Juxtaposition In A Tale Of Two Cities

A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens deals with many coincidences that impact the plot and

Charles Dickens expertly utilizes the stylistic element of juxtaposition in the first chapter of A Tale of Two Cities to add more depth of meaning and enunciate gaps between the

The literature that came out of the French Revolution often shares common themes of death, rebirth, and destruction. Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens is much the same way. Throughout the novel, Dickens clearly supports the revolution but also depicts the brutality of the revolutionaries. Dickens uses powerful metaphors of a sea to symbolize the revolutionaries destroying old France and the belittling name of “Jacques” to depict the narcissistic views of the French aristocracy to show his support for the revolution.

The Devil in the White City by Erik Larson is a nonfiction novel that sets during the building of the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair, known as The World’s Columbian Exposition as well. The novel describes the process of building the fair and the architect who builds it to the evil murderer who exploits the fair to lure in his victims. Erik Larson uses rhetorical strategies such as selective connotation and word choice, imagery, and juxtaposition, to contrast the white city from the black city. Contrary to the white city which was the exposition, the black city, the rest of Chicago, brought negativity and hatred to the people.

Although it faced many obstacles in construction, time, and many other aspects, the Chicago World’s fair was immensely successful and served as a great boast of American pride. The Devil in the White City by Erik Larson is a nonfiction novel, taking place during the building of the Chicago World’s Fair in 1893, also known as The World’s Columbian Exposition. Each chapter of the novel alternates to show the lives of the two real men during this time: the main architect of the fair, Daniel Burnham, and the charming behind the scenes serial killer, H. H. Holmes. In The Devil in the White City, Erik Larson effectively utilizes juxtaposition between “the Black City” and “the White City,” metaphorical figurative language, and detailed imagery in order to portray the dreamlike qualities of the White City.

In a Tale of Two Cities, Charles Dickens juxtapositions suspense and humor in an intricate tale of love and loyalty.

In Devil in the White City, Erik Larson details the favorable and heinous aspects of Chicago during the progressive era. The characters in the novel contradicted each other because of the nickname given for the World Fair “White City” and the nickname for Chicago, “Black City”. Erik Larson effectively conveys in Devil in the White City through diction, characterization and juxtaposition that although the there are two contrasting plots, they both left a mark on society and impacted individual’s lives.

Story-truth, these are the truths that cannot be seen but are known to exist. These connect with a person on an empathetic level. Tim uses his storytelling ability to highlight that even when a story is not true that it can be truer than a story that is founded in happening-truth. In a Tale of Two Cities a story truth can be seen in Chapter XV “Knitting”. The man who killed the Marquis is placed in a series of horrible tortures to atone for his crime. The ultimate result is an expounding of fact within the town nearby. The revolutionists of France use this story to portray the absolute horridness of the aristocracy. The “mender of roads”, who claims to have witnessed the whole event, states:

They say the winter is a metaphor for solitude; however, my winter was everything but solitary. I longed for Christmas Carols and holiday cheer, instead I got the sound of doors slamming and children fighting. I expected normal; my mom, my dad, and my brother. Instead I received my mom, my dad, my brother, aunt, and three cousins in a sardine packed house.

January Thaw describes the close of winter through a few signs: the melting of the snow, the wake-up of the hibernating skunk, the grieving of the mouse over his flooded tunnels, bundles of rabbit hair and their newfound “freedom from want and fear”.

“Trees towered upwards with bending boughs holding the weight of the freshly fallen snow. A blanket of snow hid away all traces of animal life although you could hear the krawing of a murder of crows. Their hidden presence was foreboding to all men who passed through the forest. It was a signal of another starved beast returning to the earth. Even the most frivolous found the endless winter to be a burden.

Charles Dickens utilizes doubles and contrasts to enhance the plot of Dickens uses parallels in characters, social classes, and events that compliment each other to strengthen the plot. Its themes of violence in revolutionaries, resurrection, and sacrifice also help support the story.

Out of all the compelling characters in this story, Lucie Manette and Jarvis Lorry are the two that are most interesting to me. In the beginning of the story, they were strangers. However, as the plot develops, we find out they have actually met before. When Lucie became an orphan, Lorry took her to England to be raised. This action shows that Lorry cared for Lucie and wanted what was best for her. They meet again when he takes Lucie to her father. Throughout the story, they grow a strong bond.

    Many events that take place in A Tale of Two Cities, written by Charles Dickens, foreshadow upcoming obstacles and give insight into the hardships of the townspeople. Symbolic events occur which describe the vengefulness of the peasants towards the aristocrats. The novel contains many events, which have symbolic value. Many of the symbols have to do with the inevitable clash between the aristocrats and peasants. These events foreshadow the war that is soon to become reality.

Dickens writes this novel without bias; he makes that clear in the first chapter, “In England, there was scarcely an amount of order and protection