Charles Darnay

Charles Darnay from A Tale Of Two Cities is an overall well-rounded person, who was born into a troublesome life. Darnay’s family is apart of the French aristocracy, which he doesn’t favor. He wants no part of it and dislikes how they treat others, especially the peasants. To prevent himself from growing into his parents, he leaves that life behind and moves to London. He tutors in London and becomes a whole new person. Trying to escape the life he was born into was very difficult for Darnay. He got caught up in multiple messes because of his past. Dickens writes, “ ‘Sir,’ said the nephew, ‘we have done wrong, and now we are reaping the fruits of wrong’ “ (Dickens 94) This means he is now being punished for being related to the aristocracy. This quote shows how he he is very honest by admitting his wrongs. Charles Darnay is a very centered person who has learned from his past.

In chapter six of A Tale of Two Cities, Charles Dickens sets the hopeful tone of Lucie and Dr. Manette's relationship by illustrating the struggle between light and dark. He writes, “ ‘You can bear a little more light?’ ‘I must bear it, if you let it in’ “(Dickens 30). In this quote and paragraph, Dickens explains how Dr.Manette has been locked away for eighteen and isn't familiar with the light anymore. Lucie is the one to let the light into her father's prisoner room and expose it to him. Lucie is the light that is there to fight the darkness within her father. The author illustrates how darkness has surrounded Dr. Manette by stating, “Darkness had fallen on him in its place”(Dickens 32). After being held prisoner for years, Dr.Manette grew to be surrounded by darkness and learned to adapt to it. He needs someone to bring the light to him because he can't do it on his own. Lucie, the daughter he has just found out exists, is the one who lets the light into his life once again. Dickens writes, “Then, as the darkness closed in, the daughter laid her head down on the hard ground close to the father's side, and watched him. The darkness deepened and deepened, as they both lay quiet, until a light gleamed through the chinks of the wall”(Dickens 36). This shows how Lucie carries along the light with her and the light battles the darkness that has taken over her father. Lucie carries the light with her and uses it to heal her father and pull him away from the darkness of being in prison for eighteen years.  In chapter six, Dickens writes about the constant struggle between light and dark, within the father and daughter to create hope.

''The Wine-shop''

In A Tale of Two Cities, Charles Dickens foreshadows what the bloody future will hold by describing ''The Wine-shop'' scene. He states, " The wine was red, and had stained the ground…many hands, and many faces too, and many naked feet…”(Dickens 21). This quote in A Tale of Two Cities foreshadows the bloody future for the city by representing the wine as blood. The wine catches peoples' attention, gets all over them, and leaves them with a stain. The author writes,'' ... scrawled upon a wall with his fingers dipped in muddy wine-lees--BLOOD"(Dickens 22). This illustrates or foreshadows the bloody future soon to come by having the wine resemble blood. The blood soon to come will affect everyone in the city and will also mark a big event in the future. He says, "The time was to come, when that wine too would be spilled on the street-stones, and when the stain of it would be red upon many there"(Dickens 22). The quote describes how the wine on the street foreshadows a bloody outbreak in the city. Dickens foreshadows the blood will come fast and remain for a long time in the city. In chapter five of A Tale of Two Cities Dickens thoroughly foreshadows the soon to come, bloody fate of the streets.   

Family

     There is a copious amount of reasons as to why family is important, and these reasons appear many times throughout Stone Soup and A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. Stone Soup was written by Barbara Kingsolver, who is a divorced mother that has a fair amount of knowledge about the not so traditional family. A Tree Grows in Brooklyn was written by Betty Smith who tells the story of the members of the Nolan family’s difficult lives. Based on these stories, it is easy to see that family is the people that love and support you, no matter how you are related. Families can have their problems, but still care for each other no matter what.   
    Both engrossing stories mention examples of true family love and not your traditional family functions. Families can be blended together by adoption or remarriage yet still love as if they were blood related. “His own cheering section of grown-ups and kids all leap to their feet and hug each other, delirious with love for this boy… The cheering section includes his mother and her friends, his brother, his father and stepmother, a stepbrother and stepsister, and a grandparent” (Kingsolver 202). This quote illustrates how a family can care so much about each other, even though they are not your traditional family. If a group of people is this happy for you even though they are in this type of situation, they deserve to be called a good family. In A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, Sissy, who is Katie’s sister, is the member of the family that provides so much emotional aid to her family throughout the book. “She listened to everybody’s troubles... Sissy was a giver and never a taker” (Smith 101). Sissy helped Katie remember why she married Johnny during his dark times in the book and centered the Nolan family.     
    No family can be completely perfect. All families have their setbacks and hardships. “The sooner we can let go of the fairy tale of families functioning perfectly in isolation, the better we might embrace the relief of community” (Kingsolver 206). A family doesn’t have to the perfect Family of Dolls like Barbara Kingsolver describes in Stone Soup. Families with flaws can function just as well as traditional families.   
    Families are constantly looking out for one another in any way possible. The Nolan Family always protects each other for the brutality of the world. “My brother is next. His arm is just as dirty as mine so don’t be surprised. And you don’t have to tell him. You told me” (Smith 147). Francie and Neely went to the doctor’s office together to get their vaccinations. The both of them were dirty from playing outside but didn’t have time to clean themselves. While Francie was getting her vaccination, before Neely the doctor and nurse were talking about the dirt on her and how poor she must be. Francie refused to let them say the same thing to Neely she stood up to them so the same thing wouldn’t happen to him. She didn’t want him to be exposed to their brutality. Any good family would try to prevent each other from getting hurt and that is what Francie did.     
    In both, Stone Soup and Tree Grows in Brooklyn family love, family uniqueness, and how family looks out for each other is illustrated and helps define the importance of family.  

Sacredness of The Ordinary

    An ordinary object can have an entire different meaning in different people's eyes. This object has a deep,sentimental, and beautiful value to you but could mean absolutely nothing to others. It will catch your attention,calm and center you, and bring you back. All of these thoughts go through my head when I feel my cross on my neck.Silver chain with a silver cross attached to it. Simple clear diamond embedded into its surface. The diamond catches light and reflects those colors inside of it. After picturing this illustration you may think nothing of my cross, but it seem like so much more to me.
    I've worn a cross around my neck since I was a baby but it never meant anything to me when I was young. My family always said it is very special and that I should never lose it and I never thought much of it. For kindergarten and elementary school I went to St. Mary's I learned a lot about religion. Every night before I went to bed I would say a prayer while holding my necklace and it became a routine for me. Soon, I began to memorize the pray I said because I said it so much. My necklace always reminded me to pray.
    My cross brings back memories which center me and remind me of all the good things that have come my way in life. When I look at my cross I always think of who I am, and how I got here. It brings back memories, good and bad. Good memories with family and friends and even bad ones filled with loss. I am constantly reminded that people have it worse and that things always get better because I have the family and friends that built all of those good memories with me. My cross lets me take a breath and relax because I know I will always have memories and what I am made of.
    In my eyes, my life is stored in the sparkle of my diamond cross. My cross has gone through everything I have. I've learned right from wrong and my cross can put me on the right track if I part the wrong way. It was on my neck through the times I've gotten in trouble and the times I was rewarded so it hold what I have learned. I look at my necklace, remember the past and know which path is the right way.
    Ordinary objects can bring back thoughts and memories that shape who you become.  Certain things may bring back the memory of a loved one, a happy moment, a sad moment, or an important moment to you, and for me, my cross brings back all of these things.