Kevin's Watch

Just finished that for the second time. Wow that's a hard story. Does anyone think Dickens was creating in Carton the perfect Maytr? I found the scene where he walked around Paris with "I am the way and the life" running through his head oddly reminicent of the garden of Gesthemane.

SerScot wrote:Just finished that for the second time. Wow that's a hard story. Does anyone think Dickens was creating in Carton the perfect Maytr? I found the scene where he walked around Paris with "I am the way and the life" running through his head oddly reminicent of the garden of Gesthemane.

My all time favorite work of Dickens.

I also believe that Dickens was attempting to create a martyr - a Christlike figure who sacrifices himself for others because of love with no hope of Earthly reward other than the well being of the loved ones.

Now I have to go reread that book.

DoM,

The other thing I wondered about was how harsh Dicken's was toward the French Revolution. He was equally harsh on the French aristocracy's abuses that lead to the FR and didn't pull any punches regarding those abuses. But he comes on so strong toward the mob mentality that ruled the days of The Terror. I wonder if anyone in the more "Revolutionary" camp would criticize Dicken's portrayal of the Jacobins?

I purchased this book earlier in the year, and have yet to read it. I am looking forward to it.

To my great shame, I just can't stand Dickens. Something in the way he writes itself just makes all my neurons misfire in painful ways.

Considering how unambitious, mostly aimless, and often drunken Sydney Carton is during Part 2 of this story, it was amazing to me that he becomes such a heroic and decisive character in the story's third section, saving the lives of seven other people with his self-sacrifice. I won't soon forget him!