Charles Dickens’ Use of Fate as Portrayed in His Book, a Tale of Two Cities

Coincidence in A Tale of Two Cities

Coincidence has often been used by writers to move and enhance the plot, despite being condemned by contemporary literary reviewers for being responsible for making a narrative unlikely. Charles Dickens utilizes the feature of coincidence as a symbolic device that brings events and characters in the story together. The events appear unrealistic, but the reader eventually gets distracted when the plot turns out to be believable. Charles Dickens utilizes twist of fate in the themes of personality and love as an influential instrument to drive the plot; hence, the reader concentrates on the story that the unbelievable transforms into reality.

When reading the novel, the booklover is too occupied in the plot to perceive that the circumstance is quite improbable. For instance, the likeness between Darnay and Carton is noted early in the story. The idea seems odd and suitable at the trial- a meager reason for Darnay to escape court hearing. The reader disregards the likeness of Darnay and Sidney, but the resemblance is realized through a passage in the novel that describes the on-lookers’ behavior due to the resemblance (Dickens 73).

The appearance of the two characters is significant in the development of the plot of the story. In the real sense, Carton is envious of Darnay because he is lost in his self-failure. Dickens utilizes the coincidence of resemblance to illustrate that Carton seeks to change his character to that of a greater man such as Darnay. The recognition of the similarity between the two characters is plotted early in the story to distract the reader by other events that take place in the novel. The reader, therefore, forgets the how odd the resemblance appears. The reader already barely questions the fate of Darnay when Sydney decides to shift places with Darnay. The enthusiasm to consider the circumstance is compounded by the reality that he is so contented at the endurance of Darnay that he does not imagine the possibility of the situation in the real life.

Dickens’s novel also portrays coincidence in the bond between Lucie’s companion and Madam DeFarge. It is indeed factual that Darnay is the descendant of the men who are accountable for the death of Madam Defarge. Her past gives a reason for the hate she had for Lucie, whom she formerly had concern. The reader realizes more concerning Madam Defarge, thus explaining the anger and hatred she had for Lucie. In connection to the occurrence of Roger Cly’s death, it is astonishing to find out that Jerry is the individual responsible for digging up Roger Cly’s carcass. The reader gets too absorbed in wondering about Jerry’s job and at the same time gets disturbed about Jerry’s terrified situation to realize how bizarre the happening is. The reader is too absorbed that he does not believe the possibility of Jerry digging up Roger Cly.

The incidence when Sydney dies successfully for Darnay, the uncaring nature of the French people explains every detail. According to the revolutionaries, what is important is that people die. Coincidentally, the reader does not only want to abhorre the French for wishing that people could pass away but also wishes to perceive Darnay exist. The reader can achieve the alternatives by accept as true the idea that Sydney and Darnay changed places effectively.

However, Jerry’s placement in France does not seem much of a coincidence but a normal cast of the plot. Before leaving for France, Jerry did a number of things for Jarvis Lorry and later agreed to accompany him to Paris for protection. The reader also apparently gets concerned about Lorry’s security in Paris to even assume of the realism of Jerry going with him to Paris. As a result, the reader is not stunned by Jerry’s situation in France (Dickens 282).

It is a coincidental that Darnay and Lucie, whose parents have a blood relation, get together and gets in love with each other for the first time. The person who reads the novel may thinks of an obvious feeling that Darnay has for Lucie from the start. The reader perhaps only thinks of the two meeting and getting married as their love is worth the reader’s attention. The reader, therefore, does not question the believability of the situation. Getting to know how the past of the two lovers intertwine, it helps in elaborating part of Dr. Manette’s strange actions. The decision by the author to make his characters real guarantees that the reader cannot stay emotionally detached from them. The emotions, therefore, blinds the reader to any unrealistic situations.

The coincidence in Charles Dickens’s story is significant because they assist in the expansion of some of the vital subjects of the narrative. The topic of love is fruitfully framed in the story due to the number of coincidences. For example, it seems unlikely that the individual responsible for noticing Sydney and Darnay, Madam Defarge, has gone missing under unclear circumstances. Her death in a conflict with Mrs. Pross elaborates her disappearance. The motherly figure is loved and respected by the reader because of her unconditional compassion towards Lucie. The lady even dares to take a bullet for Lucie, and eventually beats her foe. Her loyalty towards Lucie adjoins to the topic of love in the narrative.

The idea of love in the story is also embodied by the example of Carton’s compliance to die for Darnay. Dickens’s plot of the story portrays Sydney as a man who is upright in his thinking. In the story, Sydney remarks that he shall never be any better and instead get worse (Dickens 153). The reader gets to consider that Sydney does not respect his life as much as he minds Darnay’s life and the pleasure his endurance will convey to Lucie. The love and bravery that even the reader wishes to experience is personalized in Sydney.

The coincidence in the story explains the resurrecting the power of love as indicated when Lorry manages to locate Lucie after ditching her several years prior to the meeting. The unexpected coincidental events perfectly develop the plot of the story. Without the utilization of coincidence by Dickens, the topic of love would not have been influential in the novel. The reader wishes for his favorite character to survive but does not realize the implausible circumstances as he is too caught up in the story.

In a nutshell, Dickens’s fondness for coincidence in the novel is a perfect reflection of his view of the world. Dickens dwells on resemblances and surprises of life to bring out the theme of love but not as a result of faulty plotting or lack of imagination. Coincidence is also used by the author to bring out ironical situations and reveal hidden meaning to the reader. Throughout the story, the aspect of believing is maintained since the reader is much occupied in the plot that he cannot notice any unrealistic state of affairs.