A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens - Assignment Example

The book is based reveals various themes that are critical to the upholding dignity in the society. On the other hand, Dispatches from the Edge, Shake Hands with the Devil, Night/Diary of a Young Girl, For Whom the Bell Tolls depicts similar themes that reflects on the social setting in both social and spiritual aspects. The theme of social justice and that of darkness and light are common in all the readings. The notion of certainty in the quest for justice in the social arena seems inseparable from either darkness or light.

The A Tale of Two Cities is keen on the social justices in the two cities and the main character of the novel reveals the notion. Also, the cities are miles apart, brutality is common. The lawbreakers and criminal are hang by the authorities. For instance, Darnay began working at a tender age and in the quest for justice, the revolution occurred. This highlights the notion of both darkness and light, approaching the social situation from both good and bad perspectives. In addition, the notion of foreign intervention is evident in the book, “The few words that he caught from this mans lips, first made it known to Charles Darnay that the king was in prison, and that the foreign ambassadors had one and all left Paris.

On the road (except at Beauvais) he had heard absolutely nothing. The escort and the universal watchfulness had completely isolated him. That he had fallen among far greater dangers than those which had developed themselves when he left England, he, of course, knew now. That perils had thickened about him fast and might thicken faster and faster yet, he, of course, knew now. He could not but admit to himself that he might not have made this journey if he could have foreseen the events of a few days.

And yet his misgivings were not so dark as imagined by the light of this later time, they would appear” (Dickens, Chapter 1, Part 3, p 273).