Resurrection is a powerful theme found throughout A Tale of Two Cities. Many of the characters in the novel are involved with the knitted themes of love, salvation and good versus evil. The theme of resurrection involves certain characteristics of all of these themes and brings the story together.
Dr. Manette is the first person in A Tale of Two Cities to experience resurrection. He is taken away from his wife and then imprisoned for eighteen years. Over time, his condition deteriorates until he eventually forgets his name and involuntary cobbles shoes when he's anxious to pass the time. In "Book the First", he is freed by the French government and then lives within the care of Monsieur Defarge. He is suddenly "recalled to life", as Mr. Lorry proclaimed. However, his rebirth has just begun and doesn't finish until he is reunited with his daughter, Lucie.
In "Book the Second", the resurrection theme appears several times.
Charles Dickens, a former resident of Lant Street.
English: Cover of serial "Tale of Two Cities" by C...
English: A photograph of an engraving in The Writi...At the start of the book, Charles Darnay is on trial for treason in England. His traveling back and forth between France and England apparently confirms that he is a spy. The crowds of people are positive he will receive the death penalty when found guilty. Fortunately, Darnay is saved by the lawyer-like attributes of Sydney Carton, who looks nearly identical to Darnay. He too is suddenly resurrected or "recalled to life".
In both "Book the Second" and "Book the Third", the reader gets different perspectives of the resurrection theme. Jerry Cruncher is a body-snatcher, and thinks of his late night activities as an honest trade. This parodies the resurrection theme because it is simply a physical resurrection of corpses from the cemetery that seemingly means very little in the plot. Later, the significance of Jerry Cruncher's resurrection activities is revealed in "Book the...