to be on the surface.
2. contrivances (noun): a thing that is skillfully and inventively created to serve a particular purpose “Miss Pross took charge of the lower regions, and always acquitted herself marvellously. Her dinners, of a very modest quality, were so well cooked and so well served, and so neat in their contrivances, half English and half French, that nothing could be better.” (chapter 6, pg. 104) Although this word is used to describe Miss Pross’ cooking, it actually gives more insight into her character. It shows that she is neat, organized, and maybe a slight perfectionist. She was Lucie’s caretaker and seems to be a good motherly figure for her.
3. incessant (adj): continuing without interruption “The footsteps were incessant, and the hurry of them became more and more rapid. The corner echoed and re-echoed with the tread of feet; some coming, some going, some breaking off, some stopping altogether, all in the distant streets, and not one within sight.” (chapter 6, pg 108) Chapter 6 was entitled “Hundreds of People”. The word incessant finally makes reference to the hundreds of people that are stomping down the streets. I’m not exactly sure why there’s so many people in the streets but their footsteps are described as nonstop.
4. obsequiousness (adj): a state of obedience to an excessive degree “Monsieur Gabelle was the Postmaster, and some other taxing functionary united; he had come out with great obsequiousness to assist at this examination, and had held the examined by the drapery of his arm in an official manner.” (chapter 8, pg 121) Because Monsieur works for Monseigneur, he feels the need to be unnaturally obedient around him. This gives us insight into Monseigneur’s character and the other nobles at the time - everything had to be really strict and orderly around them.
5. imperturbable (adj): unable to be upset or excited; calm “The servant who spoke, had thrown the blinds wide, had looked out into the vacant darkness, and stood, with that blank behind him, looking round for instructions. ‘Good,’ said the imperturbable master. ‘Close them again.’” In this context, I think the word means tranquil or emotionless, showing that Monseigneur is basically like an unemotional robot. This was also shown in previous chapters, as he did not react when his carriage killed a little boy, or when a poor widow begged him for money.
One connection I made was between the character Miss Pross and Miss Havisham from Great Expectations. First, both of these characters are like mothers, Miss Havisham and Estella, and Miss Pross and Lucie. They both are stuck in the past to their “lost youth.” Miss Havisham always wore her old wedding dress, hasn’t let go of the fact that she was left at the altar many years ago. As well in A Tale of Two Cities, Miss Pross is looked at in the same way. “Mr. Lorry knew Miss Pross to be very jealous, but he also knew her by this time to be, beneath the surface of her eccentricity, one of those unselfish creatures-found among women-who will, for pure love and admiration, bind themselves willing slaves, to youth when they have lost it, to beauty they never had, to accomplishments that they were never fortunate enough to gain, to bright hopes that never shone upon their own sombre lives.” (page 92). Another connection I made between these two characters was that they were both betrayed by a male figure in their lives. Miss Havisham was abandoned at her wedding by her fiance. Miss Pross had a problem with her brother. “‘There never was, nor will be, but one man worthy of Ladybird,’ said Miss Pross; ‘and that was my brother Solomon, if he hadn’t made a mistake in life.’ Here again: Mr. Lorry’s inquiries into Miss Pross’s personal history had established that fact the her brother Solomon was a heartless scoundrel who had stripped her of everything she possessed, as a stake to speculate with, and had abandoned her in her poverty for evermore, with no touch of compunction (page 93). This shows they were both abandoned in their life, and I find it interesting that Dickens has similar characters in two of his books.
A quote I found to be of great significance was "Marry. Provide somebody to take care of you" (136). I found this quote significant because it shows how at this time in history women were viewed as inferior and seen as only useful for domestic tasks such as cooking, cleaning, and taking care of their children and husbands. This aids in our characterization of Miss Manette in that it further emphasizes her role as a damsel in distress and as an extremely static character. This does so by explaining that women are unable to provide for themselves and need a man to provide for them financially.
Another quote I found to be important is "In this age, he would be a professor; in that age, he was a tutor"(125). I found this quote to be of importance because it reveals to the reader that the society in which the majority of the novel is taking place has inhabitants of relatively high intelligence. Through this we can assume that a majority of the characters are of a high middle to upper class which allows for further analysis of the difference between the upper and lower classes. This quote also reveals to the reader that times were changing rapidly and it seems as though Dickens is telling us that the intelligence level of the average person has decreased over time. This makes me wonder if Dickens is using satire in the quote and mocking the society he was living in. Is it possible that Dickens was unhappy with the world around him and wanted to spite it nonchalantly?
I loved both the quotes you chose and I totally agree with you on both of them! The quote you chose about marriage most definitely shows how inferior women of the time were. Almost as if women can’t take care of themselves without a man. The way men viewed women of this time is similar to A Doll’s House. Women were only useful for one thing, cleaning, cooking, and taking care of the family. That quote 100% shows the superiority of men. There are other quotes in the book that also back this point up!
Your second quote is awesome as well. Although the only other novel of Dickens that I have read is Great Expectations, I do believe that Dickens is a fan of using satire. I too agree with you that he was mocking society at this section in the book and showing readers that the education system has declined immensely! I know that in Great Ex Dickens would bash the education system.
Needless to say, great quotes! I agree with you entirely.
Katie, your questions for this section of the text were fantastic! I especially like the connection you've established between characters and the buildings they frequent. Dickens is fantastic in the way the settings in his novels, both physical places and details like the weather, reflect on the characters and plot developments. It reminds me of *insert a happy dance from Rachel here* Miss. Havisham and her manor in Great Expectations. Both are dusty, old, and haunted by memories of yesterday. Miss. Havisham's decomposes and breaks down with her home as she chooses to remain shrouded in the dark. This can also be related to the prevalence of fog in Great Expectations.
Your analysis of Carton in the last question gave me a major case of the feels. I sympathize with Carton, even though the indifference he tries to exude frustrates me immensely. It sorta leaves me just wanting to give him a big ol' hug, because I think he's deserving of self confidence, or at least more deserving than stupid Mr. Stryver :P
I love the first quote that you picked and the meaning behind it. It was a perfect example of how men almost downgraded women and used them as a source of domestication in their lives. Lucie Manette is a very good example of a women who would most likely be more than welcome to fulfill the domestic task in a man's life. She would probably have to cook, clean, look after potential children, etc.
As for your second quote, I also agree that Dickens may be using satire to make fun of society. He seems to do this a lot in his novels. It would make perfect sense for him to use it against an element like intelligence since this was a time of struggle. Some people are either totally oblivious or always catching on to small details.
Peyton- I agree with you about the Marquis being snobby and ungrateful. However, this is what lords did in this time period- not caring about anyone but themselves. Also, I believe that if the people would lash out and attack him, he would somehow escape and kill them all in a, for lack of a better term, mini genocide.
I was thinking of that exact connection as I was reading also! I thought both characters seemed to have a similar struggle and acted like motherly figures. I feel like Dickens definitely bases some of his characters off each other. I felt the relationship between employer and employee was also similar between the two novels. I saw this connection between Mr. Jaggers and Wemmick from Great Expectations and Mr. Carton and Mr. Stryver in A Tale of Two Cities.
Madison- I totally agree with you connection of Miss. Pross and Miss. Havisham! I think it is so interesting how so many similarities between Dicken's other works keep popping up! Another way they are similar, is that they both struggle with feeling there are men suitable for the young ladies they are loyal to (Lucie and Estella) because of the betrayal by men that they have felt in their own lives.
Katie- I love the way you said how the buildings represent the individuals that frequent them. It is such an interesting though and one that I did not think of. It reminded me of my LOTF essay a little because I talked about how the boys each were used to represent different facets of government at a time of war. Although they are entirely different topics, the authors craft of representation and symbolism remains constant and I find it really interesting. Really cool that you noticed this... I wouldn't have! lol
I agree with you completely. I think that that Monseigneur Marquis a complete ******bag. Just because he is a member of a high class doesn’t mean that he can treat people that way. I think Dickens makes a character like this in this book to show us the problems that society had at that time. I do agree with jadler that this was how most people were treated by nobles, but it still isn’t ok to treat people like that. I also think that it is completely absurd to kill a man because of a crying baby. I think hes bozo. #yoloswag
I agree that Monseigneur is not a nice person. He is spoiled and does not like to interact with people who are from a lower class and he feels are inferior to him, but how is he no different from snobby rich people living in modern society? I’m sure that in Dickens’ world, much like in our world, there are some really nice and giving wealthy people in society, but we have chosen to only focus on the bad people.
15 comments:
Discussion Director
Book II, Chapters 6-11
1. Why does Doctor Manette keep his shoemaking tools and bench? (p. 98, Ch. 6)
It would seem that this connection to his horrid past, imprisoned in France, would bring only bad memories and any normal person would want to be rid of it. However, these tools were the only things keeping Doctor Manette remotely sane during that dark time, and getting rid of them would almost be as if he was losing a part of himself. It is likely that he is simply incapable of getting rid of these reminders, just as it is impossible for him to erase the memories. Also, as Mr. Lorry says to Miss Pross, it's probably better in the long run for his well being for Doctor Manette to be able to face his past without falling apart. Hiding all the evidence would only hinder his full recovery.
2. How does Dickens' descriptions of certain buildings reflect the characters that frequent these buildings? (p.119, Ch. 9)
So far, Dickens has used three buildings to reflect some of his characters. The first was Tellson's bank: described as a dismal, desolate place, it symbolizes the typical coldhearted, unsympathetic nature of bankers who care only about debts being paid. The second building is the Manette's home in England. Described as quaint, pleasant, and calm, this reminds one of the gentleness and kindness of Lucie, and the love and compassion shared between her and her father. It is fitting for them to live in such a place. Lastly, the Marquis lives in a great stone castle, with everything from the walls to the stairs to the decorations made entirely of hard, unforgiving stone. This reflects the cold heart and cruel nature of the Marquis, who treats the poor like animals and is incapable of emotion.
3. What can be inferred about the attitudes and lifestyles of Monseigneur's guests? (p. 108-109, Ch. 7)
These guests are shallow and incredibly superficial. They will do anything to keep up appearances and trick others into thinking they're better and grander people than they actually are: "Such frizzling and powdering and sticking up of hair, such delicate complexions artificially preserved and mended...". It's a fake way to life, a facade. Like most aristocrats of the time, these guests are all quite wealthy, and care much more about their status and appearance than how to act like a decent human being.
4. How does Charles Darnay differ from his uncle, the Marquis? (p. 126, Ch. 9)
Unlike the Marquis, who is harsh, cruel, and incapable of sympathizing with another, Charles Darnay appears to have a good heart and truly empathize with others. Charles sees that the family estate is "a crumbling tower of waste, mismanagement, extortion, debt, mortgage, oppression, hunger, naked-ness, and suffering" and that his uncle is nothing but another oppressive ruler over this village, caring none for the needs of the people.
5. Why is Sydney Carton so indifferent to Mr. Stryver's news, and later his insults? (p. 140, Ch. 11)
We already know that Sydney Carton is incredibly self-deprecating and responds to most problems by drinking. As it has been over a year since he has met Lucie, he has appeared to have resigned himself to the fact that she prefers Charles Darnay over him. This is likely a result of his pessimistic attitude and low self-esteem. He must also realize that Stryver has little to no chance with Lucie, as he knows at least something of her and her father and the bond between them, and that Stryver is highly unlikely to be able to wriggle his way into that family. As for the insults that Stryver throws at him almost constantly, Carton must be used to it. Everyone in the world looks down on him, even himself. He has great potential to be successful, but he's given up so long ago on achieving anything or doing anything worthwhile that he believes he is insignificant to society. He's never had anyone or anything worth fighting for, nor anyone fighting for him. It's a vicious cycle, and one that has only caused harm in his life and allowed him to become who he is at this time.
Tracing Characterization:
Within the second book, we were introduced to the character Monseigneur Marquis, a wine vendor. Through the description we were given, I assumed that Monseigneur was a member of the elite, upper class. Dickens describes Monseigneur as “...one of the great lords in power at the Court, held his fortnightly reception in his grand hotel in Paris” (100). According to people who knew Monseigneur, he is “so polite and so impressible” (101). I disagree completely with this statement and I personally, did not develop a liking to Monseigneur for many reasons. The biggest reason for my strong dislike toward Monseigneur was due to his snobby and unsympathetic personality. A clear cut example of this attitude was evident when he said, “It is extraordinary to me, that you people cannot take care of yourselves and your children. One or the other of you is for ever in the way…” (107). In real life, people that act like this just really bother me… a lot. If you don’t like someone, there is no need to be disrespectful. It really doesn’t take that much effort to be the more mature person in the situation. All you have to do is ignore those that you don’t necessarily like, and carry on with your life. Monseigneur also lashes out at a man. The man informed him that a child had been crying, causing disruptions to his carriage ride. Infuriated, Monseigneur called for the man to be instantly killed using a sword. This short temper lead me to believe that Monseigneur is an unstable character who needs everything to go his way. Being that Monseigneur is such an unstable character, it is baffling to me that so many people continue to like him for who he is.
Language Lover
Book II, Chapters 6-11
1. congenial (adj): agreeable, suitable, or pleasing in nature
“A quainter corner than the corner where the Doctor lived, was not to be found in London. There was no way through it, and the front windows of the Doctor’s lodgings commanded a pleasant little vista of street that had a congenial air of retirement on it.” (chapter 6, pg. 97)
The word congenial is used to describe Doctor Manette’s house. Before even looking up the definition, I got a positive connotation from this word because in French, genial, the root of the word, translates to good. Therefore, the Manettes seem to have a pleasant life, although that may just be what it appears to be on the surface.
2. contrivances (noun): a thing that is skillfully and inventively created to serve a particular purpose
“Miss Pross took charge of the lower regions, and always acquitted herself marvellously. Her dinners, of a very modest quality, were so well cooked and so well served, and so neat in their contrivances, half English and half French, that nothing could be better.” (chapter 6, pg. 104)
Although this word is used to describe Miss Pross’ cooking, it actually gives more insight into her character. It shows that she is neat, organized, and maybe a slight perfectionist. She was Lucie’s caretaker and seems to be a good motherly figure for her.
3. incessant (adj): continuing without interruption
“The footsteps were incessant, and the hurry of them became more and more rapid. The corner echoed and re-echoed with the tread of feet; some coming, some going, some breaking off, some stopping altogether, all in the distant streets, and not one within sight.” (chapter 6, pg 108)
Chapter 6 was entitled “Hundreds of People”. The word incessant finally makes reference to the hundreds of people that are stomping down the streets. I’m not exactly sure why there’s so many people in the streets but their footsteps are described as nonstop.
4. obsequiousness (adj): a state of obedience to an excessive degree
“Monsieur Gabelle was the Postmaster, and some other taxing functionary united; he had come out with great obsequiousness to assist at this examination, and had held the examined by the drapery of his arm in an official manner.” (chapter 8, pg 121)
Because Monsieur works for Monseigneur, he feels the need to be unnaturally obedient around him. This gives us insight into Monseigneur’s character and the other nobles at the time - everything had to be really strict and orderly around them.
5. imperturbable (adj): unable to be upset or excited; calm
“The servant who spoke, had thrown the blinds wide, had looked out into the vacant darkness, and stood, with that blank behind him, looking round for instructions.
‘Good,’ said the imperturbable master. ‘Close them again.’”
In this context, I think the word means tranquil or emotionless, showing that Monseigneur is basically like an unemotional robot. This was also shown in previous chapters, as he did not react when his carriage killed a little boy, or when a poor widow begged him for money.
Critical Connector:
One connection I made was between the character Miss Pross and Miss Havisham from Great Expectations. First, both of these characters are like mothers, Miss Havisham and Estella, and Miss Pross and Lucie. They both are stuck in the past to their “lost youth.” Miss Havisham always wore her old wedding dress, hasn’t let go of the fact that she was left at the altar many years ago. As well in A Tale of Two Cities, Miss Pross is looked at in the same way. “Mr. Lorry knew Miss Pross to be very jealous, but he also knew her by this time to be, beneath the surface of her eccentricity, one of those unselfish creatures-found among women-who will, for pure love and admiration, bind themselves willing slaves, to youth when they have lost it, to beauty they never had, to accomplishments that they were never fortunate enough to gain, to bright hopes that never shone upon their own sombre lives.” (page 92). Another connection I made between these two characters was that they were both betrayed by a male figure in their lives. Miss Havisham was abandoned at her wedding by her fiance. Miss Pross had a problem with her brother. “‘There never was, nor will be, but one man worthy of Ladybird,’ said Miss Pross; ‘and that was my brother Solomon, if he hadn’t made a mistake in life.’ Here again: Mr. Lorry’s inquiries into Miss Pross’s personal history had established that fact the her brother Solomon was a heartless scoundrel who had stripped her
of everything she possessed, as a stake to speculate with, and had abandoned her in her poverty for evermore, with no touch of compunction (page 93). This shows they were both abandoned in their life, and I find it interesting that Dickens has similar characters in two of his books.
Literary Luminary
A quote I found to be of great significance was "Marry. Provide somebody to take care of you" (136). I found this quote significant because it shows how at this time in history women were viewed as inferior and seen as only useful for domestic tasks such as cooking, cleaning, and taking care of their children and husbands. This aids in our characterization of Miss Manette in that it further emphasizes her role as a damsel in distress and as an extremely static character. This does so by explaining that women are unable to provide for themselves and need a man to provide for them financially.
Another quote I found to be important is "In this age, he would be a professor; in that age, he was a tutor"(125). I found this quote to be of importance because it reveals to the reader that the society in which the majority of the novel is taking place has inhabitants of relatively high intelligence. Through this we can assume that a majority of the characters are of a high middle to upper class which allows for further analysis of the difference between the upper and lower classes. This quote also reveals to the reader that times were changing rapidly and it seems as though Dickens is telling us that the intelligence level of the average person has decreased over time. This makes me wonder if Dickens is using satire in the quote and mocking the society he was living in. Is it possible that Dickens was unhappy with the world around him and wanted to spite it nonchalantly?
@ Brooke
I loved both the quotes you chose and I totally agree with you on both of them! The quote you chose about marriage most definitely shows how inferior women of the time were. Almost as if women can’t take care of themselves without a man. The way men viewed women of this time is similar to A Doll’s House. Women were only useful for one thing, cleaning, cooking, and taking care of the family. That quote 100% shows the superiority of men. There are other quotes in the book that also back this point up!
Your second quote is awesome as well. Although the only other novel of Dickens that I have read is Great Expectations, I do believe that Dickens is a fan of using satire. I too agree with you that he was mocking society at this section in the book and showing readers that the education system has declined immensely! I know that in Great Ex Dickens would bash the education system.
Needless to say, great quotes! I agree with you entirely.
Katie, your questions for this section of the text were fantastic! I especially like the connection you've established between characters and the buildings they frequent. Dickens is fantastic in the way the settings in his novels, both physical places and details like the weather, reflect on the characters and plot developments. It reminds me of *insert a happy dance from Rachel here* Miss. Havisham and her manor in Great Expectations. Both are dusty, old, and haunted by memories of yesterday. Miss. Havisham's decomposes and breaks down with her home as she chooses to remain shrouded in the dark. This can also be related to the prevalence of fog in Great Expectations.
Your analysis of Carton in the last question gave me a major case of the feels. I sympathize with Carton, even though the indifference he tries to exude frustrates me immensely. It sorta leaves me just wanting to give him a big ol' hug, because I think he's deserving of self confidence, or at least more deserving than stupid Mr. Stryver :P
@ Brooke
I love the first quote that you picked and the meaning behind it. It was a perfect example of how men almost downgraded women and used them as a source of domestication in their lives. Lucie Manette is a very good example of a women who would most likely be more than welcome to fulfill the domestic task in a man's life. She would probably have to cook, clean, look after potential children, etc.
As for your second quote, I also agree that Dickens may be using satire to make fun of society. He seems to do this a lot in his novels. It would make perfect sense for him to use it against an element like intelligence since this was a time of struggle. Some people are either totally oblivious or always catching on to small details.
Peyton-
I agree with you about the Marquis being snobby and ungrateful. However, this is what lords did in this time period- not caring about anyone but themselves. Also, I believe that if the people would lash out and attack him, he would somehow escape and kill them all in a, for lack of a better term, mini genocide.
@MadisonRudz
I was thinking of that exact connection as I was reading also! I thought both characters seemed to have a similar struggle and acted like motherly figures. I feel like Dickens definitely bases some of his characters off each other. I felt the relationship between employer and employee was also similar between the two novels. I saw this connection between Mr. Jaggers and Wemmick from Great Expectations and Mr. Carton and Mr. Stryver in A Tale of Two Cities.
Madison- I totally agree with you connection of Miss. Pross and Miss. Havisham! I think it is so interesting how so many similarities between Dicken's other works keep popping up! Another way they are similar, is that they both struggle with feeling there are men suitable for the young ladies they are loyal to (Lucie and Estella) because of the betrayal by men that they have felt in their own lives.
Katie- I love the way you said how the buildings represent the individuals that frequent them. It is such an interesting though and one that I did not think of. It reminded me of my LOTF essay a little because I talked about how the boys each were used to represent different facets of government at a time of war. Although they are entirely different topics, the authors craft of representation and symbolism remains constant and I find it really interesting. Really cool that you noticed this... I wouldn't have! lol
peyton
I agree with you completely. I think that that Monseigneur Marquis a complete ******bag. Just because he is a member of a high class doesn’t mean that he can treat people that way. I think Dickens makes a character like this in this book to show us the problems that society had at that time. I do agree with jadler that this was how most people were treated by nobles, but it still isn’t ok to treat people like that. I also think that it is completely absurd to kill a man because of a crying baby. I think hes bozo. #yoloswag
@peyton
I agree that Monseigneur is not a nice person. He is spoiled and does not like to interact with people who are from a lower class and he feels are inferior to him, but how is he no different from snobby rich people living in modern society? I’m sure that in Dickens’ world, much like in our world, there are some really nice and giving wealthy people in society, but we have chosen to only focus on the bad people.
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