Part 2- Chapters 19-24

[Angela]

This discussion is to discuss A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens, Part 2- Chapters 19-24.

[Terry ~ Huntress of Erudition]

This is such a big book to interpret, with so many things going on, that I read about it on Sparknotes and it said that nearly every character in the novel battles against some sort of imprisonment:
The peasants were imprisoned by their poverty.
Doctor Manette was literally imprisoned for 18 years.
Sydney Carton had self inflicted imprisonment due to alcoholism.
Charles Darnay felt so imprisoned by his family's political views and inconsiderate treatment the peasants the lived on their land that he changed his name and left the country.

[Terry ~ Huntress of Erudition]

It is a sad thing to note that even though the aristocrats were overthrown, life didn't seem to be much better for everyone. The peasants were still poor and they executed many innocent people for being affliliated with aristocrats.

[John]

A very remarkable time to have lived through - total chaos in lack of government and a warning to all subsequent ruling classes. I especially like Mary Wollstonecraft's History of the French Revolution.