A Tale of Two Cities Week 5

The start of this week's reading is where the revolution really takes off. The women are frantically knitting and preparing for their duty when it's found out that the Foulon actually faked his own death in an attempt to save himself. Well, this obviously didn't work out too well for him because the people are instantly out to get him. It's here that we also Madam Defarge as the lead organizer of the revolution. I find it interesting that she calls the "soldiers" patriots because they really are. This comment makes me feel like she is so far ahead of her time to know what great things will come of the revolt. It doesn't take much before the Foulon is captured by Madam and the patriots and it is clear that they are out for a full on revenge. The Foulon didn't care if the people starved to death and treated them as animals saying they should eat the grass if they're hungry. They take their anger out on him by tying him up and stuffing grass in his mouth. They then proceed to string him up not once, but twice before they actually kill him. Something symbolic that I notcied in this passage was the sun rise. It signifies the revolution is just beginning and it's the dawn of a new day. There was also quite a contrast after this epic scene when it talked about the wailing and breadless children. It shows that yes, this one battle was great, but there is so much more ground left to be covered. Madame realizes this when she says the the battle has "almost come."

The next chapter, "Fire Rises" shows the revolution in full swing.
Here's my theory: The Marquis was a horrible ruler who controlled who of the paupers lived and died. He was rich and had food and allowed only a small bit to be distributed to them so he was their life source. Now that he's dead the country is in ruins but people are still returning to the fountain. Thus, I believe that the fountain symbolizes life. Not a life that one is in control of, but one that somebody else is.
Now tying in with the rest of the theory: When the people burn down the Chateau and the fountain is destroyed and they move on to start the revolution, they are taking full control over their lives. They no longer feel that they need Marquis to give them life, but instead are living and dying on their own terms.

Also the way the fire is described fits in with the thought that the people are taking over their lives. The way the "village was illuminating" signifies that the people are coming out of their dark oppression and into the light of a new day. Also the blatent statement about the house burning "as if it were the face of the cruel Marquis, burning at the stake and contending with the fire" adds to the thought as well.

In the next chapter, we find out a little more about Darnay's character. While it's true that we know he is the heir to the Marquis, nobody else is aware because of his name. However, when he intercepts a letter from a man who has done nothing but try to keep up the Marquis chateau for the heir that is in prison, he vows that he must go to France and correct the situation. He's "confident that he will be in no real danger there," but I am pretty sure this is where the whole story is about to unravel. Prediction: Darnay will attempt to save Gabelle's life. In the process, Lorry will find out his true identity and report it back to Lucie. It's because people will know his identity that he will be in danger and he will come close to death until our Christ figure, Carton, saves him and dies in a passionate way that Lucie will cherish forever. The end!

In the following chapter, Darnay has gone to France but he finds that much has changed since he left. Emigrants now have no rights and he is almost immediately thrown in jail. What I find interesting is that he's using his real name now that he's in France thinking that it will do him good when really, it's what hurts him most - irony at its best. As he's being taken to jail, he is escorted by Defarge who shows no sympathy despite the fact that he knows Lucie and Dr. Manette. He must know that it was Darnay's family who put Manette in jail. One line that really caught my eye was when Darnay asked if he was going to be burried and Defarge replies that many people have been burried before. Darnay's response: "Yes, but never by me." He's not ignorant to his family's doings and I agree that it's not specifically Darnay's fault that Manette was burried but for Defarge to be on Darnay's side is impossible because of what his family stood for. At the end of the chapter, while in the jail, Darnay starts remembering about Manette's time in jail and the paces. I'm curious to see what's going to happen with this.

In the final chapter of reading, Manette and Lucie have come to Paris. This was a very intense few pages because we can tell that Darnay is at a huge risk of being murdered by the mob of people. This is also where we finally see Manette show his true identity to the world. Yes, we knew he was a prisoner of the Bastille, but he had yet to say it aloud, let alone announce it to a crowd of people in an attempt to influence them against murdering Darnay. He must really love his son in law.