For Better or For Worse?? (A Tale of Two Cities)

Essay by sweet_babidollHigh School, 10th gradeA, June 2005

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Why do some people think life is so bad when it could be worse? Charles Dickens uses the statement "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way," (Dickens 3) to portray the surroundings during the time period of the French Revolution in his novel A Tale of Two Cities. Everyone either had the best anyone can get out of life, or they had the worst imaginable. This account, as well as many others, can also identify the way times are now.

Life is so great at times. Dickens expresses this through good things happening at bad times. Even though Miss Manette had been away from her father for so long, she still had the will to be the best that she could. Sydney Carton referred to her as a "golden-haired doll," (117) and many thought of her as a very presentable young lady. Today, most people try to overcome their problems and be the best that they can be. If a tragedy of some sort occurs, or if a "dreadful remembrance" (81) comes back to mind for someone, they will usually just try to keep their heads up just like Miss Manette did. She did not dwell on the past and that is practically the way it is now. When the cask of wine was dropped and broken, everyone tried to...